The Journey Continues
by OmniscientPancake17
Summary: Dawn turns down Buneary's modeling offer in order to continue her travels with Ash and Brock. When Brock moves on to follow his new dream of becoming a Pokémon Doctor, Ash and Dawn are left to decide the next steps in their journey. But with unspoken feelings between them and a sinister plot on the horizon, they'll find that their troubles are far from over...
1. Memories Are Made of Bliss!

**Hey there, everyone! Welcome to my first-ever Fanfiction story. I've been a reader of various stories on this site for a few years now, and for my whole life I enjoyed creatively writing, whether from original work or fictions based on established work. Recently this year I got back into Pokémon, which I blame mostly on Pokémon Go, and have thoroughly enjoyed every step. The games eventually led me to revisiting the anime, which I watched in bits and pieces. I've seen chunks of Diamond and Pearl (my personal favorite from when I was a kid), XY, and a noticeably smaller part of the Advanced Generation series. The ending of the DP series, which succeeded in irking me even when I was a kid, inspired me to write this, an alternate ending and continuation of the DP series in which Dawn turns down the offer to enter Pokémon fashion with Buneary, because honestly, that's a terrible way to write out a main character. After re-watching the finale of the series, I subconsciously created The Journey Continues. For those still wondering, yes, this is meant to be a Pearlshipping story (that is another motive of mine for writing this story, because of the apparent lack of truly good Pearlshipping fics out there, and in particular, an apparent lack of those which hold a similar premise to this one, as that seems the most logical premise to me. If there are fics out there like this, then I've had a hard time finding them). The first chapter is, essentially, a rewrite of the final episode, "Memories Are Made of Bliss!", but we are starting from the point immediately after the gang defeats Team Rocket and rescues Piplup.**

 **Anyway, now that that rambling is over with, I invite you to read the first chapter to The Journey Continues. I would immensely appreciate reviews and PMs of any kind that would offer to help me with possibly continuing this story as well as how to do so as far as plot and character development (please use constructive criticism if you have any, if you don't have anything nice to say about this work then just don't say it).**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The following is simply a work created by a true fan of the franchise and it is not in any way canon**

 **Now without further ado, The Journey Continues!**

 **Edit: 3.29.2017 - This chapter has been rewritten to cover the entire final episode of Diamond & Pearl.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 1_

 _Memories Are Made of Bliss!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region - Twinleaf Town**_

 _Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

 _"...Luuuuuup..."_

A female hand reached over to the bedside table and clicked the off button on the Starly-themed alarm clock. The eyes of a certain blue-haired Coordinator fluttered open lazily, and she focused her glance to see the time, finding that it was the early morning.

 _So tired..._ , Dawn thought. She placed the clock back on the desk and quickly flipped over, blocking the sun from her eyes and burying her face in the pillow.

Some movement at the bottom of the bedspread indicated that Piplup had crawled out of his cozy shelter. The Penguin Pokémon had indeed done so, and stretched out its body to work out the morning kinks. Piplup grumbled with a yawn, waking up fully. Dawn tightly closed her eyes, certain that Piplup would either go back to sleep or find his own way out of the room. The small padding of Piplup's ovular feet, though, disproved this theory, but Dawn assumed that the water-type would simply curl up next to her like he always did early on in the night.

Unfortunately, Piplup tapped its round beak on Dawn's shoulder blade. Dawn groaned, "Five more minutes..." but Piplup continued affectionately tapping her. "A little longer, Piplup, _please..."_ Dawn complained, trying as hard as she could to fall back into the sweet release of sleep.

Piplup huffed. She would go to the trouble to set an alarm-which woke him up-but she wouldn't wake up herself? This, obviously, was unacceptable. The Penguin Pokémon readied its Peck attack, lengthening its beak in doing so, and then tapped repeatedly with much more force than before, poking Dawn relentlessly.

One, two, three pecks, and Piplup continued going. Dawn furiously woke up and threw the bed sheets up, sending Piplup soaring through the air and into the couch on the other side of the bedroom. As Piplup made an unceremonious landing, Dawn grumbled, sulking in her messy bedhead, _"No one knows how to wake me up quite like you do."_

Then something ticked in the back of her mind. Dawn looked to her left, and then to her right, and realization swamped her over. Excitement washed away her sulking, "Piplup, I totally forgot we were back home!"

After spending a little more than the past year on the road, it was no wonder that she had managed to forget that she had gone to sleep the previous night in her own bed. Piplup fed off her excitement and hopped back over to the bed, following Dawn to the nearby window and pushing it open with her. This was the Dawn he'd expected! Warm sunlight poured into the room, banishing the cool air inside. The comfortable visage of Twinleaf Town greeted them, as they got ready to greet the day.

The time sped by and before either one knew it, Dawn and Piplup were happily hopping down the steps one at a time, the former dressed in her usual outfit. Her beanie and hair clips, though, were conspicuously missing, something she had almost never done during her constant traveling. Happily, Dawn greeted the people in the room, _"Good morning!"_

Brock stood up from examining some of the furniture against the wall. "Good morning, Dawn!" Brock concurred. Pikachu suddenly rolled over, balancing on some kind of ball that he had managed to find. _"Pi-ka!"_ he greeted energetically.

"Good morning, Dawn." Johanna said, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Sure thing, Mom...hey, does anybody know where Ash is?" Dawn asked. The Trainer had been conspicuously missing from the downstairs floor.

"Ash is still fast asleep." Brock said. Pikachu hopped off of the ball he'd been balancing on. The fact that Ash was still asleep wasn't surprising in the least, but Pikachu being awake was unusual. The electric mouse greeted Dawn and Piplup again, giving a laughing purr.

"Wow, Pikachu, you're up early." Dawn commented. Pikachu answered with a happy _"Pi-ka-chu!"_ and Dawn came upon a mischievous idea. She squatted down so that she was near the two Pokémon's eye level, "I say...we go wake up Mr. Sleepyhead!" Pikachu and Piplup agreed with a joyous cry as Johanna stepped over, carrying a bowl of food.

"Dawn, you could let him sleep in, you know." Johanna offered, but Dawn and the two Pokémon were already heading up the stairs, neither of them even acknowledging that Johanna had offered an alternative. The journey to the guest bedroom was quick, and the door was open just a crack.

 _That must be how Pikachu got out,_ Dawn thought. She gently pushed the door completely open, revealing Ash curled up in a position that couldn't possibly be comfortable. "Hmpf, sound asleep, all right." Dawn grinned deviously. Pikachu chattered a few words and Dawn immediately understood, "Pikachu, you wanna do the honors?" Pikachu happily agreed and carefully stepped inside the room, sneaking over to the foot of the bed. Dawn and Piplup tried to stifle relentless laughter as the electric-type smirked mischievously. Pikachu started to charge up a Thunderbolt.

 _"Piiiiii-kaa..."_ Pikachu purred as he spun around, releasing the Thunderbolt, _"CHUUUUUU!"_

 _"UWAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!"_

Ash jumped straight up out of the bed, feeling the scorching electricity shock him to the bone, before falling unceremoniously back onto the mattress, sparks of lightning crackling harmlessly around his body. Pikachu hopped up right next to the Trainer's head, chirping happily as if he'd done nothing wrong in his life, _"Pi-ka-chu."_

"Oh, man...hey, Pikachu. Good morning." Ash said dizzily.

"Nothing like a Pikachu-style wakeup call, huh, Ash?" Dawn asked, arriving at the bedside and cocking a hip outward, "Somehow I thought you'd like to know that it's breakfast time."

 _"Breakfast?!"_ Ash shouted, "Well why didn't you just say so? Pikachu, c'mon!"

Ash grabbed Pikachu by the hand and vaulted out of the bed, clearing the distance to the door in about two steps and disappearing around the corner, laughing as he went. Pikachu complained as the teen dragged him. A second later, there was a terrible crash as the pair fell down the stairs, rolling down both sets of stairs and hitting the hardwood floor of the kitchen. Dawn and Piplup ran after them, ending up on the landing connecting the two sets of stairs. "You okay, Ash?" Dawn called.

"Believe it or not, there's no need to worry!"

* * *

"Boys, the boat to Kanto leaves this afternoon, so you won't want to be late!" Johanna said. Ash and Brock answered with a shared affirmation, and Brock went on.

"I want to be sure that I buy enough Sinnoh gifts for everyone," Brock said, referencing his jumbo-sized family, "So let's get an early start, whaddya say, Ash?"

"Right, good idea, Brock." Ash said.

Piplup looked up from his bowl of Pokémon food, absolutely stunned by what he was hearing. Ash and Brock were _leaving?_ But, this couldn't possibly be so, right?! "Well, you don't have to rush outta here _too_ quickly." Dawn suggested. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with the pair who had traveled with her for the past year.

"I wanna thank you two for everything you did for Dawn on her journey with you two. I can't imagine what a wonderful experience it's been for her, as both a Trainer and a Coordinator." Johanna said.

Ash nodded and smiled, "There's no need to thank us, Johanna. Traveling with Dawn's been lots of fun."

"So, Ash, are you gonna battle in another League soon?" Dawn asked.

"I'm not sure..." Ash said, briefly flashing back to the crushing loss he'd suffered at the hands of Tobias, "First I have to go back to Pallet Town and thank all of my Pokémon. They put in so much work and battled really, really hard."

"And I'm certain your mother is looking forward to you returning home," Johanna concurred, "And you as well, Brock."

Only horror existed in Piplup's eyes. They really _were_ leaving, and more likely than not they would _never_ come back to Sinnoh.

"Hey, maybe I could go to Kanto with you and Brock, too!" Dawn realized.

Dawn's words dashed all of the fear in Piplup's eyes, banishing the quivering tears that had threatened to fall from the Penguin Pokémon's eyes. Yes, they would be going to Kanto too! Happily, the water-type went back to eating, until Johanna spoke up.

"Oh, Dawn, I almost forgot. Something came for you in the mail." Johanna said. Piplup looked up as Johanna grabbed a magazine out of the stack on the table. Johanna handed the magazine to Dawn.

"Poké Chic?" Dawn said.

"That's right. You remember Hermione, the editor from the Hearthome Collection?" Johanna asked.

"Oh, that's right. I do remember." Dawn said, "She was the Poké Stylist with the Lopunny."

"And you won the Hearthome Collection, too. Pikachu and I entered, but..."

Dawn giggled, "Hehehe, you two sure got a lot of laughs!" She briefly flashed back to Ash and Pikachu's tribal getup that they'd donned for the Collection, giggling again just at the thought.

Brock's eyes formed hearts, "Though personally, I was much more interested in Paris, the Pokémon Stylist! Oh, she was-"

 _"Croa-gunk!"_

The poison-type jabbed Brock's lower back, sending piercing toxins into his body. The Breeder stiffened, his muscles failing him for a moment, _"Since when is it against the law to dream?"_ Brock's chair quickly tipped over backwards, crashing into the floor with a loud bang. Croagunk growled apprehensively, his fist still glowing purple. Everyone watched with puzzled indecision, but they were so used to the occurrence that it seemed to have no major effect on them. Dawn turned to her mother once again.

"So, when did you talk to Hermione?"

"I talked to her about a week ago...she said that she wanted to talk to you about your Buneary." Johanna explained.

 _"Luuup...?"_ Piplup whimpered. Just like that, his hopes had been dashed again. He now had a whole new situation to worry about, and from what he could remember of the Hearthome Collection, he didn't exactly have a reason to be optimistic.

* * *

Buneary bounded around in an orange vest, jubilation on her face. _"Buuu-uuuuun-eary!"_

"Buneary, you look amazing!" Ash praised.

"Right, being picked to be a Pokémon Model is quite the honor!" Brock concurred. Buneary buried her face in the fluff of its body, cooing with a twinge of embarrassment.

"Hermione said that they wanted to take pictures of Buneary in Hearthome City right away!" Dawn said, "Buneary, do you want to be a Pokémon Model?"

 _"Bun-eary!"_

"Well, that's settled!" Dawn decided. Piplup chirped out a complaint, but wasn't acknowledged. Ash continued on, praising Buneary further.

"That's awesome, Buneary! Promise us that you'll let us know when the magazine comes out!" Ash said. Piplup flipped its gaze to Ash, chirping again. Things were going south fast! Neither Ash nor Brock answered him though, his cry falling on deaf ears all around.

"I guess this means we won't be going to Kanto together, huh?" Brock said. Piplup's beak dropped open as his worst fear was confirmed. Even worse, Dawn concurred without any shred of sadness.

"Yeah! It's too bad, but this is Buneary's big chance, don't you think?" Dawn asked. Brock agreed by joking that they should get autographs now before Buneary blew up as a big star. Piplup, though, would have no more of the ridicule he was enduring. This just would not do. With a wild cry, Piplup burst out in anger, bouncing back and forth and up and down and flailing his flippers angrily. Finally, his outburst garnered the attention of the other Pokémon and the three humans on the porch. "Piplup, what's wrong?" Dawn cried. Pikachu bounded forward to try and console the water-type, but Piplup quickly rejected the mouse after a short struggle. Piplup summoned forth a Whirlpool, much to the protest of Dawn, and fired the vortex at the group, providing a perfect smokescreen for him to run away as fast as he could.

After the tidal wave calmed down, Dawn looked up, finding Piplup missing. All of her clothes, as well as Ash and Brock's, were completely soaked. "What...what was that all about?" she asked aloud. The screen door opened and Johanna walked out, having heard the commotion.

"Dawn, what happened?" Johanna asked with a frown, "My goodness, you're all soaked to the skin!"

Dawn stood up with a quivering lip. "M-Mom, something's wrong. Piplup got angry all of a sudden and ran off!"

Johanna sighed sadly, "Maybe Piplup doesn't want to have to say goodbye to everyone..." The Trainers all turned to each other and silently agreed that that must've been the case. "You three should go find Piplup right away before he gets lost!" Ash and Dawn nodded, calling out their Pokémon.

 _"Togekiss!"_

 _"Staraptor!"_

The two flying Pokémon cried and Pikachu eagerly hopped onto Staraptor's back. Buneary turned to Dawn and whimpered worriedly, fearing she was to blame for Piplup's sudden outburst.

"No need to worry, Buneary. This isn't your fault, okay? Just leave everything to us." Dawn returned Buneary and tucked the Poké Ball away. A moment later, Ash, Dawn, and Brock were running into the Twinleaf Woods as Togekiss and Staraptor searched from the air. They had to find Piplup!

* * *

 _ **Twinleaf Woods**_

Piplup padded along down the path as fast as he could, doing his best to fight back the tears.

 _"Pip, pip, pip, pip, pip, pip, pip, pip, pip-lup!"_

There was a whooshing in the sky, and from it, Pikachu looked around from Staraptor's back. The mouse suddenly spotted the little blue penguin running along. _"Pika, pi! Pikachu!"_ Pikachu cried, pointing out the water-type to Staraptor. Staraptor and Togekiss quickly changed their course and headed down the path after Piplup. Staraptor dipped close to the ground. _"Staraptor!"_ he cried, getting Piplup's attention.

Piplup cocked his head back as he ran, tears welling from his eyes. He should've known that they'd come after him with flying Pokémon. He had no chance at getting away now, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. The Penguin Pokémon skidded to a stop and fired off a Hydro Pump directly at Staraptor. The Predator Pokémon barrel rolled out of the way, forgetting entirely that Pikachu was on its back. The mouse went flying straight toward Piplup, smacking into the water-type and sending them both to the ground. The two Pokémon recovered and Pikachu tried to grab at Piplup's flippers and talk sense into the water-type.

 _"Piiii-ka."_ Pikachu tried. Piplup sniffled and then pushed Pikachu away. Right now he wanted nothing to do with anyone, and the water-type began lumbering away as he shook his head rapidly. Suddenly, he ran right into a soft body, stumbling backward. A pair of wings reached out and caught him in midair, setting him gently on his feet but not letting go of their warm embrace. Piplup reluctantly looked up, seeing the motherly Togekiss looking down.

 _"Tooo-oge."_

Piplup sniffled, more tears welling out of his eyes, before finally breaking down and burying his round head into Togekiss' belly, bawling uncontrollably. Pikachu purred at Staraptor and the flying-type turned around to go find their Trainers. As Staraptor flew off, Piplup turned around to glance at Pikachu, suddenly charging forward and latching onto Pikachu to continue crying. The water-type beat its flippers repeatedly on Pikachu's chest, tugging at his hands briefly as he did so. The message was clear: Pikachu, not to mention everyone else, couldn't just up and leave him.

Piplup's overwhelming sadness was contagious, forcing tears to slip out of Pikachu's eyes. In another instant, the mouse joined Piplup in his bawling. Togekiss padded over and pulled the two crying Pokémon close, its motherly nature rolling off of it in waves as it cooed, doing its best to soothe the two distraught Pokémon.

 _"I know how ya feel..."_ a familiar voice sighed.

The three Pokémon were drawn to the edge of the path, where one talking Meowth covered his face while spilling tears into his arm. "Nothin's harder than sayin'...goodbye...!" Meowth bawled, "Ya know I relate much more ta ya than you'll ever, ever know..."

Suddenly, Meowth's head flashed up, his eyes churning with malice, "So that's why I'm gonna make sure you stay togetha like glue!"

A net shot down from the sky and wrapped around Togekiss, Pikachu, and Piplup, trapping them in their place together. It was a trick!

 _"Friends 'till the very end!"_

All three Pokémon complained, demanding to be set free as the Team Rocket balloon circled overhead, tugging the net up into the air. Meowth hopped forward, latching onto the net and garnering the attention of the three trapped Pokémon, "Hey, chill out! Look at it as a way for you yokles to bond with each other to ya hokey heart's content!" The Scratch Cat Pokémon climbed up quickly and vaulted into the perch under the balloon, joining his two crooked comrades.

"Right, see? We did you a favor!" James declared.

"And without a twerp in sight, let's take flight!" Jessie concurred.

 _"Piplup!"_

 _"Pikachu!"_

Ash, Dawn, and Brock appeared on the path with Staraptor in tow, each of them looking up in shock at Team Rocket. The crooks deadpanned and James groaned out loud, "Ugh...! Speak of the Giratina."

"Team Rocket! Give them back now!"

"Sorry, no can do!" Meowth denied teasingly, "Handing 'em over to a twerpy troop of Trainers could be bad for our health, and we like being healthy, so-"

 _"Brave Bird!"_

All three Team Rocket members gasped and looked forward to see Staraptor racing at them in a veil of blue flames, tearing straight through their balloon with ease. The balloon broke apart and plummeted to the ground. "Torterra, come out and use Leaf Storm!" Ash called. The Continent Pokémon spawned from the airborne Poké Ball and fired off a quick Leaf Storm at the falling net carrying Togekiss, Pikachu, and Piplup. The net was shredded to pieces and Togekiss swiftly caught the two smaller Pokémon, flying back toward the Trainers with a gleeful chirp.

"Are you all okay?" Ash and Dawn both asked the Pokémon together.

Meanwhile, the Team Rocket Trio crashed into the ground, just as the Trainers and their Pokémon all reunited happily. Jessie shot up first, followed by James and Meowth. "That won't do!"

"Here's a solution!" James added.

"Make you _not okay!"_ Meowth declared, his claws unsheathed and glowing.

 _"Seviper, Yanmega, it's twerp time!"_ Jessie declared, sending out her two Pokémon.

 _"Carnivine, don't let them get ahead!"_ James added. The grass-type spawned from the Ball but unsurprisingly latched onto James instead. The Rocket complained, _"I don't want you to get my head! Use Bullet Seed!"_ Carnivine detached from James and hovered in the air, spitting forth a Bullet Seed volley.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu hopped forward and launched a blast of lightning. The lightning bolt tore through the Bullet Seed attack, but Carnivine easily dodged the blast as it came close to it. Togekiss swooped in in response, seeing the opportunity for an easy hit. Dawn called for an Air Slash attack, and Togekiss sent Carnivine flying at the ground with a well-timed attack. Yanmega swooped past Carnivine as Jessie called for it to attack.

"Yanmega, use Steel Wing!" Yanmega surged forward with two glowing wings. Ash countered with a call for Aerial Ace from Staraptor, and the two flying Pokémon clashed harmlessly against each other. Meowth came sprinting forward next, his claws brandished.

 _"I'm rampin' it up to give ya my Fury Swipes!"_ Meowth declared.

"Sudowoodo, use Hammer Arm!" Brock called. The rock-type tree jumped out and faked low, tricking Meowth into diving forward with a Fury Swipes attempt. Sudowoodo then lifted itself up and slammed a brutal Hammer Arm into the back of the normal-type's head, ricocheting Meowth off of the ground and sending him bounding back toward his crew.

"All right, Seviper, use Poison Tail!"

Seviper zipped forward with a glowing purple tail, gnashing its huge fangs together. _"Se-viper!"_

"Torterra, counter with Energy Ball!" Ash called. Torterra roared and spat a crackling ball of energy at the poison-type snake, striking it with ease and sending Seviper crashing back toward Jessie along with the rest of its fellow Pokémon, leaving everyone in a closely knit pile.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Piplup, Hydro Pump, now!"

Pikachu raced forward with a Volt Tackle at the ready, while Piplup launched a powerful Hydro Pump from behind. The two attacks suddenly fused together, adding a pristine blue tail to the Volt Tackle as Pikachu raced towards the crooks with a battle-hungry _"Pika, pika, pika, pika, pika!"_ The crooks of Team Rocket and their Pokémon all recognized their imminent doom like an old friend, and Pikachu crashed into them at full force, sending them flying away.

"Well, that didn't go well..." James groaned.

"We don't even have a gift for da boss!" Meowth concurred.

 _"We're blasting off agaaaaaaaain!"_

Down on the ground, Pikachu and Piplup exchanged an excited high-five, laughing happily with each other.

"Piplup." Dawn said, getting both Pokémon's attention. Piplup immediately whimpered, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and emotional torture. His friends were all going to leave soon.

Dawn pulled out Buneary's Poké Ball, calling out the Rabbit Pokémon. Buneary popped out, still clad in its fashionable vest, and Dawn walked over to Piplup. Buneary followed, and Dawn sat down on the dirt in front of her beloved partner Pokémon. Piplup and Buneary chirped with confusion, and Dawn smiled.

"Okay, you two. Let's talk it out."

* * *

 _ **Twinleaf Town**_

"Dawn, are you sure?" Johanna asked for confirmation, not at all upset. "You understand what kind of opportunity this is."

"Yeah, Mom, I thought it over." Dawn confirmed, looking past her mother to see her two traveling partners on the other end of the room. They both appeared calm and stoic, as if waiting for a monumental revelation. "This is what I want to do, and I talked to Piplup and Buneary. They're both behind me."

"All right then. Here's Hermione's business card. It came with the magazine. You'd better hurry and call her on the videophone." Johanna told her daughter, handing her the plain white card. The blue-haired coordinator stepped over to their family videophone, glancing down at the card a few times as she punched in the necessary numbers. The screen then went from black to grey and showed a little animation in the corner, apparently a substitute for ringing.

After a short moment, the icon disappeared and suddenly the screen showed Hermione on the other end. She smiled, "Why hello Dawn, how good of you to call."

"Hi, Hermione, it's great to see you again too!" Dawn responded cheerfully, but then the seriousness of what she was about to do hit both her mind and her face. "But listen, Hermione…there's something I should tell you."

"Is everything all right, dear?" Hermione interrupted, not quite grasping the situation.

"Yes, I'm fine…but I have decided to turn down your offer." Dawn said quickly, her face turning to near stone as the stylist on the other end pondered what she'd just said. Awkwardness ensued, so Dawn took it upon herself to speak once more. "I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity, but the fact of the matter is that I am still too young to enter the professional world, and the same goes for my Buneary. I've decided to continue traveling not just Sinnoh, but the world as well, while my entire life is ahead of me."

Hermione immediately seemed to understand as Dawn finally trailed off. "Hmm, I understand Dawn. That's a very mature decision of you. I respect it. But you should know that in the future if you desire to work with my company and I, this offer will stand for as long as you like. There are few Trainers with Pokémon who radiate as much potential as you and your Buneary do."

Dawn beamed, "Thank you, Hermione! Take care!"

Dawn cut the videophone feed, before staggering backwards, the weight that she had just rejected an incredibly profitable opportunity hitting her now.

"Well, it would seem that it's settled then." Brock spoke up, breaking the tension.

"Yeah!" Dawn returned to life, color filling her face again as she beamed, "I'm coming to Kanto with you and Ash!"

* * *

The television crackled to life, broadcasting the final match of the Champion League. With the conclusion of the Lily of the Valley Conference, victorious Trainer Tobias gained the opportunity to challenge the Elite Four and ultimately the Champion, should he manage to go that far. However, the enigmatic winner of the Lily of the Valley Conference had never shown up, and his whereabouts were unknown. With the conference champion not present, the members of the Elite Four began the second leg of the Champion League, in which the Elite Four challenged _each other_ in order to change the order of their line. This year, Flint defeated Lucian, and took the latter's place as the final Elite Four member that a challenger would have to beat in order to challenge the Champion. Still not satisfied, Flint challenged Cynthia herself.

At the moment, Flint was at his final Pokémon, Infernape, and faced off against Cynthia's Garchomp.

Ash, Brock, and Dawn watched intently as the battle commenced with Flint taking the first move: Flare Blitz. The super-powerful Infernape gnashed its teeth as it summoned hungry orange flames to surround itself, and the fires quickly heated up to a blistering blue hue. Infernape charged, airborne, at the Dragon/Ground-type, who narrowly dodged and summoned a massive Draco Meteor. Returned to the ground, Infernape dodged the barrage of fiery blasts, which also send up volleys of rocks and dirt.

Flint shouted an indecipherable command and Infernape grappled upward to Garchomp, landing what appeared to be a Mach Punch to the dual-type Dragon. The pair grappled fiercely for a moment until Cynthia called for Garchomp to deal out a devastating blow with the blade on its arm, striking Infernape in the back of its head and sending the Fire/Fighting-type plummeting to the ground.

Recovering quickly, Infernape soared out of the dust with bewildering speed, a glowing Mach Punch charged up in its fist. Garchomp couldn't even blink before the Fire-type was on him, landing an excruciating blow under its chin. Recoiling, Garchomp struck back with its arm blades. Infernape fell to the ground again, only to land swiftly on its feet in a cloud of dust and launch itself back upward. It landed another volley of hits onto Garchomp, grabbing one of its arms and swinging the Dragon/Ground-type. Angered, Garchomp suddenly channeled Stone Edge, this time landing a brutal special hit on the Fire-type.

Flint, gritting his teeth, called for a final attack: Flare Blitz. The flaming ape roared to the sky, its corona of flames billowing in the wind as it did so, and summoned the brilliant blue flames once more as it went airborne. Cynthia calmly responded with a call for Giga Impact, and the two Pokémon charged.

The collision resulted in an explosion of smoke and dirt, blocking the view of the two Pokémon from their Trainers. The smoke eventually cleared, with the two Pokémon standing on opposite sides with their backs facing each other. Both breathed heavily, trying to hold their balance as the evidence of recoil damage became clear.

And then, Infernape staggered, its knees weakening, before it fell unceremoniously to the dirt, knocked out.

" _Infernape is down! Unable to take down Cynthia's Garchomp after defeating_ two _of her Pokémon!" the commentator declared with energy in his voice._

Ash gritted his teeth at seeing Flint, a Trainer who had come to inspire him, lose in this way. The commentator's voice broke him from his stupor with another booming declaration.

" _And so Cynthia once again defends her title as Champion Master and remains on her throne! Can anyone beat her?"_

That question sent something primal into Ash's veins, and he shot up from his seat on the couch in Dawn's living room. "Yeah, I can!" he declared confidently.

"Huh? That came out of nowhere." Dawn remarked. Piplup added to the remark with an unceremonious chirp.

Ash turned to her with wildly confident eyes. "No way Dawn, it's always on my mind! Someday, somehow, I'm gonna win the Champion League and become Champion Master." Pikachu hopped up on his beloved partner's shoulder, purring agreeably. Ash seemed like he knew what the electric mouse was saying.

"You're right buddy, and that means I'll finally be a Pokémon Master." Ash confirmed.

Ash's speech stirred inside of Dawn, and she called out happily. "Your big dream! Awesome!" Piplup again chirped alongside its Trainer, this time much more happily. Brock then stood up, seemingly out of nowhere, and his presence attracted both Trainers' attentions.

"Hey guys, there's something I've been wanting to tell you." Brock told them calmly. "After everything that's happened, and with the incident on the ship back here, I've been thinking. After seeing you two go for your dreams, I've decided that I need to go for a dream of my own, too. So that's why I'm going to be using everything I know to become a Pokémon Doctor.

With that finally off his chest, Brock smiled internally. Ash and Dawn both looked equally surprised, but somehow approving. "A Pokémon Doctor?" they asked in unison, as if trying to be sure they'd heard correctly.

"That's right." Brock confirmed to them, "But to become a Pokémon Doctor, I'll have to study really hard, which means I won't have time to continue on our journey."

"I understand, Brock. Go for it!" Ash answered confidently, a fist raised. The Pokémon in the room chimed in with their respective cries, and Brock smiled, knowing he had the full support of his two friends.

"Thanks, you two." Brock said. Dawn then commanded the attention in the room.

"So, Ash is going to be a Pokémon Master, Brock'll be a Pokémon Doctor, and I'll be a Top Coordinator! Sounds good to me!" Dawn cheered, adding, "And there's no need to worry!"

"Y'know whenever you say 'no need to worry', that's when I worry the most." Ash butted in jokingly, but it went right over Dawn's head.

"No need, Ash, this time I'm right!"

The trio burst into joyful laughter, happy that they had all decided just what they were going to do with their lives ahead of them. Johanna then spoke up, interrupting the mood.

"It's three o'clock you three. Almost time to go!"

The laughter stopped, with each of the Trainers looking to the former Top Coordinator. The realization came over them that they were now done with their Sinnoh journey. Collectively, they all felt as if they'd only just gotten there, even if they were used to packing up and leaving places after such a short time. The notion hit Dawn especially hard. She had been overjoyed to leave home and journey around her home region nearly over a year ago, but now, she was really going to leave for a different part of the world, hundreds of miles away from home.

But somehow, Dawn felt more than ready for the challenge.

* * *

Wingull chirped collectively over the port, the evening sun giving the water a color like orange juice. Flocks of these port gull Pokémon flew back and forth, but they went unnoticed to the hundreds of bystanders who were boarding various ships.

The trio of Ash, Dawn, and Brock, as well as Johanna, finally reached the loading dock that would take them onto their ferry to Kanto. Johanna had tagged along to see her daughter and her friends off.

"Guess we're here." Dawn said almost somberly, still conflicted that she was really leaving home. She turned to her mother, the woman who had always cared for her since she was just a little girl, and hugged her.

"Thank you Mom, for everything!" Dawn whimpered into her mother's shoulder as Johanna hugged her back.

"Oh, darling, don't cry. I'll always be here for you to call if you need me. You've grown into such a strong young woman these past two years with your friends, and I couldn't be more proud of you. And now, you're going to have a whole new batch of experiences with your friends, and you'll meet so many new Pokémon on this new journey. I know that no matter where you go, your heart will always be here." Johanna preached.

"Thank you, Mom." Dawn whimpered as she pulled away, still holding onto her mother's arms like a child.

"Oh, and one more thing dear. Take good care of Ash." Johanna teased only slightly. Dawn tensed and blushed, confirming her mother's suspicions. Chasing away the color that had risen to her cheeks, Dawn turned and returned to her two friends near the loading ramp. The Kanto natives noticed her, and Ash turned to look at Johanna, clenching a fist confidently.

"Johanna, thank you for everything, too. I'll take care of Dawn, I promise." Ash nodded as he spoke, giving her a thumbs up. Brock simply nodded alongside Ash.

Ash, Brock, and Dawn then turned to look at the ferry, before turning to glance back at Johanna. The mother sensed how unsure they were, and gestured for them to get a move on. "You'd better go, darlings, or you'll be late."

"Right." Dawn said somberly, before motioning to her friends. The trio all turned at once and ran up the ramp to board the ferry, their suitcases and bags behind them. Brock was carrying an absolute mess of souvenir bags, having dropped hundreds of dollars at the portside shop to get a souvenir for all of his siblings back in Kanto. He was last aboard the ship, with the two teenage Trainers disappearing inside the ship long before he did.

Johanna watched as the ship almost immediately pulled away from the dock, drifting out into the water before throttling forwards at a Snorlax's pace.

Johanna bit back a tear as she watched the boat leave.

"Mom!" Dawn's voice called from the ferry, forcing Johanna to look specifically at the ship's back, where her daughter, Ash, and Brock were all standing, waving all together.

"No need to worry!" Dawn cupped her mouth and called, her voice carrying across the wind and to her mother's ears. Johanna smiled widely and then broke out into waving.

"You three take good care!" Johanna called back, watching and waving as the ship picked up its pace and drifted into the sunset. When she could no longer see the ship, she turned and walked her way home. Her daughter was now gone once again, but she had to admit, she couldn't be happier about the people she'd chosen to leave with.

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region - Crossroads**_

The trio walked down the dirt path, reaching where the path split into a T. A sign was placed against the cliff that the roads ran alongside, with two arrows pointed in opposite directions. The arrow on the right read "Viridian City", and in smaller letters underneath it, "Pewter City", while the arrow on the left read "Pallet Town".

"Guess this is it." Ash muttered, having lead the group to the split path. He turned around, and Dawn and Brock exchanged a sad look.

"Yeah…" Dawn and Brock both said together. Dawn strolled over to the left side of the sign, beside Ash, while Brock stood on the right. Ash was first to extend his hand, which Brock took in earnest.

"You can do it, Pokémon Doctor Brock." Ash said confidently.

"Pokémon Master Ash, you can too." Brock answered back. He turned to look at Dawn, "Top Coordinator Dawn, so can you."

Dawn smiled before taking Brock's newly empty hand and shaking it as well.

"Take care of yourselves out there." Brock added. Ash simply nodded before turning and walking with Pikachu on his shoulder. Dawn stood where she was, looking at Brock some more.

"I mean it." Brock muttered. "Don't hold back your feelings, Dawn. Make sure that he knows."

Without another word, Brock turned and began walking toward Viridian City. Dawn stood where she was, pondering what Brock had just said. Dawn turned to look at Ash's retreating form, before looking back at Brock. He had to have been joking, she was sure of it, or maybe she had completely imagined that he'd said anything?

Ash's call broke her from her trance. "Hey, Dawn! You coming, or what?"

Dawn scrambled to regain her composure, rattling Piplup as she did so. "No need to worry! I'm coming!"

The Twinleaf Town native turned and sprinted after the Kanto-born Trainer, her starter Pokémon waddling quickly along with her. She caught up with him, and slowed her pace, walking alongside her friend for what seemed like hours. Eventually, the forest broke into a clearing of hills, with the path going back and forth alongside the hills and through another set of trees before finally reaching an expansive settlement of land, with little houses dotting the terrain every few blocks.

"There's Pallet Town." Ash said absentmindedly, with Pikachu chirping in agreement. Dawn smiled at the quaintness of it all, before Ash broke her out of her thoughts once again. "Come on, Dawn!" he cried before sprinting down the path, forcing her to break into her own sprint after him. The coordinator grinned from ear to ear as she chased after the excited Trainer. Their Sinnoh journey may have been over, yes, but their journey together was far from it.


	2. Making a Home Out of Pallet!

**A few things to clear up any headcanon issues:**

 **Ash: 14 years old**

 **Dawn: 13 years old**

 **I'm going with the following: Ash's journeys through Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto took a total of 2 years. Hoenn and the Battle Frontier took 1 year as well, and Sinnoh took one year, leaving him at 14 years old with the start of this story. Dawn is 13 years old, as the rule in Sinnoh is that a child must be 12 before being able to own a Pokémon (I know that the first episode of DP specifically says 10, but screw it).**

 **Note: this has been changed as of 12/27/2017. The original canon for this story had Ash at 16 and Dawn at 14, but after how much time I've allowed to pass in-world, it's becoming a little tight in the age department. So, I've aged them down. However, I would imagine there are multiple moments where Ash or Dawn are said to be a different age than I have them listed here or as how old they would be in terms of the old canon. Since there are over 60 chapters to this thing, I'm just going to correct it where I see it. I'd like to ask all of my readers to keep that in mind, and, if you do see a moment where the age does not line up, to let me know in a review or PM. I will promptly fix it should this happen. Thanks again for taking the time to read my story, and I hope you enjoy the rest of it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The following is in no way canon to the franchise.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 **Chapter 2**

 _Making A Home Out of Pallet!_

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Pallet Town**_

Ash was leading the charge back into Pallet Town. It had been nearly two years since he'd been back, and there wasn't much he was looking more forward to besides one of his mom's home cooked meals. It was hard to beat Brock's cooking, of course, but his mother was one of the few who could produce dishes of his caliber.

The final stretch into the main square of Pallet Town was a steep incline. Ash had run the incline a couple of times on his way back from journeys, but in his rush to get home he had managed to completely forget that Dawn was even with him. The Sinnoh-born Coordinator was having more than her fair share of trouble with the incline. Boots did not make good shoes for running down hills, so she had to slow herself to a modest jog. Piplup, meanwhile, had already lost his footing and was bounding down the hill in circles, kicking up dirt each time a different part of his body hit the ground, wailing angrily the whole way down.

Piplup reached the foot of the last hill before Dawn did, but as soon as the Coordinator reached level ground she bent down to pick up the poor penguin starter. Ash then stopped as he remembered he wasn't alone this time. He had managed to get halfway down the block in his haste, and sprinted back to reach the Coordinator and disgruntled Penguin Pokémon.

"Hey, are you guys o—"

Piplup interrupted Ash with a series of angry "Pip" and "Lup" comments, swinging its almost-pitiful flippers in the air as it made its discontent heard.

Ash nervously laughed and scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, I'm just so excited to be back!" he defended. Dawn, meanwhile, didn't get on to him like her starter Pokémon had, simply giggling at his childlike demeanor.

"So, this is Pallet Town, huh?" Dawn asked aloud as she looked around the main square. It was actually very quiet, with no one moving around the place.

"Yeah, it's usually really quiet around here, nobody actually lives in the main square." Ash explained, "Everybody lives a little ways out. My house is down that way, all by itself." The Pallet native pointed directly ahead, where houses could be seen in the distance.

"No need to worry, Piplup will get over the not-so-fun trip here." Dawn assured Ash. "Let's head to your house then."

"I promise I'll walk from now on." Ash conceded as he took his place next to her.

Dawn carried Piplup tight in her arms now, and the penguin Pokémon looked more than content with being suspended in midair by her grip. The water-type looked back and forth carefully at the buildings before Ash broke the silence.

"If you look over there by that hill, where the building with the windmill is…that's Professor Oak's lab. He's got a big ranch behind the lab where I've left all of my Pokémon over the years."

"Oh, can we go and see him later? I'd love to hear some more poems and see some of your Pokémon." Dawn pleaded.

Ash laughed, "Sure thing."

The rest of the walk was made in relative silence until they reached the path leading to Ash's house. Dawn could see over the typical white fence surrounding the property, and picked out a Mr. Mime calmly sweeping a broom back and forth on the porch.

"Hey, Mimey!" Ash called out, getting the psychic-type's attention.

"Mime!" it called, taking a hand off of the broom to wave and welcome the Trainer back.

"It has been a while! Do you know where Mom is?"

Mr. Mime gestured to the house, but didn't reveal much else.

Ash and Dawn walked through the fence, and Mr. Mime appeared to only just notice the bluenette. "Mime?" the Pokémon asked quizzically, glancing up and down at both the Coordinator and the strange blue Pokémon in her arms.

"Mimey, this is Dawn. She's from the Sinnoh Region."

"And this is my partner Piplup." Dawn added. The penguin chirped at its acknowledgement with a raise of its flippers. The psychic-type nodded calmly at the newcomers and went back to sweeping dust off of the porch. Ash then knocked on the door, pulling on the doorknob next and finding it to be unlocked.

"Moooo-ooooom!" Ash called, "I'm home! And I brought a friend!"

There was a clattering noise coming from the kitchen. "Oh, my Ash!" Delia cried as she left the kitchen. She ran up to her raven-haired son and grabbed him into a hug. "Now you aren't calling home enough, Mister! I didn't expect you to be back yet!"

"Well, we kind of ran!" Dawn interjected with a laugh and a chirp from Piplup.

"Oh my, you must be Dawn!" Delia squealed, her inner mother bursting out as she went to hug Dawn. She pulled the bluenette in tight, and only stopped when she heard an angry squawking from Dawn's chest. Piplup fidgeted from in between Dawn and Delia, complaining at the tight squeeze, and Delia immediately crouched down to meet the Pokémon's height. "Well, I am so sorry. You must be Piplup."

"Hehe, that's right!" Dawn answered, "It's so nice to meet you, Mrs. Ketchum."

"Oh, dear, please just call me Delia. Any friend of Ash's is a friend of mine. It's wonderful to finally meet you in person! But I must say, the videophone doesn't do justice how beautiful you are! Just a perfect young woman for my Ash!"

"Mom!" Ash complained as he pulled down his hat to cover his eyes, "It's not like that."

"Oh, I see that I'm embarrassing you, so I'll stop talking about you and your future wife." Delia teased some more, earning a groan from Ash and an awkward smile from Dawn, "Anyway, lunch will be ready in a couple of minutes, I made a lot since Ash always eats big when he gets home, but I'm sure that it's more than enough for three. And then maybe after you're through eating Ash can take you to Professor Oak's lab."

"Oh, that sounds great!" Dawn approved.

 _"Lup!"_ Piplup agreed.

Delia then waltzed back into the kitchen, grinning to herself.

A few moments later, Delia was bringing in sandwiches on a handful of plates, carrying them expertly at once. Ash, meanwhile, was showing Dawn his collection of badges. In all, he had 28 from the previous four regions he'd traveled: Kanto, the Orange Islands, Johto, and Hoenn. A case displaying each of his badges from those regions hung above the TV in the living room, along with a picture of Ash and his companions at the time. Brock was in all but one of the pictures, and May was alongside her brother Max in the picture representing Hoenn.

"All right you two, lunch is served!" Delia declared, putting her hands together.

Ash practically leaped from the badge-covered wall and into his chair, snatching a handful of sandwiches and putting them on his plate. No sooner than that though, the sandwiches he'd grabbed were practically gone. Dawn walked over, much more calmly, and grabbed a single sandwich. Delia then came back from the kitchen, carrying two cans of Pokémon food. Both Pikachu and Piplup's eyes lit up at the sight of the cans as Delia popped the tops off of them. Piplup forced its way out of Dawn's grasp and was at Delia's feet sooner than the food can was, with Pikachu in tow.

As the two Pokémon calmly munched on their Pokémon food, Ash was going in for sixths.

"Ash Ketchum you calm yourself this instant. Dawn needs to eat food too!" Delia lectured as Ash went pale. He then started to laugh, causing Dawn to do the same.

"It's okay, Delia, Ash always ate a lot on our journey." Dawn assured, but this didn't appease the mother. However, she didn't drag the disagreement any further, instead going out back to the garden.

"Well, um, whenever you're done we can go to Oak's." Ash explained, leaning back in his chair and occasionally eyeing the leftovers.

Dawn calmly ate her sandwich, knowing that Ash was itching to leave the house. Out of the corner of her eye, she could easily see him twitching. Her mind wandered back to yesterday on the docks, and then this morning with Brock.

" _Take good care of Ash."_

" _Make your feelings known."_

It all seemed pretty obvious. Both her mom and Brock thought that Dawn had a crush on Ash. The whole idea of it was ridiculous, Ash and her were just friends. Sure, she had dressed up in a cheerleading outfit for all of his gym battles, physical contact between them was common, and she really enjoyed talking to Ash, especially when they were alone. But that didn't mean anything.

"Uh, Dawn? You're…chewing on nothing." Ash commented, breaking the coordinator out of her trance. Dawn woke up and looked down, seeing that she had finished the sandwich and had, in fact, been feeding herself air for a couple of seconds.

"Oh, sorry, I'm just…lost in thought."

Ash got up out of his chair. "That's fine. Besides, now we can go to Oak's place, if you want."

"Yeah, that'd be awesome! I want to see all of the Pokémon you've caught in your journeys." Dawn beamed. She looked down to see Piplup and Pikachu had finished their cans of food. Ash ran to the back door, yelling out something along the lines of 'Mom, going to see my Pokémon', and then sprinted back into the kitchen.

"C'mon, Dawn, let's _go!_ "

The Pallet native was out the door before she even got out of her chair. After eating five sandwiches, he was now at full steam. Piplup raised his flippers at Dawn, asking nonverbally to be picked up. Dawn obliged, and headed out the door with Pikachu after the raven-haired Trainer.

* * *

A few minutes of running later, Dawn reached the top of the steps. Ash had sprinted up them two at a time, seemingly not even breaking a sweat, but he graciously waited on his Sinnoh companion to make it to the top. Dawn, meanwhile, was gassed. Piplup leapt off of Dawn's head and waddled over next to Pikachu.

Ash then rang the doorbell to the laboratory as Dawn regained her composure and walked up next to him. A few moments later, the door opened. A teenager just a little bit taller than Ash and with dark brown hair poked his head out the door, recognizing the Pallet native and opening the door fully without hesitating.

"Ash, you're back!" Tracey greeted.

"Hey, Tracey? Is the Professor here?"

"Yeah, he's just out back right now. You want to come in?"

"Totally! I was going to visit my Pokémon!"

"Hey, Ash? Who's your friend?" Tracey asked, looking up and down at Dawn.

"Oh, this is Dawn! She came back with me from the Sinnoh region!" Ash introduced rather cheerfully, "Dawn, this is Tracey. He traveled with me through the Orange Islands."

"You're the Tracey from the pictures! I thought you looked familiar. It's nice to meet you." Dawn smiled.

"Likewise!" Tracey agreed with a smile. "Anyway, y'all come on in. The Professor should be—"

"I'm right here, Tracey, who's at the door?" a familiar voice asked.

"Professor, it's Ash!" Tracey declared excitedly, "And he brought a friend, too."

"Ah! Ash, how do you do?" Oak asked, before noticing Dawn follow him into the lab, "Well I'll be a Mankey's uncle, look at that! Dawn, it's been quite a while."

"Hehe, hi, Professor." Dawn greeted. "I decided I wanted to travel with Ash some more, so I came here from Sinnoh."

"Ah, 'tis the set of the soul, that decides its goal." Oak remarked, "Anyway, Ash, I imagine you're here to see your Pokémon and drop off some more, eh?"

"That's right Professor. Dawn's never seen my other Pokémon, so if we could go to the back and see them that would be awesome."

"Well then, follow me, youngsters." Oak gestured, turning to walk to the back ranch where Ash's Pokémon were.

Oak led them through the lab and to the back doors that prefaced the ranch. Various Pokémon of all shapes and sizes could be seen just through the window. Oak and the teenagers walked out onto the patio.

"Pikachu, wanna call everyone over?" Ash asked the electric mouse.

 _"Pika!"_ the electric-type cried in agreement, leaping down from Ash's shoulder. The nearest Pokémon still hadn't noticed that their Trainer had arrived, normally being used to Oak or Tracey moving about through the ranch.

 _"Pika Pi! Pika!"_ Pikachu called out, waving his stubby arms and long ears as he called. The mouse's voice echoed from the patio to the ranch, immediately catching the attention of the nearest Pokémon, while the noise echoed down into the unseen areas of the ranch.

And then suddenly, there was a thunderous cacophony of noise as all of the resident Pokémon realized what the mouse's calling meant. Various calls rang out across the ranch, and each and every kind of Pokémon in the ranch raced over to where Ash now stood.

The herd of Pokémon came to a halt where their beloved Trainer stood, and the Pallet native couldn't help but wear a huge grin on his face. The ground then suddenly started to shake, and a cloud of dust could be seen over a collection of trees in the distance. Ash knew what it meant, and became nervous as upwards of two-dozen Tauros came thundering toward him.

"Calm down, Tauros!" Ash yelped as the herd of Bull Pokémon neared. Amazingly, they listened, skidding to a halt at the back of the group, though a handful of the bulls pushed their way further by themselves. Seeing all of his Pokémon assembled, Ash put on a smile.

"Hi everyone, I'm finally back from my Sinnoh journey!"

The group of various Pokémon roared with approval, turning their attention back to their Trainer a few seconds later, apparently expecting to hear about his exploits in the faraway Region. Ash unclipped the miniaturized Poké Balls from his belt, enlarging them as he did so. "And these are our new friends!" Ash whooped, releasing the Pokémon from their capsules at once. The capsules burst open and several flashes of white materialized into Staraptor, Infernape, Torterra, Gible, Buizel, and Gliscor. The assembled Pokémon marveled at the never-before-seen breeds, and Professor Oak even eyed the newcomers with interest.

"Together with the Pokémon I caught in Sinnoh as well as several of you, I reached my highest League ranking ever! We placed in the Top 4!" Ash declared.

Again, the Pokémon roared, this time much more cheerily.

"Wow, Ash, the Top 4?" Tracey butted in, "That's awesome!"

Ash then went dark. He was happy that his old friend from the Orange Islands was excited for him, but being reminded of his final placing only brought back the memory of losing to Tobias. "Yeah…" the Pallet native muttered, "we got all the way past my strongest rival ever, only to get practically swept by this weird Trainer with a Darkrai. And he had a Latios too! We couldn't even compete!"

The Pallet native then crashed into a seating position, and his Pokémon collectively murmured sadly as they recognized his distress. "After we beat Paul I got so excited that I didn't do enough to prepare for my next opponent. I was just so happy that we had finally overcome that hurdle, it was the first time we'd ever beaten him!" Ash admitted, looking at the grass below him, "…Maybe that's as far as we'll ever get."

"Ash, don't say that!" Dawn shouted at him, "You came so far, and you can do it again, no need to worry!"

"Thanks, Dawn, but…I don't know." Ash grumbled, pulling his hat down over his eyes.

"Okay, I know what'll cheer you up," Dawn decided, "Ash Ketchum, I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

The Pallet native immediately looked up, and saw the competitive smile on Dawn's face. He recognized that he'd come to enjoy seeing her confidence, and immediately pushed himself up, clenching a confident fist, "'Kay, Dawn, you're on! Let's go!"

* * *

Tracey raised his arms to grab everyone's attention, acting as the referee for the battle. Ash's assembled Pokémon quieted as they recognized that the battle was about to begin. They had been murmuring amongst themselves about the mysterious blue-haired girl on the other end of the makeshift battlefield. Sceptile had been leading the discussion, with several snickers happening in the group while he did so.

"The battle between Ash from Pallet Town and Dawn from Twinleaf Town will now begin! This will be a one-on-one battle, and the battle will be over when either Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle!" Tracey read the standard rules from memory, "Now! Battle begin!"

Ash glanced over to his collection of Pokémon, each of them watching and waiting silently. Finally, his eyes settled on a certain grass-type.

"Bulbasaur, c'mon!"

 _"Saur?"_ Bulbasaur croaked. The grass-type's eyes widened and it eagerly galloped onto the battlefield, _"Bulba-saur!"_

Dawn eyed the Kanto starter and pulled out her Pokédex, immediately scanning Bulbasaur and learning all the basics in just a few seconds. She slipped the Pokédex back inside her back and picked her Pokémon, tossing the capsule into the air.

"Okay, Buneary, spotlight!"

The Rabbit Pokémon hopped playfully and ruffled its cotton-topped ears before registering her opponent on the other side of the field. Ash called, "You can have the first move, Dawn."

The coordinator accepted the right, before pointing her finger. "Buneary, Bulbasaur is a grass-type, so let's use Ice Beam!"

"Buuuuuuunnnneary!" the Rabbit Pokemon cried as a spiky beam of ice burst from its mouth. Bulbasaur tensed, awaiting command.

"Bulbasaur, dodge it and use Leech Seed!"

The Seed Pokémon bolted to the side, avoiding the spiky beam of cold energy, and then lowered its front legs in order to aim. A short volley of seeds sprang out at Buneary, striking the Rabbit Pokémon easily. Dawn didn't waste any time, knowing the effects of the health-sapping move would soon hit. "Use Bounce!"

The Rabbit Pokémon leaped into the air, soaring in the air currents before aiming its feet down and rocketing toward the Seed Pokémon. "Bulbasaur, knock Buneary out of the sky with Razor Leaf!"

"Bulba!"

A volley of curved leaves circled around toward the descending Rabbit Pokémon, but Dawn was expecting the signature grass move right from the start. "Now Buneary, spin!"

The normal-type aborted its move and then curved, spinning like a top out of the way of the leaves before reassuming her position and shooting down toward the grass-type. Gravity took control, and before Ash could plan another counterattack, Buneary landed her feet square on Bulbasaur's head. The Seed Pokémon complained at the attack, shaking vigorously as Buneary hopped back and forth, smacking the grass-type multiple times.

"Bulbasaur, catch Buneary with Vine Whip!"

Bulbasaur did as told, effortlessly sending out a long vine in hardly a split-second. The vine wrapped around Buneary's foot and suspended her in the air, causing the normal-type to briefly panic.

"Now, throw Buneary back!"

The Rabbit Pokémon wailed as she went flying backward toward Dawn, but managed to regain her footing and skid for the last several feet.

"Let's try to hit them from far away, use—"

Buneary flinched and staggered back as a red light appeared over the normal-type's form and trailed over to Bulbasaur. The budding seed on Bulbasaur's back glittered as it absorbed the red light, and the grass-type stretched its legs in response. Leech Seed had just sapped some of Buneary's energy, and Dawn knew she'd just stumbled into a hole.

Dawn gritted her teeth, "We'll have to end this quick. Buneary, use Ice Beam!"

The normal-type regained its composure and immediately began charging up another blast of cold energy. Suddenly, Bulbasaur's seed began to glitter, this time much more radiantly. Ash knew exactly what this meant, and grabbed the brim of his hat. It had been a long time since he'd done this regularly, only having pulled the hat around during his recent battle with Tobias. Out of habit, he flipped the hat backwards, feeling the rush of energy that came with it. "Bulbasaur, use Solarbeam!"

Dawn bit back a gasp, but regained her focus. "Buneary, don't let up! Use Ice Beam now!"

But the command was already issued. Bulbasaur soaked up enough sunlight and aimed the seed on its back just as the volley of cold came searing toward him. A magnificent ray of golden light burst forth, easily overtaking the beam of ice and turning it to nothing before continuing toward its target.

"Ah! Buneary, dodge!" Dawn panicked, but it was far too late. The Rabbit Pokémon didn't have time to register the command, and the ray of light struck her hard, bowling her over multiple times as she rolled backward toward Dawn. As she came to a stop, Buneary rolled over on her back, her eyes gone swirly.

"Buneary is unable to battle! The winner is Ash and Bulbasaur!"

"Bulba!" the Seed Pokémon cried as it ran into Ash's arms. It had been quite some time since the pair had last battled together as Trainer and Pokémon, but the old grass-type still had its skills. Dawn, meanwhile, crouched down by the wiped-out Buneary, who looked nothing short of apologetic.

"It's okay, Buneary, Ash's Pokémon are much stronger because they're so experienced. No need to worry. Now, get some rest." Dawn returned the Rabbit Pokémon into her Poké Ball, before going back to her feet and walking over to Ash, who was praising Bulbasaur.

"Hey, thanks for the battle, Dawn! That really got me pumped up." Ash grinned, letting go of the Seed Pokémon so that he could return to his fellow Pokémon. Tracey and Oak then walked up, the older professor wearing a big smile.

"Well you certainly still have your battling skills, Ash. I must say I'm impressed, and Dawn, you battled well against a seasoned Trainer such as Ash. Bulbasaur has always been one of Ash's strongest Pokémon."

"Thanks, Professor." The pair both said in unison, looking at each other and sharing foolish grins as they realized they'd said the same thing at the same time.

"Now, if you don't mind, it would be of great boon to my research if I were to examine some of your Sinnoh Pokémon. Those species have never before been spotted in Kanto!"

"Sure thing, Professor, you can have your pick. Although Gible might cause some problems." Ash decided, earning a frown from Oak, who looked at the land shark Dragon-type. In turn, Gible stared stoically at Ash, as if he were a stone statue. There was no telling what the little land shark was thinking, but odds were that it wasn't anything particularly good.

"Gible gets a little bit excited sometimes." Dawn tried.

Professor Oak simply let the topic drop. "Well, why don't we head back into the lab? Oh, and Ash, your mother offered to cook dinner for Tracey and I, before any of us knew you were coming back. So, I hope you don't mind us dropping in."

"Sure thing, Professor Oak. Man, I'm starving!"

"Ash, you ate barely an hour ago!" Dawn chastised, putting her hands on her hips and sticking out her chin. Ash reached and nervously scratched his head, grinning awkwardly. Dawn then started to giggle, followed by Tracey laughing, and then finally Oak.

"Why don't we stay for a bit and Ash can formally introduce you to all of his Pokémon," Oak suggested, "And later we can head to the Ketchum house and have dinner."

"Sounds good to me!" Ash declared confidently with a puff of his chest. He was really looking forward to showing Dawn all of the unique Pokémon he had at the ranch. Even though she had gotten a glance at all of the new species, Ash firmly believed that each and every one of his Pokémon had a personality that set them apart by more than just type and species.

And so while Ash Ketchum's Grand Oak Ranch Pokémon Tour began, Professor Oak and Tracey began running physical checks on both Ash and Dawn's Sinnoh Pokemon, first starting with the gargantuan Torterra and Mamoswine and working their way down to the slender Buizel.

* * *

With the grand tour over, Dawn was still trying to wrap her head around how Ash had managed to capture thirty Tauros from the Safari Zone. Even with the explanation that the herd of Bull Pokémon ran in front of him each time he went to throw his Safari Ball, it still amazed Dawn that someone could have such ridiculously poor luck. Then again, it was Ash.

Oak and Tracey had just finished examining Buizel, taking particular note of the water-type's overarching confidence in everything he did. Ash had mentioned the trait before, but seeing it in person was something else. The water-type held itself in a calm crossed-arm pose most of the time, and when showing off some of its moves to the old Professor, Buizel took great steps to ensure that he looked impressive.

There was supposed to be one more Pokémon for Oak to examine: Ash's Gible. However, the little land shark had gone missing. Suddenly, a painful scream from over in the ranch drew Tracey and Oak's attention, only to see Ash thrashing about with one Dragon-type shark chomped tightly on the Trainer's head and showing no signs of letting go. Normally they would've panicked, if not for Dawn simply standing there and allowing it to happen. Noticing that she was being stared at, Dawn looked to the two researchers sheepishly, and Ash was able to detach Gible from his head.

"What in the name was that?" Oak asked with a mixture of curiosity and shock.

" _That_ was Gible getting excited." Dawn explained with a giggle as Ash readjusted his hat. The land shark turned to look at Oak and agreed with a "Gib-Gible."

The foursome eventually began making their way back to the Ketchum household, where they were all welcomed back handsomely by Delia and Mr. Mime. The cuisine prepared for the evening's dinner was plenty for the group of five. Ash made sure to stuff himself full, making a point to grab seconds after beating everyone else to the punch. Soon enough, the talk turned to what Ash was going to do next.

"Well, I really haven't thought very far. Dawn turned down this crazy fashion-designing offer just to come all the way out to Kanto with Brock and me," Ash admitted, "After coming so close in the Sinnoh League, all I really know is that I want to get stronger than ever before. I guess I'm just going to train really hard, like I always do. Seeing how close we came, all it really tells me is that we're far from our ceiling."

Professor Oak nodded. "And Dawn, what about you?"

"Well, I finished as the runner-up in my first-ever Grand Festival," Dawn started, "I haven't really thought about what I would be doing next, either. I wanted to compete in the next season of Contests, but now that I'm in Kanto I don't know where I'm going to do that. I guess I had thought about Johto…"

"Well, Johto is right on the other side of the mountain range!" Oak explained, "And the highest peak is Mt. Silver, where the Johto Region's Silver Conference has been held for many years. It's extremely difficult terrain, and Ash once climbed the mountain with Brock and Misty to take part in it. Johto's slate of contests is quite prestigious."

"You know, May has been training in Johto ever since we split up. She had three Ribbons when she competed in the Wallace Cup." Ash remembered, "I wonder what she's up to now."

"We should totally call May!" Dawn piped up, suddenly wearing a smile on her face, "I would love to see her again, and maybe we could work together on some new combinations!"

"You know, that's a great idea!" Ash agreed, pushing himself out of his chair, "Tomorrow, we're gonna go to Johto!"

* * *

Dawn brushed her hair carefully in front of the mirror of the Ketchum's upstairs bathroom. The small washroom was remarkably clean, most likely due to Ash's prolonged absences at home. Watching herself brush her hair, she briefly reminisced to the early days of her Sinnoh journey with Ash and Brock, where she had started brushing her hair before facing the camera of the "Sinnoh Now!" reporters. Ash had remarked that after she was done, she didn't look different at all, which had only succeeded in infuriating Dawn.

They hadn't gotten along at all in those days, thanks to their very different perspectives on training. But during her time with Ash, she'd learned how to be confident in herself and develop her own style.

 _Ash._

The Pallet native was somewhere outside the washroom, perhaps sneaking a late night snack before bed. Dawn's view on the fourteen-year old Trainer had changed drastically in the past year. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when these changes started to happen, but knew that by the time they arrived in Snowpoint City that she had a thing for him. Earlier she had wanted to deny it, but thinking back, she refused to ignore it anymore, especially in light of Brock's final words to her. Unfortunately, her mother and Brock had both apparently picked up on it, although the dense Pallet native was as clueless as ever.

A knock at the door shattered her train of thought.

"Hey, Dawn? You almost done?"

The 13-year old coordinator rolled her eyes. "Yeah, almost Ash."

Dawn finished stroking her dark blue hair before slipping the brush into her kit and handling the doorknob, exiting the room.

In Ash's room were a double bed and a cot at the bed's foot, with a pillow and blanket on the latter. Ash said nothing as he walked over to the cot, rearranging the blanket quietly. "I thought I'd let you have the bed." He remarked, not looking up at her as he began to crawl onto the cot.

"Aw, thanks Ash. That's really sweet."

The Twinleaf native hopped onto the double bed and crawled under the bedspread, glancing down at Ash as she did so. Piplup sputtered as it jumped onto the bed with his Trainer, crawling up close enough to cuddle. One way or another they would be on opposite sides of the bed come morning, but each night started with Trainer and Pokémon cuddled tightly next to each other.

"Man, it's been two years since I was last in Johto." Ash broke the silence.

"Excited to go back?"

"Yeah, actually. We have to call May tomorrow morning, and the only way to get to Johto is either a ship from Vermillion to Olivine or the Magnet Train. The Magnet Train is much closer; it's only in Saffron, but the trip there is almost as far as Vermillion."

"No need to worry, let's talk about it tomorrow when we call May. How's that sound?"

"Sounds great." Ash agreed, quieting back down. Then, he broke the silence again, "G'night, Dawn."

The bluenette coordinator hardly hesitated, "G'night, Ash."


	3. Hello, Butterfree!

**Welcome back to another chapter of The Journey Continues! I finished this chapter early and though it isn't perfect, it's a part of the story that I have to get out of the way so I've gone ahead and posted it. The chapter might be a tad rushed, so please bear with me. I hope you'll all enjoy the next chapter and I hope to post Chapter 4 sometime this weekend.**

 **As always, please leave a review or feel free to PM me about the story. I will gladly talk about the story with you if that is what you wish.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 3_

 _Hello, Butterfree!_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Pallet Town**

Sunlight filtered into the room, broken up into thin slices by the blinds. Particles of dust illuminated by the light gently trailed down from the ceiling to the floor, laying to rest where they would until Delia inevitably vacuumed them up.

The ringing of an alarm clock interrupted Dawn's sleeping trance. The sunlight that had filtered into the room threatened to burn her eyes, and she instinctually shielded herself from them. The beeping, however, didn't stop, and Piplup complained in a dazed manner as it poked its spherical head out from underneath the bedspread. Angrily, Dawn reached over to an alarm clock resembling…a Poké Ball?

No, it wasn't quite a Poké Ball. The design was red and white like the famous capsule ball, but it had strange, almost menacing eyes on the red half of the device. The incessant beeping kept on, and Dawn angrily hit the 'off' button to make it stop. Next, she looked down at the cot where Ash was sleeping. He hadn't even budged, still snoring loudly. Pikachu, however, had woken up, and Dawn could hear him struggling to push himself out of Ash's grasp. The little electric mouse eventually succeeded, and bounded over to the foot of the bed below Dawn.

"Good morning, Pikachu." Dawn muttered. She calmly pulled her hand out from underneath the sheets and scratched the top of his head. The electric mouse tensed and then wore a big smile as he flicked his ears around.

"Chaaaaaa~…"

"Well, I guess I'm up." The Twinleaf coordinator sighed, throwing the bedspread off of her in one swift motion. Piplup chirped unhappily as he stretched. "You two be good, I'm getting a shower."

Dawn disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Pikachu and Piplup to their own devices. The electric mouse churned some electricity out of its cheeks before putting in some morning stretches of its own. The electric-type then looked to its sleeping Trainer. Just two days before, he'd enjoyed pumping high voltage into the 14-year old as a wake-up call. He thought about zapping him awake again, but decided against it and bounded over to the slightly empty bedroom door, disappearing into the hallway.

Dawn came out of the bathroom some time later, warm and freshly cleaned. Ash was still snoozing hard, and Piplup was lying around lazily on the bed.

"Piplup, where's Pikachu?" Dawn asked. The water-type forced itself onto its feet and then pointed its flipper to the bedroom door before bounding down onto the level floor. The Penguin Pokémon waddled over to Dawn, who waltzed back into the bathroom to brush her damp hair into its usual form. She walked out a few moments later, and Pikachu poked its head inside the bedroom door, smiling lightly when he saw Dawn had finished her morning routine.

"Pika, pika-Pikachu." The electric mouse rambled, pointing meekly at Ash's sleeping form.

"What, you wanna wake him up again?" Dawn asked, smiling mischievously as the electric mouse nodded quickly. "Well, go on, zap our friend awake."

Pikachu happily bounded back over to Ash, charging up some electricity in its cheek sacs. Then, without further ado, he released a brilliant Thunderbolt right onto the Pallet native, hitting right on the mark and electrocuting him awake.

Ash yelled in pain, twitching as he thumped back onto the cot, now fully awake. "Ow…" he groaned, running his fingers through his messy raven hair, "Hey Pikachu, hey Dawn, just can't help but wake me up, huh?"

Dawn smiled happily and then giggled, "Nope. You being awake just makes our lives so much more interesting."

"Mm, good to know." Ash grumbled as he pushed himself into a seated position. Pikachu hopped up into his lap, forcing Ash to rub him on the head for a moment, and then the electric mouse jumped back down onto the floor. "You're up early." Ash commented to Dawn.

"Oh, yeah, that weird Poké Ball alarm clock woke me up. It was set for 8:00." Dawn explained, pointing lazily at the clock. Ash chuckled, puzzling the coordinator. "What's so funny?"

"That's not a Poké Ball. That's a Pokémon native to the Kanto region called Voltorb." Ash explained. "It's an electric-type Pokémon. Nobody really knows how it came to be, but the general consensus is that Voltorb was once a Poké Ball, hence the color, that one day came to life."

"That's creepy. Technology coming to life." Dawn pondered, before changing the subject, "Well, I'm headed downstairs. The bathroom is yours."

Dawn then turned her back to Ash and began walking out of the room. Just barely, Ash glanced at her features from behind, admiring what he saw, and then shook himself out of the trance. He wasn't supposed to look at Dawn like that. Groaning, he crawled into a standing position and walked over to the bathroom to shower.

Dawn took in the smell of the finished breakfast. Delia had been making pancakes while the coordinator was showering. The pair made small talk as Dawn stood in the kitchen, helping if Delia needed anything.

"So, Dawn, Ash already told me you turned down this fashion offer to come to Kanto with him." Delia started, catching the coordinator's attention.

"Oh, um, yeah, there was a designer in Hearthome City who worked with Pokémon and she wanted to employ my Buneary in her next line. But, I turned her down so I could travel the world. I know that Ash will be going somewhere again, and I wanted to have that opportunity too."

"So you would say you and Ash are very…close." Delia answered slowly, as if putting a puzzle together.

"Absolutely. We stick like glue. Ash was a huge help to me when I started doing Contests. We used to butt heads all the time when we first met, because I was a rookie and he insisted on showing me how to train Pokémon. I didn't want to listen to him, but I'm so glad I did, because he helped me form my own battling style and I made it all the way to the finals of the Grand Festival." Dawn continued, "I don't know where I would be without Ash in my life."

Delia smiled, almost as if gears were turning in her head. She then flipped a circle of pancake batter in the pan, revealing a perfect golden-brown color on what was now the top of the pancake. The pan sizzled as it met the uncooked batter below.

"Well, I'm so glad that you feel that way," Delia started again, "my Ash has been traveling with girls since he first started out as a trainer. I always thought that him and Misty would get together someday, but they haven't seen each other in years and he's never stayed behind in Kanto long enough after a journey to see her. She's the Gym Leader in Cerulean City now."

"Ash told me about Misty." Dawn commented, not saying anything else as she bit her lip in thought. It was certainly interesting that Delia would be talking about another love interest for Ash. Maybe she had picked up on what she thought was a spark between Ash and her?

"What about Misty?" Ash called from the stairwell as the sounds of heavy footfalls took over the kitchen.

"Oh, nothing, dear, I was just telling Dawn about some of your other traveling companions and how Misty is now a Gym Leader." Delia explained, flipping the pancake back over and then hefting it over to the plate that had just short of a dozen pancakes stacked high. "Now, didn't you say that you were going to call May?"

"Oh, shoot, that's right!" Ash remembered, turning to walk over to the Ketchum's videophone. "But…I don't know where she is right now. The last time we saw her was the Wallace Cup."

"Why don't you call her parents first?" Delia suggested, "We do have Norman and Caroline's number."

"That's a great idea!" Ash agreed, "Let's call them after breakfast. I'm starving!"

* * *

Ash patted his now-full belly as he tapped in the phone number. He had just finished talking with Norman and Caroline, who had told him that May was in Olivine City. She had just won her second Ribbon of the Contest season and meant to head for Ecruteak City next. Ash had even asked about Max, who hadn't been home at the moment, but Norman had mentioned he would be getting his first Pokémon in the coming days.

Ash typed in the phone number for the Pokémon Center, and then dialed in the Olivine City extension. Every Center in the Kanto-Johto area had a videophone that could be used to reach Nurse Joy, as well as a separate videophone in the individual rooms that people stayed in. The Nurses stationed at the Centers could then forward a call to the room of a guest. The number was the same for every Center, with different extension numbers to reach a specific Center.

The videophone began loading and Dawn then walked over next to Ash, watching the nondescript black screen and the usual loading icon. Soon, the black screen lit up with the features of a Pokémon Center, and Nurse Joy was displayed on the screen.

"This is Nurse Joy of the Olivine Pokémon Center. How may I help you?"

"Hi, Nurse Joy, my name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" Ash declared, "I was hoping to get in touch with a Trainer who should be staying at your Center."

"Excellent, may I have the name of this guest?" Nurse Joy asked with a kind smile.

"Yeah, her name is May Maple."

"Ah, yes, Miss Maple arrived last night. I haven't seen her since, but I will begin forwarding your call to her room…now." Joy acknowledged, looking down and fiddling with something. "Have a wonderful day."

The screen then cut out and returned to its black hue, the loading icon returned once again. Seconds later, the videophone returned to life and showed the view of a messy bedroom. A disgruntled and sleepy May Maple was rubbing her eyes on the other end of the screen, her brown hair in a tangled mess and missing her bandana. It took her a second, but May managed to recognize who was calling her, and the displeasure vanished from her face.

"Ash! And Dawn!" May yelped, smiling wide, "It's so great to see you guys!"

"Hehe, hi, May." Dawn agreed with a smile and a slight wave of her hand.

"So, May, we heard from your parents that you were in Olivine City. I'm back in Kanto now!" Ash explained happily. May smiled in response.

"Yeah, I won my second Ribbon last night at the Olivine Contest. But you said you were back in Kanto…? Dawn, what are you doing there?"

"I decided to keep traveling with Ash, and we talked it over and decided we wanted to travel to Johto."

"So you two are going to come here?!" May realized, becoming even happier if it was possible. "That's so great!"

"And that was what we wanted to talk to you about." Ash finished. "We wanted to check where you were and hopefully meet up. We could even start traveling again, just the three of us!"

"That would be so awesome! I can show you some of my new Pokémon and you guys can show me yours! I can't wait! You guys should take the Magnet Train over to Goldenrod City!"

"That's what Ash said." Dawn confirmed, "He said it was in Saffron City?"

"Yep! I haven't needed to take the Magnet Train, but it travels from Saffron under the mountains and into Goldenrod." May explained.

"Well, that's a long walk over to Saffron. So it would probably be a couple of days, maybe as much as a week before we got there." Ash thought aloud.

"I'm going to be in Olivine today anyway, and I can travel back to Goldenrod City by myself during that time and we can meet! This will be so much fun!" May cheered. She was now definitely fully awake, and she probably wouldn't be going back to sleep now that she knew her close friends were going to be with her soon.

"Well we will do just that." Ash decided. Dawn nodded in agreement. "We'll call you in a few days when we get to Saffron, May!"

"See you guys! You two take care!" May called. Ash and Dawn agreed with a simultaneous "Bye," before the connection was terminated. Both Trainers were left smiling at the new arrangement.

"Well, when are you two going to leave?" Delia asked, looking almost sad.

"I don't know, probably in a couple of hours." Ash said densely, not realizing his mother had hoped for him to stay a little bit longer. Dawn ignored Ash and continued conversing with Delia.

"I promise I'll keep him out of trouble, Delia." Dawn promised.

Delia then began to tear up, "I know I can't stop you, Ash. You're going to go and travel new places, and that's just that. I just wish you would call home a little more often. You know how much you make me worry."

Ash realized the gravity of the situation, walking over to his mother and sitting down next to her at the dinner table. He hugged Delia tight. "Mom, I know you don't like to see me go. But I hope you can understand. I'll call home every single time I'm in a Pokémon Center this time, I promise. You'll be the first to know if anything happens."

"Okay," Delia sighed, "now you go get ready, mister. I know you'll want to get to Saffron as quickly as possible. Dawn, you do the same. You're both going to have so much fun."

Ash hugged his mom one more time before bolting upstairs, with Pikachu following. The next few hours passed by quickly, and it was barely 11:00 when the pair of Trainers walked out the front door, Mr. Mime and Delia following them to see them off.

"You two take care! Be safe!"

 _"Mime-Mime-Mime!"_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Route 1**

Ash and Dawn had soon left Pallet Town behind, heading down Route 1 in the direction of Viridian City. The two Trainers talked endlessly on the way, with Ash sharing all of his stories about his journey through Johto a few years earlier.

Dawn glanced at Ash's belt, which had five Poké Balls around it. They were the same five Poké Balls that Ash had carried with him for a long time through Sinnoh, containing Infernape, Torterra, Gliscor, Buizel, and Staraptor. Gible had been left at Oak's ranch for the time being, though Ash had promised to call upon him soon.

Eventually, they came to a T-intersection of the pathways, with Route 1 continuing forward to Viridian City and the other one heading east to…the Kanto International Port. Dawn slowed down, catching Ash's attention, and they stopped fully right in the middle of the intersection.

"This is the last place…" Dawn whispered.

"That we were with Brock…" Ash finished her sentence, "…yeah."

"You know, right about now I'm realizing how vital he was to our journey." Dawn pointed out.

"He really was…" Ash agreed, but then he perked up, "Hey, you know what, Brock lives in Pewter City! That's on the way to Saffron! We can go visit him when we get there!"

"That's a great idea!" Dawn agreed, now looking ahead with a renewed spirit. "Wait, how far is Pewter City?"

"Well, um, first we have to get to Viridian City, and then we go into Viridian Forest. Let me tell you, that place is a doozy." Ash explained, "I actually caught my first Pokémon there. It was a Caterpie, but before long I'd evolved it all the way to a Butterfree! But…then I had to release it. It fell in love with another Butterfree, so I let him go."

"That's sad…but you know you did the right thing." Dawn answered.

"Yeah, and it stunk at first, but I'm glad that I got the chance to be with Butterfree in the first place." Ash agreed, "Now, let's get moving. We're burning daylight."

"No need to worry, with you we'll be in that forest before you know it."

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Viridian Forest**

Dawn strained to see down the path of Viridian Forest. The canopy of the trees blocked most of the light trying to breach the forest floor, causing the cutout trail ahead to be dark.

Ash and Dawn walked in silence, the only sound being their footsteps crunching the grass and leaves beneath their shoes. Pikachu and Piplup looked around, the former with caution and the latter with awe, as they passed tree after tree. Pikachu's demeanor was worrying, to say the least, as he continued to look back and forth with his ears perked. Ash didn't seem to notice, instead staring straight ahead. The entire situation was uncomfortable.

"Ash, do you know where we're going?"

"To be honest, not really." Ash admitted quickly.

 _"What?"_ Dawn deadpanned.

"I mean; it's a forest, Dawn. It's pretty straightforward." Ash battled back, continuing to look ahead.

"Well you could at least talk or something. You're freaking me out over here."

"Okay, sorry. What do you want to talk about?"

"Well, you said you caught your first Pokémon here." Dawn suggested.

"Oh, yeah. That was a great day." Ash reminisced, "I caught Caterpie without even having to battle it. Misty had been with me that day, and she hated Caterpie. Bug-types freaked her out a _lot_. It was so funny because Caterpie was super fond of her and kept trying to win her over, and he almost succeeded until he evolved, creeping her out again."

Dawn smiled, biting back a laugh. "What's Misty like?"

"Oh, man, Misty is great. She grew up with three sisters, and didn't fit in with them at _all._ They were all glamour girls and she was a total tomboy, so she set out to make a name for herself as a Water Pokémon Master. I met her on the first day of my journey, and we totally fried her bike."

"Wait, you fried _her_ bike too?" Dawn yelped in shock.

"Yeah, and she hounded me about it until the end of our journey. She traveled with me all the way through Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto. And you know, the last time I saw her was after the Silver Conference in Johto. Man, I would love to see her again."

Dawn felt a pang of…jealousy? Ash had never really spoken about Misty, definitely not as highly as this. What were his real feelings toward her? Did they have some sort of relationship back during their travels?

The coordinator shook her head, pushing herself out of the daze. She needed to calm down.

"Actually, she runs the Cerulean City Gym now. We should totally stop by the Gym when we get there! It's the last stop before Saffron City." Ash decided with a grin.

"Oh, okay, sure." Dawn agreed half-heartedly. In just a moment's notice, Ash had decided to go and visit a former _female_ traveling companion. The whole thing irked Dawn much more than it should have. Her mind flashed back to Brock's parting words to her. Dawn had already established to herself that she had a crush on Ash, back in Pallet Town. Brock and her mom had figured it out, but Ash hadn't.

A noise brought Dawn back to reality. Ash and Pikachu both looked up too, their eyes fixated on the canopy above them.

And then, a purple, red-eyed Butterfree came descending down from the leaves, gently floating down on the calm breeze in a zigzag pattern. The Butterfly Pokémon reached the two humans and let out a happy cry, gently beating its wings and flying over to the travelers.

The Butterfree reached Ash and began flying around him in a circle, purring out some sort of cry. Pikachu's ears then perked up, and the electric mouse patted Ash on the head.

"Pika! Pika pi!" the electric-type insisted, pointing at the circling butterfly. Ash looked at his partner Pokémon and then back at the bug-type. Realization then hit the Pallet native like a tidal wave, bowling over his senses as memories welled to the surface of his mind.

"Butterfree?" Ash mumbled, "Is it really you?"

 _"Free!"_ the Butterfly Pokémon jeered, circling Ash once more before changing course and circling Dawn. _"Free! Free!"_

"No way!" Ash yelled, "I thought I'd never see you again!"

The Butterfly Pokémon jeered as it finally got close to Ash, beating its wings in front of his face. _"Free, free!"_

"It's been so long!" Ash said, slowly tearing up, "I let you go so you could mate with that pink Butterfree…but you came back here to where I caught you."

 _"Free!"_

"Have you been…waiting for me?" Ash whispered, a tear falling from his eye. It was a sight Dawn took time to process; the great Ash Ketchum crying. Here was his first captured Pokémon, returned to him after so many years. The coordinator even began to well up a few tears, wiping them away with her finger.

"You've been here for so long…waiting for me to come back…and I didn't because I was never in Kanto…" Ash wept. The Butterfly Pokémon called sadly, beating its wings slower and descending until it reached the ground. The bug-type then looked up at its former Trainer, whom it had been waiting on for many years. The children it had had with its mate had long since left the nest, and the pink Butterfree who mothered the young was no longer around. Butterfree had found himself wanting to be with Ash again, sad that it had left him despite fulfilling its destiny.

 _"Free…"_ the bug-type mourned, its wings sagging.

"Hey, Butterfree?" Ash asked as he wiped away his tears. "Do you wanna come with us? Do you wanna be my Pokémon again?"

Butterfree perked up, its antenna spiking and its wings lifting up again as he swelled with hope. _"Free! Butter-free!"_

"Well, okay!" Ash decided, his voice becoming louder and happier. The Pallet native fished out a Poké Ball from his bag, enlarging it in his hand out of experience. "Go, Poké Ball!"

Ash lobbed the ball so that it would fall directly to Butterfree, and the bug-type happily raised its teal hands in anticipation. The Poké Ball bopped the Pokémon on the head, sucking it inside, and began to wobble, going still seconds later. Ash smiled, happiness swelling in his chest as he picked up the Poké Ball. One of his first friends was now with him again. Joy burst free from his being, as he raised the Poké Ball into the sky.

"All right! I got Butterfree!" Ash declared. Pikachu raised one of its arms and added a "Pika!" and Piplup raised its flippers in accordance. Dawn smiled, giggling just a little until Ash's gaze fell on her. He looked at her warmly, smiling. There wasn't anyone else that he would've rather shared this moment with, except for maybe Brock. Knowing this, Ash raised his hand, leaving his palm wide and his fingers connected. Dawn's expression broke into a wide-open smile, and she surged forward to clap his hand as well in a congratulatory high-five. They held a warm look fixated on each other, before Ash broke the stare to look at the path ahead. They had walked a long way, and the path would surely open up soon enough.

"Let's go, Dawn. We're almost outta here."

The coordinator picked up a walking pace alongside the Trainer once again, briefly looking at the ground to smile as she remembered Ash's warm look. It gave her butterflies. She still held Piplup against her chest in her grasp, and the Penguin Pokémon fidgeted as she looked directly at him, though he calmed down and relaxed in his suspended position again.

Silence held over the pair for yet another lengthy period, but they were oddly content with the uneasy silence. The only noise was the whistling of the forest leaves in the breeze. Ash's thoughts revolved around his returned friend Butterfree. Guilt panged in his heart as he thought about how the Butterfly Pokémon had waited for him for who knows how long. He now felt terrible and blamed himself for making the bug-type wait. Pulling out the bug-type's Poké Ball, he smiled as the scarce sunlight reflected off of the shiny white button that held the ball shut.

"Thinking about Butterfree?" Dawn asked, watching the Pallet native closely.

"Mm, yeah." Ash confirmed, "I'm happy but…I feel kind of guilty for making him wait so long. Who knows how long he's been out here, waiting every single day for me to walk down that path. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." The Trainer began to tear up some more, pulling the brim of his hat over his eyes as if to shield his weakness from Dawn.

"Oh, Ash you can't blame yourself!" Dawn snapped, succeeding in halting his quiet crying, "Butterfree waited because it cared about you, just like you cared about it. And now, you two have each other again. You should be happy."

"You know, you're right!" Ash whooped in response, "The past is in the past!"

"That's the spirit!"

"Pika-pika!"

"Pip-luuup!"

"Hey, look!" Ash shouted, pointing directly ahead. Dawn's attention turned, and she saw it too. The trees started to break up ahead, and even the untrained eye could see the significantly more sunlight that poured on the dirt path in that area. "The forest ends up here!"

Ash and Dawn's walking pace sped up, both of them happy to be out of the dark forest. Their pace soon became a jog, with their partner Pokémon holding on and watching with awed smiles. Finally, they reached the end of the dark path, and sunlight immediately beat down on them above their heads. Ash ran a hand through his raven hair, fixing his hat after he did so, and squinted at the sight up ahead.

"Look, Dawn, there's Pewter City!" Ash pointed out with joy, guiding Dawn's eyesight with his finger. The coordinator saw the small city too, and noted the faded grey color of the terrain, which probably gave the city its name of Pewter. In the background, a tall mountain combated the skies, giving Pewter City the epithet of a hiker's city.

"That's where Brock is." Ash continued, "C'mon, let's go!"

The Trainer and Coordinator burst into a run, leaving the dark forest behind and heading down the lush path for the greyed city. With a new friend in tow and their plan to surprise Brock in his hometown, everything seemed to be looking up in the early stages of their journey.

* * *

 **And that puts a bow on Chapter 3! I hope you all liked this next installment and please do consider leaving a review or PM'ing. Communication with my readers is extremely inspiring and helpful. Until next time!**


	4. She'll Be Comin' Round the Mt Moon!

**Great news, everyone! Since these early chapters are really writing themselves, I went ahead and completed the next chapter after this one so that I could release them at the same time. This chapter will involve Ash and Dawn visiting Brock's home in Pewter City. If I recall, Ash has never actually been to Brock's house, so I'll be coming up with my own description of it. Afterward, our heroes will be traveling through Mt. Moon. Please take it with a grain of salt, as I don't know what Mt. Moon was like in the anime. I simply don't know much about Kanto for various reasons. Please bear with me on those two things, as the inaccuracies will be much less frequent once we get through with this Region.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 4_

 _She'll Be Comin' Round the Mt. Moon!_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Pewter City**

Ash and Dawn finally slowed down once they reached the gates of Pewter City. Dawn heaved from exhaustion while Ash simply smiled, as if he could sprint to the forest and back multiple times. Piplup looked around curiously, taking in the sight of the never before seen buildings and how different they were. Cities in Sinnoh had buildings much closer to each other than Pewter. The Kanto city looked more like one still in development, with the presence of some tall buildings downtown while being littered with houses just about everywhere else.

"So, this is Pewter City, huh?" Dawn wondered aloud. Ash stretched his back with a groan and then turned to look the coordinator in the eye.

"Yeah, this is where I got my first Gym Badge in Kanto. Misty and I had finally gotten out of Viridian Forest, and we met this weird guy named Flint. I signed up for the Pokémon League at the Pokémon Center, right over there…" Ash recalled, pointing to the Pokémon Center from his memories, "and then that Flint guy told me I had no chance at beating Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader. So I went straight there!"

Then Ash sagged his arms and seemed to get down. "But…then I lost, bad. That guy Flint showed up and helped me charge up Pikachu and make the little guy stronger, and then we went back to the Gym. Even then we almost got beat, but Pikachu's Thunderbolt set off the sprinklers. I had the perfect opportunity to beat Brock, but I didn't want to win that way. He gave me the Gym Badge anyway, and then that Flint guy turned out to be Brock's dad, and he went back to his house and Brock started traveling with me now that somebody else was taking care of his brothers and sisters!"

Ash realized that he was beginning to ramble and trailed off. He started to chuckle, as did Dawn. Pikachu then put one of his arms behind his round head and giggled out a "Piiiikaaachu…"

"Anyway, Brock's house is down the way outside of the city." Ash explained, "We can head there now or just go to the Pokémon Center."

"No need to worry, let's go and see Brock!" Dawn decided immediately, "The Pokémon Center can wait!"

Ash and Dawn walked up to the house that Brock and his family lived in. The house was two stories and slate-grey like the rest of the city. Painted wood rose up high and was broken only by the various windows that adorned the front and sides of the house. With ten children to house, the Harrison home was unsurprisingly large. The Trainer and Coordinator stepped up onto the low-level porch and stood side-by-side at the front door.

"Nervous?" Dawn asked quickly, noticing Ash fixing the collar of his vest.

"Not really, it's just been a while since I've seen anyone in Brock's family."

Ash then knocked on the door a few times, loudly rapping his knuckles against the wood. He stepped back to take his prior place beside Dawn. "Ready to see Brock, buddy?" he asked Pikachu.

"Pika!" the electric mouse declared in answer, pumping a stubby fist in the air. Piplup agreed with a raise of its flippers and a "Lup!"

The door opened, revealing a dark tanned man with spiky brown hair. The man poked his head outside the door, looking at the visitors carefully.

Dawn wanted to happily shout at who she assumed was her friend, but mentally stopped herself as she recognized Ash was waiting silently too. Slowly, Ash asked, "Flint?"

The man then beamed, opening the door fully. "Ash, how are you! It's been such a long time!"

"Wait, Flint?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, remember, Flint is Brock's dad." Ash explained, smiling wide.

"Oh, okay, wow, you look _exactly_ like Brock!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Thank you, and who might you be, little lady?" Flint asked, welcoming them inside as he did so. Ash and Dawn walked inside the large home.

"I'm Dawn. I traveled with Ash and Brock through the Sinnoh Region." Dawn explained, smiling at Piplup's agreeing chirp.

"Ah, so you're the youngster who traveled with my son Brock along with Ash. Well, I must say it's wonderful to meet you!" Flint declared. He clapped Ash on the back next, "And what brings you two here my boy?"

"We came by to see Brock!" Ash exclaimed, "Is he here?"

Flint then took on a look of longing. "I'm very sorry, Ash, but you just missed him."

Shock panged in Ash's brain, as it did Dawn's, and they spoke next in unison. "What?! Where is he?"

Flint scratched the back of his head nervously, seeing that the welcoming conversation was taking a turn, "Well, he got back just yesterday, and he told us about his new dream to be a Pokémon Doctor, so he went to the Center after dropping all of his things. The Nurse Joy at the Center told him that the Pokémon Medical School took applications in Fuchsia City." Flint explained, "So he came back and ate dinner and then went to bed. He got up real early this morning, grabbed his bike, and headed out to Fuchsia."

"Man, all the way in Fuchsia City?!" Ash complained loudly, his back giving out as he sighed unhappily.

"I'm very sorry, Ash." Flint apologized sincerely, "My guess is the Medical School is in Fuchsia thanks to the Pokémon Zoo and the Safari Zone right next to it. Makes it easy to get specimen for study. If you'd like, though, you two can stay here for a bit. Where exactly are y'all headed?"

"Dawn and I were going to Saffron City to get on the Magnet Train to Johto." Ash explained. Flint gestured for the pair to walk back from the front door and into the living room with him, listening to their plans intently.

"I see." Flint said, before turning his attention to the living room, which Dawn noticed was packed with kids of all ages. "Hey everybody, look who's here!"

Forrest was the first to look up and recognize Ash, and as such he led the roar of "Aaaaaaaash!"

Brock's nine brothers and sisters immediately swarmed the 14-year old Pallet native. Lola, Flint's wife, stood up and watched with a smile as her horde of children surrounded him, and she calmly walked up next to her husband to watch. Meanwhile, Brock's siblings all tormented Ash with questions including but not limited to:

"Did you catch any new Pokémon?"

"What kind of badges did you win?"

"Who's the girl?"

"She's pretty!"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Ash wore a look of horror as the kids jumped back and forth while talking, causing Dawn to laugh almost hysterically at her companion's distress. She had heard the 'girlfriend' comment, making her slow her laughter, but she quickly picked back up again in order to mask the slip-up. She then noticed Pikachu, who had tightly clenched his limbs onto Ash's hat to avoid the children's groping arms. His cheeks crackled with stray electricity, and Dawn knew that the electric mouse was about to freak out.

"Okay, okay, slow down everybody, please!" Ash cried, using his arms as a barrier between him and the children. The children started to calm, but this didn't register in Pikachu, who let loose a panicked Thunderbolt, electrocuting everyone in the vicinity except for Dawn. Ash was the first to be hit by the lightning and yelled in pain just as the voltage passed to the other kids, zapping them as well. Collectively, they all fell to the ground, piled up in the small space and surrounded by stray electricity.

"Pika, pika-Pikachu…pika…" Pikachu panted, coming down from the fear-fueled adrenaline that had prompted his attack.

"Oh, man, that one was a doozy." Ash complained as he crawled back onto one knee and then back onto his two feet. Pikachu had fallen from his place atop Ash's head, and was now sprawled out on the floor, taking deep breaths. Ash took in a deep breath of his own and answered, "Okay, to answer everyone's question…no Dawn is not my girlfriend."

The younger kids, mostly the girls, collectively groaned, "Awwwww…"

"Kids, are you all right?" Lola worried, leaving her place beside Flint and checking on her group of electrocuted children. Naturally, they all were fine, and no blame was placed on the electric-type mouse for zapping them good.

"Well, that was fun." Dawn commented, giggling a little bit. Piplup squirmed free of her hold, finally free after so many miles of being suspended in air, and the water-type penguin waddled over to Pikachu, conversing with the electric-type in their unique language.

"Now that we've all gotten our fair share of high voltage," Flint butted in, failing to bite back a grin, how about you two stay for dinner? We don't get many guests nowadays and I'm sure the kids would love to hear about your adventures, Ash and Dawn."

"You know, I think that sounds like a great idea." Dawn agreed, looking to Ash, who shrugged.

"Hey, free food. I'm in."

Flint and Lola both laughed loudly before the latter began announcing to the kids, who were still recovering from their electric shocks and bantering with each other. "Kids, Ash and Dawn are going to be staying for the night! _Please_ be courteous to them and don't bother them too much!"

"Oh, I won't be bothered Miss Lola, as long as we're talking about Pokémon!" Ash promised, getting a grin from Flint as he said so.

* * *

Morning had come quickly despite many hours of talking with the kids and Flint about their adventures and Pokémon. Ash had known that the next leg of their travels would take them through the huge Mt. Moon, and as such they would need to leave early if they wanted to make it out of the mountain tunnels before nightfall. Dawn and Piplup had been the ones complaining about the wakeup call for a change, which had brought a mischievous smile to Ash's face.

They had said goodbye to Harrison family, with Ash promising to battle Forrest upon the next time they met. And soon, the pair was all alone once again, with Pikachu riding on Ash's shoulders and Piplup sitting on the beanie that topped Dawn's head.

"So we have to get through a mountain to get to Cerulean City?" Dawn groaned, still not fully woken up. The hour was very early, with the sun only having just crested over into full view of the Coordinator. Piplup complained as well, shielding its eyes from the sun's glare with its flippers.

"Yeah, and it's just down the path, so you'll be back in darkness in no time!"

Dawn remained quiet as they walked a few miles down the road, the sun creeping up at a constant pace until it shined over them relentlessly. They trekked through the mountainous area, their eyes set on the one and only Mt. Moon. It was extremely tall, reaching up and forming an almost artificial-looking spike into the sky. In the immediate altitudes just above where they were standing, vegetation appeared to dominate the rocky slabs that climbed upward and upward. They reached the base of the mountain, where a large opening to a cave gaped in front of Dawn and Ash. The size of the opening left Dawn awestruck, as it could be seen even from the several hundred feet away that the travelers were standing.

"How deep does it go?" Dawn asked lazily and out of nowhere.

"Um, I'm not sure, really. I've only gone through it once." Ash admitted, "But it took us a while. There's a _lot_ of Zubat in there."

"Aw, man!" Dawn complained. She was no fan of Zubat. The eyeless creatures took to caves in swarms, and often flew aimlessly back and forth across said caves, using echolocation to find their way. The whole idea of it all just freaked Dawn out.

"Come on, it'll be fun. You won't have to worry about the sun in there."

"That's not helping!"

They bantered back and forth until they reached the pitch-black hole that carved into the freestanding mountain. Reluctantly, Dawn followed Ash inside, immediately being overwhelmed by the unnatural darkness.

"I can't see!" she complained, throwing her hands out in front of her to test her eyesight. Unfortunately, she couldn't see them. "Ash!"

"Hey, calm down, I'm right here." Ash told her soothingly, "I'm not going anywhere without you, I promise."

Ash's voice calmed her down immediately, and Dawn made a note that she was overreacting to the darkness. She felt her way forward, latching one of her arms onto Ash's and interlocking them. In a way, she felt safe connected to him in the darkness. Dawn's thoughts were shattered by a heavy _thump_. A searing pain took over her foot, and she bit back a scream. She had stubbed her foot on a large stray rock, and her boot hadn't helped her out at all. The rock had pushed into the semi-soft material of the boots like it was nothing.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Dawn complained, bending over and grabbing her afflicted toes. "Come on! I hate caves!"

"Dawn, you okay?" Ash asked.

"Urk, what does it look like, dammit?" Dawn spat back, squeezing the toes that she had stubbed. It had not been her day at all, and it was still early in the morning.

"Gee, I'm sorry."

"…No, Ash, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Dawn quickly apologized, standing back up. Her foot hurt like all hell, but she would manage. Ash looked back down the dark cave for a moment, before turning to look at the somewhat distant white light. He then unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt, tossing it up.

"Infernape, I choose you!"

The fire-type ape materialized out of a ball of light, its corona of fire instantly lighting up the immediate vicinity. The ape gazed at the interminable darkness, and then looked back to its Trainer. Most of the time it had been sent out of its ball to battle an opponent, but seeing total darkness was something the fire-type was not accustomed to at all.

"Infernape, we're gonna need you to light the way," Ash explained. The fire-type starter nodded in understanding, turning back to face the blackness.

Ash grabbed onto Dawn's arm once again, pulling her back up to him. Dawn smiled sheepishly at him, and Ash smiled back almost confidently as he interlocked their arms at the elbow. Piplup curiously looked down at the contact between the two Trainers, and then looked over at Pikachu, who was doing the same. The electric-type mouse met the eyes of the water-type starter, and then shrugged. Infernape started to walk forward, immediately changing the light level on Ash and Dawn's faces. They turned to watch as the fire-type moved, and then started to walk behind his light.

For a couple of hours, the only noise was the crunching of the two Trainers' feet in the gravely dirt. The cave continued forward, only widening in length ever so slightly. Deafening silence held over the two Trainers and three Pokémon, and Dawn's ears were beginning to pound with the noise of pumping blood.

"How much longer is this tunnel?" Dawn asked, feeling Ash jump just a little bit as she spoke. _He must've been staring off into space,_ she thought.

"I'm not sure. If I remember correctly it should open up pretty soon."

Almost as soon as he'd said it, Infernape stopped and then looked back to Ash out of its peripheral vision. "Infernape, fernape." The fire-type barked, pointing directly ahead. The ape then galloped forward, forcing Ash and Dawn to run after it, before he stopped. The Trainers then stopped, noticing that the walls that had confined them earlier were now gone, as far as they could tell.

"Infernape, give us some light with Flare Blitz!" Ash called. The fire-type chanted its name a couple of times before summoning a huge ball of fire. The light level in the cave suddenly exploded as the flames turned blue.

They had finally made it to an open chamber of the mountain cave. Dawn and Ash's moods immediately brightened, and they subconsciously pulled their arms apart, neither of them even realizing the move.

Infernape's Flare Blitz began to die down, and the dwindling light level followed close behind. As it did so, Infernape looked to Ash.

"Infernape, think you can use Dig to find out where we gotta go next?"

The fire-type obeyed, almost immediately clawing its way underground. The noise of him shuffling through the ground began to dwindle away, leaving Ash and Dawn in total darkness with their two partner Pokémon. Only a moment later, Infernape's shuffling noise came back up from the ground, and a red-orange light burst out of the ground first, followed by the fire-type ape himself.

"Infernape. In-Infernape." The fire-type chanted, pointing forward.

"Lead the way, buddy." Ash answered, giving the fire-type thumbs up.

Silence fell over the group once more. Infernape led them to another tunnel, and they walked down the path until coming to the entrance of another open area. Infernape suddenly stopped, and a low growl forced itself from his throat. The fire-type bared his teeth. Ash immediately walked up next to the fire-type.

"What's wrong, buddy?"

Infernape simply pointed into the blackness.

A white light then filled the chamber with blinding speed, forcing Ash and Dawn to shield their eyes with their arms. It didn't do much good, as the white light penetrated their shut eyelids. Infernape flinched, but began looking into the white light again.

"Infernape." The fire-type said calmly, pointing a navy blue finger ahead. Ash did his best to look, and found Infernape pointing toward a group of Pokémon. Ash recognized the group instantly.

"It's…a bunch of Clefairy and Clefable."

"What…what are they doing?" Dawn asked.

"I'm not sure, I think they're using Moonlight." Ash guessed, "It should still be sunny outside. Maybe because it's so dark in here."

"Infernape." The fire-type growled again, moving its pointing over a little ways. A rock formation sat where Infernape pointed. It was one of many, but something was sitting behind the formation, carefully watching the blinding gathering of the Clefairy and Clefable.

Or someone.

Ash squinted to look, and made out a couple of key features.

Magenta and light blue hair, as well as conspicuously white uniforms and a feline Pokémon alongside them. Ash knew who they were instantly.

"It's Team Rocket!" Ash howled as he gritted his teeth. Dawn walked up next to him, having adjusted to the light, and saw them as well. The crooks heard their names called, and turned around. Jessie, James, and Meowth all recoiled at once, but Jessie was the first to stand, revealing herself fully.

"Oh, for Pete's sake, can't we do _anything_ without you twerps showing up?!" she shrieked angrily.

"Jessie, look, it's the Sinnoh twerpette." James pointed out, talking calmly as he did so.

"Well, how fitting!" Jessie complained, "Now, if you don't mind, we're here to rob the Clefable of their Moon Stones, so _butt out!_ "

This declaration succeeded only to catch the attention of the assembled Fairy Pokémon. The nearest Clefable had clearly heard the criminals' intent, and took a defensive stance. James looked back only to see they had been spotted.

"Er…Jessie, I'm afraid our cover's been blown."

"Look what you did, you twoips!" Meowth complained, lisping, "I'll rip you all a new one with my Fury Swipes!"

The feline Pokémon flashed glowing white claws from its hand, and immediately ran toward them. Jessie brandished a Poké Ball and called out Seviper, her Pokémon of choice for her rotten deeds.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch on Meowth!" Ash countered. The fire-type's fist glowed white and he rushed forward, meeting Meowth faster than the eye could blink. The Cat Pokémon realized his folly too late, and a crushing punch was dealt to his chin, sending him flying backward into the air.

Meanwhile, the Clefable had advanced toward Team Rocket, upset that their gathering had been intruded upon. James brandished a Poké Ball of his own, calling out Carnivine, who immediately moved to chew on his head. Angrily, he called out for Bullet Seed, and Carnivine reluctantly detached from James to battle the oncoming Fairy Pokémon. As Carnivine hovered some distance away and fired a barrage of glowing projectiles, the four or five Clefable raised their hands and summoned identical white lights.

"Look, Ash! What kind of attack is that?" Dawn exclaimed, pointing at the amassed Fairy Pokémon. The collective white blasts overwhelmed the Bullet Seed attack, and with no time to call for a counter Carnivine took a brutal blow.

"Seviper, take out the twerps with Poison Tail!" Jessie bristled as she commanded the poison-type. The snake advanced quickly, almost hovering above the ground as it slithered toward the group.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to counter!"

The mouse leaped off of the Trainer's shoulder, almost eager for battle, and turned its tail silvery-white, turning and crashing the tail into Seviper's. The two bounced off of each other and smoke burst around where their collision had been seconds before.

The Clefable launched another shimmering blast of white light at Carnivine, effectively knocking it out. James panicked and returned the grass-type. "Jessie, I'm afraid I'm outnumbered here!"

Jessie ignored him, calling for another Poison Tail. Meowth also brought out his Fury Swipes once more and the two Pokémon went rushing toward the Trainers.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash called.

"Piplup, add into it with Hydro Pump!"

Piplup hopped off of Dawn's head as Pikachu summoned the mass amounts of electricity and sprinted toward the two villainous Pokémon. The Hydro Pump attack burst from Piplup's beak at high pressure, shooting ahead just above Pikachu. The Hydro Pump magnetized toward the speeding electric-type, and lightning coursed up from the charge into the descending water pump. The two attacks finally combined, with the color blue merging into Pikachu's yellow. Pikachu crashed into both Meowth and Seviper, sending them flying back in a surge of blue electricity. The two Pokémon smashed into both Jessie and James, who tumbled back closer to the angry Clefable.

The Fairy Pokémon complained amongst themselves, conversing briefly as if they were deciding the fate of the interlopers. In a moment, it seemed that they almost agreed, and the hopeful yet nervous smile on James's face turned to one of defeat. The Clefable summoned another white light onto the group, and Team Rocket realized they were about to blast off.

An explosion rocked the chamber as the light burst upward from the cave floor, rocketing the group of crooks up and out through a gaping hole in the chamber's rock ceiling and into the fresh air. The moonlight died down, as did the large pillar of light that had allowed them to discover Team Rocket in the first place. The hole that Team Rocket had flown out of now filtered in the smallest rays of sunlight. Ash and Dawn watched the hole, as if expecting the trio to come crawling back into the chamber through the opening. Ash then shook his head and returned Infernape, allowing a good rest for the Pokémon. A cry from the group of Fairy Pokémon got their attention.

The assembled Clefairy and Clefable began creating individual white lights, small enough to be carried like a ball yet bright like a star. The balls of light calmly floated in various directions until they formed a group of lights in the chamber ceiling. The sight was indescribably beautiful, as if the pair were looking at the night sky from inside the mountain cave, but with the "stars" so bright that they created a dim light above them. One of the Clefable approached the Trainers and their Pokémon, motioning for them to come closer to the group.

 _"Cle-Clefable."_

Ash, Dawn, Infernape, Pikachu, and Piplup carefully followed the Clefable. The small lights numbered in the several dozen, and Ash and Dawn realized just how many Pokémon, Clefairy and Clefable alike, were assembled. The Clefable who had led them stopped and turned to the Trainers, and its fellow Pokémon closed the broken circle, all standing and watching intently.

 _"Clefable, Cle-Clefable."_

The Fairy Pokémon continued to speak, though the two Trainers couldn't understand a word of what the elder was trying to say. The Clefable then turned to the ground beneath it, and waved its hands above the cave floor. Out of the earth materialized two stones black as night with the texture of a rock. The Clefable then turned to face Ash and Dawn again, holding out its hands before walking toward them. Clefable individually placed a Moon Stone in the two Trainers' hands, and then with hands now free curled their fingers into a fist over the evolutionary stone.

"Thank you…" Dawn breathed, "is this for helping you out?"

 _"Cle-fable!"_ the Fairy Pokémon agreed.

"Thanks, Clefable!" Ash whooped, "It really was the least we could do."

"Oh, but…" Dawn started, catching the Pokémon's attention. "Can you help us get out of this cave?"

The Fairy Pokémon nodded without hesitation, turning to the group of Clefairy along the edge of the circle. It waved its fingers at the group, and a single Clefairy walked toward the Clefable in the center. The two Pokémon began conversing in their own language, before the Clefairy walked up to the two Trainers and pointed in some direction, motioning for the two to follow.

"Thank you, Clefairy and Clefable!" Ash said with glee.

"All of you! Take care!" Dawn added, before they began to run after the Clefairy, their Pokémon in tow. The group moved in silence, the Fairy Pokémon leading the way. In its hands it levitated a white light like the others had produced back in the cave chamber, holding it brightly enough to light the tunnel that they went through. The light was bright enough for Ash to see Dawn's face. She looked as if she were in deep thought, as her lower lip was clenched against her jaw and she occasionally chewed on her lip.

"Hey, you okay?" Ash asked, catching the Coordinator's attention and jarring from the trance. She seemed to fall into these trances a lot lately. Ash made a mental note to keep a better eye out. The bluenette Coordinator smiled sheepishly before putting for an excuse.

"Yeah, just thinking…it's weird that we ran into Team Rocket again, huh? I had hoped that time back in Sinnoh was the last we'd ever see of them."

"Believe me, no one wants to never see them again more than I do." Ash agreed, "They've followed me through _four_ Regions now, each time trying to catch Pikachu, and sometimes other Pokémon. You'd think they'd give up once in a while."

"Those three sure don't strike me as the type to give up." Dawn answered with a shake of her head.

Ash then remembered something about their most recent battle, "Hey, I've been thinking a little bit, remember when Pikachu went for that Volt Tackle and you told Piplup to use Hydro Pump? The two attacks joined together. It was weird."

Dawn's demeanor immediately brightened and she smiled as she remembered, "Yeah, and it's happened before, too! Back when Piplup ran off, their attacks combined!"

"Well, since you love names so much, I thought of one." Ash decided, puffing out his chest mockingly, "What about Hydro Tackle?"

"I love that!" Dawn agreed, giving Ash a shove into his shoulder. The two laughed happily, with Pikachu and Piplup looking at the two Trainers and nodding at their demeanor. The two Pokémon locked eyes. So they wanted to work on merging Volt Tackle and Hydro Pump some more? That worked for them.

 _"Fairy."_ The leading Pokémon interjected, speaking sternly, _"Clefairy, Clefairy."_

The Trainer and Coordinator calmed themselves and looked to the wild Fairy Pokémon, who turned its head back away from them once it had the humans' attention. Then, it pointed ahead, where for the first time the two noticed a white light.

"Ah, the exit!" Ash declared, raising his arms triumphantly. "Clefairy, we can take it from here. Thank you for guiding us."

"Yeah, we would've needed to worry if you hadn't helped us." Dawn agreed. Piplup added to the comment, chirping gratefully.

 _"Fairy-Clefairy."_ The normal-type answered, doing its best to smile. The Trainers then sprinted toward the light at the end of the tunnel, their Pokémon in tow. The normal-type Pokémon watched them go before extinguishing the white ball of moonlight from its hands and walking back through the impenetrable darkness, heading to meet back up with its tribe.

Ash shielded his eyes as he reached the end of the tunnel, sprinting out into broad daylight. Dawn was forced to do the same, using both arms to shield her sensitive eyes. After so many hours in near-pitch blackness, the scorching welcome of the sun was both gratifying and infuriating. Piplup even yawned, stretching its blue flippers up and cracking its penguin joints. Pikachu fidgeted on Ash's shoulders. The two Trainers didn't move, simply taking in the view of the nature that surrounded the exit of Mt. Moon. The grass was a staggering shade of green, and the trees that rose up on either side of the hill going down from the mountain moved blissfully in the breeze.

"Well, it looks like it's a little bit after noon." Dawn said aloud, checking her Pokétch. "We made good time."

"And we're just in time for lunch! Man, I'm starving!" Ash declared, clutching his belly.

"It just wouldn't be you if you weren't hungry, huh, Ash?"

"Nope! If we go to the Gym, though, I bet they'll have food there, and you can meet Misty! C'mon, Dawn!"

Ash took off down the hill, leaving Dawn standing for just a moment. She had forgotten about this Misty girl, and found herself swelling with nerves; a meeting with a girl Ash's age that the Trainer himself spoke so highly of?

"Great…" Dawn muttered, before taking off after Ash with Piplup.


	5. Cerulean Hospitality

**Part 2 of today's double feature. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 5_

 _Cerulean Hospitality_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Cerulean City**

The lake was the first thing that caught Dawn's eye in the city. The water was a crystal clear blue, with various water-type Pokémon roaming the shores and passing to and from the water. Ash was once again ahead of her in the dash for the next town, and he was standing next to the Pokémon Center, chatting with Pikachu when Dawn finally caught up.

"Man, you're behind." Ash commented densely.

Dawn gritted her teeth and fumed, glaring at the naïve Pallet native. "Well if you would _wait_ for a little bit! Maybe you wouldn't leave me behind!"

Dawn's fuming anger quickly died down and Ash laughed, nervously scratching the back of his head like he always did. "Anyway, this is Cerulean City. The Gym is right over there," Ash explained, pointing in some direction, "We can take a rest at the Center first, though."

"Nah, let's go and meet Misty. You speak so highly of her that I've just gotta meet her!"

In reality, Dawn wanted to gauge what kind of competition she was facing.

"All right! I'm sure you'll love Misty, even if she's super different!" Ash whooped with a thumb up, "Let's _go!_ "

" _Ash Ketchum I swear!"_ Dawn cried as she ran after him, but Ash could only help but jeer as he sprinted ahead of her.

"Catch me if you can, _Dee Dee!_ "

" _Call me that again and I'll have Buneary Ice Beam you!"_ Dawn roared in response to the name-calling, doing her best to sprint after him. Unfortunately, the Trainer in running shoes was easily able to hold his lead, just like every other time. However, overconfidence would soon prove to be Ash Ketchum's brief downfall.

The Pride of Pallet turned around as he reached the Gym, mockingly backpedaling as if he'd won a prestigious race. Just then, the door to the Gym slid open and a girl with short orange hair walked out. She never saw the teen until he barreled into her side, back turned and all. One yelp later, the orange-haired girl had been thrown to the ground and Ash had managed to stumble to the side and catch himself.

The girl with orange hair rocketed up to her feet with wild speed and angrily spat back curses.

" _You watch where you're going! Didn't anyone teach you not to run into people like that? Who do you think you—"_

Recognition then flooded over her face, as it did on the face of the Pallet native.

"Ash!" cried the orange-haired girl, and she immediately ran up to him to hug the clumsy teenager. Dawn reached the Gym at that moment, and felt a pang of jealousy. Her fist subconsciously clenched as Ash briefly hugged the girl back.

"Hey, Misty, it's good to see you too."

"It's been so long!"

"Yeah, it has."

"What are you doing back in Cerulean City?"

"Looking for you!"

Ash and Misty shared a hearty laugh, and then the orange-haired Trainer noticed the bluenette Coordinator, standing just a little ways off to the side. "Who's this?" Misty asked bluntly.

"Oh, Misty, this is Dawn, my friend from the Sinnoh Region." Ash introduced, leaving his spot against the Gym wall to walk over to Dawn and take his place next to her. Dawn cooled her veins and forced a smile at Misty. Ash continued, "She's a Coordinator just like May."

"Well, it's so great to meet another one of Ash's friends." Misty answered, offering a hand, which Dawn almost reluctantly shook, "Anyway, Ash, you said you were looking for me?"

"Oh, yeah, I really wanted you and Dawn to meet, and we're passing by on our way to Saffron City. Dawn and I are heading over to Johto to meet May." Ash explained.

"Well then you guys come inside. Welcome to the new and improved Cerulean City Gym!" Misty invited, gesturing for the pair to enter the Gym.

The trio of Trainers walked through the sliding doorway, entering the complex that was the Cerulean Gym. What Dawn could only assume was the reception desk was empty, and Misty led them out of the main room and through a set of doors. On the other side was what could only be the battle complex. A massive pool had two boxes on opposite sides, with several relatively small platforms floating about.

"Wow, it looks just like Crasher Wake's Gym!" Dawn remarked suddenly.

"Who?" Misty asked.

"Crasher Wake is the Gym Leader in Pastoria City of Sinnoh. He's this real tough water-type Trainer." Ash explained. Misty understood and let the matter drop, turning to Dawn.

"So, Dawn, what other kinds of Pokémon do you have?" Misty asked, "I see the little penguin with you."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, this is my partner Piplup." Dawn explained. The confident little penguin showed itself off by placing its flippers on its hips, confidently chirping. "But, I have a few others that I use in Contests."

"Bring 'em out!" Misty immediately called, "I've never seen any Pokémon from Sinnoh."

"Sure thing!" Dawn decided with a smile. She hastily grabbed the five other Poké Balls from the slot on her bag, clicking the enlarge buttons on them as she tossed them up together in a mob. "Everyone! Spotlight!"

Buneary, Pachirisu, Quilava, Togekiss, and Mamoswine all spawned in a flash of white light, each of them giving out respective cries. Misty, however, was focused on one Pokémon in particular. Ash seemed to recognize where her attention was, and stepped in.

"So Misty, the flying Pokémon there is Togekiss, the final form of Togepi."

Misty then suddenly looked sad. "I wonder how Togetic is doing right now…" she mumbled, fighting back a few tears. Dawn was, to say the least, surprised. Based on her earlier demeanor, she wouldn't have guessed that Misty was the type to cry. Nevertheless, the Cerulean Gym Leader whimpered. Ash pulled her into a light hug, but for once Dawn didn't feel jealous. "Oh, Dawn, I used to have a Togepi. It went with me everywhere I went. But one day, I traveled with Ash and May for a few days, and Togepi…well, he found his purpose elsewhere. And…I haven't seen him since."

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" Dawn answered genuinely. "I couldn't imagine what that's like, even when Ambipom left me I was sad, but I couldn't imagine losing my partner."

"It's no use crying about, though. That won't bring Togetic back to me, unfortunately." Misty sighed.

"Hey, Misty?" Ash asked, getting the Water Master's attention. "I challenge you to a battle, just like old times! I wanna see just how strong you've gotten in the last couple o' years!"

Misty immediately looked happier, and took up a confident smile. She clenched her fist like Ash normally did. "All right Ash, you're on!"

* * *

"The unofficial battle between Misty, the Cerulean City Gym Leader, and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is about to commence!" the referee bellowed, his arms raised to either side as the regulations stated, "Each side will use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all of one side's Pokémon are unable to battle! In addition, since this is not a Gym Battle, both Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon!"

Dawn stood watching, bold yellow pom-poms in her hands. She was back in her cheerleader uniform, with Buneary in a miniature version of the outfit. Ever since Ash's victory in his rematch at the Oreburgh Gym, it had become custom for Dawn to cheer on her favorite Trainer in a cheerleading costume. The normal-type rabbit was performing one of her usual cheers, jeering in her language while Dawn stood watching the stalemate between the two Trainers.

"You ready, Misty?" Ash called, gripping a Poké Ball, "I've got one of your favorite old friends waiting to battle."

"Don't get too cocky, Ash Ketchum. The battle hasn't even begun. Besides, three years is a long time to get stronger." Misty battled back, smirking.

"Now! Battle begin!"

"Butterfree, I choose you!" Ash called. The Butterfly Pokémon, refreshed and ready to battle, materialized from white light and fluttered its way high above the water, slowly beating its wings to preserve its altitude.

"No way!" Misty cried, "Is that _your_ Butterfree from when we were traveling Kanto? How did you find it again?"

"Butterfree was waiting for me in Viridian Forest on the way here." Ash responded, "And I know he's stronger than ever, too! We're not losing this time!"

"We'll see about that!" Misty shot back, whipping out a Poké Ball of her own, "Starmie, come on out!"

The Mysterious Pokémon spun out of the Poké Ball, churning its posterior set of arms in an endless wheel as it landed. The dual Water/Psychic-type released some sort of cry, and Dawn fished through her bag for her Pokédex, examining the new Pokémon.

" _Starmie, the Mysterious Pokémon, and the evolved form of Staryu. At the center of its body is a red core, which sends mysterious signals into the night sky."_

"Hm, so Starmie's part Psychic-type. That means Butterfree's bug typing will give it some help." Dawn said to herself, then realizing that Brock wasn't there with her. Usually he had some additional advice on Pokémon during battles, so he had always been a reliable fountain of knowledge. Now, though, she was on her own. Shaking away the sad thought, Dawn started to cheer, doing some kind of routine alongside Buneary.

Ash stared at Misty's Starmie, remembering the way she'd battled with it the last time he'd been in this Gym. Knowing that he would need to strike first, Ash took the opportunity of the silence.

"Butterfree, use Tackle!"

The Butterfly Pokémon ducked its head and flew in, its wings suddenly beating fast as it closed in on the stagnant water-type.

"Starmie, dodge it, and then use Swift!"

The Mysterious Pokémon rapidly spun out of the way, turning to face the misled Butterfree and letting loose a barrage of glowing stars. The Butterfly Pokémon cringed as the stars made contact, flying away after taking some hits. The bug-type returned to its side of the field, shaking off the hit.

"C'mon Ash, you should know that Starmie is fast." Misty chastised, "But it's also strong. Starmie, use Psybeam!"

"Butterfree, dodge that Psybeam and hit Starmie with your Sleep Powder!"

The strange beam of energy came shooting out of Starmie's core for Butterfree, and the Butterfly Pokémon waited before diving to the left and taking to the sky. Almost immediately, glowing green powders began flying off of its wings as it beat them repeatedly. The powders fell toward Starmie, forcing Misty to act quick.

"Starmie, knock off that Sleep Powder with Swift!"

The Mysterious Pokémon succeeded, creating a dark haze where the two attacks collided. Ash smirked, as the smoke now cloaked Butterfree and he had an advantage. Having looked in his Pokédex, Ash already knew Butterfree's other moves, which were far stronger than what they were when the two parted ways many years ago.

"Butterfree! Get in there with Aerial Ace!"

The smoke broke apart in the middle of the cloud, with Butterfree launching toward Starmie with its head tucked in. Misty hadn't even seen the attack coming, unaware that a Butterfree could learn Aerial Ace. With its Trainer stumped, Starmie had no answer for the flying-type attack, and the bug-type slammed into the water-type.

Starmie skidded back across the platform, falling off of the edge and into the water. Misty gaped, but then smiled. "Congratulations, Ash, you landed a hit on my Starmie early. But you've also now put it right in its' natural habitat."

"Butterfree, get up in the air and watch the water! Starmie could be anywhere!"

The bug-type started to lift up from the platform where the water-type had once stood. "Oh, no you don't!" Misty interjected, pointing a damning finger in the bug-type's direction, "Starmie, use Hydro Pump!"

The high-pressure blast broke the surface of the water from somewhere close to the side of the pool. Butterfree blanked, seeing the powerful pump heading straight for him. "Butterfree, dodge—"

The bug-type had no time to react, as the attack was moving far too fast. The high-pressure water pump slammed into Butterfree's side, soaking its wings and causing it to fall out of the sky.

This wasn't looking up for Ash, and the Pallet native knew it. Swiftly, he brandished the bug-type's Poké Ball and called, "Butterfree, return!" and the Butterfly Pokémon was sucked back inside the capsule in a flash of red light, "You get some rest, buddy. You did great, we just got too cocky."

Ash put away the Poké Ball, grinning like a kid on Christmas. "Why so happy, Ash? Ready for Starmie to wallop another one of your Pokémon?" The Mysterious Pokémon leaped out of the water, soaring and then landing gracefully on the platform that it had once been on. It purred out one of its mysterious cries, sounding ever confident.

"Ha! Not even close, Misty!" Ash rebutted.

"I wonder who Ash will send out next." Dawn remarked to herself. Buneary purred out an intangible response, waiting with just as much anticipation as the Coordinator. The Pallet native then unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt and swiftly reared back his arm.

"Okay, Torterra, I choose you!"

The Continent Pokémon roared out of its Ball and came crashing down on the platform, causing the sturdy block to sink just a little bit into the water.

"Ash, you're going to sink my battlefield here!" Misty complained jokingly, "That's one big Pokémon, where'd you get it?"

"From the Sinnoh Region!" Ash declared in response, "And we're gonna mop the floor with you!"

" _Torterra!"_ the Grass/Ground-type roared in response, stamping its massive foot as it geared itself up.

"Starmie, let's take the first move here! Use Psybeam!" Misty commanded. The Mysterious Pokémon purred and then spun its way up into the air. Its dorsal set of arms spun rapidly, counteracting gravity and keeping it airborne, and the red core in its center glowed a menacing red before it launched a weird beam of multicolored energy.

"Torterra, send it back with Energy Ball!"

The massive grass-type roared and generated the dark green ball of pulsing energy. The strange energy beam closed in and Torterra released the pulsing Energy Ball. The grass-type move collided with the Psychic-type blast and easily powered through it, the strength of the attack having been well conditioned during Ash's journey in Sinnoh. Starmie visibly flinched as the pulsing energy hurtled toward it, and failed to move as the attack struck home.

A smoky explosion followed, and only a moment later Starmie came rocketing down from the site. Water was all that remained below it, and the Mysterious Pokémon crashed through the surface, floating calmly back to the top and laying on its back.

"Starmie is unable to battle! The winner is Torterra!"

" _Terraaaaaaaa!"_

"All right, Torterra! You did it!"

Misty quietly returned the fainted Starmie, turning the Poké Ball so that she could look at it. She whispered some words to it before tucking away the Ball as Dawn and Buneary started another routine.

"That was impressive, Ash." Misty conceded, smiling proudly, "But don't get too confident yet. I've still got two Pokémon left, and the next one's a doozy."

"I'm ready, Misty. Give me all you've got! Get ready, Torterra!"

" _Terra!"_

Misty smirked, brandishing her second Poké Ball. "Gyarados, let's go!"

The white light sank underneath the surface of the water, disappearing completely underneath. The mostly still water then began to churn ever harder, creating a current on Misty's side of the battlefield. A storm raged underneath the surface of the water, kicking up water on both sides, and Torterra tensed, watching the angry currents carefully.

And then, a bright blue dragon of the ocean broke the surface, albeit still far away from Torterra, and stretched its lengthy body up, up, and up. Its pale underbelly curled forward as Gyarados assumed its natural position. The Atrocious Pokémon roared angrily, its fury echoing through the battle room and vibrating everything that wasn't nailed down. It was safe to say that the fearsome Water/Flying-type was ready for battle.

"All right, Torterra, you ready?" Ash called, and the Continent Pokémon stamped its gargantuan feet in confirmation. "All right! Let's get started with Energy Ball!"

" _Torrrrrrrr-terra!"_

The Energy Ball pulsed hungrily as the grass-type sent it flying. Gyarados eyed the attack carefully, its furious scowl holding still as it waited.

"Gyarados, dodge it by going underwater!"

The Atrocious Pokémon sank under the water's surface like a speeding bullet, the only sign that it had ever been above the surface in the first place being the shaking ripples where the beast once was. Torterra looked around frantically, doing its best to carefully watch for any signs of disturbance.

"Now, Gyarados, use Ice Beam!"

To Torterra's immediate right, Gyarados burst back up into sight, curling its body as its massive mouth charged up with an energy of pure cold. At that point, Ash realized his folly. He gained a type advantage with Torterra, yes, but he was completely unable to move out of the way.

How could he be so foolish?! This kind of forgetfulness was the exact reason he had been unable to win a league, despite his affinity for pulling the wildest strategies in the most difficult places. Knowing there was nothing he could do, Ash called out to his Grass/Ground-type.

"Torterra, brace!"

The Continent Pokémon did his best, tucking its head away from the inevitable blast of freeze and turning his massive shell to face the dragon. Just then, Gyarados realized the crushing beam of ice, striking Torterra right underneath the crook of his shell. The grass-type roared in pain and staggered as the powerful freeze took hold, and Gyarados slinked back under the water, reappearing on its side of the battlefield seconds later. Torterra was heaving, breathing heavily as it winced from pain. There was a wide and clearly painful blanket of pure ice held in the crook of its shell, restricting its movement on that side.

"It seems you've figured out that you won't be able to move Torterra at all over there. While you may have been able to take out Starmie easily with that Energy Ball, Gyarados will actually have the opportunity to use the water." Misty explained, chastising the Trainer. "And now, we'll finish it off. Gyarados, submerge!"

The dragon of the sea slipped under the water quickly once again. Torterra heaved as it tried to move. The ice was making it very painful for the Continent Pokémon, but it did its best to show resolve and be strong. Ash bit his lip hard.

 _Gyarados is gonna come out of the water any minute, and chances are Misty wants to hit Torterra with another Ice Beam. It did so much damage last time, if he gets hit again he might go down. We've gotta find a way to get Gyarados out of the water._

Ash then had an idea. "That's it! Torterra, use Rock Climb on the ground under the pool!"

Torterra roared and stamped its feet loudly, roaring some more to add emphasis. As he did so, massive spikes of rock shot out from underneath the water on either side of Torterra, and more continued to shoot out in a line. The line of rock pillars quickly narrowed, creating a bowl of sorts out of jutting rock formations Suddenly, the water began to thrash in the center of the pool as a few pillars shot up. The water foamed as it threw about, and then there was a thick _thump_ and another pillar shot up, this time with Gyarados on top of it!

Gyarados roared angrily as it was thwarted, and the powerful pillar of rock sent it flying into the air where it was left exposed. "Now, Torterra, use Leaf Storm!"

Torterra did just that, sending a hurricane of sharp leaves flying for the Atrocious Pokémon. Gyarados roared as the attack struck, dealing a solid amount of damage. Angrily, Gyarados maneuvered itself to fall back into the sea, this time avoiding the offending rock formations.

"I'm impressed, Ash. You still have your strategies." Misty conceded again, "But we're not losing this round, and we're not losing this battle! Gyarados, use Ice Beam one more time!"

Gyarados popped out of the water by one of the rock formations, its gaping mouth again charging with that awful cold ray. "Torterra, use Energy Ball to deflect it!"

The Continent Pokémon tried, but by the time it fired off the dark pulsing ball of energy, the Ice Beam was too powerful, and it cut right through the ball of energy and continued, striking Torterra again, except this time just above its head. A painful yell followed, and then smoke followed by a cold breeze. When the smoke lifted, Torterra had fallen, its eyes nothing but swirls.

"Torterra, is unable to battle, the winner is Gyarados!"

Ash returned the Continent Pokémon, turning the ball so that he could look at the button. "You did really great, Torterra, I put you at such a disadvantage. I'm sorry. Now, rest up."

"And now we're all tied up, eh Ash?" Misty commented confidently, "That Rock Climb did a number on Gyarados, but I think he showed you that he's got plenty of fight left in him!"

Gyarados agreed with a titanic roar.

"You've become a great Gym Leader Misty." Ash conceded, "But I still have another Pokémon up my sleeve, and I'm sure you can guess just who it is. Pikachu, you wanna get in there?"

"Pi-Pika!"

The electric mouse hopped down from Ash's shoulder, pouncing onto the platform and readying itself. "I thought you'd pick Pikachu for your last Pokémon. It's about time too, considering your type advantage over me. But can you beat Gyarados? Let's find out! Gyarados, get under the water!"

Gyarados slipped underwater again, and Pikachu tensed.

"Pikachu, we're not letting them do this again! Use Thunderbolt on the water!"

" _Piiiika-chuuuuuu!"_

The furious bolt of lightning traveled into the pool, turning it a brilliant yellow. Misty gritted her teeth as Gyarados's howl traveled out of the water, though the Atrocious Pokémon didn't. The electricity died down quickly, though traces of it still coursed through the water.

"Gyarados, are you there?" Misty shouted. Her hopes were confirmed as Gyarados slinked its head and nothing more out of the water, growling unhappily. "Okay, Gyarados, we need to attack, so let's use Dragon Rage!"

Gyarados spat a foul current of energy from its mouth, heading straight for Pikachu. "Pikachu, dodge it with Quick Attack! Use the rock formations!"

"Pika!" the electric mouse cried as it left behind a streak of light in its movement. It hopped to the nearest rock formation, bouncing back and forth as it rounded the pool.

"Gyarados, watch Pikachu's movements, and then use Ice Beam!"

Gyarados simply waited, watching with only its head above the water's surface. The electric mouse continued to run and leap, going from rock to rock as it rounded the battlefield. The Atrocious Pokémon then let loose another beam of ice, this time at one of the formations ahead of Pikachu's path. Neither Ash nor Pikachu saw it coming, and the beam of ice hit the rock directly in front of Pikachu, thwarting his next move. In reaction, the electric mouse jumped back, but found no ground beneath him to catch himself. Pikachu fell victim to gravity and started to fall.

"Get Pikachu with Dragon Tail!"

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to deflect!"

Pikachu's tail turned to pure steel as Gyarados' energy-infused tail swept out of the water and toward the falling mouse. Swinging with all his little might, Pikachu crossed tails with the angry water-type beast, hitting with such strength that he bounced upward and avoided the brunt of Gyarados' attack. He landed gracefully at the top of one of the rock formations, and Ash wasn't letting up.

"Finish it with Thunderbolt!"

" _Chuuuuuuuuuu!"_

The water lit up with Pikachu's electricity again, and Gyarados wailed in agony as the lightning coursed through both the water and his body. This time, it was far too much, the damage from the earlier Thunderbolt and Torterra's Rock Climb having done a real number on it. The beast of the sea finally fell, rising out of the water as it did so, and crashing its head on one of the platforms. Its eyes registered nothing but swirls.

"Gyarados is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!"

"That's all right. Gyarados, return!" Misty called, thanking the Pokémon and clipping the Ball back to her bag. "Okay, Ash, I've got one more left, and I know you won't be expecting this one!"

"Bring it on, Misty! You took out my Torterra, but Pikachu's really rearing to go!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, showing off some electricity from its cheek sacs. On the sideline, Buneary cheered wildly, its undeniable crush on Pikachu showing shamelessly. Dawn broke into cheers for Ash, doing another routine with Buneary. Misty found herself smiling at the noise. It must've been nice for Ash to have such a supportive companion. Dashing her thoughts and focusing on the battle that she was now losing, Misty unclipped her final Poké Ball. It contained a Pokémon that she worked a great deal with to train, and finally the returns had begun to show earlier this year. Even more recently, the benefits skyrocketed with a single happening. She was ready to show Ash just who he was waiting on, and reared back her arm.

"Okay, Golduck, you're up!"

This time, the white light brought out a furry blue duck, with a confident beak and a crown of horns in the back of its head. Its hands and feet were webbed and powerful, its three blue fingers clenching as if it were feeling itself out.

"Woah, Misty, your Psyduck evolved!" Ash exclaimed, truly surprised. The headache-afflicted yellow duck had apparently finally gotten a handle on its psychic powers, and now, Ash would definitely have to keep on his toes. "Pikachu, be ready. We don't know just how powerful Golduck will be!"

"Pika!"

"Golduck, use Screech!"

Golduck narrowed its eyes at the command and then let loose a blistering shriek. Sound waves rocked the chamber, and Dawn noticed immediately that even Buneary was being afflicted, the normal-type rabbit clutching her ears tightly and wailing. Pikachu wasn't faring much better, doing its best to hold its ground while flattening its tall ears as an attempt to defend. Finally, after a matter of seconds that felt like an eternity, Golduck snapped its beak shut and silenced, again clenching its webbed fists in anticipation.

"Now, Water Pulse!"

Golduck created a pulsating ball of water in its webbed hands, much like Ash's Buizel often did, and sent it hurtling toward the rattled mouse. "Pikachu, quick, defend with Thunderbolt!"

With a cry, Pikachu let loose a substantially weaker Thunderbolt, but managed to slice the Water Pulse apart. Without the need for a command, Golduck dodged the remnants of the Thunderbolt headed straight for it, shifting to the side to escape damage. Ash marveled at the Duck Pokémon's independence as it shifted back into its prior position, eager to await command. Ash, however, decided to strike first.

"Pikachu, let's use Quick Attack and get on the rocks to get in close to Golduck!"

Pikachu appeared to have at least some renewed energy, and hopped onto the rocks, leaving a trail of light behind as it sped along, closing in on the blue Duck Pokémon. Golduck waited patiently, leering at the speedy electric mouse. Misty was watching too.

"Now, jump at Golduck and use Iron Tail!"

"Golduck, counter with Water Pulse!"

The Water Pulse was at Pikachu's face faster than Pikachu could reach the water-type, knocking him out of the air effortlessly. With a helpless cry, Pikachu began tumbling out of the air and into the water, submerging briefly before swimming back up. "Golduck, jump into the water!"

The water-type hopped under the surface of the water, leaving barely more than a ripple as evidence of his jump.

"Pikachu, swim! You've gotta get out of there!"

The electric mouse tried, he really tried, but after already being weakened by Golduck's Screech and Water Pulse attacks, not to mention battling Gyarados, he just simply wasn't fast enough to reach the platform in time. Misty only exploited, this raising a confident hand as she uttered her next command.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Ash gaped in horror as the command registered, and there was a great spout of water that shot up underneath Pikachu. A multicolored light, followed closely by Golduck himself, crashed into Pikachu from underneath, sending the little electric-type mouse flying, tumbling in midair and wailing as it lost its bearings.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried, jumping from his box on the battlefield and onto the nearest water platform and then hopping over to another one. Pikachu came hurtling down, and the Trainer caught him easily, cushioning his fall tremendously and quite possibly saving energy for the mouse to battle with. "Hey, buddy, are you okay?"

"…Pika…Pikachu…" the mouse heaved, tired and beat up from the battle.

"I'm withdrawing Pikachu!" Ash declared immediately, "He is still able to battle, but I don't want him getting more hurt!"

"Permission granted, Ash." Misty nodded in response, "But you'd better figure out a way to end this quick, because the way Golduck is going, he's not stopping anytime soon."

"Golduck-Golduck!"

Ash hopped back to the battling box and set Pikachu down next to where he would stand. The electric-type mouse looked up sadly at his Trainer. "It's okay, buddy, I promise. Golduck is way tougher than we thought he would be, so I want you to rest in case I need you again." Pikachu nodded, stretching as best as he could in the battle box.

"Now, Butterfree, I need you again!" Ash called, going back to his first Pokémon, as he was only allowed three. The bug-type burst back out, now mostly rested from his scuffle with Starmie to open the battle. His wings were now dry; enabling him to fly again, as it would've been a massive hindrance on his battling earlier, and likely would've resulted in a loss. The Butterfly Pokémon looked to its next opponent with leering compound eyes.

" _You can do it, Butterfree!"_ Dawn howled from the sideline, with Buneary chiming in as usual. She had stopped cheering now, taking on the gravity of the battle and now becoming much more intent on watching rather than cheerleading.

"All right, Golduck. Let's open this up with Water Pulse!"

"Goooool-duck!"

"Butterfree, dodge it with Aerial Ace, and then fly in close and get 'em!"

Butterfree effortlessly dodged the sphere of water, Aerial Ace greatly enhancing its speed, and then it whipped around to charge for Golduck. Misty smiled as Ash made yet another mistake to get in close to her Golduck. "Golduck, use Aqua Tail."

Golduck's natural tail was insanely long, far more so than a regular duck, and this only served as a boon to his Aqua Tail attack, which was his strongest water-type move. The tail became infused with water, and the Duck Pokémon whipped its tail around to smash into Butterfree, knocking the bug-type silly.

Butterfree spun after being hit, trying to get out of Golduck's immediate range so as to prevent taking another attack. Ash gritted his teeth. This was getting tense. Butterfree leered at the water-type, who confidently lashed its now-dry tail around and beckoned to the bug-type to dare charging again.

"Butterfree, hang back." Ash called, thinking intensely.

 _Golduck has physical and ranged moves that can combat any head-on attack. Misty really trained this one well. There has to be some way we can trick it._

Ash then got an idea. "Butterfree, let's fly, behind the rocks!"

Butterfree whirled around back to its side of the battlefield before diving in behind the countless formations of rock that still resided in the pool as a result of Torterra's Rock Climb attack.

"Come on, you know those rocks aren't doing you any favors!" Misty chastised, "Golduck, use Water Pulse on the rocks to draw Butterfree out!"

"Butterfree, keep dodging! Use the rocks to hide!"

Golduck fired several Water Pulses in quick succession, each aimed at the line of rock formations. Butterfree hid behind each one, watching carefully in order to time its bounces from rock to rock. Each time, only inches after Butterfree had moved on to the next rock, the formation exploded in response to the powerful water-type attack, shattering the rock and kicking up mountains of dust. Butterfree kept jumping, the rocks kept bursting, and stones and dust continued to fly in the air, creating a huge cloud of thick dust that was beginning to fall toward the battlefield. Golduck fired one more Water Pulse, this time crushing the rock formation and then sending a heavy stone the size of Butterfree into the air.

"Quick, Butterfree, use Confusion on the rock slab, and throw it at Golduck!"

Butterfree did as told with amazing speed, capturing the stone in a Confusion blast, which managed to serve as enough of a substitute for Psychic. Without hesitating, Butterfree corrected itself from its diving dodge, righting itself and then hurling the slab at Golduck. Gravity took over and the slab moved so quickly that Misty didn't have time to register a command. The slab of rock smashed Golduck right in the abdomen, sending the water-type duck to the ground and skidding into the water. Butterfree praised itself, whirling around in the air.

A furious explosion of water followed, and Golduck came raging back onto the floating platform, spitting obscenities in its language. The water-type was not happy; the stray slab of rock had wounded its pride. Without command, Golduck fired a Water Pulse, irritating Misty, who chewed it out verbally. Meanwhile, Ash took advantage of the discord.

"Butterfree, dodge that and head into the dust cloud with Aerial Ace!"

Butterfree followed the order and then dove into the huge cloud of dust, which was finally falling toward the pool as gravity claimed the loose collection of dirt and pebbles.

"Golduck, watch for Butterfree!"

But Ash knew it was useless. Butterfree would be too fast. "Now, Aerial Ace, head-on!"

Butterfree rocketed out of its cover, its speed evident in the piercing white streaks that headed its descent.

"Golduck, use Aqua Tail!"

Golduck readied its counter, but Ash was ready. "Dodge the Aqua Tail and keep going!"

Butterfree leered at Golduck as it swung its tail, and then pulled off a maneuver that was nothing short of spectacular. Butterfree turned like a fighter jet, barrel rolling around the Aqua Tail, and then turned hard so that it was behind Golduck. Without any command whatsoever, Butterfree opened its small mouth wide, the two sharp teeth that stuck out of its mouth gleaming, and chomped down as hard as it could on the water-type duck.

Golduck howled in pure pain, immediately cringing and wobbling its knees. Butterfree bit down hard again, causing the duck to wail again.

"That's Bug Bite!" Misty gasped. "Golduck, shake Butterfree off with Aqua Tail!"

Butterfree heard the command, and knew that the attack was coming, so it shot up before Golduck could swing the water-infused tail. The water-type was very angry now, not only had its most powerful attack missed twice, surely changing the course of the battle, but the bastard bug-type had also _bit_ him, twice!

"Butterfree, we've got it now, let's go! Use Confusion!"

Butterfree's eyes glowed and Golduck felt itself trapped in some kind of telekinetic grip, and it staggered to its knees, bending to Butterfree's will for just a moment. "Now, finish it! Aerial Ace!"

"Golduck, dodge it!"

But Golduck didn't have the strength to move. The bug-type had bested him, for sure, and the water-type duck knew it. Swallowing its pride, the Duck Pokémon refused to obey, although it did at least try to move. But Golduck knew the attack would hit him, right where it would count. A moment's notice later, there was a brunt force followed by a sharp pain in his abdomen, the Butterfly Pokémon having collided with him. The wind left Golduck's lungs, and the bug-type spun away to avoid any oncoming attack, but Golduck could take no more. He shivered as he felt his energy leave him, and then collapsed to the ground.

"Golduck is unable to battle. The winner is Butterfree, and that means that the winner of the battle is Ash from Pallet Town!"

"All right! Butterfree, you did it!" Ash whooped. The bug-type flew in toward its Trainer, who it had lost for so long, and allowed itself to be embraced. He had longed for this kind of embrace for too long, and now the bug-type had won an important battle.

Eventually, the bug-type returned to its Poké Ball, and Pikachu, now somewhat rested, rode on Pikachu's shoulders as Ash and Misty met back at the sideline, where Dawn stood with Buneary, who was presently flirting with Pikachu.

Ash and Misty clasped hands, "That was one hell of a battle, Ketchum." Misty acknowledged.

"You too, Misty."

"Well, now that that's over, I'm feeling starved!" Misty declared, "I say we hit the Pokémon Center and grab a bite to eat at the Cerulean Café!"

"Yeah! You said it!" Ash whooped in response, only then realizing his stomach's growl.

* * *

It was early afternoon at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. The Pokémon used in Ash and Misty's battle were currently getting much-deserved rest. Ash was at the register, ordering food for him and the two gals who had accompanied him. Meanwhile, Dawn and Misty sat at the table; the former sipping from a cup of coffee while the latter drank water. Something nagged at Misty, and she stole a glance at Dawn. She was looking…toward Ash. Misty had already grown suspicious just at the fact that Ash had brought a girl back with him from another Region, and her suspicions grew when the girl changed into a cheerleader's outfit for the battle.

Now, however, she felt certain in just what Dawn's lonesome glances meant.

"So, let's talk about the budding romance between you and Ash." Misty dropped, raising an eyebrow and smirking at the Twinleaf Coordinator.

Dawn deadpanned, and immediately shifted into denial mode. "What? No, I don't like Ash romantically. At all. We are just friends."

"Really? I don't buy that for a minute. Not every girl wears a cheerleading costume for a guy when he's battling." Misty rebutted, staring at the Coordinator.

Dawn held a poker face for a few more moments before giving up, "Okay, yeah, I like him a little bit. That's why I was really nervous about meeting you, Misty. Ash spoke super highly of you on the way over here, that I thought there was something between you two and I was feeling really jealous, and—"

"Dawn, it's okay." Misty assured, "I don't like Ash like that. I haven't for years."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, back when we were traveling Kanto I followed Ash around because he and Pikachu destroyed my bike with a Thunderbolt. I was so angry back then, because I didn't know how I was supposed to get home. But, I stuck around with him as he went to Pewter City and then here, and I don't know, I guess he stuck." Misty tried to explain, "I did start to get a crush on him, and I'm pretty sure he had a crush on me, at least a little."

"And…you guys didn't do anything about it?" Dawn asked, not quite believing.

"Nope. Not a damn thing. But you know what? I don't think I would rather have it any other way. We were young and stupid, Dawn, and that doesn't mean we aren't still that way, but somewhere along the line, we had different responsibilities. And that kept us apart." Misty explained further, "But that's different with _you_ , Dawn. You came all the way out here for a reason, and I can guarantee you Ash would be super down if you hadn't come with him. Now that Brock's gone, he could use a little consistency in his life."

Dawn brightened, "So, you're okay with…I don't know, me liking Ash?"

"Absolutely." Misty answered quickly. "Go get him, girl, or somebody else is gonna snatch him up."

"Lunch is served!" Ash declared happily, setting down a tray full of food. He was totally and completely ignorant of what had just gone down, but ignorance really was bliss. The trio talked as they ate, laughed as they ate, and finally, walked back to the Gym. Route 6 stretched out south from them, with Saffron City's skyline easily visible. The travel time there would easily be the shortest of all the routes they'd taken on their current journey, and Misty guessed they would be shortly after nightfall.

The sky was just beginning to change color, the sun still about an hour from dipping under the horizon. The three friends stood some ways down the route, just on the edges of what was legally known as Cerulean City. Saffron City looked ever closer now, and Ash was more than intent on reaching the great city by nighttime. However, he had to say goodbye first.

"You two say hi to May for me." Misty commented, preparing to see them off. She was parting with Ash once again, but it was blissful this time. "Dawn, you go compete in those Contests. I'll be rooting for you no matter where you go. And Ash, you keep getting stronger. You keep working, you'll be a Master before you know it."

"Thanks, Misty." Ash answered, "For everything."

"Yeah, really. Thanks." Dawn echoed, although her meaning was much more ulterior than Ash's. Misty smiled genuinely, reaching a hand out for the travelers to shake.

"Now, the next time you're in Cerulean, Ash, you're coming straight to this Gym and I'm gonna beat you in a battle."

"Dream on, Misty!" Ash teased, laughing one last time. The group laughed, and then waited, as if some monumental event would keep them from leaving.

"…You two had better go…if you wanna get to the city before it's too dark. I'm sure you'd rather sleep in a Pokémon Center bed than on the ground." Misty suggested, knowing that the way they were all stalling would hold them up too much sooner or later.

"Yeah." Ash agreed, "We're out. Bye, Misty."

"Bye, Ash. Bye, Dawn. Take care." Misty said in farewell.

And then, the pair of travelers turned to walk south, heading for Kanto's great shining city. There, the Magnet Train awaited, and just across the mountains in the Johto Region waited a dear friend. Giggling to each other, Ash, Dawn, Pikachu and Piplup set off at a run, their journey continuing on, yet only just beginning.


	6. Magnet Train, Magnetize!

**Early chapter post, much earlier than I originally intended, but I honestly wanted to put an end to the opening Kanto arc as quickly as possible. This is probably my least favorite chapter so far. It's only about 3,200 words, so it's not terribly short, but it's probably going to be more of a drag to read than anything. The story should open up from here, but it'll be a few days at least before I can post again. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy. Please leave a review if you'd be so kind, and feel free to PM me.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 6_

 _Magnet Train, Magnetize!_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Saffron City**

Ash and Dawn walked into the city of Saffron, beaten up from exhaustion. The sun had long set under the horizon, but Ash had been determined to sleep at a Pokémon Center rather than on the ground. Dawn had wholeheartedly agreed, though she had gotten used to sleeping in a bag under the stars.

The Pokémon Center was directly in front of the Trainers, its unending lights a beacon of hope for all manner of travelers. Wearing a big smile, the Pride of Pallet and the Twinleaf native trekked on just across the street and into the Center, the bright indoor lights forcing them to initially squint.

"Good evening, Trainers!" Nurse Joy called from the desk, waving at the weary travelers. A Chansey stood next to the Nurse, chirping a greeting toward the visitors.

"Hey, Nurse Joy!" Ash called, mustering as much happiness as he could to fight off the pain in his feet, "We need two rooms if you've got 'em!"

Nurse Joy's response was a nervous look as the Trainers reached her desk. "I'm very sorry, but it looks like you've caught us at the worst time. We've only got one room and…I'm afraid there's only one bed."

"Oh, well, um…" Ash responded, looking to Dawn and then nervously scratching the back of his head, "Dawn, are you okay with sharing a room, and…um, a bed?"

Dawn looked no less nervous than Ash. Just her luck, really, that if she wanted to sleep in a warm bed tonight it would have to be with her crush. But her only other option was to sleep outside the city limits on the ground, which, while she had grown accustomed to it, Kanto's weather was noticeably warmer than Sinnoh's, and the humidity was high tonight. It would be far from comfortable.

"Well, if you don't mind, Ash, it's fine with me." Dawn answered, putting on her best-forced smile.

"All right then. We'll take that room, Nurse Joy." Ash relayed, handing the Nurse his Trainer Card. "You can just put it in my name."

The Nurse put on a smile and swiped the Trainer Card, downloading the basic data into the computer. "You're all set, Mr. Ketchum. Your room number is 23."

Ash slid the key card into the electronic lock and listened for the sound of unlocking. The card worked, and the Trainer pushed the door open and walked into the chilly room. Pikachu immediately hopped off of his shoulder and ran toward the double-size bed, hopping onto the bedspread and curling up. Ash smiled at the mouse's form and then slung his bag off his back, placing it gently against the desk. Piplup waddled around the hotel room aimlessly, eventually finding Pikachu and trying to jump up onto the bed.

Unfortunately for the little water-type, it couldn't clear the jump. Upset, the Penguin Pokémon began chirping unhappily, and Ash walked over to his companion's starter while laughing. "Here ya go, Piplup." He said as he grabbed hold of the water-type. Ash calmly lifted Piplup up and onto the bed, where the water-type chirped happily before collapsing into sleep a few inches from Pikachu.

Ash then set his sights on the bathroom, which inevitably held a shower. His eyes grey from exhaustion, he lumbered over to the bathroom door, which was immediately next to the room's front door. Sighing heavily, he turned the handle and walked in. His brain stalled as he walked in and saw Dawn.

With absolutely no clothes on.

Dawn shrieked, pulling her previously discarded top from the bathroom counter and shielding her modesty. Ash's brain scrambled as it tried to find the correct response, and he quickly settled on slamming the door shut and running to the other side of the room, pawing at his eyes. Pikachu and Piplup looked up at the sudden noise, both watching Ash with shocked curiosity.

What the hell had he just done?! He'd totally forgotten Dawn was even with him at the moment, and walked right in on her and her nakedness. His brain was still reeling, trying to find the right way to process what he'd seen, and Ash found himself in strangely deep thought.

At the very least, Dawn was very beautiful. His looksee had been extremely brief, but the majority of it was now burned into his mind. He couldn't complain _too_ much about that part, really.

Eventually, he could hear the noise of running water in the shower. Dawn hadn't come out of the bathroom in those few minutes, probably just as shocked—if not more—as he was. The Pallet native then started to feel really, really bad. What if she wouldn't talk to him?

Ash stayed in thought for several more minutes until the bathroom door finally opened. Dawn strutted out, clad in her nightgown and wearing a stone face. She didn't look up at Ash, simply walking over to the bed they would be forced to share and began patting Piplup on the head.

"Dawn, I am _so…_ "

"It's fine, Ash. Really." Dawn interrupted, scratching the sleepy Piplup's head some more before turning to look at him finally, "It's not a big deal. We're both really tired and I'm sure it just slipped your mind that I might be in there."

Ash still looked sheepish. He then did his best to shrug, "Yeah, that's pretty much what happened. I'm sorry."

Dawn then started to giggle. "Now, go shower, Mr. Pokémon Master. You probably sweat right through your shirt thinking about it."

Ash hopped up from his seat and trotted into the bathroom, closing the door and starting to attend to his business. The noise of running water echoed through the bathroom walls. Dawn then smiled as she started to unmake the bed, stirring Piplup and Pikachu. Now that Ash was gone, she was really beginning to think about him walking in on her. She wasn't mortified anymore; in fact, a dark corner of her mind kind of liked it. She shook the thought out of her head, knowing that she was supposed to be disgusted. But Ash was a good kid; this didn't mean that he would start trying to take advantage of her. He'd never done so during their journey in Sinnoh, and now that they were alone in Kanto, if he was planning on doing such a thing then he already would've.

Piplup stood up and waddled over to Dawn's place underneath the bedspread as the Coordinator climbed in and made herself comfortable. A few minutes later, Ash walked out of the bathroom, his spiky raven hair hanging down due to wetness. He was clad in his own pajamas, and carried his towel in one hand. Gripping the towel tightly, he threw it up toward his head and started vigorously drying what was left of his wet hair. When he brought the towel up, his normally spiky black hair was now messy and tangled, but he ran his hand through his now mostly-dry hair and somehow, it fell back into place how it normally was.

Ash quietly walked over to the bed, pulling the bedspread up and climbing in. The bed was small enough that he could feel the slightest signature of Dawn's body heat. She was…warm. Ash felt his cheeks heat up from nerves, and, feeling as awkward as ever, reached for the lamp on the desk.

"Good night, Dawn." Ash said, turning the room pitch black and quickly huddling into a sleeping formation. Dawn still sat straight up and awake as ever. Piplup was curled up at her side, dozing off. Sighing quietly to herself, she shifted so that she could finally lay down, the body heat of the male Trainer next to her just barely able to be felt. Dawn closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and then exhaling heavily, her exhaustion evident in her tone.

Tomorrow was another day.

* * *

Dawn and Ash had gotten ready relatively quickly that morning. Their Magnet Train tickets were for 10:00, and it was already 8:30. The train wasn't far, just a couple of blocks down, but the pair had already had their fair share of experiences being late to arrangements, and had no desire to miss their ride to the Johto Region.

By 8:45, Ash and Dawn had checked out and were walking south toward the Magnet Train Station. They talked about seeing May and Ash told her about the Johto Region. Both of their minds still held on to the scare from last night, but neither of them wanted to talk about it. They'd mutually agreed, although they didn't know it, to not speak of what had happened. Most people would probably urge the pair to talk about the incident, but both had understood to themselves that it was a simple mistake and to not flip out over it.

By 9:10, they were walking down the stairs into the Magnet Train Station, which was situated underground like a subway. Iron gates blocked off the actual subway terminal, but a machine that was receptive to Magnet Train tickets glowed a various spectrum of colors. Ash walked up to the machine, sliding his paper ticket inside the feeder, and the machine then sucked it inside. The machine made a few nondescript noises, before spitting the ticket out in a flash of green light. The screen mounted on the machine read:

 _Magnet Train, Saffron to Goldenrod, 10:00._

Dawn followed by sliding her ticket into the machine, which eventually spat the ticket back out in a flash of green light as well. Ash pushed his way through the now-open steel gate, and Dawn followed. They still had nearly 45 minutes to spare until their train would be leaving, so they made their way around the terminal, exploring the station. Ash had never been inside of the station, having only recently heard about the project through the mill.

After making a lap around the station, it was only 9:25.

Suddenly, the terminal shook, and a relatively small explosion made itself apparent. The steel gate that blocked off unauthorized access to the station went flying through the cloud of smoke and fire, clattering loudly on the concrete ground. Shrieks resounded as Ash and Dawn ran to the scene, finding the hallway still filled with smoke.

"Oh, man, what is this?!" Ash shouted.

" _Listen, is that a voice I hear?"_

" _It's speaking to me loud and clear."_

A tall, magenta-haired woman with a big red R on her top stalked through the smoke, an all-too familiar face to Ash and Dawn. "On the wind!"

Next, a man with short, periwinkle hair slipped out of the black smoke, carrying a rose. "Past the stars!"

And lastly, a short bipedal cat leaped out. A golden charm rested on the Pokémon's head and a curled tail swished back and forth. "In your ears!"

" _Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace!"_

" _Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"_

" _A rose by any other name's just as sweet."_

" _When everything's worse our work is complete!"_

" _Jessie!"_

" _And it's James!"_

" _And Meowth, now that's a name!"_

" _Putting the do-gooders in their place!"_

" _We're Team Rocket!"_

" _IN YOUR FACE!"_

"Oh man, whaddya guys want _now?_ " Ash complained, bringing up a clenched fist and bristling with flat anger.

"What else?" James mocked, "We want Pikachu!"

"Is that really all?" Ash spat back, Pikachu chiming in with an angry bark of defiance.

"Well, no, truthfully." Jessie admitted, keeping her smug smirk, "You see, the Magnet Train Station uses the magnetic power in the mountain range that splits Kanto and Johto as a source of power, harnessing that power to make the train move after it gets going."

Meowth chimed in, "And the boss assigned _us_ to find a way to sap that power for the use of Team Rocket!"

Dawn gritted her teeth, taking her side next to Ash. "You're not going anywhere, Team Rocket!"

"Listen twerpette," Jessie chastised, suddenly bristling after the Coordinator had dropped in, "why don't you butt out and bring your boyfriend with you!"

"Ash isn't my boyfriend!" Dawn spat angrily, "We're taking you out, right here!"

"Argh, fine then!" Jessie barked, brandishing a Poké Ball. "Seviper, come out and use Poison Tail!"

The ball burst open and the Fang Snake Pokémon slithered out in a burst of light. The poison-type hissed and the end of its tail began to churn with violet energy.

"Pikachu, Use Iron Tail!" Ash countered, sending the electric mouse into the air while its tail turned to steel.

Pikachu sprinted, locking its focus on Seviper, _"Pi-ka-chu!"_

Seviper and Pikachu's tails clashed together, a blast of smoke splitting them apart. The poison-type caught itself on the concrete and slid back toward its Trainer, waiting for its next command. Pikachu did the same, its cheek sacs bristling with electric energy.

James pulled out his own Poké Ball, while Dawn called for Piplup to get into the fight. "Carnivine, use Bullet Seed!" James called, though his head was inevitably chomped on by the happy-go-lucky grass-type. James thrashed about and threw Carnivine off of his head, and the grass-type levitated as it spit a Bullet Seed at Piplup.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam to deflect!"

Piplup fired a speedy stream of bubbles, the shots colliding with most of Carnivine's Bullet Seed attacks. The Penguin Pokémon doubled back and avoided the blasts that did come close to striking it, landing next to a bristling Pikachu.

"Seviper, grab the twerp's Pikachu with Wrap!" Jessie commanded. The Fang Snake charged forward with a lisped declaration of its name and brought forth its tail, flying toward the electric mouse.

"Pikachu, block it with Iron Tail, again!"

The steel tail of the electric mouse smacked into Seviper's oncoming tail, before the mouse spun again and struck the poison-type in the head, forcing it back toward its master. The Fang Snake was weakened, and now was the perfect time for the Trainers to strike before Team Rocket could regroup.

"You ready for this?" Ash asked Dawn aloud, and she caught his meaning immediately.

"Sure thing, let's test it out!"

"All right!" both Trainers shouted together. They pressed their backs to each other, lining themselves up and then throwing out commanding index fingers toward their targets. "Pikachu, Piplup, attack together, use _Hydro Tackle!_ "

The Pokémon understood the command immediately, and Team Rocket visibly cowered at what they assumed could only be the Hydro Pump-infused Volt Tackle that had sent them blasting off quite a lot recently. Pikachu came sprinting toward them in a blast of golden electricity, as Piplup merged a pulsing Hydro Pump with the charging mouse. Meowth wore a hapless and panicked look on his face, knowing what was coming.

The attack struck home, sending Team Rocket back through where they had blown the gate off its hinges and up the shallow stairwell, where they went flying high into the sky away from Saffron City.

" _Team Rocket's blasting off again!"_

"All right! Pikachu, Piplup, that was awesome!" Ash praised, running up to his partner of four years and hugging him tight. Dawn did the same to her Piplup, who confidently chirped as if the perfect Hydro Pump had just been the norm.

The PA system interrupted their revelry. _"Attention, the 10:00 Magnet Train to Goldenrod City is now approaching. Please wait until all passengers have disembarked before boarding. The train will be departing for Goldenrod City in fifteen minutes."_

Ash and Dawn headed for the train, earning both curious and congratulatory glances from some of the other passengers that had witnessed their battle against the crooks of Team Rocket. They chatted with some passengers until the doors of the train closed, and the vehicle lurched forward.

" _All passengers, please be seated. We will now be departing for Saffron City. The trip will take approximately 45 minutes."_

Ash and Dawn sat down next to each other, buckling their seat belts as they did so. Pikachu held tightly to Ash's shoulder, while Piplup was wrapped comfortably in Dawn's arms. The train continued forward, slowly at first, before picking up speed as it entered a dark tunnel. The train's speed increased further, and eventually it came out of the underground and was speeding along through the wilderness at high speed. Trees of all kinds sped by at bewildering speed, and various wildlife-dwelling Pokémon watched the speedy train pass by. The mountain ranges approached fairly quickly, and Dawn couldn't help but look out the window to watch them get closer.

The only mountain in the Sinnoh Region of actual note was Mt. Coronet, a freestanding mountain that dominated much of the landmass in southern Sinnoh as well as a solid portion of the northern part of the Region. Ash watched the approaching mountains with her, and pointed toward the middle of the mountain range as a particularly large mountain that dwarfed the rest of them came into full view.

"That…that's Mt. Silver." Ash pointed out, sounding as if he was still awed by the mountain's size, "It's the toughest training spot in the world. The weather is intolerable, the terrain is dangerous, and the Pokémon are incredibly strong."

Dawn simply nodded, not really able to deliver much of a response.

The Magnet Train eventually came up on the mountains, and all light disappeared as the train sped into the man-made tunnel that went right under the mountains. It soon sped out, fresh on the other end of the mountains, and the rest of the trip was a breeze. Nearly 300 miles had been covered by the trip's end, and the train came to a slow speed as it elevated on its track and into a yellow brick building that towered over most of the other buildings in the city. The light filtering into the train went from natural to artificial, and the PA speaker came back on inside the train as it slowed down almost completely.

" _Welcome to Goldenrod City. We hope you enjoyed your trip."_

The train stopped completely and the doors slid open, prompting Ash to rush out into the fresh air of the Goldenrod Magnet Train station. Dawn followed out, half-irritated by his mad dash out of the cramped space. People were everywhere, moving back and forth across the terminal. Some boarded the train, others disembarked, and others still traveled up and down escalators. Various other escalators traveled down into what the signs said was the Goldenrod Subway system, which by the looks of it accepted trains that traveled back and forth across the city as well as underground to other cities in Johto. Essentially, the Magnet Train was the way to and from Kanto, but other trains could take you to the rest of the Region if you so pleased.

Ash and Dawn walked to one of those escalators, which advertised the way down to the main floor of the Station. They rode down the escalator, swamped by groups of people in garb ranging from suits and ties to T-shirts and shorts, and they spilled onto the main floor, looking for the person they were supposed to meet.

" _Ash! Dawn!"_

The two Trainers turned at the sound of the familiar voice.

Waving and running toward them was a slim girl in a tight blue-and-white traveling top and black spandex shorts that advertised her legs. A blue traveling sack was strapped around her waist, with the bulky bag itself sitting against her hip, and a customary traveling backpack that she had used for many years was attached to her back. Her hair was brown and angled in a sort-of V hairstyle, with a blue Poké Ball bandana tied to her head to cover up the rest of her hair. The two brown bangs fell above her face perfectly, adding to her natural beauty.

Both Trainers smiled and ran towards their friend.

May.


	7. Welcome to the Johto Region

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 7_

 _Welcome to the Johto Region_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Goldenrod City**_

" _Well, isn't it just great that you've all met up again."_ saidCaroline Maple through the videophone. After the obvious re-introductions, May, Dawn, and Ash had called May's parents in Petalburg City with one of the stations pay-videophones.

" _Oh, Ash, I almost forgot. Max got his first Pokémon from Professor Birch yesterday!"_

"No way, really? That's so awesome, Caroline! Is Max there?"

" _Yes, he's just upstairs actually. Max! There's someone on the videophone for you!"_

Through the videophone's microphone, someone's voice was picked up. A few seconds later, there was a loud thumping at what could only be the stairway, and Caroline stepped away from the videophone. A boy with pulled-back dark blue hair sped in front of the videophone, carefully examining the face on the other side of the screen.

" _Holy cow, it's Ash! And May! And…blue-haired girl I've…never seen before…"_ Max flipped, almost recoiling from the videophone before putting his face closer to the screen. _"May, you didn't tell me Ash was meeting up with you to travel again!"_

"I didn't know until a few days ago either, Max, and besides, I didn't have a chance to have you two call each other." May explained.

" _Ash! I got my first Pokémon yesterday!"_ Max shouted, immediately turning his focus from May to Ash.

"That's what your mom told me! So what kind of Pokémon is it?"

" _It's…"_ Max started, holding his tongue for suspense before reaching down off-screen. He came back up and was carrying a small blue Pokémon with sail-like fins on its body, _"A Mudkip!"_

" _Mud-kip!"_

"Wow, Max, that's awesome!" Ash celebrated, leaning in to get a good look at the Mud Fish Pokémon.

" _Yeah, and I still haven't forgotten your promise to have a battle with me, Ash! So look out, because I'm gonna leave on a journey pretty soon, and I know our paths are gonna cross! And then, I'm gonna beat you in a battle!"_

"Ha, all right Max, dream on!" Ash accepted the challenge, bringing up a confident fist. Pikachu chimed in with a congratulatory _Pika_.

"Well, we're going to have to go, Max." May interrupted, "We've got to head to Ecruteak City for a Contest!"

" _Aw, you're leaving already?"_

"Sorry, Max." May half-apologized, "Have lots of fun on your journey!"

" _Okay…bye, May. Catch ya later, Ash, and…pretty girl that I've never seen before…"_

The videophone feed cut out after that, and the three Trainers all collectively exhaled, a moment of silence falling over the group.

"Did I just get hit on by a ten year-old?" Dawn asked aloud. May and Ash suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Ash smacked his knee in the process and continued to laugh, making Dawn roll her eyes.

"Don't mind my brother, Dawn." May answered, wiping away a tear and stifling her laughter.

"So May, you said your next Contest was gonna be in Ecruteak City." Ash started, walking toward the exit of the Station with the girls, "Should we head that way?"

"Sounds good to me! Once we get out of the city we can show off our Pokémon!" May answered cheerily.

"How many Ribbons do you have now?" Dawn asked.

"I've got two so far. I got out to a great start in the Contest season!" May answered, again happily, and she pulled out her Ribbon Case to prove it, "I placed second in the Grand Festival last season, so I went out and did some hardcore training during the offseason. It's really paid off!"

"That's so awesome, May. I had hoped to compete in some of the Contests while we were here."

"You should totally do that!" May agreed. The trio exited the Station at that time, almost subconsciously heading immediately north from the building. The noise of the Magnet Train departing for Kanto overhead rocked their ears as they walked toward the terminal that would spit them out on the route toward Ecruteak City. "There's only been five Contests so far this season, so it's not too late to join!"

"Then I guess I'll just have to register for the Ecruteak City Contest, then. Wallace Cup Round 2?" Dawn suggested.

"You're on, Dawn!" May accepted the challenge, high-fiving the blue-haired Coordinator, "So, Ash, what are you going to do? I watched you in the Lily of the Valley Conference recently, but I expected you to disappear to a new Region."

"Nah, I decided to take some time off, actually." Ash answered, sounding almost a little bit down, "We faced this super strong Trainer in the semifinals, so I want to take a little time to just train myself and become stronger. Maybe next season I'll get back into competing, but for now, me and my whole team are strictly in training."

"Well, that's awesome. Once we get to Route 35, how's about you show me the new Pokémon you've caught?" May suggested.

"Sounds like a plan!"

The Trainer and pair of Coordinators continued walking in relative silence for the rest of the way, each of them taking a few moments to admire the scenery of the bustling city. Goldenrod City was the largest one in Johto, and the skyscrapers certainly attested to that fact.

The terminal leading to Route 35 eventually came up, and the travelers walked quietly through the terminal and out of the city, reappearing on a lengthy stretch of wilderness. A dirt path lined by grass stretched forward, curving in various places, but eventually heading all the same direction.

"Well, this looks like as good a place as any." May spoke up, stepping away from the group. "I'm up first!" The Coordinator grabbed a Poké Balls from her waist and enlarged them, tossing the capsule in an arc, "Flaaffy, take the stage!"

The ensuing white light brought forth a bipedal pink sheep that sported woolly wreaths atop its head and around its neck. Electricity surged through the Wool Pokémon, and it purred out a confident cry as May caught its Poké Ball back in her hand.

"Wow, May, you caught a Flaaffy!"

"Actually, I caught a Mareep shortly after the Wallace Cup, and she evolved just a few weeks ago." May corrected, "Isn't she adorable?"

" _Flaaf!"_

"Well, time to show you what I caught since the last time we met!" Dawn challenged, revealing three Poké Balls and throwing them into the air, "Okay, guys, spotlight!"

Mamoswine, Cyndaquil, and Togekiss spawned from their respective capsules, the third Pokémon taking to the air. Cyndaquil padded on the ground, flaring up the flames on its backside. Mamoswine mostly remained still, indifferently offering a "Mamoo" in greeting.

"I have to say Dawn, you've grown." May answered in acknowledgement, "Those are some big Pokémon."

"Hey, don't leave me out!" Ash chimed in, immediately running over to a free space in the route and grabbing some of his Poké Balls. "I had a bunch of Pokémon evolve!"

Ash threw a handful of Poké Balls, releasing Torterra, Infernape, Gliscor, and Staraptor. All four Pokémon crowed proudly, showing off their impressive collective power. Gliscor clamped its hands together while Infernape beat its chest. Torterra stamped its front feet and Staraptor spread its wings, crowing majestically.

"You two have definitely put me to shame." May applauded with a laugh, "Hey, Ash, how about a little one-on-one battle?"

"You're on, May!" Ash agreed almost immediately, "Time to break the tie we set back in the Terracotta Contest!"

May smiled at the memory. She still had her half of the Terracotta Ribbon, and had kept it on her person since she and Ash parted ways back in Hoenn. She casually opened the parcel on her hip and fished out the split Ribbon, holding it in her fingers as she carefully gazed at it.

"May, you still have your half of the Ribbon?" Ash asked.

"Oh, yeah, what about you?"

"Of course I do!" Ash whooped, unzipping a section of his bag and pulling out his half of the Ribbon. "I've kept it with me since our journey together ended."

Dawn perked up, "How did you guys get half of a Ribbon?"

May interjected to answer Dawn, "On our last day traveling together we battled in the finals of an unofficial Contest. Ash battled my Blaziken with his Sceptile, but at the end the judges found that our scores were tied. They only had one Ribbon, so Ash had Sceptile cut it in half and we kept the two pieces."

"Aw, I like that." Dawn admitted, although there was the slightest hint of jealousy in her being. She shook away the dark thought, and smiled through it. If Ash and May had had something between them, then she would've seen it when May arrived in Sinnoh for the Wallace Cup. This was nothing to be afraid of when it came to competition.

"So, May, are we gonna battle, or what?"

"You bet, Ash! Let's go!"

* * *

Ash enlarged the Poké Ball he'd chosen. He had returned all of the Pokémon that he had revealed to May, and picked which one he would be using secretly. May held her own Poké Ball, ready for the one-on-one battle. She threw the capsule out of her hand and called on her Pokémon.

"Venusaur, take the stage!"

The colossal Seed Pokémon was spit forth from the capsule, and the ground lightly shook when he landed. The huge flower in bloom on its back drank in the sunlight, and the Kanto starter Pokémon roared to make its readiness known.

"Perfect." Ash whooped, throwing his own Poké Ball, "Staraptor, I choose you!"

The proud Predator Pokémon arced in the air, its eyes zeroing in on its opponent and calming the flying-type down. Staraptor slowly lowered its altitude, beating its wings calmly to keep it airborne but remaining stationary as it did so.

"Venusaur, let's start off with Razor Leaf!"

The gargantuan Seed Pokémon called forth the sharpened leaves, sending them arcing toward the airborne Staraptor.

"Staraptor, dodge with Quick Attack!"

Staraptor's speed left behind a white trail as it avoided the Razor Leaf attack, and the Predator Pokémon flew in a large circle, awaiting the imminent command of its Trainer. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!"

Staraptor charged and brought forth white energy as it sped forward. "Venusaur, knock it out of the sky with Vine Whip!"

"Dodge that and keep going!"

Venusaur's damning slowness kept it from sending out a speedy Vine Whip, and Staraptor barrel-rolled out of the way of the attack before speeding forward, slicing its body across Venusaur's and dealing significant damage. The Seed Pokémon complained and took a step back, readying itself for the next round. Ash smirked, knowing that a simple flying-type attack, while it theoretically had an advantage over the grass-type, wouldn't do much to a tank like Venusaur.

"Venusaur, use Vine Whip!"

This time, the attack was far faster, catching both Ash and Staraptor off-guard. The vine reached Staraptor and quickly curled around its leg, tightening like a noose and making the flying-type crow in pain. Venusaur then recalled the vine, forcing Staraptor toward him.

"Use Tackle!"

Venusaur surged forward just as Staraptor reached him, ramming his massive head into the falling flying-type. Staraptor cawed as it went flying, skidding back into the dirt on Ash's side of the theoretical battlefield.

"Staraptor, can you get up?"

Staraptor cringed, but used its wing to support itself, and pushed back up into a standing formation, screeching with pride in confirmation. "All right!" Ash whooped, "Now, let's get back in there with Quick Attack!"

"Counter with Razor Leaf!"

The flying-type raced forward, but he wasn't fast enough to deter the experienced May. Venusaur released its next volley of sharpened leaves straight for the oncoming Predator Pokémon.

"Lock back your wings and push through that attack, then use Close Combat!"

Staraptor locked its eyes on the oncoming leaves, tightening its gaze and folding its wings back to make itself as small as possible. Staraptor passed into the leaves, which scratched painfully on its feathers, but the flying-type easily pushed through undeterred. Venusaur had no second wave of defense as Staraptor reached it, and the bird then unleashed its pummeling on the Seed Pokémon.

Several swipes and kicks later, Staraptor backed away, taking to the skies again. Venusaur trembled as the effect of the swift, bewildering attack became evident.

"Venusaur, are you all right?"

" _Saur!"_

"Ok, let's take advantage of this sunlight!" May called, "Use Solarbeam!"

Venusaur began soaking up the bright sunlight, its massive flower glowing as it did so. Staraptor took on a defensive stance, but Ash called out to it. "Staraptor, be ready!"

A few moments later, Venusaur let loose a huge Solarbeam straight for Staraptor, who remained still.

"Dodge with Quick Attack, and then use Brave Bird!"

Staraptor tried to dive out of the way, but, surprisingly, it left too late. The Solarbeam clipped the back half of the Predator Pokémon, knocking it out of the air for a moment. Staraptor hit the ground a few times, but looked back up at the huge grass-type and took to the skies again. Blue energy conjured around the racing flying-type, and before May could give a command Staraptor collided with Venusaur, sending up a blast of smoke and arcing away from the grass-type.

The smoke cleared, and Venusaur was on its last legs, visibly wobbly after the powerful flying-type attack.

"Staraptor, get back in there and finish this with Aerial Ace!"

" _Staaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr…!"_

"Venusaur, go all-out with Tackle!"

Venusaur lurched forward, picking up speed almost immediately and putting its full body weight into the reckless charge. Staraptor's form faltered just a little bit on the way over, indicating injury, but it locked in its wings and proceeded with the attack. Staraptor hit first, but Venusaur kept going despite the attack, bowling over the flying-type before stumbling and tumbling to the ground. The grass-type did its best to stand, but the heavy damage that it'd already sustained proved to be too much, and Venusaur collapsed. Staraptor, meanwhile, was on the ground, trying desperately to stand with the support of its wings. It too, failed, collapsing for the last time.

"That looks like a tie to me." Dawn said loudly, effectively ending the match.

"I guess it's not time to settle the score, huh, May?" Ash asked aloud.

"Maybe not, Ash. But I'm winning next time!"

After the brief exchange, Ash and May ran over and talked to their beaten Pokémon, each Trainer caressing their Pokémon's features at some point before returning them both to their Poké Balls.

"Well, now that we're all done with that, what do you two say we head to Ecruteak City?" May called to the new arrivals.

"Sounds good to me. Dawn?"

"No need to worry! Let's go!"

* * *

Just under two days later, the trio had strolled on through the National Park and onto Route 36 and 37. Ecruteak City was directly ahead, not much more than a kilometer's walk forward.

"So what's so special about Ecruteak City?" Dawn asked, carrying Piplup in her arms like usual.

"Well, it's been a couple years since I was last there." Ash started. May chimed in with an answer.

"Ecruteak City is supposedly the city where the legendary Ho-Oh once roosted. I didn't get a chance to sightsee the last time I was here since I was headed for Olivine City's Contest last season, but the legend says Ho-Oh's tower for roosting was burned down during a battle many years ago, and it hasn't returned ever since."

"I remember seeing Ho-Oh on the first day of my journey in Kanto, back when I was ten years old." Ash commented, "And then before I decided to go to Hoenn, I saw Ho-Oh flying in the direction of the Region. I'm convinced that the legendary Pokémon is my…guardian angel, if you will."

"That's so cool…" Dawn remarked, trailing off.

"I haven't seen Ho-Oh in a while, actually, I think the last time I saw it was before I left for Hoenn." Ash continued, "Maybe we'll get lucky this time."

Before the travelers knew it, the gates of Ecruteak City were upon them. A classical-looking arch served as the gateway into the city, whose architecture was clearly inspired by traditional, perhaps ancient values. Dawn looked around in awe. There was nothing like this in Sinnoh, where tall towers and traditional architecture dominated a city. Towering over everything in the city, though, were two towers at the far end of the city. One was made of some kind of metal, and the other appeared to be on its last legs.

"What are those?" Dawn asked, pointing to the towers.

"Those are the towers that Ho-Oh roosted on." Ash explained, "The one that's all burnt up is the Burned Tower. Ho-Oh used to roost there. After it burned though, the Pokémon fled, and the city built another tower out of tin, hoping that Ho-Oh would return someday. But to this day, it hasn't."

"We should go check out the Burned Tower after the Contest!" Dawn suggested, eager to see the legend come to life.

"That sounds like a great idea, Dawn." May agreed, "Let's go find Contest Hall and register."

May, Dawn, and Ash all walked together, asking locals where the Contest Hall was. Some of them wore a disgusted look when they explained where they could find the Hall, but to be fair, most of those disgusted people wore traditional, very out-of-date robes. Eventually, the trio found the Contest Hall.

Contest Hall was huge and modern looking. The building, which was more like a stadium, looked completely out of place in the city.

"That explains why those people looked so unhappy." Dawn wondered aloud, "They probably don't like how modern this place is."

May was first in the Contest Hall, and she ran up to the reception desk. Dawn followed, with Ash in tow.

"Hi, I'm here to register for the Ecruteak Contest." May said matter-of-factly, pulling out her Trainer Card. The lady at the desk looked considerably old, and she quietly took May's card before swiping it through a machine. Data came to life on the electronic screen that the woman was looking at, and she tapped a few buttons.

"Thank you. Next!"

Dawn walked up to the desk next. "Same thing, ma'am."

The old lady took Dawn's Trainer Card next, swiping it like she did May's. "It appears that you don't have any Ribbons, young lady."

"No, ma'am, I just got here in the Johto Region and decided to compete." Dawn explained, a little nervous.

"I'll have to register you for the whole Johto Contest season." The elderly lady explained, grunting as she did so. She went to work on the machine, tapping various parts of it slowly. Dawn grinded her teeth as the woman took her sweet time. Eventually, she was finally done, and handed Dawn her Trainer Card back.

"Thank you. Next."

Dawn trotted away from the desk, rejoining Ash and May. "We should probably get some hotel rooms before the Contest tomorrow." May commented.

"Yeah, Ash and I got stuck last night in Saffron and had to share a room." Dawn joked, and Ash visibly look perturbed by the memory, making the Twinleaf Coordinator frown. However, he didn't say anything about the experience, and the group happily left Contest Hall to find a hotel.

They settled on the Ecruteak Room & Board on the western end of the city. The Burned Tower was immediately behind the small-scale hotel, and the building as a whole wasn't in the best shape, but it was the cheapest option in the city.

"Your room numbers are 108, 203, and 207." The receptionist explained as she handed the three Trainers back their Cards and then the room keys. "Enjoy your stay."

Night fell, and after a night out in the town, Dawn half-collapsed into her hotel room, the door slamming shut behind her. May's room was just down the hall, while Ash was by himself on the first floor. The wood floors beneath Dawn's boots creaked loudly as she walked across the room. Piplup waddled around and looked up to the bed, which was thankfully low to the ground. The Penguin Pokémon easily hopped up, collapsing onto the customary bedspread.

Dawn made a point to brush her teeth and undo her hair, pulling out the yellow clips in her blue hair and letting the whole of her hair fall freely down her back. Her hair was somewhat longer when she let it go free, the bulk of the hair falling down below her shoulders, though two semi-thick strands of it often fell over her shoulders and toward her torso. She discarded her beanie, changed into her nightgown, and crawled into the not-so-comfortable single bed. Piplup waddled over and joined her in slumber; Coordinator and Pokémon bundled up together.

Dawn sat for a few moments with her eyes open, as if waiting for something to lunge out of the dark at her. Her gaze fell on the window that opened to the outside. She could see the form of the Burned Tower through the window, and now that she was much closer to it, could easily pick out the crooks and tears in its stature. Her night out in the town with Ash and May hadn't taken her anywhere near the Tower, and she found herself now suddenly absorbed in the legend of Ho-Oh and Ecruteak City.

She shook the thoughts from her head in favor of sleep. She would need all of her strength for the Contest tomorrow, her first since the Grand Festival in Sinnoh.

As she closed her eyes, Dawn thought she heard the slightest noise of the beating of heavy wings, but she ignored the noise in favor of sleep, a smile on her face.


	8. Ain't No Party Like a Contest Party

**For the first time in this story, I'm going to be writing a Contest. I don't have much experience at all with Contests, but I'll try my best. I would appreciate any tips in PMs about how to write future Contests though, whether its about Appeals or Battles.**

 **Oh, and at the end of this chapter is what I hope will be our first big plot device. Because yes, this story will have a plot. No spoilers though, you'll have to read for yourself.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 8_

 _Ain't No Party Like a Contest Party_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Ecruteak City**_

" _Welcome, everyone! The Ecruteak City Contest is about to get underway!"_

A loud roar of approval from the crowd followed the female announcer's declaration, and Contest Hall almost seemed to vibrate with the crowd's excitement.

" _Today marks the sixth overall Contest in the Johto Region's current Contest season! We have 32 competitors here today and we can't wait to see what they have in store for us today! First up as always is the Appeal Round, where contestants must show off their Pokémon's beauty in a limited time period in order to be advanced to the next round!"_

" _And first up, from Petalburg City in the Hoenn Region, the Princess of Hoenn, May Maple!"_

The curtains parted as May walked out into full view of the crowd. Thunderous applause followed, and the excitement was not lost on Ash, who sat with Pikachu in the front row of the stands cheering just as loud as everyone else. May had chosen a costume that was extremely similar to her Wallace Cup garb, albeit in different colors. The small, tight-fitting top was blue instead of orange, though the dress and headpiece remained the same colors. Despite being so similar, the look was also very different, showing off May's beauty more than her Wallace Cup colors had.

May brandished a Poké Ball, calling out her Appeal Pokémon. "Wartortle, take the stage!"

Wartortle burst out in a flurry of bubbles, immediately reaching to crush some of the bubbles with its hands on the way down. The subtle move caused sparkles to fan out away from the Turtle Pokémon, and the crowd gave a subtle 'ooooooh'.

"Wartortle, use Water Gun, up!"

The Turtle Pokémon charged up a volley of water from within and then pointed its head up, releasing the blast directly into the air. Gravity took over the blast and sent the water spreading out in several directions, prompting May's next command.

"Ice Beam!"

Wartortle then launched the freezing blast after the Water Gun shot, hitting the falling water easily. The water froze immediately, the ice spreading until the makeshift fountain was completely frozen, and Wartortle stamped its feet into the ground, as if knowing what the next command would be. The fountain of ice was now falling toward the Turtle Pokémon.

"Now, use Skull Bash!"

Wartorle jumped up, tucking its head as it did so. With great force from its legs, Wartortle sent itself flying high into the air, directly toward the falling ice. The water-type's skull connected with the bottom of the ice fountain, and cracks immediately traveled all the way up to the ice, shattering the ice fountain completely. Small, glittering chunks of ice fell alongside Wartortle toward the ground, and the crowd 'oohed' once again.

"Wartortle, finish it up with Rapid Spin!" May called.

Wartortle tucked its body inside its shell and spun at blinding speed, suddenly moving in wide circles during its descent. The speedy spinning allowed Wartortle to smash through and break the crystals of ice, releasing glittering glows as it did so.

Finally, the Turtle Pokémon landed, and the glittering remnants of ice fell to the ground like sheets of paper, creating a sort of glow around Wartortle. The crowd roared, recognizing that the act was over, and the judges clapped. They gave their comments, and ultimately approved of the performance, sending May on her way backstage.

" _Give it up for the Princess of Hoenn!"_

The crowd roared in approval as May walked away from the stage, her trusty Wartortle padding along beside her. The Petalburg native disappeared behind the curtains, and the announcer had to speak loudly over the PA in order to calm them down.

A few more Coordinators came in and performed their appeals, some less than stellar and others just as beautiful as May's. Then, the jumbotron showed the portrait of a confident blue-haired girl, bringing a grin to Ash's face as the announcer called up the next Contestant.

" _And next up, from the town of Twinleaf in the Sinnoh Region, put your hands together for Dawn Berlitz!"_

Some of the crowd appeared to know who Dawn was, though others were unaware. Ash and Pikachu, however, were cheering just as loudly—if not louder—as they had for May. Dawn walked through the parted curtains, clutching a Poké Ball sealed inside a capsule. Dawn wore her customary Contest dress, consisting of a pink bowl from her waist down, and a white overlay across her collarbone and chest. A single yellow rose made an appearance in the corner of the white overlay, matching her hair clips and giving a slightly different look than what Ash had become used to seeing Dawn in during her Sinnoh Contest run.

Dawn smiled as she observed the crowd, and then reared back her arm. "Buneary, spotlight!"

The Rabbit Pokémon burst forth in a flash of hearts, and the crowd responded positively. Buneary did a cute spin on its heels after landing, and then returned to a flat-footed form to await command.

"Buneary, let's use Bounce!"

The normal-type released a confident cry and catapulted itself into the air with only its feet, reaching an impressive height. "Now, spin and use Ice Beam!"

" _Buuuuuuuuuuuun!"_ Buneary howled as it spun repeatedly, bursting forth a ray of cold energy while doing so. As a result, the Ice Beam attack formed a near-full circle of energy, the Rabbit's spinning keeping up the ice's formation.

"Now, Buneary, break up the ice with Dizzy Punch!"

Buneary curled its ears and released a devastatingly quick series of heavy punches with its ears. Stars shot out from the attack as each hit connected with the ice, also shattering the ice into miniature chunks. The act was strikingly similar to May's, whose Wartortle had also utilized an Ice Beam attack and proceeded to smash it. The judges appeared to notice this as Buneary landed and then posed with Dawn, each of them making some notes before nodding, signaling that Dawn would be let through to the next round. Buneary hopped into Dawn's arms and they cheered amongst each other as Dawn disappeared behind the curtains.

The Appeals concluded shortly after, and the jumbotron started advertising the Battle Round, which would commence next. The portraits of the 16 coordinators that had been let through flashed up on the screen, with both May and Dawn present. Intriguingly, they were both on the same side of the bracket, meaning that if they kept winning, the pair would likely face off prior to the finals.

A handful of Battles commenced before it was May's turn. The Princess of Hoenn would be battling a Coordinator that Ash didn't recognize.

" _Up next on the battle stage, it's May going up against Jonathan!"_

The Coordinator named Jonathan appeared first on his side of the battlefield. The male Coordinator was dressed in a typical black-and-white suit, with a red rose tucked into the front pocket. He had brown hair that was slicked back and a confident smirk on his face as May met him on her side of the battlefield. Both Coordinators cradled Poké Balls in their hands.

" _Coordinators, ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

"Blaziken, take the stage!"

"Kricketune, you're up!"

In a flash of fire, May's Blaziken crashed to the ground, its limbs itching for battle, while Jonathon's Kricketune landed flatly and then waved its sword-like arms in a confident manner. Type-wise, Kricketune was at a disadvantage, but that didn't always hold in Contest Battles. May looked confidently toward her disadvantaged opponent, and readied herself.

"Blaziken, use Fire Spin!"

Blaziken launched a spinning vortex of flames from its gaping maw, causing the flames to fan out wide. Jonathon's points decreased just slightly as Blaziken's flames spun out beautifully, but the Coordinator wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Kricketune, let's open with Sing!"

Kricketune started rubbing its arms together, creating a musical sort of tone, and then vocalized brilliantly. Blaziken clutched its ears for a moment, and then fell to the ground in calm sleep, unmoving. May's jaw dropped and Jonathon smirked, readying for the next attack. "Kricketune, hit Blaziken with Bug Bite!"

"Blaziken, get up!" May panicked, but the fire-type didn't budge, dozing off. Kricketune closed in and delivered a devastating bite to Blaziken's shoulder. The bite's force was so powerful that Blaziken's eyes shot open, and the fire-type roared angrily, throwing Kricketune off and standing back up. May's points decreased by a solid margin, but she remained positive, "Great job, Blaziken! Now, get in close with Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken showed off its superior speed as it went low to the ground, its feet charging up with scorching flames. Jonathon's points decreased just a little in response to the sparking flames that Blaziken kicked up, but the brunt of the move was only just beginning. Kricketune had no answer for the fire-type's speed, and not a moment later, a pair of brutal flaming kicks sent it up into the air, fire dancing around its body.

"Blaziken, send up a Fire Spin after Kricketune!"

Blaziken opened its maw directly above it, where Kricketune flailed helplessly in the air, and released another spinning vortex of fire. This time, the flames caught up to the hapless bug-type easily, spinning around Kricketune in a beautiful wheel. A massive chunk of Jonathon's points was taken out in response, and Kricketune cried out in response to the burning.

"Kricketune, hang in there! Use Night Slash!" Jonathon tried. The bug-type seemingly regained its composure, its two arms lighting up in a brilliant light. Kricketune shoved itself forward, shaking away the flames, and soared toward the retreating Blaziken. The fire-type bristled, awaiting command.

"Blaziken…" May started, waiting for the bug-type to get closer, "spin out of the way!"

Blaziken shifted to the side, turning just enough to earn credit from the judges, and Kricketune faltered, realizing it had missed its target, and instead of colliding a brutal attack with its opponent, stumbled and crashed into the dirt. Again, Jonathon's points decreased at the failed move, and May seized the opportunity.

"Blaziken, finish it with Blaze Kick!" May called as Kricketune struggled to stand up, "Spin while you kick!"

Blaziken launched itself forward again, this time more laterally in the direction of its opponent, and landed the first kick to Kricketune's leg, forcing the bug-type to stagger and compensate for the gruesome injury. In less than a split second, Blaziken turned around with the second of its pair of Blaze Kicks. The fire-type spun in a vortex, its foot turning along with it, and the flames danced out in a wheel as it landed the devastating kick into Kricketune's torso. The bug-type flew back in a flash of fire, crashing into the ground back on its side of the field and tumbling into unconsciousness. The result was obvious.

"Battle Off! Kricketune is unable to battle! The winner is May!"

The crowd roared in approval, the jumbotron displaying a massive margin of victory for May already in the making. If Kricketune had managed to continue after the volley of fire-type attacks, it would've already been in a huge hole that would've been tough to climb out of. Jonathon returned his Pokémon and walked away without much acknowledgement, his head hanging. Blaziken roared triumphantly in response, returning to its capsule without trouble. May waved to the crowd, before turning and vanishing behind the curtains.

Dawn's battle came just a few minutes later, after one battle in between the two. Dawn was battling Justice, another male Coordinator who had every look of confidence about him. The pair arrived at their respective stations. Justice said something across the field to the Twinleaf Coordinator. Ash didn't pick up on the words, but Dawn's less-than-thrilled facial response assured him that she didn't like what he'd said.

" _Coordinators, ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

Justice responded first, "Tyrogue, let's go!"

"Pachirisu, spotlight!"

The two Pokémon burst forth, and the sturdy fighting-type leered at the electric-type squirrel, clenching its fists in readiness. Pachirisu also looked irked, showing off the slightest current of electricity through its tail and body.

"Tyrogue, let's start with Bulk Up!"

Tyrogue channeled a red current of energy throughout its body, its scrawny arms inflating for a moment before downsizing again. The energy dissipated, and a small nick of Dawn's points was taken away.

"Pachirisu, use Sweet Kiss!"

Pachirisu took up a charming demeanor, patting its small hand on its lips and then blowing a kiss, sending out hearts. The crowd cheered and a handful of Justice's points were lost. "Tyrogue, counter with Power-Up Punch!"

Tyrogue rushed toward the electric-type squirrel. "Pachirisu, quick, dodge!"

Tyrogue released a flurry of punches, but the squirrel dodged the first several blows. Justice gritted his teeth and commanded the Scuffle Pokémon to use Power-Up Punch again, and eventually, Pachirisu tired. Tyrogue's punch finally landed, and thanks to the effects of Bulk Up, the punch was very strong. Pachirisu cried out as it recoiled, and a final punch bowled it over and sent it tumbling away. Tyrogue leaped up, falling back down on Justice's side of the field. Dawn's points fell by a greater margin than Justice's had.

"Pachirisu, are you okay?" Dawn called, and the electric-type crawled back to its feet, proudly channeling some electricity to prove it.

" _Chi-pa!_ "

"Great!" Dawn celebrated, "Pachirisu, let's get in close and use Spark!"

Pachirisu tucked its head and ran toward Tyrogue, electricity crackling up around it. The electric-type channeled the electricity in such a way that the lightning fell back behind the squirrel, sparking together as the stray bolts clashed with other stray bolts, sending out sparks in various directions. A small amount of Justice's points decreased, and the male Coordinator howled out his next command.

"Tyrogue, intercept Pachirisu with Focus Punch!"

Tyrogue's fist glowed a blazing white as the Scuffle Pokémon tucked and clenched its fist, and it jogged toward the oncoming Pachirisu with the intent of knocking it out of the competition.

But Dawn had the perfect counter in mind, "Pachirisu, jump over the Focus Punch and use Super Fang!"

Pachirisu dispelled the electricity as Tyrogue unleashed its punch, and the electric-type jumped over the powerful attack. What was left of the Pokémon's lightning was smashed by Tyrogue, inadvertently lowering some of Justice's points, and Pachirisu's buck teeth glowed white. Tyrogue had no time to respond, and the bite sank into the fighting-type's head. Tyrogue cried out and shook Pachirisu off, holding its head as it retreated.

"Now, Pachirisu, let's make a show! Twirl and use Discharge!"

" _Chiiiiiii-pa!"_

Pachirisu tumbled in circles, lightning exploding in all directions. Discharge by nature was already a wild attack, but Pachirisu's spinning send out forks of lightning in even more directions, the bolts arced in a way that somehow made the attack even more impressive. Justice's points dropped, and the clock ran out. The result was quite obvious based on the remaining points, but the crowd cheered anyway. Dawn had put a bow on an impressive opening Battle, earning a comfortable win and punching her ticket to the quarterfinals.

* * *

The quarterfinals had been just as exciting, with May and Dawn both winning their matchups. However, that left an inevitable match in the semifinals: May vs. Dawn.

The friendly Coordinators met each other on the stage, having been unable to speak backstage.

"You're not going to let me win, are you May?" Dawn asked with a smirk.

"Not a chance, Dawn! I'm avenging our Wallace Cup loss!" May fired back, revealing her Poké Ball, "I'm sure you remember Glaceon. We're winning Round 2!"

"Then in that case, there's only one Pokémon that I can go with here." Dawn decided, picking her Poké Ball and putting the one she had originally decided on back on the waist of her dress, clipping it on so that it would stay. "Piplup, spotlight!"

"Glaceon, take the stage!"

The water-type Penguin Pokémon and May's Fresh Snow Pokémon burst forth from their balls, locking eyes as they reached the ground. Both of them remembered the other, and immediately, the rivalry was on.

" _Coordinators, ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

"Glaceon, use Ice Shard!"

"Piplup, counter it with Bubblebeam!"

Both Pokémon released their respective attacks at the same time, and water and ice collided, releasing a pretty blast of sparkles. As a result, both Coordinators lost an equal number of points. The experienced Coordinators entered a stare-down, which May broke with a quick command.

"Glaceon, use Iron Tail!"

"Piplup, run head-on with Glaceon!"

Piplup obeyed without any hesitation, rushing toward the attack-ready ice-type. Glaceon closed within range and then whirled its tail around.

"Piplup, spin!"

Piplup immediately spun, avoiding Glaceon's swing. "Now, use Bubblebeam!" Piplup then turned itself around and released a volley of bubbles, striking Glaceon in the back and sending the ice-type to the ground. May gritted her teeth and called for Glaceon to hang back.

"Piplup, now's our chance! Use Whirlpool!"

Piplup charged up a massive spinning whirlpool, and send it crashing toward Glaceon. May lost more points as the sparkling whirlpool headed toward her Pokémon. "Glaceon, cut through that Whirpool with Iron Tail!"

Piplup looked confident, until Glaceon came tearing through the wall of water, tail bathed in a silver light. Piplup panicked, and found itself motionless as Glaceon connected on the brutal attack. Piplup tumbled back towards Dawn, cringing as it got up. In response, Dawn's points dropped dramatically, both resulting from Glaceon's expert move cutting through the Whirlpool and also the successful hit.

"Piplup, get back up and be ready!"

"Glaceon, use Ice Shard again!" May called, throwing her arm out toward her opponent. Piplup braced as Glaceon spat forth a volley of sharp ice.

"Piplup, use Drill Peck!"

The Penguin Pokémon leaped into the air and spun at bewildering speed, its beak facing forward and churning with energy as the water-type spun. Moving far too fast for the ice to damage it, Piplup, cruised through the attack, crashing into Glaceon and bringing the two Coordinators back to an even amount of points.

" _This semifinal match is brilliant! What will our Coordinators try next in order to get the jump on their opponent?"_ the announcer asked, stirring excitement in the crowd. The clock read one minute, and the Coordinators were at even standing. The air was tense with the two competitor's calculating thoughts.

"Glaceon, let's finish this!" May called, breaking the tense moment, "Use Ice Beam!"

"Piplup, dodge it and use Whirlpool!" Dawn called.

The speedy beam of ice missed Piplup completely as the water-type danced out of the way, and the little penguin then charged up another massive whirlpool, cutting some of May's points out as the whirlpool again sparkled brilliantly.

Piplup's whirlpool came rushing toward Glaceon, but May had other plans.

"Glaceon, stay still and use Mirror Coat! Let's absorb that Whirlpool!"

" _Glay-glay!"_ the Fresh Snow Pokémon called in response, its fur glittering as Mirror Coat charged up. The Whirlpool made brilliant contact with the ice-type just then, but the water washed away harmlessly, as Glaceon embraced the heavy attack and absorbed its strength.

"Now, Ice Beam!" May called.

Glaceon charged up its ice-type attack, purring as it did so. Something was different about the charging ice-type beam this time, though. Glittering power surged into the beam, the evident effect of Mirror Coat pouring into the ice-type attack. Glaceon then sent the beam howling straight for Piplup.

"Piplup, dodge!" Dawn called out. Piplup tried, but it was far too late. The Ice Beam attack was speedier and stronger than before, and although the water-type avoided the brunt of the blow, the beam was strong enough to still knock Piplup down and send the water-type tumbling out of the way. That, combined with the points lost from Glaceon's absorbing of Mirror Coat, was the nail in the coffin. The clock struck zero.

" _Time's up! After a spectacular semifinal match, the results are in. The winner is…" the announcer called, everyone looking to the jumbotron and seeing the result for themselves as the huge screen advertised the victor, "May!"_

" _Glay!"_ Glaceon growled triumphantly, leaping into the air gracefully. Piplup sat up from its place on the ground, whimpering in failure. Dawn simply walked toward her partner and first Pokémon, crouching down beside the sad and defeated Piplup.

"Piplup, don't be sad. You did great." Dawn pleaded, though the water-type didn't seem to buy it, "Think of it this way. Now, the score is tied. And next time, we're gonna beat May and break that tie!"

Piplup seemed to understand, and surged up to its feet, raising a flipper and chirping, appearing to declare its intent to win when it met the ice-type next.

Dawn hadn't noticed May and Glaceon walk over to the pair they had defeated. When Dawn looked up, the beautiful brunette simply smiled. "That was an amazing battle Dawn." May congratulated, "You and Piplup fought hard."

"Thanks, May." Dawn accepted, rising to her feet and taking on a steely glare. "Now, you go win this thing!"

* * *

" _The final match for the Ecruteak City Contest is between May from Petalburg City and Kirk from Azalea Town! Let's hear it for our finalists!"_ the announcer called.

Ash and Dawn rose with the crowd of people to clap, cheering alongside the massive roars of approval. Dawn had changed out of her Contest dress and returned to her casual black V-neck tank top and beanie.

"Go, May!" Ash and Dawn both cheered together as the Princess of Hoenn exited the curtains and made her way up to the battlefield. On the other side, Kirk from Azalea Town walked up. Neither Ash nor Dawn had heard of this Kirk character, but based on his demeanor he appeared confident.

May brandished her Poké Ball, as did Kirk. _"Coordinators, ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

"Flaaffy, take the stage!" May called, surprising Ash and Dawn both.

Kirk's voice was heavy and confident as he called out his Pokémon, "Bayleef, you're up!"

The Johto grass-type crowed as it was released from its Poké Ball, making a point to send a large leaf into the sky to herald its appearance. Flaaffy took a defensive stance, neighing to signal that it was ready.

"Wow, May's using Flaaffy." Ash said first, "This should be fun, we haven't seen her battle with Flaaffy yet."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see what happens. Maybe she'll be like me with Pachirisu."

Kirk called for the first move, "Bayleef, use Razor Leaf!"

Bayleef sent out a volley of leaves toward Flaaffy, and the electric-type held still, its orbed tail beating the dirt with anticipation.

"Flaaffy, knock those leaves out of the sky with Thunderbolt!"

Flaaffy's orbed tail beat the ground and electricity surged within its wool. The bolt of lightning then spat out in the blink of an eye, straight at the Razor Leaves. Amazingly, the Thunderbolt was so powerful that the leaves were destroyed instantly, disintegrated into ash. Kirk's jaw dropped and Bayleef stalled at the sight. They were clearly facing a raw power like they weren't prepared for.

Flaaffy beat its orbed tail again and neighed out in triumph, stray electricity surging through its wool. Ash and Dawn, meanwhile, were both thoroughly amazed.

"Woah, I guess that's why May caught Flaaffy. That was one hell of a Thunderbolt." Ash commented dryly, "Hey, Pikachu, how's about we get with May and battle her Flaaffy real soon? I'd love to tangle with that kind of power."

" _Pika, Pikachu!"_ Pikachu agreed, clenching a confident fist.

"Bayleef, use Take Down!"

Bayleef thundered toward the electric sheep, who again stood still and stalwart, watching as the much larger adversary came charging toward it.

"Flaaffy, dodge it and use Iron Tail!"

Flaaffy showed off bewildering speed next, diving to the side and avoiding the charging Bayleef. Next, Flaaffy somersaulted in the air, bringing down a vicious Iron Tail attack. Bayleef cried out as it was taken to the ground. More of Kirk's points vanished, putting him in a steep hole. What was this level of speed and strength, and not even in a fully evolved Pokémon?

"Bayleef, get back in it with Vine Whip!"

A bewilderingly fast Vine Whip attack launched from Bayleef's neck and slapped Flaaffy, stunning the electric-type.

"Use Take Down!"

Bayleef then barreled into Flaaffy, knocking the dazed Pokémon into submission. The grass-type huffed angrily at the fallen electric-type, as if asking for it to do better. Although Flaaffy had gotten the jump on Bayleef early, the grass-type's brute strength might be enough to compensate for its shortcomings.

"Flaaffy, get up and use Charge!"

Flaaffy stumbled to its feet and then summoned electricity into itself from the air. Lightning materialized and was absorbed into the orb on the sheep's tail, and lit up the blue sphere with glowing yellow. The sheep's ears perked up as electricity surged into its woolly head.

"Now, Flaaffy, unleash Thunderbolt!" May called.

"Bayleef, guard yourself with Razor Leaf!"

Bayleef shot out a series of leaves, but rather than launch them at Flaaffy, kept them around and formed a sort-of shield for the oncoming attack. It would be no use to sling the leaves at the oncoming Thunderbolt, especially when it was now amped up in power with Charge. The electrical blast had already been powerful enough; best not open itself up to greater damage.

Flaaffy's Thunderbolt attack was unleashed, this time glowing with a power that hadn't been seen in the previous, already highly powerful attack. The Razor Leaf shield materialized around Bayleef, and the lightning connected with the leaves. The makeshift shield held for a moment, but it wasn't strong enough to hold forever, and eventually, the leaves withered and the unending lightning broke through, electrocuting Bayleef. Flaaffy's power was undoubtedly tough to match, and Bayleef was already tired.

Barely a minute remained on the clock, and Kirk's points were dangerously low. May had barely even broken a sweat in the final match, and with so little time remaining, could easily afford to slouch.

"Flaaffy, hang back." May called. Kirk became visibly upset.

"Bayleef, use Solarbeam!" he called, an angry palm pointed at May and Flaaffy.

Bayleef absorbed the light in the stadium, its necklace of leaves glowing and its head crown doing the same.

The Solarbeam burst forth, tearing its way toward Flaaffy. As a measure of defense, May called for the electric-type to use Protect, deflecting the majority of the blast. Flaaffy, though, as a result of tiring out from using up so much power, struggled to keep the Protect up and running. The Solarbeam persisted, and eventually, Flaaffy faltered. The barrier broke, and the thick beam of light hit Flaaffy dead on, sending it tumbling toward May.

The clock struck zero, and a bell accompanied the ending of the battle. Both May and Kirk looked up to their respective scores. Bayleef's last-minute Solarbeam had been a smart move, albeit desperate, but even with the success in breaking May's Protect, the points deducted had been far from what was necessary to gain the lead. May had won handily, and the crowd agreed with the result.

Shamefully, Kirk returned Bayleef and walked off of the stage, disappearing into the curtains. May returned Flaaffy after an affectionate petting, and the announcer as well as the judges met her on the battlefield. Mr. Contesta carried a case holding a Ribbon on a plushy cover, and he handed it to May.

"Congratulations." Mr. Contesta simply said as May grabbed the Ribbon and examined it with a smile, "I understand that this is already your third Ribbon. That's very impressive for someone so early into the Contest season. It would mean you've won half of the Contests held so far!"

"Yes, that's right, Mr. Contesta. But it isn't just me. All of my Pokémon have helped to get me here." May answered.

"A fine answer, young lady." Contesta agreed, "You keep up your amazing work, and you might well have a few months off until the Grand Festival."

With that, Mr. Contesta and the judges walked away, leaving May holding her Ribbon. The crowd cheered her on as she left the stage, disappearing behind the curtains to chants of _"Princess May! Princess May! Princess May!"_

* * *

"May, I didn't know that your Flaaffy was _that_ powerful." Ash commented. The trio was walking back to the Ecruteak Room  & Board building for their final night. Tomorrow, they would figure out where they were going to head next.

"I wasn't just going to let you find out that easily." May answered cheekily, "Flaaffy was already very powerful as a Mareep. I'd love to say that it's my doing that her Thunderbolt is so tough, but that would be a lie." May smiled and giggled just a little bit.

Night had fallen on Ecruteak City. The Ecruteak Room & Board was still a few blocks away. May was still holding her third Ribbon in her hand. "I can't believe I've won three Ribbons already."

"That's really amazing, May." Dawn commented, "But just so you know, the next time we enter a Contest, you're not beating me!"

"You're on, Dawn!" May agreed, "I hope we get to battle in lots of Contests this year!"

May and Dawn smiled and the three travelers laughed happily. Suddenly, though, an avian screeching several blocks away cut off their revelry. A pillar of fire rose above the skyline of Ecruteak City, lighting up several blocks of the town.

"That came from the Burned Tower!" Ash cried, immediately breaking into a run in front of Dawn and May.

"Wait, Ash!" both girls said at the same time, taking off after him.

"What do you think is happening at the Tower?" Dawn shouted as they ran.

"I don't know, but it can't be good!"

Ash, Dawn, and May covered the next few blocks in barely over a minute, all three running faster than they had in a long while. People's shouts and screams could be heard, as they got closer to the Tower. Finally, they rounded the corner and saw the hill that the Burned Tower sat upon. The grass had a fiery glow to it, and the scorched remains of the Burned Tower also glowed likewise.

A crowd had gathered around the Tower, all of them chattering and looking up. Naturally, Ash, Dawn, and May's eyes all trailed up the tower. They pushed their way to the front of the group as they did so, eventually standing at the foot of the old stairs that led up the hill to the Tower's bottom. A shaft of light encompassed the Burned Tower, and there was an avian cry and a heavy beating of wings. The air exploded with each wing beat, creating an atmosphere almost like a thunderstorm.

Finally, the dark clouds that cut off the shaft of light broke, and a massive bird could be seen. The bird began slowly descending, each beat of its wings producing the thunder-like noise. People chattered endlessly, some loud, some quiet, but everyone's attention was focused on the big red bird that had come out of the sky in a cone of light.

The great bird opened its beak and released a shriek that shook the very foundations of the city's buildings. The noise echoed, even bouncing off of the nearby Tin Tower, and the people silenced.

" _Ash!"_ Dawn called out above the noise, "Is that…?"

"Yes. It's Ho-Oh." An old man interrupted, catching Dawn's attention. The man's eyes were nearly colorless and his skin was wrinkled and whiskery with age. "Ho-Oh has returned."

"But why?" Ash asked next, still watching the legendary Pokémon that perched atop the Burned Tower, "Why would Ho-Oh come back?"

"I do not know." The old man said somberly.

Ho-Oh screeched again, this time folding its wings back as it made itself comfortable atop the old tower that was once its home. And then, the great bird gazed down upon the city, its gaze picking out a single individual at the foot of the stairs.

Ash.

Ho-Oh watched the Pallet native carefully, its eyes cold and unmoving. Ho-Oh blinked once, its eyes dilating as it refocused on the Trainer.

"It's…" Ash started, choking up, "It's looking at me."

No one said a word, all of them watching the Rainbow Pokémon. Ho-Oh blinked again, its eyes still fixated on Ash.

And then, Ho-Oh spread its mighty wings, a flash of green and white revealing itself underneath the great red color. The legendary Pokémon lifted off of the Burned Tower, its talons releasing its hold on the scorched perch where the beast had rested long ago. With one last glance at Ash, Ho-Oh screeched a third time, and began to fly.

Ho-Oh flew immediately east. It beat its heavy wings as it took to the air, and its golden tail feathers flushed out, leaving behind a trail of light. Ho-Oh continued to fly, screeching for a final time before becoming a dot on the horizon. Nobody else seemed to notice, but Ash knew. The legendary Pokémon had been headed east, in the presumable direction of the mountain range where Mt. Silver stabbed at the sky.

A thunderclap did its best to scare the people on the ground, and almost immediately after, a heavy rain began to fall, soaking the Trainers and the other gathered people below. Ash's stare held at the mountain range dividing Kanto and Johto, as if he were expecting something to happen.

Near calamity ensued in the throngs of gathered people at the foot of the Burned Tower. Each and every one of those who had come to the Tower frantically shouted for answers, but knew they had none. Everyone wanted to know why Ho-Oh had come back, only to leave so quickly. No one outside of Dawn, May, and perhaps the old man had truly noticed where Ho-Oh's gaze had rested.

"Ash?" Dawn asked, getting no response from the Trainer, "Ash." She said again, this time more sternly. She then shook Ash's shoulder, and he suddenly recoiled, blinking multiple times as if he had just been woken from a trance.

"What happened to you?" Dawn asked, cocking her head.

"I…I don't know…" Ash answered, looking back at the mountains, "Ho-Oh was watching me…and then he left. I don't know why."

"Well…let's go back to the hotel. I think we've seen enough for one day." May suggested.

"Yeah, and besides, this rain has me soaked! I'll need a hot shower now!" Dawn agreed, giggling with May. Ash took another look at the mountain range, before turning back to the girls.

"Yeah…let's go."


	9. Poké For Your Thoughts?

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 9_

 _Poké For Your Thoughts?_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Route 42**_

The trip east toward Mahogany Town was a short one. The path through Mt. Mortar was simple and straightforward, painlessly spitting out our heroes on Route 42 with Mahogany Town in sight. May and Dawn talked about their next Contest, which was conveniently being held in Mahogany Town.

Ash's mind was elsewhere. He had had a rough night of attempted sleep the night before, his energy fixated on the reappearance of Ho-Oh.

 _Why did Ho-Oh come back? And on the one day I was in Ecruteak City, no less…_

The whole occurrence perplexed him. The legendary bird had even stared at the fourteen-year old Pallet native, watching him as if waiting for something to happen. And then, as if it were done with the city that had once revered it, Ho-Oh took to the skies and flew east, headed in the direction of the mountains. Ash had not forgotten just how he'd decided to head to the Hoenn Region after the conclusion of the Silver Conference. Ho-Oh had appeared to him and guided him there, and he had met May and Max, two people who were undoubtedly his friends for life.

Finally, Ash came to a mental conclusion.

 _What if Ho-Oh was trying to tell me where to go next?_

"Ash? Hey, Ash." Dawn asked, snapping Ash out of his funk. She had leaned in near his face to get his attention, pulling back once she saw that he was now awake. "What's up with you? You've been quiet since we left Ecruteak."

Ash's mind raced for a lie.

"Oh, you know, just thinking."

 _Real believable,_ Ash thought.

"Thinking about Ho-Oh?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Ash admitted.

"That whole thing was really weird." May piped up, "I mean, why would it show up now? After hundreds of years of being away?"

"I don't know…" Ash answered lamely, pretending to think. Pikachu chimed in, scratching the back of his head nervously and purring out a cry.

Mahogany Town's visage came into full view, the relatively small town being overshadowed by the Contest Hall that had clearly been recently built. In a few moments, they would be on the small town.

"You know, Mahogany Town is famous for ninjas!" Ash pointed out, putting on a grin.

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Apparently." May chimed in, "But hey, there's something way cooler up north of Mahogany Town. It's called the Lake of Rage, and a whole bunch of Gyarados live there!"

"I remember the Lake of Rage." Ash added, "We were on our way up here and Team Rocket was testing a machine to force Pokémon to evolve. It all caused a Gyarados with red scales."

"How about we head up there and prop our feet up for a bit?"

"That sounds good to me!" Ash agreed, cheering up immediately, "Hey, May, how about me and Pikachu battle your Flaaffy?"

" _Pika-Pikachu!"_ the electric mouse agreed, pumping a small fist in the air.

"Sure thing Ash. All of our Pokémon could use some fresh air." May agreed. "All right, it's settled! We're going to the Lake of Rage!"

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Lake of Rage**_

The trio cut off to the north before reaching Mahogany Town, heading through a path in the trees, which eventually led to the main road heading north toward the lake. The road curved off as it met the banks of the water, and Dawn was nothing short of amazed. While her home region had three immensely beautiful lakes, Johto's Lake of Rage definitely measured up to them. The water was a crystal blue and made a huge rectangle, probably the size of Lake Acuity outside of Snowpoint City. And for a place literally called the Lake of Rage, the scene was amazingly calm.

May was the first to the banks of the lake, pulling out a Poké Ball and releasing her Wartortle into the water. The Turtle Pokémon resurfaced from under the water with a happy cry. Dawn was next, sending Piplup on his way to go play with Wartortle. Finally, Ash was last, releasing his Buizel into the lake. The three water-type Pokémon collectively thanked their Trainers and swam off to play in the surf.

"Okay, Ash? How about that battle?" May asked, pulling out Flaaffy's Poké Ball and enlarging it. Her smile was anticipant, goading Ash forward.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked rhetorically.

" _Pika!"_

May ran to one side of the road, while Ash headed to the other, and the two Trainers stared each other down. May broke the staring match first and reared back her arm.

"Flaaffy, take the stage!"

The Poké Ball burst open and out surged the Wool Pokémon, electricity traveling through its wool as it discharged from the Pokémon's tail orb.

" _Flaaf!"_

"Pikachu, get in there!" Ash called, and the electric mouse hopped off of his partner's shoulder to the ground, watching the newcomer electric-type with a steely eye. The electric mouse had witnessed just how powerful May's Flaaffy was back in the Ecruteak Contest, and knew the newcomer would be no slouch.

"Flaaffy, use Take Down!"

Flaaffy baaed and tucked its head, thundering forward towards Pikachu. The electric mouse waited, its cheeks bristling with energy and its little hairs standing on end.

"Pikachu, dodge and then hit back with Quick Attack!"

Flaaffy arrived and Pikachu immediately hopped to the side, watching as Flaaffy shoved past where Pikachu once was in almost slow motion. Just as the Wool Pokémon knew that its attack had missed, Pikachu unleashed a burst of its devastating speed, crashing head-on into Flaaffy with a strength that surprised the larger electric-type. Flaaffy fell to the ground and then whipped back up, heeding May's almost immediate command.

" _Use Iron Tail!"_

Flaaffy's orbed tail shone with silvery light and the sheep threw its tail forward, smacking into Pikachu with an equal force. Being much lighter, Pikachu was sent airborne, wailing as it failed to find its footing in the air.

"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu heeded the command and somersaulted to combat its flight, electricity surging from its small form. A conjoined fork of lightning burst from Pikachu's form, speeding toward a grounded Flaaffy.

"Flaaffy, absorb it with Charge!"

Flaaffy cried again in response and then turned, sticking its orbed tail up at the oncoming Thunderbolt. Flaaffy began summoning power, and when the Thunderbolt hit, that power went into overdrive. The electricity was easily sapped into the orb, and by the time Flaaffy was finished charging power, its tail was glowing yellow and flashing impatiently. Ash paled as Pikachu landed, and the electric mouse immediately looked worried.

"Now, Flaaffy! Use Thunderbolt!"

Without any hesitation, Flaaffy expelled the massive power that it had absorbed, creating a Thunderbolt that traveled in several forks of lightning rather than just one. Pikachu stilled with fear as multiple blasts of electricity forked toward it.

"Pikachu, dodge that with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu summoned its great speed, white light trailing behind its swift moves. It dodged one, two, three bolts of lightning, but misstepped as the fourth made its way toward him. The bolt crashed into Pikachu, and the mouse yelped in pain as the electricity coursed around him and launched him backward. The bolt was so strong, in fact, that Pikachu found himself thrown into the trunk of a tree, absorbing a brunt force from behind as well as in front.

Pikachu staggered to the ground as the bolt died out, struggling to stand back up. "Pikachu, can you get up?" Ash shouted. The sturdy mouse struggled, but then successfully stood up, glaring at Flaaffy fiercely before running back into the field of play.

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu screeched at the electric sheep. The Pokémon were now on the opposite sides of the battlefield, with May behind Pikachu and Ash behind Flaaffy.

May chopped her hand through the air for emphasis, calling for another attack, "Flaaffy, use Take Down!"

"Pikachu, let's meet 'em with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu raced to meet the charging Flaaffy, closing the distance quickly. Ash automatically changed tactics, "Now, spin and hit Flaaffy from behind with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu leaped at the speedy Flaaffy and then spun to the side, avoiding the Take Down attack almost entirely. Flaaffy's wool scraped by Pikachu's cheek, taking virtually no damage. But Ash was able to see the real effect of the contact. Thanks to the Pallet native's trained eye that came from many years of Pokémon training, he was able to see the slight amount of electricity that passed from Pikachu's cheek and into Flaaffy, who continued charging. And then, just as quickly as Pikachu had avoided the attack, the electric mouse whirled back around and dealt a devastating Iron Tail to Flaaffy's back. The sheep howled as it fell to the ground immediately and tumbled toward May, the electric-type face down in the dirt.

Now it was Flaaffy's turn to struggle. The electric-type sheep struggled slightly less than Pikachu had, but there was no doubt that it was in pain. Flaaffy successfully stood, however, facing May before turning around and taking on a triumphant stance and grinning at Pikachu.

The electric-type suddenly doubled over in pain, sparks of lightning traveling around its body. Flaaffy winced loudly at the pain, before it went away and the sheep did its best to stand as confidently as it had.

"Flaaffy's paralyzed!" Dawn realized from the sidelines. "That's Pikachu's special ability!" The water-type Pokémon that the Trainers had released into the lake had ceased playing and were now focusing on the match, each enthralled by the pair of electric-types. Wartortle was obviously rooting for May, while Buizel and Piplup outnumbered the Turtle Pokémon's fandom.

"Flaaffy, are you all right?" May asked with a hint of panic in her tone.

"Flaaf…" the sheep murmured, nursing its paralysis. The shifty electric mouse had definitely one-upped the pain that the sheep had inflicted on it, adding the additional effect of paralysis with its Static ability.

"We can still win this, Flaaffy. I know you can do it!" May encouraged. The electric sheep seemed to feed off of her positive energy. "Let's hang back for a bit. Use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu, be ready!"

Flaaffy's orb began surging with electricity, and the current traveled up into the sheep's wool. _"Flaaaaaaaa—"_

And then, a robotic claw shot down on a long metal arm, clamping around Flaaffy's body tightly and cutting off its electricity. Ash, Pikachu, May, and Dawn all gasped at the interruption, before another, identical arm shot down and clasped around Pikachu.

"Who did that?" Ash demanded, looking to the sky. His eyes zeroed in on a large, familiar balloon, and then a group of all too familiar voices answered mockingly.

" _Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?"_

" _It's shrieking to me loud and clear."_

" _On the wind!"_

" _Past the stars!"_

" _In your ears!"_

" _Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace…"_

" _Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"_

" _A rose by any other name is just as sweet."_

" _When everything's worse, our work is complete!"_

" _Jessie!"_

" _James!"_

" _And Meowth, now that's a name!"_

" _Putting the do-gooders in their place!"_

" _We're Team Rocket!"_

" _And we're in your face!"_

"You crooks again?!" Ash complained angrily.

"You expected anything less?" Jessie mocked.

"You give us back our Pokémon right now!" May demanded, her face red with anger. Dawn ran over with them, their water-type Pokémon following her to stand with the group and look up at the Rocket balloon.

Meowth chimed in on the mocking, "Sorry, twerps, no can do! We're usually here just to get Pikachu, but we saw your lady twerp's Flaaffy tearing up the competition in Ecruteak City! So we thought we'd drop in and get a 2-for-1 scoop!"

James agreed, "Yes, think of it this way. We get double, you get nothing!"

The three Rocketeers burst into joyous laughter at the quip, calming themselves down relatively quickly to continue mocking their victims.

"Flaaffy, use Thunderbolt to get out of there!"

"Pikachu, you too!"

The electric-types channeled electricity, and launched several bolts free. However, the heavy hands that held them simply absorbed the energy, keeping it from going anywhere. All three Trainers on the ground gaped at the failure, and the crooks of Team Rocket fell into another fit of laughter.

"Those arms are brand new, twerps! Perfectly Thunderbolt-proof!" Jessie crowed.

"We've got to get our Pokémon back!" Ash shouted, "Buizel, I choose you!"

Buizel ran over from his place and in front of Ash, looking up at the Rocket balloon. The Sea Weasel Pokémon gritted his teeth, ready to leap into action.

"May, I'm gonna get Buizel to Aqua Jet. I need you to tell Wartortle to use Ice Beam!" Ash explained. The Petalburg Coordinator understood, and prepared for battle.

"Buizel, get up there with Aqua Jet!"

" _Bui-bui!"_ the water-type answered, summoning a wave of water to surround itself. Buizel rocketed up toward the balloon, but the Rocket crooks scoffed.

"A simple water-type attack won't do anything to our—"

"Wartortle, use Ice Beam on Buizel!"

Wartortle spat a forked beam of ice at the charging Buizel, the ice taking hold on the fountain of water propelling the Sea Weasel upward. The ice spread over the Aqua Jet in an instant, freezing the attack solid and leaving Buizel soaring up in a cocoon of sharp ice. Team Rocket panicked as the missile of ice shot into the fabric of their balloon, tearing a wide hole right through it.

"Togekiss, catch Flaaffy and Pikachu, quick!" Dawn called, sending out the flying Pokémon. Togekiss blazed toward the quickly faltering Team Rocket balloon, and as the mechanical arms detached from the captive electric-types, Togekiss caught them both. The Jubilee Pokémon then spotted Buizel, now falling from his attack on the balloon, and took the initiative to fly under the water-type and catch him as well.

Togekiss returned to the ground as the Rocket balloon exploded in a flash of fire, and the crooks were sent airborne.

"Not again!" James complained.

"Now we get nothing, they get double...!" Meowth whined. The trio kept flying through the sky, disappearing from sight with a loud cry of _'we're blasting off again!'_

The three Pokémon unloaded from Togekiss' back, and Dawn graciously thanked the Pokémon before returning her to her Poké Ball. Pikachu and Flaaffy ran to their respective Trainers, the latter genuinely pretty terrified, as it had never had an experience with Team Rocket before. A surge of electricity came to life on Flaaffy's coat, its paralysis still evident.

"I think it would be good for us to head back to Mahogany Town." May suggested, "Flaaffy's pretty hurt and a little scared. Sorry, Ash."

Ash shook his head assuredly, "No, May, it's fine. But that's three draws in a row now! I'm getting a little tired of tying you when we battle!"

May laughed and then grinned, "Believe me, Ash, I want to beat you just as badly!"

The Trainers walked back toward Mahogany Town. The trip was a strange repeat for Ash, as Dawn and May talked endlessly while he had returned to his own thoughts.

 _I still haven't forgotten about Ho-Oh. I told my friends I was taking some time off from challenging any Leagues, but…I really miss it. I really want to become stronger. After losing like we did in the Sinnoh League, there's nothing on my mind more than that._

 _Ho-Oh showed up in Ecruteak City on the exact day that I was there. That can't be a coincidence. The last time I saw Ho-Oh I followed it to the Hoenn Region. What's stopping from me from following Ho-Oh again?_

Ash looked over to Dawn and May, tuning out their conversation but still thinking in his own world.

 _If I did leave to follow Ho-Oh…if I did go to Mt. Silver, Dawn would be crushed. She's all in on competing in Contests here. That's her dream, to become Top Coordinator. I can't pull her away from that just because I want to gain something for myself. That isn't fair._

Ash then looked up into the sky, as if Ho-Oh itself would fly right above him and tell him verbally what to do next. After several seconds of looking at the cloudless sky, Ash decided.

 _If I go, I'll have to go alone. How will Dawn feel about that? Will she hate me? She would have to understand, right? Our dreams are different._

But Ash wasn't so sure. His mind pondered these things all the way until they reached Mahogany Town, until the point that he parted ways with the girls to head to his room at the Mahogany Town Pokémon Center. Ash thought of his travels in Sinnoh with Dawn and Brock, watching the rookie Trainer become a great Coordinator, taking his team all the way to the semifinals in the Sinnoh League, leaving Brock behind to follow his dream, and heading to Johto with Dawn. And now, he was going to risk tearing them apart in order to follow his dream.

 _Dawn…_


	10. Winning and Losing

**Welcome to Chapter 10! It's hard to believe that in just over two weeks later, I'm already penning the tenth chapter of this story, which started as an impulsive creation that I didn't expect to go anywhere. However, we're not even close to the end. Anyway, here's a much longer chapter for you, over 7,000 words. A major event will be happening towards the end of this chapter, so read on!**

 **Last thing, now that Thanksgiving break is here I'm going to be away with family starting in the middle of this break. I'll likely get in at least 1, hopefully 2 more chapters before then, depending on how fast I write. Maybe I will get lucky and have lots of time to hang out by myself and write, and I can spam-update a few chapters closer to the end of break. Until then, thanks so much to everyone for reading this far, we've got a long way to go! Please remember to leave a review!**

 **Edit: thanks to Guest for catching a mistake. I incorrectly referred to Cyndaquil as a middle-stage Pokémon. In the original draft I had written in Dawn's Quilava, but after fact checking, found Dawn's Cyndaquil did not evolve until a Japan-only episode set after the DP finale.**

 **Edit #2, 5.5.2017: This chapter has been edited close to the end.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 10_

 _Winning and Losing_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mahogany Town**_

"Flaaffy, take the stage!"

Flaaffy came forth from its Poké Ball, its tail orb glowing as it headed for the ground. Flaaffy baaed and showed off a small spark of electricity. May swung out her arm as she called for the start of Flaaffy's appeal.

"Flaaffy, use Charge!"

" _Flaaf!"_

Flaaffy tucked in its arms and squeezed itself together, its tail orb glowing a brilliant yellow as electricity built up inside of it. Flaaffy's tail swished back and forth as stray voltage surged into its wool.

"Now, Flaaffy, use Thunderbolt, up!"

Flaaffy baaed again and pointed its tail and arms up, releasing a powerful Thunderbolt into the sky. "Flaaffy, now! Spin!"

Flaaffy danced on its toes as it spun in a circle, turning itself over so that the electricity fanned out in various directions. The now spread out Thunderbolt attack forked outward further, creating what appeared to be some sort of hazy cloud above the electric-type.

The crowd clapped as Flaaffy came to a stop, stray electricity surging back into its tail as its Appeal was finished. The judges nodded their heads, indicating that May had passed their judgment and would be moving onto the Battle Round. This was nothing new to the experienced Coordinator, and only extended her streak of passing through Appeal Rounds. The crowd, all too familiar with who May was, chanted _"Princess May!"_ as the Coordinator headed backstage.

Ash and Pikachu clapped along with the riled crowd. Despite his actions of support, Ash's mind was indeed elsewhere, still reeling with how he would have to break the news to Dawn that he was leaving.

 _I'm sure she won't be too upset…she knows that our dreams and ultimately, our paths, are different. She knows that I still want to travel with her. But she wouldn't be allowed up on Mt. Silver, it's too dangerous. Besides, I'd never be able to live with myself if something happened to her up there._

" _Now, give it up for Dawn from Twinleaf Town!"_ the announcer shouted into the microphone, stunning Ash out of his train of thought. The crowd became almost as loud as it had for May's Appeal just before. Ash caught that Dawn was grinning as the support from the crowd grew with each step she took toward the stage. Her attire for today's Contest was a dandelion yellow sundress that clung to her form, yet still allowed her to move freely. Long white gloves traveled up to the halfway point of her forearms, and her blue hair was pulled back behind her back, yet still let down so that her locks flowed freely without her hair clips. It was a certain change from her usual Contest attire, which had always been a consistent pink dress for most of her competitions before this, so the change was welcome.

Dawn gripped a Poké Ball in her hand, a confident stare now on her face rather than the happy smile she had worn on her way up to the stage.

"Cyndaquil, spotlight!"

The Poké Ball opened and dots of fire accompanied the flash of white light that expelled the fire-type from its Poké Ball. Cyndaquil landed gracefully and then powered its back flames up, increasing their size greatly as it showed its confidence. Cyndaquil was the only Pokémon that Ash and Dawn had in common (although Ash's was now a Quilava), so the Pallet native was definitely looking forward to watching the first-stage fire-type perform.

"Cyndaquil, let's use Flame Wheel!"

Cyndaquil chirped in agreement and then summoned the flames on its back, which washed over the small fire-type and formed an almost liquid-looking wheel of fire. Cyndaquil rolled forward, the wheel of fire increasing in both size and speed, and sudden sparks trailed behind the Flame Wheel attack as Cyndaquil looped back and forth around the stage.

"Now Cyndaquil, stay in that Flame Wheel and use Smokescreen!"

Without much response, a trail of thick smoke suddenly began rolling off of the fiery wheel. Cyndaquil continued to make laps around the stage, but now smoke served as an outer layer of the Flame Wheel, mashing together smoke and hungry flames to create a beautiful fiery scene. After a few more laps, Dawn called to the fire-type.

"Cyndaquil, get out of that Flame Wheel and use Swift at the sky!"

Cyndaquil returned to Dawn and jumped up, exiting the Flame Wheel and letting it die out in a flash of smoke and flame, and then the small fire-type pointed its open mouth to the air, still airborne and at the mercy of gravity. Beautiful stars spun out of Cyndaquil's maw, curving back and forth as each individual star flew out to reach a different spot in the air. Finally, all of the stars glowed in unison before fading away, just as Cyndaquil landed perfectly.

The crowd cheered, perhaps more ecstatically than they had for May, and the judges immediately nodded, approving Dawn's passage to the next round. The Twinleaf Coordinator crouched down so that Cyndaquil could run up to her and leap into her arms, Trainer and Pokémon hugging happily. Rather than return Cyndaquil, Dawn walked off of the stage and back to the curtains, carrying the Johto starter Pokémon.

Ash and Pikachu clapped along with the crowd, both impressed by the fire-type's performance in the Appeal. A long line of more appeals followed, with half of the competitors being cut prior to the Battle Round. May and Dawn were both in it, placed on opposite ends of the bracket, meaning they would only face each other if they both made it to the finals.

May's battle came first, against a nameless female Coordinator. The battle was a breeze for the experienced May, and the poor girl was eliminated. The same happened for Dawn, being matched up in a relatively easy battle that didn't present many challenges.

The quarterfinals were much of the same for both Coordinators; dominant wins setting the tone as they moved on to the semifinals. Before Ash knew it, there were only 4 Coordinators left in the Mahogany Town Contest, two of them being Dawn and May.

Dawn's semifinal match was first, matching her up against a male Coordinator who went by the name of Palmer. He was a stocky teen, with shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and a leather jacket making his presence seem very classic rock-y. He didn't say anything as he sent out his pair of Pokémon, per the rules of the semifinals.

Palmer had selected Hoppip and Raticate. Dawn then revealed her chosen Poké Balls.

"Mamoswine, Togekiss, spotlight!"

The gargantuan Mamoswine and the flying Togekiss were spat from their capsules, both stretching out as they zeroed their eyes in on the opponents across the field of battle.

" _Coordinators, ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

Palmer's voice was gravely as he called out for the first move. "Raticate, get in there with Take Down! Hoppip, use Razor Wind!"

Raticate immediately fell to all fours and rushed forward, its wide body bouncing as it thundered toward its opponents. Hoppip hung back, spinning its little grass blades as it stirred up some sort of whirlwind. The whirlwind became stronger by the second, but Dawn couldn't pay attention to the stirring attack, as Raticate was closing in.

"Mamoswine, meet Raticate with your own Take Down!" Dawn countered, and the massive ice/ground-type lurched forward, the ground shaking. She then turned to the stationary Togekiss, "Togekiss, let's knock Hoppip out of action! Use Sky Attack!"

Togekiss chirped in response and surged forward, zeroing in its gaze on the stationary Hoppip and summoning a blazing white aura around its body. Meanwhile, Mamoswine collided with Raticate, sending the smaller normal-type Pokémon tumbling backward thanks to the ice-type's overarching size and strength. Palmer gritted his teeth and clenched a fist, and then turned to Hoppip.

"Hoppip, use Razor Wind on Togekiss!"

Hoppip complied, and released the strange whirlwind toward the oncoming Togekiss. The wind then suddenly morphed into a spiraling ball of wind, its air blades whistling loudly as it aimed home.

"Togekiss, dodge it and hit Hoppip!"

Togekiss heard the command and barrel rolled, twirling out of the way of the Razor Wind attack and then charging up its Sky Attack again and surging toward Hoppip. Palmer had no answer as the normal-type crashed into Hoppip, sending the far smaller Pokémon into panic mode as it spiraled back.

"Hoppip, Raticate, together! Use Razor Tackle!"

Dawn raised her eyebrow at the move call, and watched as Hoppip flew toward the recovering Raticate and landed on top of the large rat. Raticate gnashed its buckteeth together and started to move toward its enemies as Hoppip charged up another whirlwind.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Armor!"

Mamoswine summoned the familiar Ice Shard attack and then swallowed it, resulting in great spikes of ice shooting up from Mamoswine's back.

"Togekiss, get on Mamoswine's back!"

Togekiss complied and the Coordinators now had both Pokémon riding each other in order to execute their next attack.

"Mamoswine, meet Raticate and Hoppip with Take Down!" Dawn called, "Togekiss, be ready!"

Mamoswine lurched forward again, but Raticate didn't hesitate as it closed in on Mamoswine. Hoppip's Razor Wind was all charged up, and the small grass-type sent the whirlwind attack flying toward the oncoming Mamoswine. Togekiss attached its arms to Mamoswine's Ice Armor spikes, waiting for the right moment. They had practiced this combination a few days before, back when May and Ash weren't around, and the normal-type was definitely ready.

Hoppip released the Razor Wind attack just in time, but it quickly became clear that Mamoswine wasn't stopping for anyone. The whirlwind slashed at Mamoswine's fur, but the ice-type pushed through the attack as if it were nothing. Togekiss then launched itself in the air, freely flying in the skies, and barely even needed Dawn's command to execute its move. Mamoswine barreled into Raticate and Hoppip, knocking apart their combination and sending the two Pokémon in different directions.

Togekiss's Air Slash materialized in its wings, and the Jubilee Pokémon sent the sharp gust of air flying toward the downed Hoppip. The grass-type didn't even have time to react as the brutal Air Slash collided with it, sending dirt up into the air. The dust cleared and Hoppip was found unable to battle. Regardless of the result, the scoreboard did not look good at all for Palmer, who was being blown out mercilessly by Dawn's larger and obviously superior Pokémon.

"Raticate, we're still in it!" Palmer tried to sound positive, but the rat did its best to stand its ground. However, a bell sounded and drew the Coordinators' attentions, seeing the clock strike double zeroes. Dawn had only a small notch of her points taken away, while Palmer's circle of points had been devastated with less than half of the total remaining.

" _Folks, it looks like this wasn't even a contest! The winner is Dawn and her Mamoswine and Togekiss! Dawn moves on to the finals with that win!"_

Palmer returned Hoppip and Raticate, harshly nodding at Dawn before turning and walking away from the scene of the blowout. Dawn returned her Pokémon as well, disappearing behind the curtains.

The next battle was between May and a Coordinator that Ash didn't recognize. He had a smug look about him, and Ash found that he was wearing a basic suit and tie when he walked out from behind the curtains and made his way to the stage.

" _This next battle is between May, the Princess of Hoenn, and Jacen from Fuchsia City!"_ the announcer proclaimed. The crowd clapped in response, anticipating the Princess of Hoenn's next battle.

"Hmm, Fuchsia City." Ash pondered aloud as he scratched his chin, "Wonder what this guy's got in store."

" _Coordinators, ready?"_ the announcer asked rhetorically as the two Coordinators reached the battle boxes and brandished their two Poké Balls, _"All right, battle, begin!"_

Jacen sent out his Pokémon first. "All right, Tyranitar, Magmar, battle stations!"

The pair of Poké Balls spawned the massive rock/dark-type and the medium-sized fire-type, both Pokémon itching for battle. The choice of Tyranitar was notably unusual to Ash when it came to Contests, Pokémon such as that were known for their power rather than their grace. May didn't flinch, throwing her own two Poké Balls and calling out her choices.

"Blaziken, Wartortle, take the stage!"

Blaziken and Wartortle burst free from their capsules, both eagerly awaiting their next scuffle. Blaziken's wrists burned with large flames, while Wartortle beat his shell with his arms. This battle was sure to be a true display of brute power.

"Tyranitar, you use Dark Pulse! And Magmar, use Flamethrower!"

The two powerful Pokémon answered their Trainer, the rock/dark-type spitting forth a vile beam of darkness while Magmar blasted a beam of flame from its maw. The two attacks merged together and turned into an oddly beautiful spiral of fire and darkness as they surged toward the two opponents.

"Wartortle, block that with Hydro Pump!"

" _War!"_ the water-type boasted as it hopped into the path of the Dark Pulse/Flamethrower combination. A powerful burst of water was launched from the turtle, and the two attacks crashed together in an explosion.

Unfortunately for May, a Hydro Pump was not enough to defeat the combination attack. While the water had done a good job of extinguishing Magmar's contribution, the Dark Pulse moved forward undeterred, and with no defense prepared, the dark-type attack knocked Wartortle down hard before dissipating, taking out a good chunk of May's points.

May gritted her teeth. "Blaziken, use Fire Spin! Wartortle, you use Ice Beam! Let's give 'em a taste of their own medicine!"

Ash smirked at May's offense-minded response to the powerful attack as the two counter-types merged their own beam-like attack. Fire Spin created a revolving flame around the forked Ice Beam, and some of Jacen's points went away at the sight of the exquisitely beautiful counter-type attack.

"Tyranitar, destroy it with Dark Pulse." Jacen commanded sternly, and the powerful rock/dark-type leaped in front of the attack just as Wartortle had done. That blasted Dark Pulse attack reappeared and in a second all May saw was the explosion resulting from the move.

The dust cleared, and May deadpanned as she realized that Tyranitar was no longer where it was. A large hole was in the ground, which meant—

"Tyranitar's using Dig! Wa—"

An explosion arrived underneath Blaziken's feet, and Tyranitar surged forward with a brutal uppercut as it powered out from under the ground and sent Blaziken into the air.

"Wartortle, hit Tyranitar with Ice Beam!"

Wartortle responded instantly, shooting a forked beam of cold energy into Tyranitar's arm. The Ice Beam attack was very well trained, and immediately created a frozen block around Tyranitar's arm. The Armor Pokémon roared angrily as it tore at the ice that now encased its arm.

"Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken soared down from the air, its feet entrenched in scorching hot flames, and a brutal downward kick sent Tyranitar staggering to the ground, one its arms lame and useless. Blaziken followed with another, angrier kick to the dark-type's chest, all of the Hoenn starter's power channeled into the kick. Tyranitar flew back, landing short of Magmar, and limped back to the battlefield. Magmar walked over and simply burned the ice off of Tyranitar's arm with a flaming breath, and the two Pokémon reassumed their battle stance.

May was furious. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?! This is a Contest, not a Gym Battle!"

The Coordinator called Jacen snorted before replying, "So what? A Contest and a Gym Battle can both be won the same way: with a knockout! Magmar, use Overheat!"

Magmar crouched down and summoned all of the air around it and then superheated it. May staggered back, appalled at the Coordinator's comments, but did her best to steel herself.

"Wartortle, get in front of Blaziken and use Protect!"

The Turtle Pokémon hightailed it to his partner in the battle as Magmar released the superheated wave of fire. A green, glowing half-sphere surrounded Wartortle and Blaziken, and the flames bounced around the Protect move, docking some of Jacen's points. Jacen gritted his teeth as the Protect deflected the devastating move.

"Blaziken, Wartortle, let's use Aqua Uppercut!"

The two Pokémon complied and rushed in toward their opponents. Tyranitar and Magmar growled at the oncoming enemies, but waited for command.

Wartortle leapt high into the air, charging up an Aqua Tail on its way down. Wartortle's tail collided with the ground in front of Tyranitar and Magmar, creating a shock wave that ran toward the enemy Pokémon and sent Magmar and Tyranitar flying into the air. Blaziken then ran up beside Wartortle and used its powerful legs to jump, rocketing high into the air. Its fist closed and the Blaze Pokémon neared its target: Tyranitar

"Tyranitar, Dark Pulse!"

Tyranitar quickly threw out a beam of dark energy, hitting Blaziken square in the chest and knocking it back toward the ground. May gasped at the speed, and called to Wartortle to try and cushion Blaziken's landing, but Jacen had other plans.

"Giga Impact!"

Tyranitar had righted itself now, and summoned a terrible blast of energy around itself and began charging for the falling Blaziken. Tyranitar's downward speed increased, and before Wartortle could do anything to help, the Armor Pokémon had thrown the fire-type square into the ground with unfathomable force. The ground exploded in a blast of rock and dirt, leaving a crater in the ground.

Tyranitar walked away from the blast, mostly unharmed but still suffering from recoil damage. Jacen smiled as the dust cleared, and clear as day, Blaziken's eyes were nothing but swirls, leaving Wartortle all alone to face the two monstrous enemies. May returned Blaziken to its Poké Ball, per the rules, and did her best to calm her nerves. This Coordinator had taken an overly aggressive approach and knocked out one of her Pokémon without hesitation.

"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump on Magmar!"

" _And it would seem we've got more of a battle than a Contest on our hands here, folks! Tyranitar has eliminated May's Blaziken from contention, leaving Wartortle alone to face it and Magmar at once!"_

Wartortle summoned the high-pressure blast of water, sending it straight at Magmar. Reveling in his half-victory, Jacen hadn't had time to come up with a counter, so Magmar took the powerful attack and tumbled to the ground. Now once again angry, Jacen spat out commands.

"Tyranitar, bring Wartortle down with Dark Pulse! Magmar, you use Fire Punch!"

Tyranitar acted quick as Magmar sat up and retook its footing. The Dark Pulse hit Wartortle square in the shell, knocking him away and on his back, while Magmar was rushing with a fistful of fire.

"Protect!"

Wartortle summoned the impenetrable barrier, managing to deflect the point-blank Fire Punch. Magmar jumped back from the recovering Wartortle, who was quickly getting tired from the two-on-one battle.

"Where's that offense you pride yourself on, _Princess of Hoenn?"_ Jacen snarled, "It would seem you're only on your back to me!"

May bristled at the rude and frankly sexual comment, and her emotions were definitely getting the better of her. "Wartortle, use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle got back up, weary and significantly slower, and summoned an Aqua Tail attack, running toward Magmar. The odds were extremely against it, and Wartortle knew that. Finally reaching Magmar, Wartortle turned to deliver the Aqua Tail attack.

"Tyranitar, Dark Pulse."

A Dark Pulse attack knocked Wartortle away from Magmar, saving the fire-type from the certainly painful attack. Wartortle bounced away, landing on its belly. The Turtle Pokémon had taken a lot of damage, and May's points were dangerously low as the clock wound down.

"Wartortle!" May cried, more out of fear for her Pokémon's health than her competitive will.

Wartortle bristled as it struggled to get up, trying to lift itself up on its arms. Wartortle's muscles cried as it struggled, pleading for the water-type to stop. Finally, truly out of energy, Wartortle collapsed, hitting the floor.

" _Battle Off!"_ called the referee, _"The winners are Tyranitar and Magmar!"_

The crowd was very quiet, wholly shocked at what they had just witnessed. Tyranitar and Magmar celebrated before being returned to their Balls by the aggressive Coordinator, while May ran over to Wartortle to cradle the exhausted water-type.

"Wartortle, you did everything right." May soothed the pride-wounded water-type, "You've nothing to be ashamed of. I'll get you to a Center." May returned the water-type to his Ball and walked away from the stage, heading toward the curtains with her head hanging as the announcer declared the final match to be Dawn vs. Jacen.

* * *

May trudged into the dressing room where the Coordinators prepared. Dawn immediately ran over, hugging her friend.

"May, I'm so sorry." Dawn said, holding May tight. The Princess of Hoenn didn't hug back, too ashamed and shocked to respond.

"It's not your fault…it's that Coordinator. He was so aggressive. He didn't even show off his moves, he just used brute force to take out my Pokémon and win." May rambled, sitting down on one of the benches and putting her head in her hands. The other nearby Coordinators avoided the scene nearby, the rest of them having been already eliminated and one by one filing out of the room to go and find where their next competition would be.

Jacen walked into the dressing room next, intending to go to the male side of the room (the two were separated by a door), but Dawn immediately called him out.

"Hey!" Dawn spat, "Just what kind of Coordinator do you think you are? You could've really hurt May's Pokémon!"

Jacen turned to glare at Dawn. His stare was cold and unnerving. "And?" he asked coldly, "Nothing I did out there was against the rules. Battle Off exists for a reason."

"Are you kidding?" Dawn shouted, "The point of Contests is to show off your Pokémon's skill and teamwork, not to pummel the opponent into the ground! You want to do that, then go and challenge the Johto League or something!"

"My reasons for competing in Contests are _none_ of your business." Jacen snarled, "As I said, nothing I did out there was against the rules. Everything I did was within those bounds. Now I suggest you get ready, _Dawn_ , because you're next."

Jacen then disappeared into the male side of the dressing room, leaving the two girls by themselves.

"…I'm gonna beat him." Dawn said somewhat to herself, "I'm gonna beat him the way you're supposed to win. I'll show him." Dawn then whirled around to May, "May, get your Pokémon some rest. I've got a cheater to crush."

May half-smiled at Dawn's pep, standing up carefully and looking at the Poké Balls of the beaten Blaziken and Wartortle. "You get him, Dawn. I'll be watching."

And then Dawn stalked out of the dressing room to wait for the moment where they would call her to the stage.

This Ribbon would be hers.

* * *

The crowd cheered deafeningly as Dawn was called out to the stage. The Johto Contest Association had been promoting the rivalry between Dawn and May, something the two Coordinators found ridiculous, but the fans ate it up. As such, most everyone knew who Dawn was now, and she had only competed in a single Contest this season.

Ash and Pikachu stood up with the rest of the crowd, clapping along and adding a "Go Dawn!" that was probably lost in the noise.

Next, Jacen was called up. The crowd reacted to this with a mixture of claps and boos. The booing stood out to Ash as the aggressive Coordinator took the stage, standing on the opposite side of the battlefield from Dawn. The announcer chimed in on the PA to declare the match.

" _Welcome, one and all, to the finals of the Mahogany Town Contest! This will be a Double Contest Battle between Dawn of Twinleaf Town and Jacen of Fuchsia City! The object will be to deplete your opponent's points while keeping up your own in order to win the Mahogany Ribbon! However, if both of a Coordinator's Pokémon are found to be unable to battle, Battle Off will be declared!"_

Jacen smirked as the rule was read, essentially validating the vitriol he'd thrown in the dressing room earlier. Dawn could only imagine that the Coordinator was intent on winning this match the same way.

" _Coordinators, are you ready? All right, battle, begin!"_

Jacen sent out his Pokémon first. "All right, Beedrill, Croconaw, battle stations!"

"Piplup, Togekiss, spotlight!"

The two pairs of Pokémon stared each other down. Jacen's Croconaw gnashed its teeth as it clamped its jaws together, while Beedrill buzzed loudly. Togekiss and Piplup were much more quiet and calm, watching their opponents carefully.

Jacen, ever the aggressor, called out the first move.

"Croconaw, use Crunch! Beedrill, use Pin Missile!"

Croconaw charged forward, widening its powerful jaws as it lumbered toward its enemies. Beedrill flew back behind the charging Croconaw and fired a series of Pin Missiles. The bug-type attack sped up behind Croconaw and then amazingly curved around Croconaw, creating a sort of Pin Missile shield around the water-type.

"Togekiss, Piplup, use Aura Sphere and Bubblebeam!" Dawn countered. Her two Pokémon responded quickly. Togekiss' Aura Sphere spawned and glowed brilliantly as it was released toward the oncoming Croconaw, while Piplup launched a long Bubblebeam. It was a sort of callback to her Double Battle in the Sinnoh Grand Festival. Piplup's Bubblebeam attack surrounded the Aura Sphere in a spinning ring, and Croconaw realized the danger too late.

The wheel of Bubblebeam and Aura Sphere collided with Croconaw. The water-type croaked in pain and was bounced back in a blast of smoke. However, Jacen's Beedrill then appeared out of the cloud of smoke.

"Beedrill, somersault and use Pin Missile!"

Beedrill tucked itself in and turned like a wheel, releasing a wild Pin Missile attack that shot in all directions. One of the pins struck Piplup in the midsection and sent the small water-type tumbling backward for a bit, while Togekiss simply shielded itself with one of its wings in defense. Both Coordinators' scores decreased, with Dawn having the upper hand after the first volley of attacks.

"Piplup, get on Togekiss' back!"

Piplup got up from its place on the ground, shrugging off the impact of the Pin Missile, and sprinted toward Togekiss, leaping up high onto the Jubilee Pokémon's back. Togekiss purred and then took flight.

"Now, Togekiss use Sky Attack! Piplup, use Peck!"

Piplup's beak glowed white and got longer, sharpening as it did so, while Togekiss summoned the fiery aura of Sky Attack, speeding toward Croconaw and Beedrill. Almost immediately, the two attacks formed a bright red blaze around the larger normal-type, resembling moves such as Giga Impact.

Jacen didn't flinch, only waiting until the pair of Pokémon closed in. "Croconaw, jump up!"

Croconaw leaped into the air, timing its jump perfectly. The water-type took advantage of gravity and then crashed down onto Togekiss' back, throwing Piplup off of the normal-type entirely. The Penguin Pokémon shrieked as it fell, and Croconaw was now on top of Togekiss, who had no defense.

"Crunch!"

Croconaw's jaws clamped onto Togekiss' back, and the Jubilee Pokémon shrieked in pain.

"Beedrill, hit Piplup with a Pin Missile!"

As Togekiss went down while Croconaw tore its teeth into her back, Beedrill charged up yet another Pin Missile attack at the falling Piplup.

"Piplup, defend with Whirlpool! Togekiss, hang in there! Keep flying!" Dawn called in counter.

Piplup successfully righted itself, still falling, and summoned a great whirlpool. Beedrill's Pin Missile attack came raging toward the Sinnoh starter, but a simple thrust by the Penguin sent the Whirlpool into the attack's path, swallowing the Pin Missiles whole and running over Beedrill, knocking the bug-type into the ground.

Meanwhile, Togekiss was faltering. "Togekiss, spin!" Dawn called as she realized a way to throw Croconaw off. Togekiss, quickly failing, started to spin, her speed increasing as Croconaw's grip grew looser. Soon enough, the Big Jaw Pokémon was struggling to hold on.

"Keep spinning, Togekiss!"

"Croconaw, use Aqua Tail!" Jacen shouted.

Croconaw's grip vanished as it opened its maw, separating it and the twirling normal-type. However, Croconaw wasn't done with the critical damage it had been dealing Togekiss. Its tail charged up with a storm of water and Croconaw whipped the tail out just before it could fall out of range, smacking Togekiss with a slap of powerful water. Piplup fell back to his side of the stage while Togekiss righted itself, doing its best to shake off its pain while water dribbled in great amounts off of her back. The points were then taken away, and Jacen now led the battle as he had dealt more successful hits in that round.

Togekiss cringed as it landed next to Piplup, weak from the digging of Croconaw's teeth. Piplup was in better shape than the normal-type, but Jacen's Pokémon looked relatively unharmed. The clock showed that two and a half minutes remained, and both Coordinators' points were half gone, with Jacen having the slightest edge.

"Beedrill, use Agility, pronto!"

Beedrill raised its spikes and then sped back and forth, moving so quickly that it almost appeared there were two Beedrill. Then, just as quickly as it had begun, Beedrill stopped moving, but its wings were clearly beating faster than they already had been. Dawn clenched a fist. This would mean Beedrill would be moving faster for the rest of the battle.

"Now, Beedrill, use Fury Attack!"

"Piplup, counter with Peck!"

Beedrill sped toward Piplup at an almost undetectable speed, racing forward with glowing spikes. Piplup powered up his Peck attack, thrusting itself forward to meet Beedrill. The Penguin Pokémon and the bug-type clashed, the former's Peck crossing with the double Fury Attack. Beedrill pulsed angrily and tried to attack again, but Piplup deflected the Fury Attack again and again.

"Togekiss, hit Beedrill with an Aura Sphere!"

Togekiss moved quickly, knowing innately that Piplup's defense wouldn't hold up forever with the speedier Beedrill. The Aura Sphere attack generated and then was off in a flash, heading straight for Beedrill. Piplup deflected one more Fury Attack, but moved slower than normal. Beedrill saw the opening and lunged to connect its next Fury Attack, but then a glowing aura crashed into it. Beedrill staggered back, spinning out of control before righting itself. Jacen's points plummeted as a result of the expert double counter, and the aggressive Coordinator gritted his teeth as the clock reached 1 minute.

" _Time is running out, and Dawn just took a big lead with that impressive defense of Beedrill's Fury Attack! Could this be it?"_

"Not a chance!" Jacen rhetorically answered the PA announcer before pointing at Dawn's Pokémon. "Croconaw, use Slash on Piplup! Beedrill, hit Togekiss with Poison Jab!"

Croconaw and Beedrill raced forward at the same time, the latter taking the lead thanks to its boosted speed.

"Piplup, Togekiss, quick! Use Aura Whirlpool!"

The name for the combination was one that Dawn had recently come up with, but the Pokémon knew all the same. She hadn't had much time to come up with new combinations for the pair, and as such had been resorting to those she had been using in the Sinnoh Grand Festival battle against Zoey. Dawn didn't like remembering the result of that battle, knowing that she had come so close, but the result had nevertheless strengthened her resolve to win, especially right now.

Togekiss charged up its Aura Sphere, watching carefully as Beedrill raced toward her. Piplup's Whirlpool was ready, and Togekiss fired off the Aura Sphere alongside Piplup. The two moves collided, and the Whirlpool glowed brightly, blinding Croconaw and Beedrill. The hesitation that resulted from the glow ultimately doomed the pair, and a glowing wall of water crashed into them, sending both Pokémon flying away. Croconaw landed on top of Beedrill, which infuriated the speedy bug-type, and the Johto starter quickly scrambled off and readied its next attack. Jacen gritted his teeth, knowing that his window was running thin.

"Croconaw, use—"

 _Ding!_

" _And that's it! Match over! The winner is…Dawn!"_

Piplup jumped in the air while Togekiss smiled with happy realization, and the two turned to their ecstatic Trainer at the same time.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Dawn cheered, jumping up and down and throwing her arms up in triumph, "Piplup and Togekiss, we won!" Dawn declared as she ran to her two Pokémon. The last time they'd competed in the finals, it had ended with a crushing loss for them, but now that they had won their first Ribbon in Johto, the wound of the Sinnoh Grand Festival loss was all but healed. Jubilation overcame the three.

Dawn looked over Togekiss' shoulder to see that Jacen had already walked away, vanishing in the chanting of the satisfied crowd. He had tried to defeat her Pokémon through brute tactics, and had taken a great step toward that goal when Croconaw had landed a Crunch attack on Togekiss' back, but ultimately Dawn's battling style had won out.

Mr. Contesta approached Dawn and her Pokémon, carrying the tablet that held the Mahogany Ribbon. "Congratulations, Dawn." Mr. Contesta declared, reaching the tablet out so Dawn could grab the Ribbon. "I understand this is your first Ribbon in the Johto Region. You defeated a tough opponent to earn this. I hope you will continue to work hard and put on amazing performances in the future."

Dawn nodded, fighting back a tear as she raised her voice to sound confident. "Yes! We will, Mr. Contesta, my Pokémon and I promise!"

Mr. Contesta nodded and smiled, charmed by the Twinleaf girl's youthful enthusiasm. Then, the Chairman walked away, rejoining his fellow judges. Dawn eyed the Mahogany Ribbon, and then, grinning at her Pokémon, walked back to the curtains with them, endlessly smiling at her victory.

* * *

Dawn and May celebrated with a little victory dance in the Pokémon Center. May had watched the battle from the TV in the Center, and seeing Dawn win had washed away all of May's sadness at losing to Jacen. Ash hadn't reached the Center yet, probably navigating his way through the crowd pouring out of Contest Hall.

"I'm so happy you beat him like that!" May declared, "You should've seen the look on his face when the camera found him after he lost!"

Ash walked in as soon as May finished her sentence, and Dawn felt a swell of pride. She abandoned May and ran toward Ash, arms wide. He smiled at her and her heart fluttered as she crashed into him, hugging him tightly. Ash tensed in order to absorb the blow, but then lightly hugged back. What he really wanted, though, was a high five. Dawn pulled away and Ash raised his hand in the air. Dawn knew immediately, and met his hand with a loud _clap_.

The trio of travelers laughed together, but Ash's mood quickly darkened after the high five. The weight of what he had to tell Dawn was beginning to crush him.

Eventually, Ash spoke up, talking to May. "Hey May, do you think you could give Dawn and me a minute?" Ash asked hopefully. The Petalburg coordinator cocked her head and eyed Ash, but understood, nodding her head and getting up from her seat to walk to a nondescript corner of the Pokémon Center. Dawn's senses blew up as she tried to piece together what was happening, and she looked to Ash quizzically.

"Ash? What's up?"

Ash sat in the seat across from Dawn, his head hanging. The brim of his cap guarded his expression, which only worried Dawn further. "Ash? What's wrong? Tell me."

Ash heaved a sigh, croaking as he tried to find the right words. "Dawn, I…I…" he stammered, taking a deep breath, "I'm leaving."

Dawn sat there, stunned, trying to process if she'd heard her friend correctly. "…What?" Dawn asked dumbly, her mind spiraling.

"I'm leaving." Ash repeated, this time more steadily, "I've thought about this for a while, and I really want to do this. I want to go to Mt. Silver and train for a while."

"W-w-what do you mean?" Dawn stammered, "You…you're leaving me?"

"…Pretty much, yeah." Ash said bluntly, looking back at the floor and breathing before looking back at Dawn. She was clearly hurt, and it was absolutely killing Ash inside, but he couldn't afford to bottle this up. "I know I said that I was going to take some time off from battling, but I can't. It's just become a part of me. For the last four years I've trained and trained, and I've traveled all around the world, but only in Sinnoh did I _truly_ become so strong that I had a chance to win the League. I can't give up that strength, not like I have in the past. I'm strong because of my Pokémon, and my Pokémon are strong because of me, and all I know is that I have to get stronger."

Dawn understood, she _really_ understood, but her mind was absolutely reeling. And then, immediately underneath the surface was anger. She shed no tears, but her face reddened.

"So you're just going to bail on me? You're going to head to some mountain without me? Without May? After we _just_ got here in Johto, immediately after I win my first Ribbon?" Dawn demanded, speaking quickly and sternly. Then, her mood darkened, and she became truly sad, "This was supposed to be the next leg of our journey together. I turned down that modeling offer and it led me _here_ , Ash, with _you._ There's nowhere in the world I'd rather be right now, and you're gonna leave just like that?"

"Dawn, you know it's not like that." Ash pleaded, sad. "Think about what we saw in Ecruteak City. Ho-Oh hasn't been there for centuries, and I've seen it _four_ times now, and each time it's led me to a different part of my journey. What's more, Ho-Oh _looked_ at me this time. I can't just ignore that as coincidence. Dawn, you have to understand, I have to do this."

Dawn then became angry again, a wave of red washing over her. "No, Ash Ketchum, you have to understand _this._ I get that you feel like you've got to do this, but I don't. And if that's what you're gonna do, if you're just gonna leave and go train on a mountain without me, then fine. Fine by me. But you had better understand that you're not catching on to a lot of stuff here. Think on that when you're training _by yourself._ "

Dawn then got up from her seat and walked away, quickly. Ash was stunned, not expecting the outburst from Dawn of all people. The Pallet native got up out of his seat and called out for her. "Dawn! Dawn, come back!" Ash pleaded, but the Coordinator didn't show any sign that she had even heard him, "Please! I'm sorry!"

May watched from the corner, watching the Sinnoh Coordinator stalk down the hallway out of sight, probably headed to her room. The Petalburg native then turned to look at Ash, who met her eyes, and then tucked his head, pulling his cap over his face. And then, Ash turned, walking briskly for the door. People were staring, but he didn't care. Ash Ketchum had just likely burnt a bridge with one of his closest friends, and the only thing that he wanted was to get out of there.

Ash thundered outside, running away from Mahogany Town and out onto Route 44. Pikachu ran behind his partner, trying to keep up. The emotional imbalance exuding from Ash had the electric-type thoroughly alarmed. Ash slowed down and pulled at his spiky raven hair, angrily shouting at nothing. A tree stood tall right off of the path, and in a flash of blind anger, Ash threw his fist into its trunk. The bones in his hand screamed, and he bit his tongue to keep himself from yelling in pain as well as his hand throbbed. He wasn't really sure what he'd been expecting to happen. As the feeling rushed back to his hand, Ash leaned against that very tree, pulling his cap down to cover his eyes as he sulked.

 _"Pika..."_ Pikachu murmured as he gently tapped Ash's leg from the ground.

"Thanks, buddy. You've stuck with me all this time…" Ash mumbled. He crumpled to the ground in a sitting position, crossing his legs as he lowered himself closer to Pikachu's height level. "You understand me, right? You understand why I want to do this? Why I have to do this."

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu agreed, nodding fiercely, _"Pika, Pikachu!"_

Ash smiled. He averted his gaze back to the ground, sitting under the darkness of the night sky. "Thanks, Pikachu." A raindrop touched his cheek, followed by several more droplets from all around. Thunder rumbled far in the distance, and Ash's skin crawled. Pikachu leaped up and caught himself onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling up on his partner's cheek. Ash stood up, his gaze fixated on the east, "We might as well start heading that way. I'm not really sure I want to go back in there."

" _Piiiii…."_

The rain increased, but only enough so that Ash could still tolerate the endless droplets of water littering his clothes. "Let's start by flying to Blackthorn City." Ash suggested, unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt. "Staraptor, I choose you!"

The Predator Pokémon burst from its Ball, screeching proudly as it fluttered to the ground.

"Staraptor, you think you can give us a lift? We need to head to the next town over." Ash asked. The flying-type crowed approvingly, turned and widening itself so that Ash could sit on its back. The powerful flying-type then took to the skies, hefting Ash and Pikachu into the air. The Trainer was heavy, but Staraptor's strength was far greater than its size implied. Flying forward, Staraptor's watchful gaze searched for its target, its wings beating heavily in order to support the weight on its back. Ash looked around as well, picking out the Ice Path from his aerial view. Ash pointed, calling out to the flying-type.

"Staraptor, we're headed to Blackthorn City!"

* * *

 **Okay, so the parting chapter is complete. Just to give some explanation, if Dawn seemed a little, I don't know, bitchy, it's definitely a lapse in character. Rest assured, that's just a result of her conflicted feelings. Anyway, Ash is now starting his journey toward Mt. Silver, while May and Dawn will travel together to compete in Contests. I'd consider this chapter the end of Act 1. Thanks again for reading, and please consider leaving a review!**


	11. Silver Foothills

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 11_

 _Silver Foothills_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mahogany Town**_

Dawn opened her eyes for the tenth time, seeing that it was morning this time. Her sleep the night before, if she could even call it sleep, was fitful at best. Dawn had tossed and turned, and had only been able to sleep for an hour at most in between waking up during the middle of the night. Piplup had become so frustrated with Dawn's erratic movements, even, that he had jumped down from the Pokémon Center bed and curled up in a chair on the other side of the room.

Having gotten too little sleep and now with the early rays of sunlight forcing their way through Dawn's window, the Twinleaf Coordinator begrudgingly got up and out of bed. Piplup didn't budge, continuing to snooze in the chair.

Dawn walked into the bathroom and upon looking into the mirror realized how terrible she looked. Her cheeks were stained red (she had forgotten how much she'd cried the past night), her hair was everywhere, and overall, she was just a complete wreck.

 _Why did Ash have to leave?_

Dawn shook her head and turned to the shower, turning on the hot water. The Coordinator then pulled off her drape-like nightgown and slipped behind the shower curtain, sighing as the hot water overwhelmed her.

Dawn exited the bathroom wrapped in a towel, sighing loudly as she took a breath of the fresh, non-steamy air that dominated the bathroom. Piplup awoke, startled at the sudden noise of the opening door, and the Penguin Pokémon begrudgingly stretched as he began to fully wake up. Piplup spread his beak wide and groaned, standing up on the cushiony chair.

" _Lup…"_

Dawn looked to her partner, and sighed. "I know Piplup. Ash isn't coming back for a while, so I guess we're gonna be traveling with May."

" _Piplup…"_

"I don't blame him…I really do understand why he felt like he had to do this. I'm just…upset, I guess." Dawn continued, "He was my closest friend."

Dawn refocused on her bag and started packing up again. In a few minutes, she was packed and ready to go. At that exact moment, ironically, there was a knock at the door. Dawn and Piplup both looked toward the door, and then looked to each other, confused.

Dawn opened the door; Piplup now perched atop her head, clutching the fabric of her beanie with his flippers. Trainer and Pokémon looked out the door together, only to see May. May smiled, "Hey, Dawn."

May was dressed in a different color than normal. She had on a red t-shirt this time, with a small popped collar at her neck, and dark blue biking shorts on the bottom. Her bandana was red this time. Dawn recognized it as the customary outfit she had worn during her travels with Ash in Hoenn. It was a good look for her, Dawn noted.

"Are you doing okay?" May continued.

"Uh…yeah, I'm okay, May." Dawn answered half-heartedly, "Where are we headed next?"

"I thought we'd head for the Cianwood City Contest." May suggested, "It's a small city on this huge island west of Johto. It'll be a long trip, and we'll have to take a ferry from Olivine City over to the island, but I promise it's a fun trip. They have beaches and they're building a Safari Zone north of the city, too!"

"That sounds good." Dawn decided, "What do you say, Piplup? Should we head for Cianwood City?"

" _Pip-lup!"_

Dawn and May giggled, "All right, then, that's settled." Dawn agreed, "Let's go to Cianwood City!"

Dawn and May walked out of the Pokémon Center hallway that led to the hotel rooms, both carrying their separate room keys to turn in to Nurse Joy at the main counter. It was so early in the morning that no visitors were coming and going through the Pokémon Center yet, which likely meant that the whole town was still mostly asleep.

Dawn and May reached the main counter where Nurse Joy was stationed, her helper Pokémon Chansey standing stoically beside her. Nurse Joy smiled, nothing on her face revealing whether or not she was exhausted, and welcomed the two travelers.

"How may I help you?" she said, almost electronically.

"Hi, we're checking out." May answered, handing her room card to Nurse Joy. Dawn did the same, and the Nurse smiled as she swiped the cards.

"Very well. Thank you for staying with us." Nurse Joy said after swiping the cards and checking out the two travelers, "We hope to see you again."

May and Dawn turned away from the counter and began walking toward the sliding door that would take them out into the world. However, Nurse Joy's voice called them back.

"Oh! Dawn, May! Please come back for a moment!"

Dawn and May looked at each other quizzically and then turned back to Nurse Joy, heading back to the counter. Nurse Joy smiled, an apologetic look on her face.

"So sorry to turn you back, but the computer just alerted me to something. There is mail for both of you."

May cocked her head. "Mail?"

"Yes, indeed. Two electronic letters, one addressed to May and one addressed to Dawn. The timestamp is 1:42 a.m., and the return address is listed as the Blackthorn City Pokémon Center." Nurse Joy explained, clicking a few buttons. A machine began whirring on the other end of the counter, spitting out two long sheets of paper riddled with text. Nurse Joy walked over to the machine as May spoke up.

"Blackthorn City? Why, that's all the way on the other end of the Ice Path." May pondered aloud, "Who could possibly be sending us mail?"

"Do you think it's…" Dawn asked, trailing off.

Nurse Joy returned with the two sheets of paper. "Here you go." Nurse Joy said, turning over the two letters to Dawn and May. "We hope to see you again."

Dawn and May looked at each other as they held the letters, and then turned around, walking toward the sliding front doors as they read the letters. Dawn read hers first, her eyes wide with curiosity as she read.

 _Dawn,_

 _I hope this letter finds you. I've been flying all night, and I just got to Blackthorn City. Since you ran off back in Mahogany Town, I decided to write you this letter. I'm really sorry that I left. I really hope that you can understand. But I have to do this. I have to become stronger. There's nothing on my mind more than that._

 _But you deserve to know that you are one of my closest friends. Our travels together in Sinnoh were some of the best years of my life, and I am so grateful for them. Your support no doubt had a hand in making me stronger than ever before. That, you also deserve to know. My goal is to train harder than ever before on Mt. Silver, to become faster and stronger than I've ever been. I know now that this is the next step in my journey to become a Pokémon Master._

 _I don't know how long I am going to be gone. Regardless, I want nothing more than for you to pursue your dream with the utmost confidence. You are an amazing Coordinator, Dawn, and your Pokémon believe in you. I believe in you. What I saw yesterday at the Mahogany Town Contest was the Dawn that wouldn't let anyone stand in her way of reaching her goal, the Dawn that I am so proud to call my friend. When my training is over, if you will have me, I would like to go on another journey with you and May. Until then, Dawn, stay strong. I'll always be rooting for you._

 _No need to worry,_

 _Ash_

Dawn fought back tears, closing her eyes and wiping at her eye as one threatened to push its way out into the open. She looked at the letter one more time and couldn't help but smile. He had taken the time to send her a letter, and it meant the world to her. Meanwhile, May was reading her letter intently.

 _May,_

 _As you no doubt know by now, I'm not coming back to continue our journey. After the incident in Ecruteak City, I got to thinking. And I finally decided that I would be traveling to Mt. Silver to train for an indefinite amount of time. I became a better Trainer than ever before in Sinnoh, and the itch of Pokémon training has only become stronger since the Sinnoh League. I believe that this is the best option for all of us._

 _Dawn didn't seem to take it too well. So I'm asking you to be to her what I was: a mentor, a companion, and a friend. My training up here will not last forever, so eventually I will be coming back to Johto to hopefully rejoin you two in traveling. I hope you understand this. I'll be rooting for the both of you in all of your Contests, even though I will have no way to watch them. For the sake of all three of our dreams, I believe this is the best course of action, and I intend to follow through with it._

 _Your friend,_

 _Ash_

May nodded sternly, taking the letter to heart. Dawn indeed hadn't taken Ash leaving well at all, shutting herself in her room for the rest of the night and not coming out until this morning. The whole situation had gotten May's gears turning on the true state of Ash and Dawn's relationship, but she had mostly pushed those thoughts out of her mind. Ash's letter had only reinforced that move. May knew what her responsibility would be.

"Your letter from Ash?" May asked, getting Dawn's attention.

"Yeah…" Dawn answered, "I feel okay now. He made the right choice."

"Ash may not make the most sense all the time…but he has a big heart." May agreed, "I know he feels this is the right move too. Ash is a Pokémon Trainer, and that's that, so we should respect that."

"You're right." Dawn nodded fiercely, gaining a brand new confidence. "Now, let's get to Cianwood City!"

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mt. Silver**_

Ash had walked a long way. The Pallet native had covered many miles over the past several days, his daily routine consisting of waking, bathing, eating, walking, eating, and then sleeping. Legally, Ash had crossed into Kanto the day before, heading up to Route 28 and through Tohjo Falls to reach the foothills of the great mountain range.

The last time he'd been on Mt. Silver was four years ago, when Ash had competed in the Silver Conference. He'd been eliminated in the quarterfinals, and then parted ways with Brock and Misty. Ash knew that he'd come a long way since that day, meeting people who were still important in his life and training Pokémon that he'd never seen before.

Normally Ash would never consider doing something like this alone. If it hadn't been for the strange pull that Ho-Oh had on Ash, he likely wouldn't be here now. But the Pride of Pallet had made his choice already, and there was no turning back.

Ash knew he was in what was classified as Mt. Silver when the road became rocky and uneven. Unruly grass stretched up on either side of the unkempt dirt road, which was likely kept in such poor condition as an attempt to deter travelers from going closer to the dangerous mountain. Ash didn't fall into that category though, and continued forward. Eventually, a red-topped Pokémon Center came into view, a sight that was a golden beacon to the weary Trainer. He had finally arrived at his destination. They say it's the journey, not the destination, but nothing could've been further from the truth to the Trainer as he reached the sliding door of the Center.

"Welcome to the Mt. Silver Pokémon Center, how may I help you?" Nurse Joy asked from across the hall.

There wasn't a soul in the Pokémon Center besides the Nurse and Ash. Nurse Joy wore a happy, smiling face, which was truthful enough, since no one ever came into the Center. Mt. Silver was practically off-limits to all those who didn't have, at the very least, the 16 badges of Kanto and Johto. As such, very few people ventured up the mountain, and those who did often came back discouraged or with scary injuries. How this Joy had been so unlucky as to be the one Nurse out of the whole Joy family of identical cousins, she didn't know or care to fathom. All she knew was that her job stunk.

"Hi, Nurse Joy!" Ash called out, "I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and my Pokémon could use a good rest!"

"Very well." Nurse Joy answered as Ash reached the main desk of the Center and began taking out his Poké Balls. "You said you're from Pallet Town? What brings you out all this way?"

"Oh, I've actually been traveling out in the Johto Region with some friends. I just finished traveling in the Sinnoh Region, a long way from here!" Ash explained, pulling out his Poké Balls one-by-one. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder, indicating that he wouldn't need his Ball to comply with Nurse Joy's procedures, "I hung around in northern Johto for a while before deciding that I was going to come to train on Mt. Silver."

"Pardon?" Nurse Joy asked with shock, "You wish to train on Mt. Silver?"

"Yeah!" Ash confirmed, not catching on, "I competed in the Silver Conference four years ago, and the Pokémon here are real tough, so I figured this was the best place to come to."

Nurse Joy placed Pikachu and Ash's five Poké Balls on a tray, still not convinced that the Trainer was prepared. "You are aware of the dangers on Mt. Silver, yes? 'Real tough' doesn't even begin to describe the strength of the wildlife on the mountain."

"I'm fully aware, Nurse Joy!" Ash promised, "I had hoped there would be a way for me to stay in Silver Town so that I can be in the environment 24/7."

"Well, Silver Town is about two-thirds of the way up the mountain. It's right at the bottom of the most difficult terrain. That doesn't mean that the rest of the mountain isn't extremely difficult. The vast majority of people who come here never make it as far as Silver Town."

"Well Nurse Joy, I promise ya, we're no ordinary travelers!" Ash enthused. The Nurse finally gave up trying to persuade the youth and took the tray of Poké Balls and Pikachu into the back room where she performed her medical procedures. Ash made his way over to the videophone, hoping to call his mother back in Pallet Town.

The videophone rang as the black screen loaded, the familiar loading animation being the only thing that wasn't dark on the screen. Finally, the screen blazed to life, and Delia Ketchum was on the other end of the screen, her red hair tied back in its usual ponytail.

" _Ash! My baby!"_

Ash immediately blanked and repulsed the welcome, "Mom, stop that, please! I'm not a baby anymore!"

" _Oh, but you'll always be mine, Ash! I'll stop embarrassing you though, sweetie. How have you been? It's been a while since you called, you know!"_

Ash nervously scratched the back of his head, "Hehe, yeah, my bad. Anyway, I'm calling you from the Pokémon Center at the bottom of Mt. Silver!"

" _Mt. Silver? Isn't that where the Silver Conference was held?"_

"That's right! It's the toughest training spot in the Region, and I'm gonna spend a super long time up here training and making my Pokémon faster and stronger!"

" _That sounds wonderful, honey. And where's Dawn?"_

Ash blanked again, not exactly sure how to respond. He knew that his mom was fond of both Dawn and Johanna. "Well, here's the thing, Mom…Mt. Silver is off-limits to anyone who doesn't already have all the badges of Kanto and Johto…so I came here without her. She's still traveling in Johto with May."

Delia's mood changed. She seemed confused, and frowned for a second before speaking again, _"I see. Well, darling, I'm certain that you've made the right choice. You know that no matter what you decide to do, I'll always be behind you."_

"Thanks, Mom."

But Delia wasn't finished, and she turned on Ash next. _"But you still bailed on your friend, who came all the way out from Sinnoh to travel with you. I'm sure she didn't take that lightly."_

"Yeah…"

" _Anyway, Ash, you had better be safe. If Mt. Silver is half as tough as you make it sound, then that means it's going to be very dangerous! I want you returning to me in one piece, please!"_

"I promise that I'll be careful, Mom." Ash responded. Mother and son said their goodbyes and then cut the connection feed. Nurse Joy came out of the medical room, carrying a refreshed-looking Pikachu and Ash's other five Poké Balls.

"Mr. Ketchum, your Pokémon are back in full health." Nurse Joy announced, handing him the tray.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Ash answered, "But I'd like to rotate out my team, though. May I call Professor Oak on the videophone?"

"Certainly." Nurse Joy answered, walking back into the medical room to presumably take care of some chores. Chansey remained at the desk, watching the empty hospital like a hawk.

Ash returned to the videophone, Pikachu now on his shoulder. He dialed in the number for Professor Oak's lab, and moments later Oak himself materialized on the live feed.

" _Why, hello there, Ash!"_

"Hey there, Professor!" Ash greeted, "I'm calling about my Pokémon! I'd like to rotate my team out."

" _Certainly, my good man."_ Professor Oak answered, _"Which Pokémon would you like to swap for?"_

"Hmm, how about I send you…" Ash pondered aloud, unclipping Poké Balls from his belt, "Infernape for Bulbasaur and Torterra for Quilava."

" _So, that would give you Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Quilava, Buizel, Staraptor and Gible."_

"Hey, Professor? I've got another request." Ash decided.

" _What is it, my boy?"_

"Do you think you could call Liza in Charicific Valley and ask if she could send me Charizard? I really want to see that big guy again."

" _Absolutely, Ash. Let us exchange the Pokémon you asked for, and I'll call Liza and tell her to send Charizard to…Mt. Silver? My boy, what on Earth are you doing there?"_

"I'm going on a training expedition!" Ash revealed, "I'm gonna conquer Mt. Silver and become super strong with my Pokémon!"

Professor Oak laughed happily, _"It would seem the fires of training never go out in your heart, do they, Ash? I'll call Liza in just a moment and have Charizard sent to you at Mt. Silver. It should only be a matter of minutes! However, you'll need to send one more Pokémon in exchange."_

"I'll send you Staraptor." Ash decided quickly, since he would soon have another Pokémon capable of flying.

Ash placed the three Poké Balls to be exchanged in the teleporter, and the trio of capsules vanished only to be replaced by two identical Balls. These two contained Bulbasaur and Quilava, while Charizard would meet Ash personally. Ash clipped the two Poké Balls to his belt, leaving him with 4 Balls and Pikachu, and then turned back to the projection of Oak. "Thanks so much, Professor."

" _Anytime, Ash."_ Oak answered as he pulled up a corded phone to his ear. _"You stay safe, my boy. Charizard should be with you shortly."_

The connection feed cut out, and Ash clipped the new Poké Balls to his belt. "Pikachu, let's go. We're about to reunite with Charizard!"

Ash and Pikachu sprinted out of the Pokémon Center together. Nurse Joy tried to shout after them that it was getting late and that they would be better served if they stayed in a warm bed at the Center, but the youth and his electric-type didn't hear her. The sliding door barely opened in time for the sprinting Trainer and Pokémon, and Ash and Pikachu reached the outside world again.

"Now all we have to do is wait. Charizard should be headed here from Charicific Valley any minute!"

A Pokémon's cry interrupted Ash's hopeful thoughts, drawing the attention of Ash and Pikachu to the overgrown grass that dominated the side of the rocky road that was Route 28. A large Poliwrath stomped out of the grass, almost as if the youth's happiness had disturbed its goings on. Poliwrath flexed its muscles and clenched its fists, mashing them together.

"I think Poliwrath wants to battle!" Ash stammered, taking a few steps back. "Well, if that's what he wants, then that's what he'll get!"

Ash unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt, rearing back his arm. "Gible, I choose you!"

The Land Shark Pokémon burst free from its Ball, landing loudly on the ground and looking around for its opponent. Poliwrath roared as it zeroed in its gaze on the small dragon-type, drawing Gible's attention. Gible gnashed its jaws together, ready to take on the much larger water-type.

"Gible, let's use Dragon Pulse!"

" _Giiiiiiib…"_ Gible growled as the blast of energy charged up in its mouth. _"Gible!"_

Poliwrath didn't flinch as Gible launched a huge blast of raging energy. Instead, Poliwrath's fist glowed white and it rushed to meet the Dragon Pulse head-on. Poliwrath sent its fist flying, smashing into the Dragon Pulse attack and destroying the energy blast. Ash and Gible both blanked as Poliwrath's Focus Punch attack made Gible look weak, but Gible then narrowed its eyes and became infinitely more competitive.

"Gible, use Dig!"

Gible immediately tore its way under the ground, and the little dragon-type vanished underneath the earth. Poliwrath's eyes narrowed and it looked back and forth along the ground. Ash then spotted Gible's fin as it broke the ground behind Poliwrath, and confidence overwhelmed him. "Gible, get 'em!"

Gible shot out of the ground, crashing into Poliwrath's back. Poliwrath stumbled forward, and then looked incredibly angry, whipping around as it reared back another Focus Punch. Gible acted on instinct, disappearing underneath the ground again. Poliwrath's attack missed this time, and the water-type looked lost as it searched for its undersized opponent.

"This is gonna be great training!" Ash enthused, the heat of battle rushing through his veins. "Gible, come up and use Rock Smash!"

Gible reappeared from under the ground again, once again behind the enraged Poliwrath, and dealt a devastating full-on charge into the Tadpole Pokémon. Poliwrath staggered forward again, its fist glowing. This time, Focus Punch connected, and Gible was sent flying. The dragon-type landed on the ground, bouncing further away as it struggled to stop itself. Gible finally landed a small hand of claws into the ground, skidding to a stop.

Gible stood back up on its little legs, breathing heavily as it readied itself, and then, the Land Shark Pokémon, let loose an angry roar, directing its gaze toward Poliwrath. Gible was normally, a light-hearted Pokémon, but it had no intention of being at the mercy of the much larger water-type

"Gible, let's try this out!" Ash called, and the dragon-type agreed with a _Gib_ noise, as it knew already what its Trainer meant. "Gible, use Draco Meteor!"

Poliwrath ignored Ash's voice and then began running toward Gible, who immediately began summoning a radiant orange energy that glowed brightly throughout its body. The light meant nothing to the aggressive water-type, however, and it charged up yet another brilliant Focus Punch as it ran.

The Draco Meteor attack was released, a singular ball of orange energy soaring high into the sky.

The ball of energy then exploded, releasing dozens of orange streaks in all directions. Poliwrath skidded to a stop in its tracks, enamored by the glow of the perfect attack. The danger didn't even register in the large water-type's mind, until it was all but too late. Poliwrath retreated, only to be struck by a half-dozen Draco Meteorites. Poliwrath stumbled as the damage piled on, and more Draco Meteorites struck it.

Smoke and dirt billowed up into the air, and as it cleared, Poliwrath struggled to stand up, its muscles weak and its drive to battle depleted.

" _Gible!"_ the dragon-type howled in triumph. It had just pulled off a perfect Draco Meteor, which hadn't happened in some time. Its training with the move had been subpar for too long, but now, Gible had triumphed.

Poliwrath finally got up, looking at the powerful Land Shark Pokémon. The water-type brute nodded, and then thundered away back into the grass where it had come from. A splash of water came next, indicating the Tadpole Pokémon had disappeared into whatever stream apparently existed behind the unruly grass.

"Gible! You did it!" Ash called, and the Land Shark dug underneath the ground and came rushing toward Ash, his dorsal fin sticking up and leaving a gash in the dirt as it closed in. Gible jumped up high into the air, landing perfectly in Ash's arms.

"That was the perfect Draco Meteor! We finally got it!" Ash congratulated the dragon-type, who smiled happily. Then, without even so much as a warning, Gible's jaws clamped onto Ash's head.

The Pallet native screamed and Pikachu jumped off of his shoulder as Ash immediately clawed at his head, grabbing Gible by the horns on either side of its dorsal fin. Gible let go of Ash's head and Ash nervously laughed as he returned to holding Gible in his arms.

"You did awesome, Gible. And that's just the beginning." Ash praised, "Now, take a rest—"

" _Gible!"_

Gible jumped out of Ash's arms before Ash could return the dragon-type to his Poké Ball. Gible landed on the ground, and then turned around to face Ash, looking up hopefully at his Trainer.

" _Gible!"_

A sudden, white light appeared all over Gible's body.

"Ah! Could that be…?"

" _Pikachu!"_

Gible's body became much taller in the span of a few seconds. Its stubby arms lengthened and then spawned long shark-like fins of their own. A pair of claws grew, resembling hands. Finally, Gible's form grew a neck and his head became much more reptilian.

The light dissipated as the evolution was completed, and the new Pokémon crossed its new arms as a sign of confidence, swinging them out like an attack as it growled, _"Gya-bite!"_

"Gible, you…you evolved into Gabite!" Ash responded to the evolution with surprise. "That's awesome!"

" _Gya-bite!"_

"This is a huge step forward in our training!" Ash proclaimed, "This is going to be great! Right, Pikachu?"

" _Pika-pi!"_

"Okay, Gabite, return!" Ash called, sucking the new dragon-type back into its Ball. Ash turned the face of the ball toward him, "Man, how awesome is that?" he muttered, before clipping the Ball back onto his belt.

A Pokémon's roar caught Ash's attention next, and the Pallet native as well as Pikachu looked up to the sky. The sun was beginning to set, and in the sunlight a draconic shadow materialized, the shape getting bigger as the Pokémon got closer.

"I'd know that shape anywhere." Ash recognized, "It's Charizard!"

The Flame Pokémon roared as it reached the ground, looking down at Ash. Charizard summoned a Flamethrower and cast it toward Ash, who immediately jumped out of the way. The Flamethrower was in greeting, though, as Ash was able to recognize, and the Trainer got back to his feet and ran toward the fire-type, who happily embraced him. Or, embraced him as well as a dragon could.

"Charizard, I can't wait to start training with you again. Together, we're gonna get stronger!"

Charizard roared in approval, and then gestured to the small bag that was strapped around its neck. It was a traveling bag of sorts, and Ash grabbed it and opened the small parcel at the top. A Poké Ball sat comfortably inside—Charizard's Poké Ball.

"All right!" Ash declared, grabbing the capsule from the small bag. Charizard then discarded the pouch as Ash reached toward him, holding out the Poké Ball. "Let's stay the night at the Pokémon Center since the sun is setting, and tomorrow, we're gonna start climbing Mt. Silver!"

Charizard was returned to its Poké Ball, and Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder. The Trainer and his electric-type partner headed back inside the Pokémon Center with the intention of renting a room. Their training would begin tomorrow, and Ash wasn't sure if he would be able to sleep that night. The anticipation was too much.

Tomorrow, everything would be laid out in front of Ash and his Pokémon. Tomorrow, they would start getting stronger.


	12. The Path to Silver Town

**This chapter is really kind of lame. It's too early to get what I want to on Mt. Silver, which will change, and I really don't have the motivation to write 20,000 words about training, because let's be honest, most of you would probably skim past all of that just like I would. You could honestly probably just skip this chapter, since practically nothing happens after the first 1,500 words.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 12_

 _The Path to Silver Town_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mt. Silver**_

Ash sagged his shoulders and groaned. His legs burned more than he could describe. Ash and Pikachu had been climbing the mountain for nearly two hours now, and their progress had been slow.

"Man, Nurse Joy really wasn't kidding!" Ash complained, leaning down to put his hands on his knees and take in deep breaths, "I guess four years really does make you forget."

" _Pi…"_

Ash sucked in another deep breath and then leaned back, fixing his posture. For the first time, he laid his eyes on the scenery before him. They were standing on a cliff that overlooked the ground beneath them. Looking down, Ash had to guess they were more than a thousand feet up, which wasn't much considering the total height of Mt. Silver, but it was still something. Near the cliff was a natural grotto that had a large pond underneath. Vegetation walled off the water, but Ash had no interest in going to the pond that likely had Pokémon underneath its surface.

The combed-out mountain path continued up ahead, curving around a huge rock formation and spitting out climbers a few hundred feet higher on the next steppe of the mountain. Ash silently started walking over to the rocky path, moving at his own pace for several minutes until he finally reached the end of the curve. Before him was a very long stretch of unkempt road, with large rocks jutting out in all directions and sticking up out of the ground to make the road uneven. Various boulders took up residence on either side of the road, standing in solidarity as if guarding the path from trespassers.

"This looks like as good a place as any." Ash muttered to himself. He reached to his belt and unclipped a Poké Ball. "Buizel, I choose you!"

The Sea Weasel Pokémon landed confidently, scanning the path ahead for enemy Pokémon. When he saw none, Buizel turned to look at Ash, confused. "Buizel, we're gonna hang out here and train, okay?"

Buizel nodded in understanding, putting up a confident smirk and crossing his arms. _"Bui bui!"_

"'Kay, Buizel, let's hit that boulder with a Water Gun!"

Ash pointed toward the nearest boulder, which was only a few feet away. He had hoped that Buizel's Water Gun would at least put a large dent in the boulder, and perhaps even crack off several parts of it, but unfortunately, the boulder rejected the attack entirely, remaining still in response.

Buizel took that as a hit to his pride. "That's okay, Buizel. That's why we're here." Ash soothed, readying another command, "Let's try Aqua Jet!"

Buizel took pride in this move. The Sea Weasel summoned a wave of water around himself, leaping into the air like a rocket. The water trailed after him at high pressure, splashing up and encasing the water-type in a missile of powerful water. The boulder remained steady, as if watching Buizel close in.

The Sea Weasel collided with the boulder, encountering some resistance. Gritting his teeth, Buizel pushed harder, and the boulder gave, cracking as the high pressure bore into it. Buizel pushed some more and soon enough, he had torn a clean hole through the boulder, eroding the thick rock inside the boulder to the point where Buizel passed out the other end of the rock. The water-type pulled up and sped into the sky, pushing his way out of the Aqua Jet and landing cleanly on the gashed boulder. Buizel then crossed his arms confidently and let out a triumphant, _"Bui!"_

"Awesome job, Buizel!" Ash praised, "Just look at that hole in the boulder!"

" _Bui, bui!"_

Suddenly, a heavy rock collided with the back of Buizel's head, launching the water-type forward and flying back toward Ash. Ash panicked as Buizel went airborne, and ran toward where the water-type was about to land.

Buizel's weight slammed into Ash, sending him back to the ground. Luckily, Ash had been able to wrap his hands around Buizel before falling, and landed while having caught the Sea Weasel.

"Buizel, you okay?"

Before the water-type could answer, a Graveler launched into the sky and landed on top of the boulder where Buizel had once been. Graveler beat its jagged chest and roared angrily, conjuring spiky rocks in its large hands and spinning them.

" _Grav!"_

"A Graveler…" Ash remarked, "We must've made it mad."

Buizel pushed his way out of Ash's grip, cringing as the pain in the back of its head ebbed away. The rock-type had thrown a rock at him from behind, landing a clean cheap shot. The move no doubt hurt Buizel's pride, and he became determined to break even with the offending Graveler.

" _Bui! Bui, bui!"_

"Buizel, you ready to battle?" Ash asked in realization, standing back up and clenching a confident fist. Buizel confirmed Ash's question with a stiff nod and steeled his muscles. "All right, let's go!"

Graveler accepted the challenge, leaping down from the boulder and crashing to the ground with great force. The rock-type spun a pair of large rocks in its misshapen hands, ready to do battle with the intruders.

"Buizel, use Water Gun!"

Buizel spat the low-pressure stream of water at Graveler, and the rock-type responded by throwing the pair of rocks. The Water Gun collided with the first rock, destroying it instantly, but the second rock deflected the fluid and fell to the ground. Graveler roared, completely unharmed, and created two more rocks.

"Aqua Jet!"

Buizel immediately formed the missile of high-pressure water, closing in toward Graveler. Graveler watched intently, and then suddenly threw one of the rocks without warning.

"Dodge it!" Ash called quickly, and Buizel immediately curved out of the rock's path, righting itself and rushing toward Graveler once more. The rock-type threw the other rock, and without command, Buizel spun out of the way. Graveler panicked just a split second before the Sea Weasel collided with it, the water rushing over the rock-type and throwing it back. Buizel landed cleanly and confidently mocked the Graveler, who angrily stood back up and beat the ground repeatedly.

The earth immediately started shifting, shaking in all directions at once. Buizel felt it, Ash felt it, and Pikachu felt it. The rocks below them turned back and forth, making the ground unstable. Buizel lost his footing, catching himself with his arms before falling again thanks to the unstable shifting. The Earthquake attack finally stopped and Buizel carefully stood back up, but another shout from the Graveler brought the water-type back on high alert.

Graveler spat out a quick volley of rocks.

"That's Rock Blast! Quick Buizel, dodge!"

Buizel turned its body to dodge the first rock, switching to the opposite side as the second one made its way to where the water-type had moved. Buizel dodged a third rock, and then watched as a fourth rock made its way to the lower half of his body. Focusing entirely on the low-to-the-ground rock, Buizel jumped into the air, dodging it. Confident that he had avoided any damage, Buizel looked back up, only to see the largest of the five rocks heading straight toward him.

Now airborne and unable to effectively dodge, Buizel stood motionless as the rock crashed into his abdomen, sending him skidding toward the ground and back in Ash's general direction. Buizel cringed as the pain intensified, struggling to get up.

"Buizel!" Ash shouted, "Are you all right?"

Buizel interpreted the question as more of a "can you not battle?". Ever the fighter, Buizel steeled his glance on Graveler and stood, adrenaline blocking off the pain in his center.

" _Bui!"_

Ash smiled, admiring Buizel's inner fight. "All right, use Water Gun!"

Buizel sucked in air and started swelling up water inside its mouth. The pressure increased, and with a deep breath Buizel spat out the stream of water, this time at a far greater pressure. The strength of the Water Gun was unlike any Buizel had ever fired off, rippling out in all directions as the powerful stream of water sped toward Graveler. The rock-type had no time to react, and the Water Gun collided with the heavy rock-type and moved it back several yards into the boulder that Buizel had gored moments earlier.

Graveler didn't get up, its eyes turned to swirls.

"All right, Buizel! That was great!" Ash praised, "Your Water Gun was really strong that time!"

Buizel agreed by firing off another Water Gun at no target. Indeed, the pressure was just as great as it had been, indicating that its Water Gun attack was already stronger.

"Great job, Buizel. That was a really tough Graveler, and the Pokémon here will be just as strong, if not stronger!" Ash explained happily. "Now, let's get some rest for those injuries."

Buizel was returned to his Ball most agreeably, feeling it had earned a nice rest. Now left alone again with Pikachu, Ash started walking down the uneven mountain path.

It wasn't long before another group of Graveler arrived, blocking Ash's advance. Each of the heavy rock-types roared at the intruder, unwilling to simply let him pass without a fight.

Considering there were so many, Ash knew it would be beneficial to use more than one Pokémon for this fight.

"Pikachu, get in there." Ash ordered quickly, and the electric-type bounced down from Ash's shoulder and shouted at the offending Graveler. Ash unclipped another Ball from his belt, glancing at it as the sunlight glinted off of the capsule. Ash reared back his arm.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Cianwood City**_

Dawn took in the scent of the seaside breeze as the ferry pulled into port. Cianwood City's skyline wasn't very tall at all, with none of the buildings being much taller than a few stories, except for one: Contest Hall.

The beaches near the port were very lively. The sand was a crystalline white, the stink of pollution not having touched the island town's beaches. The ferry suddenly lurched forward as it came to a complete stop. A deafening horn sounded from above the ship, signaling the ferry's final arrival.

Dawn and May turned from the deck and sprinted, beating the crowd to the exit ramp and escaping onto the docks.

It had been over three weeks since they'd left Mahogany Town. The Cianwood City Contest would be starting soon. As much as Dawn wanted to relax on the beaches of Cianwood City, she and May had been severely delayed on their trip to the island city, barely catching the final ferry in time to make it. It had been a combination of terrible luck and days of not walking as far as they had intended.

Dawn found herself wondering where Ash was right now. It had been almost a month since he'd left, so it stood to reason that he had probably been in the mountains for a week or two.

Dawn shook herself out of the thoughts. She didn't have time to be worrying about Ash. She was here to win a Ribbon and close the gap between her and May. The media had been eating up the alleged Contest rivalry between Dawn and the Princess of Hoenn. Journalists were suckers for storylines, so it was apparently amazing that two rivals would travel together. Neither Dawn nor May found it that monumental. To each other, they were barely even rivals, more so of two Trainers competing against each other. Zoey had been a rival. Kenny had been a rival. But May? The idea of a rivalry hadn't crossed Dawn's mind.

Dawn and May kept walking toward Contest Hall, hoping to register for the Cianwood Contest before registration closed. Dawn smiled confidently. She could feel it in her bones. She was going to win her second Johto Ribbon this weekend.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mt. Silver**_

The weeks passed quickly. Ash had fallen into a strict routine since then. Ash would wake up, cook a small breakfast for him and his Pokémon, and then immediately get to training, whether it was strength, speed, or mental toughness. In the middle of the day, Ash would forage for food in order to keep his stocks replenished. There wasn't much food on the mountain other than berries. To be completely honest, it really sucked. Ash hoped desperately to reach Silver Town very soon so that he could have a real meal. But for now, foraging for berries and cooking the food supplies he'd stocked up before his trip up the mountain was doing well enough.

Well, almost well enough.

The sun was on its way down in the sky. Ash and the gang had had another successful day of training. Before heading up the mountain, Ash had been given a portable teleporter and a satellite phone. Ash made use of these essential devices to exchange out Pokémon when necessary. Ash did this regularly, his only constant companion being Pikachu, since they had been together since his first day as a Trainer. Professor Oak would send Ash a new Pokémon whenever he asked for it, and within a month of training, he had done some work with every single one of his Pokémon back at Oak's ranch.

Unfortunately, there hadn't been any new evolutions since Gible had become Gabite. This had disheartened Ash a little bit. Even though his Pokémon were exceptionally strong from the training they'd been enduring, having a Pokémon evolve was always nice, especially since it usually came with new moves and instantly boosted attributes.

Gabite had quickly cemented its gains in the training routine, becoming stronger with each exercise. By now, it had become easy for the dragon-type to slash through large rocks with its arms. Buizel's Water Gun had become infinitely stronger since they first started climbing up the mountain, the Sea Weasel learning how to pack enough pressure into the stream of water to rival a Hydro Pump. Charizard's training at Charicific Valley had proven to be a huge boon for the fire-type, the years of hard training giving it unrivaled speed and strength in Ash's team. Among the others, Infernape and Torterra had greatly improved in their strength, as had others such as Quilava, Totodile, Heracross, Tauros (all thirty of them), and Donphan.

With another full day of training in the books, Ash made his way further up the mountain. The weather was getting colder the higher he went, and Ash knew that he really needed to find Silver Town quick to get a proper change of clothes for the increasingly colder weather.

The path became increasingly smoother all of a sudden, puzzling Ash. The road had been rocky for a long time, and the fact that it was becoming much better kept stood out to Ash. Hope swelling in his breast, Ash broke into a run, startling Pikachu, who reacted by gripping tightly onto Ash's shoulder.

"Sorry, Pikachu! I gotta see if I'm right!" Ash shouted, making no sense to the disgruntled electric-type.

The steep mountain path started to flatten; the angle lessening the further Ash ran. His legs burned like hell, but he pushed the pain out of his mind by thinking that it was a workout. The angle of the road continued to lessen, and Ash continued to hope harder and harder.

Finally, the hill flattened out entirely, coming at the crest of the hill. Before Ash was a series of small buildings in a valley of rocks, with more of the mountain path stretching up and out on the other end of the settlement. There was a Pokémon Center, a Poké Mart, and other essential establishments in the small settlement.

"Silver Town…" Ash marveled, almost as if the small settlement was the greatest sight he had ever witnessed, "We're finally here, Pikachu!"


	13. The Secrets of Mount Silver

**Now, this chapter is way more fun. We're still skipping through training like it's going out of style, but I promise it won't matter that much. Small plot device incoming, with a big chapter up next, I promise.**

 **Also, this is likely the last chapter I put out until the weekend. I'll be heading out on vacation tomorrow, and since I'll be with family, I likely won't have much time to write at all. So look for Chapter 14 to be released late Saturday or during the day Sunday.**

 **Happy Thanksgiving, folks!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 13_

 _The Secrets of Mount Silver_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Silver Town**_

Ash raced into Silver Town, adrenaline now the driving force in his body. The sliding door of the Pokémon Center obeyed the command of the flailing shape heading toward it, and the second Ash hit the warm air conditioning of the Center's main floor, he felt like he was in Heaven.

"Welcome to the Silver Town Pokémon Center!" Nurse Joy welcomed from across the hall. Just like in the Center at the foot of the mountain, there was no one in the entire building, "How may I help you?"

"Hi, there, Nurse Joy." Ash greeted, "I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I've been training on this mountain for over a month now. It took me a while, but I finally made it up here."

"Wow, that sounds like you've had a lot of fun." Nurse Joy teased, "You've made it just in time, based on your clothes. The cold weather starts hitting Silver Town very early, usually in the middle of September. Ash remembered that it would probably be around right around the first or second week of September. The Lily of the Valley Conference had ended at the end of June, and he'd left Pallet Town for Saffron City with Dawn barely a week after that. What an eventful two months he'd had, he finally realized. "I'm guessing your Pokémon could use a good rest." Nurse Joy continued.

"Yep!" Ash answered, "And I could also use a room to stay in. I don't know how long I'll be staying on the mountain, but it would probably be upwards of the next two months."

Nurse Joy punched in the information and then took Ash's Pokémon to the healing room. A few minutes later, his Pokémon were in perfect condition, and he had a room key to one of the few hotel rooms that the Center offered.

Ash made his way over to the videophone. His first order of business would be to call his mother. His only method of communication had been via satellite phone, but Ash hadn't gotten the chance to see his mother in person and talk to her. Punching in the familiar number for Ketchum residence, Ash waited, a relieved smile on his face when Delia picked up.

"Hi, Mom!"

" _Ash, dear!"_ Delia answered, _"I'm so glad to see you're safe."_

"Thanks, Mom. I just got to Silver Town, and the Pokémon Center had a videophone, so I thought I'd call you."

" _That's wonderful, Ash. How long have you been up there on the mountain?"_

"A little more than a month, give or take." Ash answered quickly, "My Pokémon have gotten really strong! I've been rotating them out with Professor Oak for a while now. We've been breaking boulders and battling wild Pokémon day in and day out, and it's really starting to pay off!"

" _You remind me so much of your father, you know."_

Ash's mood visibly darkened. "No, I…I didn't know."

Delia realized her mistake, _"Oh, Ash, don't get down on yourself. I didn't mean it like that. Your father was just very ambitious, just like you were, and he always put in work with his Pokémon."_

"But he also never came back." Ash responded darkly, "He left us, just like I left Dawn and May."

" _Now, you stop that nonsense right here, mister."_ Delia answered unhappily, _"Don't you for once think of it like that."_

Ash did his best to sober his mood. "I'm sorry, Mom. You're right. Well, I think I'm going to go. I've been stuck eating berries and gristle for a month now, and I could really use an actual meal."

" _All right, dear, I'll let you go. Stay strong, Ash! I love you!"_

Ash nodded, grinning, "Bye, Mom."

The connection feed cut, and Ash called up Professor Oak next, rotating out his Pokémon once again so that his current party could eat. His new set consisted of Sceptile, Noctowl, Squirtle, Torkoal, and Corphish.

"Nurse Joy, is there somewhere I can get a nice cooked meal?" Ash asked.

"Of course." The Nurse answered, "Right down the road is the Silver Diner, the best food you'll find on the mountain."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Ash praised before turning and heading back into the chilly weather. The sun had fallen over the crest of the horizon, producing a bright orange sky. The sight was beautiful from the vantage point of the mountain settlement, and a simple look down allowed Ash to look at all of the happenings thousands of feet below. The moving rocks down on the lower levels of the mountain could only be Pokémon such as Geodude and Graveler migrating about, while the trees back on the foot of the mountain bristled with bird Pokémon.

The Silver Diner was relatively easy to find, thanks to the large faded sign advertising its name. Ash pushed open the door to find no one in the establishment, except for a dark-skinned man in a traditional diner outfit wiping down a table.

"Um…hello." Ash started nervously, catching the man's attention, "Is this place still open? I've been climbing the mountain and could really use some cooked food."

The man answered with a soft voice, "We're fixing to close down for today, but I can get the kitchen to whip up something for you. Would you like a menu, sir?"

"That would be great. And you can just call me Ash."

The soft-spoken man left his place cleaning the table and went behind the counter, pulling out a small menu and handing it to the Pokémon Trainer. Ash took the menu and looked at the limited options. The diner served mostly breakfast, but had some meat on the menu for lunch and dinner. After a few moments of scanning the menu, Ash knew what he wanted to eat.

"I'd like the Double Egg Special, please, scrambled, and with ham and a biscuit on the side. A glass of milk to drink."

The man wrote down the order and smiled as he took the menu from Ash. "Coming right up, Mr. Ash."

Ash didn't get a chance to ask for the man to drop the formal title before he vanished into the kitchen. Pikachu nuzzled into Ash's neck, purring. "Yeah, it's kinda cold in here, huh?" Ash asked Pikachu, who simply purred in response. "After dinner we'll grab some cold weather clothes. How's that sound?"

Pikachu agreed, and after several minutes of twiddling his thumbs the soft-spoken man returned with a hot plate of eggs and ham, a biscuit sitting on a much smaller individual plate. The man handed Ash his food before taking the empty glass of milk and refilling it with the drink. "Enjoy." He said before heading back to wipe down tables.

Ash scarfed down the eggs, relishing the smooth texture of the scrambled delicacy. Next, the ham vanished into the black hole that was Ash Ketchum's digestive system, followed by the biscuit. His hunger satiated, Ash paid for the meal and then left the Silver Diner, his eye catching the Silver Town Sports & Outdoors. The store itself was also very small, but had enough options for Ash to choose from.

Heavy jackets of various colors stuck out to Ash. First there was a dark blue jacket with yellow and white overlays down the sides, next, a red jacket with all-white overlays. The list continued, taking up colors such as green, black, and yellow, before Ash settled on the blue jacket. Blue was his color, after all, and it went well with his Sinnoh vest, a dark blue vest with a bold yellow stripe across the chest. Ash paid for the jacket and then a pair of heavy traveling pants and boots before leaving. His wallet was nearly depleted after the spree, and Ash made a mental note not to buy anything else during his time in the town.

Ash returned to the Pokémon Center, huddling away from the freezing night air and into the warmth of the Center's AC. Bidding Nurse Joy good night, Ash crashed into bed early, relishing the feel of a warm bed after such a long time sleeping on the ground or in the trees.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Mt. Silver**_

"Squirtle, up!"

Squirtle curled in its tail and braced its legs, launching off of the ground and high into the air. The group of Geodude looked up at the airborne Tiny Turtle Pokémon, a collective _"Geo, Geodude…"_ passing through them.

"Squirtle, get in your shell and use Water Gun!"

Squirtle let out a croak as it slipped inside its shell effortlessly. High-pressure water suddenly sprayed out of the new holes in the water-type's shell, and the shell started to spin rapidly. The powerful blasts of water turned and created a wheel of spray, and the Tiny Turtle Pokémon crashed into the ground directly in front of the group of wild Geodude. The spinning Water Gun's water sprayed out in all directions at calamitous pressure, meeting the group of rock-type Pokémon and spraying them down.

" _Duuuuuuude!"_ the group of rock-types collectively shrieked as the Water Gun wheel batted them far away, never to be seen again. Squirtle then popped back out of its shell, seeing the ground in front of it now clear of its enemies, and looked back to Ash, smiling wide.

"Awesome job, Squirtle! Your Water Gun is much stronger now!"

Squirtle ran up to Ash and leaped into the Trainer's arms, affectionately hugging the much larger human. Pikachu then reached down from Ash's shoulder to give Squirtle a high five, which the water-type graciously accepted. "Let's keep heading up guys, what do you think?"

The two Pokémon agreed with their respective cries, making the Trainer smile. Their time on Mt. Silver was reaching the two-month mark, and since their arrival in Silver Town, the amount of training they'd been able to accomplish had increased tenfold. Silver Town was naturally at the foot of several mountain trails, many of which were long and went all the way up to the summit. But along each and every trail were various caves that, according to Silver Town's Nurse Joy, all connected with each other. These mountain caves were crawling with resident wild Pokémon, and each and every one of them were strong, resilient, and fast. Indeed, Ash had rarely battled with such capable Pokémon, wild or captured, and the experience was a boon to his goals.

Ash, Squirtle, and Pikachu headed up the inclined trail. Despite more than one previous attempt, they'd been unable to reach the summit. Nurse Joy hadn't been very helpful with that part of Ash's questions: how to reach the summit of Mt. Silver. Apparently it was something that few people attempted, and those who did try were often labeled as nutcases.

Obviously, Ash was no nutcase.

Right?

Ash broke out of his thoughts when the trail brought them to the entrance of another mountain cave. The cavern appeared almost artificially cut out, so undisturbed were its ridges. Ash looked to Pikachu, and then Squirtle, and both Pokémon nodded readily, silently agreeing to enter the cave.

A pitch darkness overwhelmed Ash's eyesight. Many of the mountain caverns had had at least some form of artificial lighting in them. This cave had none, proving that it hadn't been molested by humanity very often, if at all.

"So dark…" Ash muttered, "D'you guys think that could mean the summit is close?"

Pikachu and Squirtle simply muttered back inconclusively, both looking around and doing their best to find some way of seeing two feet in front of them. Finally sick of the darkness, Ash reached for his belt and grabbed the flashlight. A swift click of the power button produced a cone of white light down the tunnel, instantly giving Ash and the two Pokémon vastly improved sight. As far as their eyes could see, there was still nothing ahead of them but the quiet, untouched cavern. The only noise was the crunching of Ash's footsteps on the gravely ground. The Trainer and Pokémon continued forward for what seemed like an eternity.

Eventually, at some point, the cavern widened, indicating that they had made progress. Ash's eyes widened as the cavern become longer very quickly, until it appeared that the cave's walls were no longer existent. Ash frantically pointed the light to one side, only to see that what was once the wall curved around. A few more flicks of the flashlight revealed that Ash was standing in what looked like a circular chamber. Intrigued, Ash began walking around the circumference of the room, carefully turning the light back and forth. The existence of the circular room seemed to disprove what Ash had originally thought: that the cave hadn't been touched by humanity. It seemed unlikely that a cave would end up in a perfectly circular chamber by the whim of nature.

"Who—or what—do you think made this place, Pikachu?" Ash asked dumbly to the electric-type. The mouse simply responded with an awestruck breath, indicating the Pokémon had no idea either.

Suddenly, something seemed to gleam in the cone of Ash's light. The Pallet native's eyes immediately shifted to where he'd seen the glow, and he flashed the light over it once again. Again, there was a silvery glow, but it was gone before Ash could blink.

"That's…weird…" Ash muttered, instinctively moving closer to the wall where he'd seen the glow.

Another flick of the light produced yet another glinting glow as Ash reached the wall, shining the flashlight directly at the wall and holding it there. This time, the glow stayed, and Ash could clearly see what the darkness of the cave had hidden.

A series of inscribed Unown bore into the rocky wall, each inscription a dim but still brilliant silver color. Now Ash was certain that someone had been here to create this chamber. The way the Unown were arranged, it could only be sentences.

Ash held the flashlight on the Unown letters and reached into his bag with one hand. Squirtle jumped down from Ash's chest and looked into the darkness. Ash clumsily managed to pull what he was looking for out of his bag: a pen and notepad. Silver Town's Nurse Joy had taken the liberty of arranging hiking supplies for Ash once she had found out that he intended to climb the mountain. The pen and notepad had been among the supplies that included a canteen of water, a couple of protein bars, rope, and other hiking supplies. The Nurse's reasoning for including such a trivial-looking pair of items was simply that Ash could never know that he might need to write something down.

"Bless that Nurse." Ash muttered to himself as he uncapped the pen. The Unown inscribed on the wall were hard to read, so the Pride of Pallet had decided to write down each individual letter and try to make sense of the arrangement later when he had more light.

There were so many letters that it took Ash an eternity to scribe all of the unique shapes onto the notepad. When he finally finished, he capped the pen and placed the writing supplies back in his bag. Instinctively, Ash looked to his watch, noticing the time was in the late afternoon. The sun would be setting soon, and it would be a long climb back down to Silver Town.

"All right, guys, what's say we head back to—"

A cacophonous crashing from the opposite side of the chamber interrupted Ash, and both the Trainer and two Pokémon looked to the source of the noise. Ash flicked the flashlight over to the sound. The light ended up trailing down a tunnel that continued down the cavern, rather than the one that Ash had come in through. Regardless, what he saw made him jump.

A Golem had burst through the rock wall and was tearing apart at the rocks. The huge rock-type ignored the flashlight as its glow settled on its body, much more preoccupied with finding a delicious stony meal. Ash began to wonder if Golem could even register that the light was there. Carefully, he backed away with Squirtle and Pikachu at his sides, his eyes fixated on the thrashing Golem.

And then, Ash stepped on a misshapen rock that knocked his foot out from under him, causing him to fall.

"Shit!" Ash gasped as the ground knocked the wind out of him. He scrambled back to his feet and pointed the flashlight back on the Golem. He nearly screamed when the light illuminated Golem's pointy face.

The towering rock-type roared furiously at the intruders, and almost immediately, Golem tucked in its arms and legs and began to roll threateningly toward Ash at a high speed.

"Ack! Run!" Ash panicked, immediately bailing in the direction of the tunnel that had brought him to the peculiar chamber. Golem continued to roll, missing Ash and his Pokémon completely and crashing into the nearest wall. Golem's extremities launched back out and it reopened itself, looking to wear the intruders had run to. Roaring angrily again, Golem tucked itself back in and started rolling again.

Knowing Golem would be on him before he could make it to the tunnel, Ash turned, a finger pointed toward the oncoming rock-type. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu leaped off of Ash's shoulder, soaring forward to meet the enraged Golem. His tail lit up a bright silver color and the electric-type swung its backside forward.

Pikachu packed more than enough of a punch to knock Golem backward. The massive and heavy rock-type rolled lamely in a random direction, uncurling itself so that it could stop its discombobulated rolling. The rock-type looked to the fleeing human and electric mouse with rage as they disappeared into the tunnel. Tucking in its arms, Golem started rolling again, slowly at first so that it could align itself with the tunnel path, and then pushing itself with great force to get it moving down the tunnel.

Ash was in a full sprint, his two Pokémon doing their best to keep up with the fleeing Trainer. The noise of Golem's vengeful travel buzzed in their ears as they ran, and they knew if they didn't at least keep their current pace that they would be flattened. The white light of the cave's end appeared to Ash, and the Pallet native only increased his sprinting speed to reach it faster. Golem's noises became louder as the rock-type closed in, and the second that Ash reached the exit of the cave, he pulled himself hard against the side of the mountain, his Pokémon following his lead, as Golem thundered out of the cave just behind them, flying through the air and over the edge of the cliff, falling out of sight.

Ash sighed, exhaling carefully as he finally noticed how tense he'd become. "Okay, you two, I think we're..."

A rocky arm appeared over the nearby ridge, digging into the earth with its claws. An identical arm appeared a few feet away from the first, and Golem laboriously dragged itself back up to the path, standing back up on its feet. Golem glared at Ash and roared, the call of the wild clear and evident in its furious eyes. The rock-type gnashed together its relatively small jaw, but the sheer size of the walking boulder was enough to make it appear very threatening.

"Aw, come on!" Ash complained, "Golem, we're sorry! We were just exploring, we didn't mean to upset you!"

Golem would have none of the Trainer's pleas, and barked furiously at him. In Golem's sleek but powerful hands, two rocks generated out of thin air in a flash of dirt and gravel, and the now-armed rock-type roared before slinging the pair of rocks directly at Ash.

Without so much as a command, Pikachu leaped in front of Ash's head, its Iron Tail attack humming as it glowed, and the electric-type shattered both Rock Throw projectiles before landing on the ground. Pikachu then furiously shouted at Golem, who roared back without listening.

"C'mon, guys, let's go!" Ash panicked before sprinting off. Squirtle agreed wholeheartedly, running after its Trainer, while Pikachu was more reluctant to run away from the rock-type, itching to put the violent Pokémon in its place. Knowing he would be left behind, though, Pikachu ran after Ash and Squirtle. Golem growled angrily, its challenge unacknowledged, and started rolling after the fleeing trio.

Ash skidded to a halt after running down the trail for a bit. "Wait!" he shouted, "We can't just bring that thing into Silver Town!"

Ash turned back around and watched as the angry rock-type rolled closer. "We'll have to beat it here! Squirtle, use Water Gun! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Golem closed in as the two Pokémon unleashed their moves. The double attacks struck Golem head-on, and the rock-type stumbled out of its rolling maneuver and landed on its belly. Golem's powerful arms then struck the rocky ground and the heavy Pokémon pushed itself back up, roaring at the two smaller Pokémon. Pikachu and Squirtle steeled themselves, standing confidently and glaring at the aggressive rock-type.

Golem generated two large rocks in its hands, throwing one at each of the two Pokémon. "Break the rocks!" Ash called, and Pikachu and Squirtle both destroyed the projectiles with a simple move. "Now, Squirtle, use Rapid Spin! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Squirtle withdrew itself into its shell and spun like a tornado, levitating itself off of the ground. Pikachu followed, its tail enveloped in a glowing light. Golem stood defensively, watching the two as they closed in. Ash then called out his next command.

"Now, Pikachu, hit Squirtle toward Golem!"

Pikachu jumped up without hesitation, rearing its backside as it neared the spinning turtle shell that housed Squirtle. Pikachu swung its tail forward, smashing the steel-type attack into the back of Squirtle's shell. The water-type's speed increased tenfold, a powerful white light trailing behind its movement, before crashing into Golem and driving it into the ground. Squirtle popped out of its shell, leaping into the air.

"Use Water Gun!" Ash called to the airborne Squirtle, and the Tiny Turtle Pokémon sprayed his new and improved Water Gun attack onto the downed Golem. The massive rock-type complained as the effective attack doused it.

Pikachu and Squirtle landed cleanly in front of Ash, both Pokémon's adrenaline running high with the rush of battle. Golem released another guttural roar and forced itself to stand up. Next, Golem waved its powerful rock-like arms, and slammed them into the ground. The ground started shaking, and Ash knew what that meant. Luckily, the Pride of Pallet had his own specially crafted counter for the Earthquake attack.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail and stick your tail into the ground to hold yourself up. Squirtle, use Rapid Spin to keep yourself airborne!"

Squirtle was in the air in a jiffy, spinning at a speed that generated enough of a wind current underneath it to keep the water-type away the roiling ground. Meanwhile, Pikachu balanced on its tail, turning the thunderbolt-shaped tail into steel and stabbing it into the ground. Thanks to that, the Earthquake attack didn't affect the grounded electric-type at all, and Pikachu returned to the ground and ripped its tail free from the earth as the powerful attack ended. Squirtle's Rapid Spin came to an end as well, and the water-type landed cleanly next to its electric-type pal.

Golem roared angrily as it realized that its attack had failed, and the huge rock-type finally decided to take a more physical approach. Golem returned to its rolling form and a blazing aura surrounded its form, spinning around powerfully as Golem rolled.

"That's Giga Impact!" Ash shouted.

Squirtle leered at the approaching Golem, and without command, surged forward. Its tail generated a wave of water, and the Tiny Turtle Pokémon lunged forward to the approaching Golem. The water in its tail blazed up and roiled around like a stormy sea, and as Squirtle turned its tail forward to attack, Golem arrived.

There was an explosion as Squirtle swung its tail forward, and the smoke cleared relatively quickly. Golem went airborne, spinning wildly in the air as it gained height, howling in shock as it lost all control of itself.

"That was Aqua Tail!" Ash shouted as Squirtle landed and watched the rock-type learn to fly. "Pikachu, finish it with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu cried with renewed resolve and once again turned its tail to steel, sprinting toward a rock formation that took the appearance of a pillar. Pikachu effortlessly ran up the rock formation, its tail brimming with overpowering energy. Golem finally reached the peak of its flight, without a doubt more than a hundred feet up, and gravity began to take hold of the rock-type, sending it back down to earth. At this moment, Pikachu kicked itself off of the rock formation, soaring toward a point where it would meet Golem mid-fall.

The rock-type wailed as gravity sent it hurtling down toward the ground, not even registering the electric mouse rushing toward it with the perfect Iron Tail attack. A deafening _slam_ rang out into Ash's ears and Pikachu connected, cleanly striking Golem and sending it hurtling away like a golf ball. Golem's cries could be heard as it was again sent screaming through the sky, and Pikachu landed effortlessly, releasing a triumphant, _"Pi_ ka _!"_

"We beat 'em!" Ash celebrated, running toward Squirtle and Pikachu. "That was awesome teamwork, guys! And Squirtle, you learned Aqua Tail! That should mean that you forgot a move though, huh? Let's check it out."

Ash whipped out his Pokédex and pointed the device at Squirtle, and the machine immediately brought up a display showing the shape of the Pokémon and its known moves. "Rapid Spin, Skull Bash, Hydro Pump, and…Aqua Tail." Ash read aloud, disappointed to see that Water Gun was no longer among the list, "Huh. All that work strengthening your Water Gun and just like that it's gone. But you know what, Aqua Tail's a way stronger move anyhow! This is a huge step forward, Squirtle!"

Squirtle did a little dance in response to Ash's praise, and then high-fived Pikachu. Ash spoke up again, seeing the sun had gotten just a little bit closer to the horizon. "Hey, guys, let's head back. We want to be back in Silver Town before sunset."

Squirtle and Pikachu loyally followed Ash down the mountain trail. The walking took nearly an hour, and when they finally returned to Silver Town, the sky had been lit up into an orange hue, giving the mountain town a beautiful glow. It was mid-October now, and already Ash had seen the first specks of snowfall. Of course, they were much higher up than the average citizen, so weather was significantly different in Silver Town, but it was still a pretty sight.

Ash trudged back into the Pokémon Center, taking in the warm air conditioning with a smile. "Hey, Nurse Joy!" Ash greeted, having gotten used to being the only person who was ever in the Center.

"Good evening, Ash." Nurse Joy responded, "How did training go?"

"It was great! We just got back from exploring a mountain cave way up on the trail. It was weird, though, it looked like no human had ever been in it, there were no lights inside it and the cave was really clean-looking." Ash explained.

Nurse Joy frowned, "That is odd. Of course we've never explored the mountain caves in their entirety. Only a handful of people have actually reached the summit of Mt. Silver anyhow, so it's no wonder that there is still uncharted territory here."

Ash nodded, "Yeah, and then the cave opened up into this weird circular room. I walked around with my flashlight and then found these inscriptions in one of the walls."

Ash pulled out the notepad from his bag, flipping to the page where he'd written down the Unown scriptures. Nurse Joy's eyes widened. "Why, those are Unown! They were used in ancient times as an alphabet. The regular alphabet we use today is based off of their shapes."

"I was going to take a crack at spelling out what was written, but then a Golem showed up, and it wasn't happy to see we were in its territory." Ash explained further, "So we hightailed it out of there and battled the thing outside."

Nurse Joy nodded. "Pokémon close to the summit are significantly more territorial than those closer to the foothills. It's because there are so few Pokémon that actually live up there. Down low, you see so many more Pokémon, so there's more of a sharing culture between the wild Pokémon."

"That makes sense." Ash agreed, "Well, if I could get a good rest for my Pokémon, that would be really helpful, and, I guess I'll call my mom before picking up my Pokémon and heading to bed."

"Sure thing, Ash." Nurse Joy agreed as the Trainer unclipped his Poké Balls and placed them on the tray. Pikachu hopped onto the tray as well, looking wistfully up at the nurse, "Would you like me to order food for you from Silver Diner again?"

"That would be a huge help, Nurse Joy." Ash answered, "Just get me the usual, please."

Within the next half hour, Ash had his rested Pokémon, had rotated his team out for the next day on the mountain, and had taken his food to his room, wolfing it down in moments and then flicking on the TV to check out what was happening back in civilization.

Pikachu hopped up next to Ash on the bed, curling up next to the Trainer and looking wistfully at him. Ash eventually looked down to the electric-type, grinning stupidly with his partner of four years.

Ash pulled out the notepad next, uncapping the pen and flicking on the lamp. For the first time, he noticed how rushed his scrawl had been in copying the Unown scriptures. Almost immediately, Ash noticed a pattern. The characters clearly resembled modern letters, and from there it was relatively easy to write out the translation. In a matter of minutes, Ash had his message, and read it aloud to no one in particular.

" _A steep climb, truly sublime, has brought you to this spot."_ Ash read slowly, _"To reach the pinnacle of the planet, one final test remains. Above thee, a great titan lies sleeping. To gain passage, defeat this titan thee must. With the guardian's permission, ultimate beauty shall be unlocked."_

Ash thought for several seconds before speaking again. "That's pretty ominous."

" _Pika…"_

"What do you think it means by a great titan, Pikachu? You think it's a Pokémon?"

" _Pika, Pikachu…_ "

"I guess there's only one way to find out. The letters imply this titan has to allow you to get to the summit. Maybe that cave was the way to the summit! Pikachu, how's about we head back there tomorrow?"

" _Pika!"_

"All right!" Ash whooped, "It's settled! Tomorrow, we make one more try for the summit!"


	14. A New Era

**Hello, all! I am back from my vacation and here with a pair of chapters to update you with! I managed to have time to myself to write, mostly at night, and polished up the two chapters I wrote today. I hope you enjoy this next double feature. Please consider leaving a review below, favorite/following, and PMing.**

 **For this chapter, I'm going to make you wait and we're going to visit our favorite Team Rocket crooks! We haven't seen them since Chapter 6, and big things are going to be in store for them here.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 14_

 _A New Era_

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region - Undisclosed Location**_

Jessie, James, and Meowth walked down the hallway of Team Rocket's Kanto Base. The hallways were marked by a consistent blue tiling going in every direction, a slight neon lighting accompanying the generic large light bulbs that kept the hallway bright. At the moment, the Rocket trio was on their way to meet with Giovanni, the big boss of their great organization. As an extremely wealthy businessman, Giovanni had poured the heart and soul of his finances into the funding of the organization, all while making mountains of money through his business dealings. His criminal double life was strictly unknown outside of the bounds of Team Rocket.

"So, the boss wants to see us, hmm?" Jessie asked, breaking the tense silence among the group, "What do you think it's for?"

"Perhaps to shower us with praise for our actions in Sinnoh?" James suggested, a little too hopefully.

Meowth rebutted the twosome's banter with the cold, hard truth. "Oh, come on! You's two both know dat we ain't accomplished nuthin' but makin' fools of ourselves! After this, da boss is sure to send us packin' our bags, if not woise."

Jessie and James immediately sagged their shoulders and sighed, defeated. "As usual, you're right, Meowth." James muttered, "Truth is it would make perfect sense for Giovanni to kick us out."

"Agreed…" Jessie sighed, but then she pepped up, standing tall again, "But we can't walk in there expecting that! Where's that usual pep?"

The Rocket trio arrived at the large double doors that led into Giovanni's reception desk. The doors slid open, and the receptionist at the desk was furiously typing away at her computer. She didn't even have to look up to know who had arrived, and she didn't hesitate to speak.

"Ah, Jessie, James, and Meowth. Go on in. Giovanni's waiting on you three."

James shivered as they walked toward the next set of double doors, these leading directly into Giovanni's office. "Urk, the way she said that gives me goose bumps."

"Come on, James, let's try and stay positive." Jessie answered calmly, "After all, what's the worst that could happen?" The magenta-haired Rocket didn't allow her comrades to answer the obvious scenario and pulled open the door, the three crooks quietly walking into the great Giovanni's office, each slipping inside and lining up by the door as they closed it shut.

All together, the Rockets made their presence known.

"Jessie, James, and Meowth reporting for duty, sir."

Giovanni's comfortable armchair had its back turned to the crooks, the man who occupied it looking out the window at the valley that stretched out away from the base. Calmly, Giovanni turned his chair around, coming to a stop once he directly faced the three. The look on the man's face was eerie and made the trio's blood run cold. Giovanni certainly had a way with intimidating people.

In the most gravelly voice possible, Giovanni called out to the three, gesturing for them to come closer. "Welcome, you three. I've been expecting you."

Jessie, James, and Meowth all walked forward together, as was custom among Team Rocket members when addressing their great leader Giovanni. They came to a stop a handful of feet away from the man's desk, standing in solidarity and revealing nothing based on their expressions. For the first time, the three noticed three chairs sitting on the opposite side of Giovanni's desk.

Giovanni unclasped his hands and gestured to the seats, his voice remaining gravelly and unnerving. "Please, you three, there's no need for such formality. Sit down."

Shaking in their boots, the trio sat in the chairs in front of Giovanni, James on one side, Jessie on the other, and Meowth smack dab in the middle. An awkward yet deafening silence held over the three Rockets and their leader, as Giovanni stared them down. It was becoming painfully hard not to show any emotion.

"I'm sure all three of you are wondering why I called you here today." Giovanni began, speaking coldly.

"Yes, sir," the three said in unison, all of them expecting for Giovanni to tell them that they were fired.

"Rest assured, I will not keep you for too long." Giovanni said next, pulling out a file from a drawer in his desk. Giovanni slapped the file down on his desk and then quietly opened it, sternly looking through the files. "You three have spent the last two years in the Sinnoh Region, yes?"

"That's correct, sir." The Rockets said all together once again.

"I've finally had the time to review your official report. Unfortunately, the list of accomplishments that you have been able to provide me with is very, very slim." Giovanni continued, "And the net loss in finance that is listed here is alarming."

"We understand, sir."

"So I think it is safe to say that your accomplishments are few and far between and your record is littered with failures, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"However, I am typically an understanding man. Under your list of successes, I see something that is very interesting here. Without being too descriptive, you three claim to have been instrumental in the taking down of a…Team Galactic?"

Silence held over the group.

"Well, which one of you wants to explain this to me?"

Jessie reluctantly spoke up. "Well, you see, Giovanni, sir, Team Galactic is… _was_ a group of crooks aiming to create a new world with the help of extremely powerful Legendary Pokémon. Their aim was to wipe out our world in favor of a new one."

Giovanni nodded. "Mmhmm. Can you tell me anything about their personnel?"

James spoke next. "As far as we could tell, there were four people in charge. Three commanders, codenamed Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, and a big boss, who called himself Cyrus."

Meowth continued where James left off, "Cywus made this red doohickey to control da Legendary Pokémon, but the whole thing went kaboom."

"And what happened to Cyrus?"

Jessie spoke next, "Cyrus's plan nearly succeeded, with the start of a new world right in front of our faces. Cyrus then jumped inside this new world, before it swallowed him up. The Legendary Pokémon that he controlled then destroyed the gateway to this new world. We assumed that Cyrus was destroyed with it."

"What about these others three Commanders?"

"Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were arrested after Cyrus disappeared."

Giovanni nodded, sitting straight up in his chair now. "Good. It seems that the three of you have the correct information. So I will choose to believe that you played a part in their downfall."

James: "Pardon, sir?"

"You see; I already had the full detail on the intentions and eventual failure of Team Galactic." Giovanni explained, "But I asked for you to tell me what you knew in order to see that you were telling the truth. As such, I choose to believe you. Your information matches up with what I was briefed on."

The double doors into Giovanni's office then opened, and the receptionist from before strutted in, carrying a stack of files in her arms. Quietly, she walked over to Giovanni's side, the only noise in the room the clicking of her heels, and she dropped the stack of files onto Giovanni's desk. Giovanni again leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, and gestured to the stack of files.

"You see, after the fall of Team Galactic, the International Police released thousands of files to the public, each and every one of them relating in some way to the operations of Team Galactic." Giovanni explained, "And I must say, I am quite intrigued by their efforts. Until recently it was completely unknown to me that there were tangible Pokémon with the power to literally control time and space itself."

The three Rockets nodded, not quite understanding where Giovanni was going with the topic, but also unwilling to speak up and interrupt the leader's monologue. Giovanni continued, "At the very least, I would be interested in traveling to the Sinnoh Region to explore this…Space-Time Legend…and taking a further, more in-depth look at the machinations of Team Galactic. I believe there is merit to their research and that Team Rocket's goals can be bolstered through the study of their activities. However, this will require us to set up a permanent base in the Sinnoh Region."

Jessie finally broke and spoke out of turn, "I'm very sorry, sir, but…where exactly do we fit into all of this?"

Giovanni smiled. "Very good, Jessie. You're very intuitive."

Jessie's heart went over the moon at the compliment. It wasn't every day that the leader of their great organization complimented his underlings, especially with the catastrophic failures that Jessie and her partners had been.

"Incidentally, the three of you have great experience with traveling around the Sinnoh Region, yes?" Giovanni asked rhetorically, "The part that the three of you will play into this will be instrumental in setting up a permanent presence of Team Rocket in Sinnoh. Jessie, James, and Meowth…I am promoting you to Team Rocket Admins. You will be assigned to the Sinnoh Region for the time being."

The minds of the three Team Rocket crooks nearly shattered. Jessie, James, and Meowth all rewound what Giovanni had just said thousands of times in their minds.

A promotion? And a long-term assignment? It was a dream come true!

Giovanni continued. "Your mission—should you choose to accept it—will be to control all operations of Team Rocket's Sinnoh branch into the research of this Space-Time Legend and the machinations of Team Galactic. The objective of this assignment is still to be determined, but you will be kept on a constant need-to-know basis concerning this endeavor. You will be provided with full disclosure on all files relating to Team Galactic and the Sinnoh Space-Time Legend."

The Rocket trio had gone white with complete shock. Now, they were truly over the moon. They were going to be Admins of Team Rocket, which was essentially the second branch from the top of the Team Rocket tree, right underneath the prized Executives. Not only that, they would be in charge of the organization's expansion into a brand new Region!

"However, your work does not end there." Giovanni interrupted the team's over-the-moon thoughts. The Leader of Team Rocket then reached toward the receptionist, who produced a metallic rod from the sleeve of her uniform. The rod, upon being handed to Giovanni, suddenly expanded into a small tablet. Giovanni made various miscellaneous taps to the new screen and then turned the tablet toward the three Rocketeers. On the screen was a headshot picture of one Ash Ketchum.

"You three, I am sure that you are acquainted with this boy, yes?"

The crooks broke out of their trance and all answered in unison, "Yes sir."

Giovanni turned the tablet back to himself, making a few more taps as he continued talking. "I will not sugarcoat this, you three. Your efforts to capture this boy's Pokémon have all ended in failure. Your failures have cost me millions of dollars, if not more. So please, take it with a grain of salt when I say that you really would not deserve this promotion under normal circumstances. However, we live in a world without normal circumstances."

Giovanni made a few more taps on the screen, "However, I will allow you this. It appears that your pursuits of this boy and his Pokémon—along with your failures—have been of some…merit, I suppose." Giovanni then turned the tablet around to face the Rocketeers once more.

"Though I am sure you remember quite well, I invite you to observe the footage from his semifinal match. Myself and the Executives were quite impressed to discover that the Trainer this boy faced was in possession of not one, but _two_ Legendary Pokémon. The first was Darkrai, a native of the Sinnoh Region that is regarded as an _extremely_ powerful Pokémon. The second Pokémon was Latios, a member of the Eon Duo in the Hoenn Region. An everyday Trainer does not just encounter these Pokémon, let alone capture them. Although this _Ash_ lost to this Trainer by a score of 6-2, he was the only Trainer in the Conference to actually defeat Darkrai, not to mention defeating Latios as well. The interests of Team Rocket as a whole both focus on these individuals. This Trainer of Legendary Pokémon, Tobias, has gone off the grid since his ultimate loss in the Sinnoh Champion League. Even the agents that we dispatched to tail him after we received your footage are unable to find him. Your Pallet Town native is a different story. Since the Lily of the Valley Conference, we have begun tailing him as well. He has been relatively easy to follow, and our most recent reports indicate that he is on Mt. Silver. At the moment, he is of little concern to us. Our focuses are on the Sinnoh Region. This brings us to your promotion. Please, direct your attention to my assistant."

Giovanni latched his hand around the mug that had been on his desk, and took a long sip from the drink inside it. The receptionist began speaking next, reclaiming the tablet from Giovanni and tucking it to her chest. James was unable to read her nametag, but his attention was diverted to her once she started to talk.

"Now that you are Admins of Team Rocket, you will require special training in order to prepare for taking up your new positions. Jessie and James, you will receive more powerful Pokémon to give the two of you a much-needed edge." The receptionist started. The doors to the office opened a third time, this time bringing in a man who was probably in his early fifties. The man wore a pristine white lab coat, with a set of various writing utensils tucked into the front pocket of his shirt. The man in the lab coat walked up next to the receptionist, and the three Rocketeers started to realize just how little they actually knew. They had been told that they were being called in to meet with Giovanni, when in actuality there had been an entire briefing scheduled for them.

"If you will please welcome Dr. Rhodes, Team Rocket's head scientist. Dr. Rhodes will be in charge of your technological training in preparation for your new positions. You will be thoroughly briefed on the latest technology available to our Admins. Your new Pokémon will be given to you when your initial training is complete. Dr. Rhodes?"

The elderly scientist took over from where the receptionist had left off. "Yes, I have prepared special technological instruments for your excursions to Sinnoh, indeed." Dr. Rhodes started, his voice scratchy. The scientist produced a tablet of his own, this one significantly larger than Giovanni's. After a few nondescript taps, Dr. Rhodes flipped the tablet around for the three Rocketeers to see. On the screen was a blueprint of sorts for some kind of machine, and the scientist flipped through various blueprints. "The latest technology will be provided to you in the Sinnoh base, including hundreds of 360 degree camera systems, drones that can be remotely operated, and various all-terrain vehicles necessary for travel."

Dr. Rhodes flipped the tablet back around to face him and he sheathed the thin device, wearing an eerie smile on his face that was mostly shielded by his grey mustache. "I look forward to meeting with the three of you personally. I ask that you come to the Science Department underneath Kanto Base in one hour. That is all."

The new Rocket Admins turned to look at Giovanni and the receptionist. Giovanni was sipping from a beverage in his own personal mug, while the receptionist stared at the group with piercing eyes that bore through their being. Giovanni dragged the cup away from his lips and gestured to the three. "You are free to go." He said simply, not bothering to use their names of their new titles.

Jessie, James, and Meowth all stood, the latter simply standing up in his chair so that he could see over the desk. All three Rocketeers wore stone, accepting expressions and they briefly saluted before turning around and leaving the office in an orderly manner. James followed Jessie and Meowth out of the office and closed the door behind them.

* * *

Jessie channeled her inner fan girl, briefly freaking out and waving her arms with an overjoyed squeal, "The boss just _promoted_ us! And he's assigning us our very own special mission!"

"Can you believe it, Meowth?" James said next, lifting the Scratch Cat Pokémon into the air and hugging him tightly, "All those years of hard work, and they've finally paid off!" Meowth struggled against James' grip, but managed to push his way out and landed back on the ground. He looked back up and turned to his partners/

"I gots ta tell you lot, I didn't know just what to expect, but sometimes life jus' tricks ya like that!"

And then, all together, the three Rocketeers chanted together, "We've got a notion that we just got a promotion!"

Meowth finished it off by declaring, "Soon, da Sinnoh Region is gonna finally know the Team Rocket name! And da names of Admins Jessie, James, and Meowth! We'll make da boss right proud and make our assignment a success!"

" _Wobbuffet!"_

* * *

Shortly after the new Admins left the office, Dr. Rhodes took his leave and headed out, presumably returning to the underground Science Department to prepare for the training of the new Admins. Giovanni turned around in his chair to look out at the valley, sipping from his mug. His receptionist then turned to look at him from the side, wearing a stone, condescending expression.

"Do you truly believe that they are right for the job?"

Giovanni smirked, looking out the window that overlooked the valley. "Not for a second." He said instantly, "But those buffoons have a loyalty to Team Rocket that is so fierce that they will be very easy to manipulate. As an added bonus, they know the Sinnoh Region quite well. With Team Galactic out of the way, their research on the Sinnoh Space-Time Legend should be a great boon in the establishment of Team Rocket in the Sinnoh Region. It isn't necessary for them to know my true reason for sending them back to Sinnoh."

"Should they be informed about the ex-Galactic scientist that will be helping them?"

"No." Giovanni answered quickly, "They will learn about Charon in good time."

"It will likely be a long time before we'll see the returns on this investment." The receptionist commented, "There are many variables, especially with those three leading the charge."

Giovanni smiled, "Well, Roxanne, we have been waiting for a long time now. I'm certain that a little bit more waiting won't kill us. And I assure you, this will go much more smoothly than you assume."

The receptionist, Roxanne, bowed her head and then turned to leave the office, the only noise in the room being the clicking of her heels as she left. The heavy office door shut with an audible _thump_ , and Giovanni was left alone in the office once again.

A purring in the corner of the room caught Giovanni's attention. His prized Persian trotted over from the couch it had been laying on, and when the Cat Pokémon reached Giovanni, Persian began to gently lick the Team Rocket leader's hand. Giovanni smiled as humanly as he could, petting Persian on the head. The sleek normal-type did a great job of belying its cunning personality, and that was one of the reasons Giovanni treasured this Pokémon so. Often times, Giovanni found himself explaining his machinations to the large cat, even though the normal-type clearly would never understand.

Giovanni then looked back out at the valley. He had to admit; he thought he sounded quite innocent in his interest in the Sinnoh Space-Time Legend. But Giovanni had always been exceptional at hiding things. It was a big reason why his involvement with Team Rocket had remained under such wraps for so long, among other things that those outside his inner circle didn't know.

Yes, Giovanni smiled. He knew exactly what he wanted out of the Sinnoh Space-Time Legend. A Pokémon that could control the very fabric of space, and an equally powerful twin with the power to control the flow of time…

Giovanni knew exactly what he wanted out of this endeavor. It would cost a great deal of money to expand into a new Region, and it was entirely possible that the bumbling idiots he had just installed as the heads of this operation could cost him even more money. But ultimately, there was a method to the madness, as with all madmen. Soon, Giovanni would have control over the two Pokémon that controlled time and space. Soon, the ultimate dream of Giovanni—not Team Rocket—would come to fruition.

And all he had to do was wait just a while longer, something Giovanni had become very accustomed to doing.

* * *

 **And that's our chapter on Team Rocket? Lots of questions coming up; what is the true nature of Giovanni's plans for the Sinnoh Region? Where does our favorite Team Rocket trio fit into all of this? And why is Charon in contact with Giovanni? All questions will be answered…in good time.**


	15. The Guardian of the Summit

**And now we revisit Ash in his quest to conquer Mt. Silver. This chapter will also be big for plot, so I hope you enjoy that. Please consider leaving a review below!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 15_

 _The Guardian of the Summit_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Silver Town**_

The alarm clock read 6:00 in big red font. Almost immediately, the clock began to beep, signaling that it was time to wake up. After a few seconds of incessant beeping, a lazy hand shifted over and felt for the 'off' button. After a few random hits with a clenched fist, the owner of the hand finally succeeding in turning off the alarm clock.

An exhausted sigh filled the room, created by one native of Pallet Town lying in the Pokémon Center bed. "Well, Pikachu, time to get up."

The electric-type groaned and did its best to stretch out as it found its footing, its thunderbolt-shaped tail sticking up as the mouse stretched. Pikachu then smacked its mouth open and closed a few times, waking up fully a few seconds later.

Ash Ketchum climbed out of bed, ruffling a hand through his spiky hair. Taking in a deep breath, he made his way to the bathroom to shower himself awake with hot water. Moments later, the Trainer was back in the main sector of the hotel room, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist and his spiky hair somehow enduring the fact that it was still wet. Ash dressed in his casual midnight blue vest and pants, his eyes casually moving to the bold yellow stripe that went across his chest. Discarding his tennis shoes, Ash tied on his hiking boots and threw on a full set of hiking pants and a heavy jacket that would help him brave the cold. Finally, Ash placed his cap upon his head, tightly pressing it over his hair and hand-combing some of the spikes out so they could still be seen.

This routine had been the norm for Ash Ketchum for the previous month. Every morning, he woke up at 6:00, showered and dressed, went downstairs to eat, and was out on the mountain before 6:45, where he would train for 10 to 12 hours with nary a break in between. Since his arrival in Silver Town and his closer proximity to a legitimate meal, his training sessions had become much longer, as it was easier to work harder on a stomach full of eggs, ham, and bread than it was on a stomach full of wild berries.

Ash headed downstairs, Pikachu holding onto his shoulder and fighting off sleep. The battle with the wild Golem yesterday had worn Pikachu out more than normal. Thanks to the training on Mt. Silver that had progressed for the last two months, Pikachu had found most wild Pokémon to be little more than a warm-up on most days. The aggressive wild Golem had proven that this was not the case all the time. There were far stronger Pokémon to be found on Mt. Silver. As the partners arrived in the lobby of the Pokémon Center, they found Nurse Joy was already up and at her post, organizing medical supplies and occasionally glancing to the front door as if some random Trainer would soon burst inside. The Pallet native bid the nurse goodbye and headed out the front door of the hospital, drinking in the freezing morning air. Silver Town was still dark as Ash made his way outside the town's border and onto the nearby inclined path that would lead him up the mountain.

"Okay, buddy." Ash addressed his electric-type partner of six years, "Today, we're gonna find that cave again. You remember where it is?"

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu answered confidently, the excitement of conquering the unknown running through his little veins.

"Great!" Ash laughed in response, "But we'd better keep an eye out for wild Pokémon, especially that Golem."

Ash reached the first small cliff that overlooked Silver Town. It was a ledge that connected two inclined paths that circled around the mountain, creating a clean 90-degree angle. This small cliff was about 50 feet above the ground that was Silver Town, and allowed Ash to pick out all of the buildings that made up the small mountain settlement.

A light in the distance caught Ash's eyes. Looking up, Ash recognized the light on the horizon and smiled. The sun was coming up. Ash's watch beeped as it signified that sunrise was upon them, and human and Pokémon watched the orange light creep up into view. A shaft of light formed at Ash's feet as they stood there, watching, for several minutes. Little by little, the sunlight crept up Ash's body, and immediately his body felt warmer with each inch the light crawled up his form. The sight of the sun rising from the viewpoint of Silver Town was one that had captivated Ash since the day he first reached the settlement, and he had made a point to watch the amazing sight each day.

"Pikachu, there's nothing like this in the whole world." Ash spewed philosophically. The electric-type looked to his Trainer, confused, since he had focused the whole of his attention on the sunrise. Ash continued, not noticing that Pikachu hadn't heard his first sentence, "I keep thinking every day we're up here…and it brings me back to Team Galactic. Cyrus wanted a world without spirit…well this is where he was wrong. In Cyrus's ideal world, there would be no joy, no way to enjoy what we see right now. Seeing sights like this, it makes me realize that this world is a beautiful place, and we should do everything in our power to protect it, because as far as we know and perhaps ever will know, there isn't anywhere else like this in the universe. The sun rises every day, and we take that for granted, yet we could never fathom a day that might come when the sun _doesn't_ rise. Seeing the sun every morning, it's a gift that should be treasured, a testament to the beauty of our world, which we are so lucky to have."

Ash's eyes seemed to shrink back to normal size as his philosophical spouting finished. Ash returned to the world of consciousness, again watching the sunrise in silence. Pikachu did the same, taking his Trainer's words to heart and swearing in his little head to always remember them, because he was right. Never in his Pokémon life had Pikachu ever considered the possibility that some day the sun _wouldn't_ rise. Daylight had become so customary, so normal, that living without its existence was something that no one could possibly imagine.

Finally, the sun revealed itself in its full entirety, leaving Ash satisfied. He had stood for nearly half an hour in the same spot, as he had done for weeks now. "Okay, Pikachu, let's head up. We're officially burning daylight."

Hours of hiking passed in a blur. The constant crunching of nature under Ash's boots had droned on forever until the Trainer had fallen into an endless cycle of _step, step, step._ Pikachu stared off into space, only breaking out of the trance when Ash rounded a corner on the mountain path. Cave after cave passed by, each of them displaying the wear and tear of human exploration, until finally a matter of miles passed where there were no caves. Eventually, Ash and Pikachu reached that cave from the day before.

Trainer and Pokémon stared into the endless blackness of the hollow mountain cave. The summit was still hundreds, if not thousands, of meters above them. As the sun had risen, clouds had followed it, creating a faint gray hue above everything. Eventually, snow had begun to fall on the hikers, and as they ascended the mountain, the weather worsened, creating a nearly frozen ground beneath them. The snow only accentuated the bitter cold that surrounded the two.

"Well, Pikachu, no time like the present." Ash muttered to his partner. Pikachu agreed, and with little additional delay, Trainer and Pokémon stepped into the cave.

Immediately, the blackness swallowed them. Cautiously, Ash brandished his flashlight, flicking on the cone of electric light and shining it down the hollowed-out mountain shaft. A chilling wind blew into the tunnel from behind the pair, chilling the back of Ash's neck and making Pikachu complain as his hair stood on end. Shaking off their discomfort, they continued.

Eventually, after a long period of walking, Ash and Pikachu arrived at the circular chamber with the Unown letters. Ash frowned as he shone the light around him. It was eerily quiet, even quieter than it had been the day before.

"Pikachu, I don't think there's any Pokémon in here." Ash muttered. Pikachu looked around, sniffing the air for several seconds. He then groaned back a _Pikaaa_ that appeared to confirm Ash's hypothesis. "Well, the Unown letters say there's some sort of titan sleeping above us. Somehow, we've got to get up above this chamber."

Pikachu's cheeks then started to flash with electricity, and the electric-type hopped down from Ash's shoulders. Pikachu took a few steps forward, sniffing the ground and discharging miniscule volts of electricity from his cheeks. Then, the electric-type's tail pointed straight up and he looked back at Ash.

" _Pika. Pika, pika!"_

"You found something?" Ash asked, and Pikachu started running toward a tunnel on the other end of the chamber. "Hey, wait up, Pikachu!"

Pikachu didn't wait up, running down a tunnel as Ash came after it, his flashlight bouncing every which way as he took off after his partner. "Pikachu, where you going?" Ash tried, to no avail. Pikachu kept running. Suddenly, the electric-type skidded to a halt, turning back to look at Ash, who was running after him with the flashlight. The whole scene in the dark cave with a light bouncing wildly as it got closer probably would've freaked a normal person out, but fortunately, Ash and Pikachu weren't ordinary people.

The mouse had picked up on something; Ash knew that much, and he wasn't going to second-guess the electric-type's instincts. Ash finally caught up to Pikachu, sucking in wind.

" _Pika, pika-Pikachu."_ The mouse purred, pointing one of his little hands to his immediate left. In response, Ash shone the flashlight in the direction that the electric-type had pointed. To the Trainer's shock, the light revealed a stairway, cleanly cut into the wall and disappearing into the dirt.

"What…is this…?" Ash asked slowly. It was only further proof that the cave was not naturally formed, "Pikachu, d'you think we should head up there?"

" _Pika. Pika, Pika-Pikachu."_

"Well, that's settled." Ash decided. Pikachu immediately hopped back up onto Ash's shoulder, looking forward with a steely glare. "Here goes nothing…"

Ash took a step forward onto the dug out staircase, immediately noting how hard it was. His hiking boot immediately sank into the dirt, and then stopped as it connected with stone. Taking another step, Ash found the staircase to be solid and then walked up faster with a purpose.

The staircase proved to be long and winding, essentially spiraling up through the inside of the mountain. Ash never could've fathomed the possibility of a spiral staircase inside of a mountain. However, Ash could probably guess that he was closer to cracking the mysteries of Mt. Silver than anyone had ever been.

Eventually, Ash could see that _somewhere_ , the staircase came to an end. A hole that could only be the exit made itself clear to Ash. Near as he could tell, the room had a grey light of sorts. It was hard to describe, but seeing that he was about to be finished with the endless staircase made him swell with anticipation. Ash broke into a run up the steps, the excitement of the unknown running through his bloodstream, until he finally reached the exit of the stairway and entered another cave.

But this time, the room was much lighter. The chamber was a rectangle, with the perimeter of the chamber being the only flat ground. Rock traveled up above the perimeter at an angle, forming what could only be the inside of the mountain's peak. At the opposite end of the chamber, directly in front of Ash, was a massive opening, probably the length of three Ashes from end to end. Light poured in from the opening, the hue a stark white. The faint shape of heavy, fast-falling snow could be barely made out to Ash's naked eye on the other end of the opening.

Despite all this, the most interesting part of the cave was what lied below.

On the longer sides of the rectangular chamber's ground, two trails—one on each end—littered with rock and earth ran down several dozen feet into a small, square box of earth. In this square, clear as day, was a large, sleeping bird; its feathery coat a solid faded yellow color. A long, clean beak jutted out from the bird's face, clamped closed. Its eyes were shut, but the subtle heaving of its chest implied that the bird was simply sleeping. Finally, at the top of its head and pointing backwards was a headdress of scorching hot fire.

Ash gaped at the sight of the majestic bird, making the connection instantly as his gaze rested on its flaming head. "Is that…?"

Ash's question was interrupted by a sudden tremor. The ground shook briefly, but the shaking then subsided almost as quickly as it had started. The impact of the shaking, however, turned out to be far greater than Ash had bargained for. The fiery bird gently opened its eyes, its gaze fluttering about as it examined its surroundings, before finally settling on Ash.

An intruder.

The bird's wings left its sides, immediately stretching out. The backs of those wings as well as the long avian tail then caught fire, feeding on the still, cold air inside the chamber. The bird's flaming headpiece increased in power, blazing upward as the legendary titan of fire awoke.

"Moltres!" Ash gasped, in sheer awe of the bird's presence.

The titan of fire launched up into the air, a single beat of its wings sending scorching flakes of air toward the intruder.

" _Moooooolll!"_ the Legendary Pokémon shrieked, _"Mol!"_

Moltres then suddenly calmed itself and watched the Pride of Pallet, carefully beating its wings. Its flames danced in the air around it, creating an aura of power around the fire-type.

"It's just…sitting there…" Ash remarked, watching the bird of fire. Realization then swept over him, "Wait! _To gain passage, defeat this titan thy must._ Pikachu, I think the message was saying you have to battle Moltres and win to get to the summit!"

Pikachu agreed, tensing its muscles and discharging electricity from its cheeks. _"Pika!"_

" _Mol!"_ Moltres barked back, zeroing in on the small electric-type.

Suddenly, one of Ash's Poké Balls burst open, the usual white light jumping out. Beside Ash, the form of Charizard materialized and the powerful Flame Pokémon roared, the flame on its tail beating like a heart full of life.

"Charizard, you wanna battle Moltres?" Ash asked.

Charizard stamped its foot, roaring again. Ash understood, knowing that Charizard had already beaten an Articuno on its own before, and accepted the fire-type's wishes. "Pikachu, do you mind sitting this one out?"

Pikachu hopped up on Ash's shoulder in response, running to the opposite shoulder and reaching out for Charizard, its paw outstretched. Charizard saw the gesture and gently tapped its clawed hand to Pikachu's, accepting the electric-type's gesture of goodwill.

Moltres crowed loudly, signifying that it was ready to battle. Charizard roared again, this time spouting a puff of scorching hot fire from its maw, and then beat its wings heavily to take flight. It didn't take a genius to know that Moltres wouldn't be walking on the ground to fight; so neither would Charizard.

Ash pointed a finger toward the Legendary Pokémon. "Okay, Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard internally grinned and then widened its mouth, a blazing light burning in its throat. Not a second later, a liquid hot stream of fire burst from Charizard's mouth, headed straight for Moltres. The titan of fire simply dodged, however, spinning acrobatically out of the way of the powerful Flamethrower. Now safe from damage, Moltres reared back its head and burst forth its own Flamethrower. Moltres' blast was equal in power—if not greater—and glowed unnaturally.

"Ack! Charizard, dodge it!"

Charizard dove to the side, fanning out its wings after dodging to hold its place. "Charizard, use your speed! Get in close and use Slash!"

Charizard ducked its head and lunged, folding its wings back to gain speed. The fire-type's speed was otherworldly, already great recently after its evolution and now even better when compounding its training in Charicific Valley and Mt. Silver. Moltres definitely couldn't compete with that attribute, and faster than the blink of an eye; Charizard was on the firebird, its claws glowing and razor sharp.

The Slash attack was lightning fast, leaving a trail of light behind it as Charizard's claws raked across Moltres' face. The firebird shrieked and tumbled, spinning about as it recovered from the powerful strike. Moltres managed to recover, spreading its wings and breaking its fall before flying to the other end of the chamber to rest. Charizard gently floated back toward Ash, watching the Legendary Pokémon with a keen eye.

"Great job, Charizard! That's how we'll win this!"

Moltres heaved as it tried to recover. The Trainer wouldn't wait too long before launching another attack. The stinging pain from the Slash attack was still fresh, numbing most of the fire-type's face. On the other hand, though, Moltres was impressed. Very few had the gall to challenge it, not to mention the intelligence and cleverness required to even _find_ the fire-type's resting place, and many of those challengers had been far too weak. Moltres' job was simple. Only those stronger than it were allowed passage to the summit. Why this should be, the wild Legendary didn't know, only aware that it had been decreed long before its birth and that this was its sole duty.

Just as the bird had predicted, the intruding Trainer called for another attack without much rest.

"Charizard, let's do it again! Use Slash!"

Moltres leered as the fire-type rushed toward it. The window for counterattack was extremely miniscule, the dragon's speed all but overwhelming. Picking the perfect moment, Moltres dove to the side, watching as Charizard's Slash attack missed entirely, before summoning the fires that burned in its belly.

The Fire Blast was on Charizard before the Kanto starter knew it, striking his wing and creating a bright star-like shape as it struck home. Charizard roared as the attack singed its wing, and started to fall. Luckily, the attack hadn't completely knocked Charizard out, and the fire-type was able to regain control and shake off the burning sensation. Eventually, the sensation melted away, neutralized thanks to Charizard's fire typing. Angry, Charizard flew around the chamber, circling Moltres a few times before coming to rest in front of Ash once more.

Moltres was far from finished, however. As soon as Charizard started to rest, it rushed toward the fire-type, risking getting in close in hopes of striking a brutal attack. Aerial Ace created a white aura that streaked behind the Legendary Pokémon.

"Hmm…" Ash pondered, "Charizard, counter with Dragon Tail!"

Charizard's tail glowed and in an instant, the fire-type turned its body around and smashed its powerful tail into the oncoming Moltres, knocking it down easily. Moltres shrieked as it felt the pain, and started to fall. Ash decided not to let this chance go.

"Wing Attack!"

Charizard sprinted down after Moltres, both of its wings glowing. Moltres tumbled, and without warning a pair of tough strikes to the body only sped up its fall toward the ground and increased the pain it was in.

Moltres shrieked as it crashed into the rocky ground, kicking up a mountain of dust and shards of rock. Charizard roared triumphantly, its pride being felt throughout the chamber.

A sudden glowing Flamethrower shot from the dust cloud, directly at Charizard. Ash saw it, but the fire-type didn't. "Look out, Charizard!" Ash tried, but the Flame Pokémon looked too late and the Flamethrower struck home. Charizard was carried with it, sent rocketing into its own place on the wall inside of the mountain. Moltres quietly emerged from its place in the dust, flapping its wings calmly as it reclaimed its footing. Ash noticed that its flames appeared both brighter and stronger now, glowing much more powerfully and lapping at the air much more.

Charizard swept out of its own cloud of dust, roaring angrily and swinging at Moltres without being commanded to do so. Moltres dodged effortlessly, seeing the attack coming a mile away, and then landed a crushing attack that could only be Air Slash into Charizard's back. Moltres then quickly batted its wings, flying itself backward and out of Charizard's immediate range, perching again on some rock and crooning its scorching feathers smugly.

Charizard only became angrier at this display of confidence, roaring angrily at Moltres. Ash stepped in, crying out to his old buddy.

"Charizard, calm down!" Ash shouted, "It's just trying to get in your head!"

Charizard swept its head back toward its Trainer, its eyes glowing with a furious anger and its gaping maw lit with a fiery orange hue, "You've got to keep it together, Charizard. If we don't work together, we'll never win!"

Charizard seemed to understand, some of the fury leaving its eyes. The Flame Pokémon flapped its wings and floated toward Ash, landing gently on the rock in front of Ash and looking at the Trainer that had saved its life when it was just a Charmander. Ash reached out to the dragon and scratched the fire-type's neck.

"You're so strong, Charizard. But we've gotta work together. We've gotta fight as one." Ash pleaded, "Will you help me?"

Charizard nodded with a snort, a loose flame escaping its nostrils as it acknowledged the Pallet native. "You're the best Charizard!" Ash laughed, making the fire-type grin as best as it could.

" _Mol!"_ Moltres crowed, calling Charizard's attention and indicating that their battle wasn't over yet. Charizard turned to look back at Moltres, accepting the challenge with a renewed resolve. Charizard was the one who broke out of his Ball to battle. It was time to prove why it was so confident.

Moltres fluttered into the air, watching carefully.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard let loose its powerful beam of fire, but Moltres simply countered with its own blast. The two attacks met and bounced off of each other, sending fire in every direction and creating a thick cloud of smoke. Moltres scanned the area quickly, watching for the speedy dragon in hopes that it wouldn't be caught lost.

"Charizard, use Slash!"

Moltres looked up and toward the source of the command, straight through the thick cloud of smoke. Without warning, the smoke cloud broke and Charizard speared its way toward the Legendary Pokémon, claws long and glowing. The Slash attack connected, sending Moltres spiraling away.

The Legendary firebird corrected itself and spewed forth another Flamethrower.

"Dodge that and hit 'em with your own Flamethrower!"

Charizard did as commanded, whirling out of the way and spitting a like beam at Moltres. This time, the attack connected, overwhelming the fire-type with fire. Unfortunately, the attack wasn't very effective, as Moltres appeared to suck the brunt of the flames into its wings. This move only increased the visible burn on the firebird's wings.

"We can't risk using more fire-type attacks!" Ash called, "Use Wing Attack!"

Charizard rushed in, but Moltres spewed another Flamethrower, this one clearly much stronger. The dragon spun out of the way of the attack of its own volition, delivering a devastating Wing Attack. Moltres took the attack but flew away, taking little damage. The battle became a game of speed between the two, with Moltres hoping to put distance between it and the dragon. Charizard played along, racing back and forth along the huge chamber.

Moltres whirled around mid-flight and summoned a star of fire.

"Counter with Flamethrower!"

The Fire Blast attack was stronger than Charizard's Flamethrower, yes, but the latter's aim was far better and allowed it to break up the Fire Blast. Moltres, though, was now nowhere to be found, escaping after the blast.

Ash found it relatively easy to spot Moltres, though, having a clear vantage point of the hollow chamber. Moltres was racing in with Aerial Ace from Charizard's blind spot to the side.

"Charizard, Slash, to your side!"

Charizard answered quick, swinging glowing claws out to the side and connecting with Moltres' neck. Moltres shrieked and started to fall, disoriented from the counterattack.

"Now, finish with Wing Attack!"

Charizard raced after the falling Moltres, its wings glowing white. Moltres fell, looking up at the oncoming Charizard and doing its best to right itself. Moltres curved, regaining its composure and avoiding crashing into the ground. Charizard followed, and Moltres crowed loudly and summoned another Fire Blast. Ash had no response and Charizard flew into the Fire Blast, taking the full force of the attack and recoiling harshly.

Moltres crowed several times, raising its fiery wings as it apparently attempted to speak. Charizard watched, listening intently. After Moltres finally quieted down, Charizard looked to Ash and roared shortly, though the Trainer didn't understand. Moltres gently flew back down to its resting place at the bottom of the chamber, crooning its feathers as it perched.

"Moltres, does that mean we can pass?" Ash shouted to the firebird, "Can we go to the summit?"

Moltres looked up at the powerful Trainer, watching briefly before nodding just slightly. Then, Moltres folded its wings, ignoring the fire that attempted to eat at its skin. The Legendary Pokémon looked toward Charizard, nodding briefly and cawing. Charizard roared triumphantly, and Ash interpreted the exchange as some sort of respectful gesture. Charizard then flew back over to Ash, returning to its Ball tranquilly. Ash clipped the Ball back to his belt and then looked down at the roosting firebird.

"Thank you, Moltres. That was an awesome battle." Ash praised, catching the firebird's attention. "Your secret is safe with us."

Moltres looked up at Ash, watching intently for several seconds. Then, the firebird cawed in response, before going back to grooming its feathers and roosting. Ash began to walk around the huge chamber's perimeter. He had successfully earned the respect of a powerful wild Moltres, and found himself very proud. He hadn't expected anything like this to happen on his try for the summit. Deep down, though, he knew that he couldn't divulge this secret. Nurse Joy had alluded to the fact that others had been to the summit of Mt. Silver. It left Ash wondering how they might've passed Moltres, and clearly, they hadn't spilled on the location of the legendary bird, unless everyone in town knew and said nothing. Surely not every climber was as decent as Ash. Had those who previously reached the summit had their memories of seeing Moltres wiped, perhaps? Or had they quite literally climbed the mountain, avoiding going through the tunnels entirely and finding the summit on their own?

Ash's thoughts broke when he realized he was at the exit of the mountain. He could see the silhouettes of heavy snowfall from inside the cave, but other than that, all he could register was a white light. Ash turned to look back at Moltres, who was roosting with its back to the victorious Trainer, and then looked back to the gateway to the mountain's summit: the exit of a cave. All of his training had led to this point.

Ash took a deep breath and stepped forward.

* * *

The blizzard hit him like a flash flood.

A mountain of snow slammed into Ash's side, sliding down his heavy hiking clothes. The bitter cold only made things worse, causing Ash's exposed face to shiver and, by proxy, the rest of his body. How it could've gotten this cold so quickly, and with such inclement weather, Ash wasn't sure. But perhaps this was the reason so few people could ever claim to have reached the summit. That and the presence of Moltres in the exit cave.

As far as Ash could tell, the path he was on just stretched out for an indeterminate distance. His visibility was very low, forcing him to look back and forth for some indication of where he was. The cave he had exited to reach this point was directly behind him.

Ash started to walk forward, his boots sinking into the snow.

"Well, Pikachu…I…guess this is it."

" _Pika…"_

"There's not really much here." Ash continued lamely, "I gotta admit, I expected…more…"

" _Pikachu…"_

Suddenly, Pikachu's ears perked up. The electric mouse flashed its head to the side, and then to the other side, its ears twitching every which way. And then, Pikachu turned around, balancing on Ash's shoulder as it looked back toward the very tip-top of the mountain, only a matter of meters higher than where the pair was standing.

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu cried, trying to alert Ash.

Ash tensed and reached for Pikachu, "Pikachu, what's wrong?"

" _SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_

The avian screech prompted Ash to cover his freezing ears, ignoring the cold skin as he pressed against them to block out the bloodcurdling noise. Pikachu watched in awe, muttering as Ash turned around to see what the source of the noise had been.

The summit of the mountain was indeed right above the cave, so close that it likely would've only taken Ash a few minutes to climb his way up there by hand. But that wasn't what Ash was focused on. Half-hidden by the snow was a massive avian silhouette perched on the summit of the mountain. Its wings were thick and had multiple layers, and its head sported a warped beak and a crest atop its head.

The avian spread its wings out wide and the bird lifted into the air, the beating of its wings creating a loud _thump_ noise with each flap. As the bird flew directly over Ash, the Trainer saw the massive golden plumage on its rear. The Legendary Pokémon then turned around after passing over the Trainer, gently flapping its heavy wings as it made to land. The snow could no longer protect its appearance from the Pallet native's prying eyes, and the identity of the bird was clear.

"Ho-Oh…" Ash muttered in awe as the bird landed gracefully a few feet in front of him. It was the first time in his life he'd been able to see the Rainbow Pokémon this close in the flesh. His only glimpses of it had been from the ground. The Legendary Pokémon was taller than a one-story house, and its layered wings were even larger than Ash would've originally guessed.

Ho-Oh started to roost, almost as if it were now ignoring Ash's presence.

"Ho-Oh…why are you here?" Ash asked, still awestruck by how up close he now was to the Rainbow Pokémon.

Ho-Oh stopped roosting and looked at Ash, almost incredulously. Ho-Oh then opened its wide beak and cawed, producing a sound wave that nearly knocked the Pallet native on his rear. Ash regained his composure and then faced the huge Pokémon.

"I don't understand…why did you land in Ecruteak City when I was there? Why did you lead me here?" Ash asked, his skin heating up, "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Ho-Oh led you here to make you stronger, Ash. Now, your training is complete." A sudden, new voice answered from behind Ash. The Pride of Pallet whirled around defensively as Pikachu's cheeks charged with electricity. Neither was fond of being snuck up on, and both were immediately ready to defend themselves against this newcomer. Ash lowered his fists as the shape appeared, walking calmly toward him.

A young man in a heavy blue coat and hiking bottoms walked through the snowy path until Ash could clearly see him. A blue fedora with a serrated back sat atop his spiky hair, and a Lucario walked at the Trainer's side. Ash recognized him rather easily now that the man was right in front of him, but still said nothing, pure awe overwhelming his senses.

"Hello, Ash." The Aura Guardian greeted, "It's been a while."

Riley.


	16. Chilled to the Bone

**Just a brief heads up, I do my best to keep my writing true to what is presented in the actual anime. Many things are different from the games. In this chapter, we'll visit the Ice Cave, which is the equivalent of the Ice Path in the Gen 2 games and their Gen 4 remakes, just to clarify to any readers.**

 **Review replies:**

 **Samurai538: Thank you! I hope you'll continue to read.**

 **merry1995: Thanks for the praise. Unfortunately post-Gen 4 mechanics like Z rings won't be making an appearance since this story is set in the time of the DP series, and these things did not exist yet. I may consider Mega Evolution in the future, but don't count on it.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 16_

 _Chilled to the Bone_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Route 44**_

Dawn and May walked east down Route 44 with gusto. They had spent several days on the road between Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City, and their next obstacle would be the Ice Cave, a mountain cave that went up to the city. Both Coordinators were ready to be done with the road.

"You think we'll be at the Ice Cave soon?" Dawn asked May, groaning as she did so.

May smiled in response, "Yeah, Dawn, this Route should be over real soon. You know, I've never been to Blackthorn City. They've never held a Contest there as far as I know."

Dawn perked up, looking quizzical, "Huh? Why is that?"

May continued, figuring the Sinnoh-born Coordinator would ask. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. Blackthorn City sits on the foothills of the mountain range, and the Ice Cave connects the city to the rest of the Region. Blackthorn City is home to a dragon-type Gym and has been led by Dragon Masters since ancient times. Earlier this year, the Contest Federation made a deal with the Dragon Masters to hold a Contest during Blackthorn City's annual Dragon Festival."

"What's the Dragon Festival?"

May shrugged in response. "I'm not sure of that either. It's some sort of celebration of Blackthorn City's history, basically. The Contest is just going to be one of the events held during it."

May's sentence was cut off by a fan girl's scream. Both Coordinators heard the noise up ahead of them, and both looked down the road. Immediately, a trio of professional-looking people came running down the road toward Dawn and May. One member of the trio was a woman wearing a nice coat and carrying a microphone. The second member was a man holding a camera, and the third was an overweight male carrying a boom mic.

"Ugh." May groaned out loud, "Reporters."

The media members that had pounced on them skidded to a halt in front of the two Coordinators, and the woman immediately turned to face the cameraman, who started recording. The reporter smiled and started to speak into the microphone.

"Live from Route 44, two rival Coordinators spotted!"

The reporter whirled around without missing a beat. "May, the Princess of Hoenn, and Dawn, the prodigy from the Sinnoh Region! We're so excited to have you with us today!"

May tried to speak up, "Actually, we didn't…"

The reporter immediately cut May off with her shrill voice, "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to interview you both! May, what do you have to say about your recent cold streak on the Contest trail?"

The reporter shoved the microphone into May's face, and the Petalburg native visibly grimaced before swallowing her anger and responding with a forced smile, "I don't have a comment on that."

"Uh huh, and what would you like to say about your heated rivalry with your traveling partner, Dawn?"

May grimaced again before responding, "Actually, there is no rivalry between Dawn and I. We are simply both Coordinators and are good friends from a previous Contest season, so we decided to travel together to our Contests."

The reporter gave a shrewd look to May before forcing another happy smile and whirling back to the camera, "And that's May, the Princess of Hoenn, on a quest to earn her fifth and final Ribbon on the Johto Contest Trail!" The reporter then turned to face Dawn, "And Dawn, the prodigy from the Sinnoh Region, we have questions for you! You've been on a hot streak lately in the Contest trail, winning 3 Ribbons in just over two months! What do you have to say about your recent success?"

The reporter shoved the microphone toward Dawn's face as she responded, doing her best to sound more respectful than May despite her equal loathing of the press. "All I have to say about that is thanks for my Pokémon. Since day one I've strived to form a strong bond between my individual Pokémon and I, and that work really shows on the Contest stage. I couldn't ask for better partners. My success is a reflection on _them_ , rather than my own skills."

The reporter nodded, seemingly satisfied, and then dared to ask the same question she'd asked May. "And what's on your mind about the rivalry between you and May?"

"As May already explained, there is no rivalry between us. We are good friends who enjoy traveling together and that's that." Dawn answered quickly, annoyed by the preppy reporter, "Despite competing against her, I hope that she shows nothing less than her best because she's an extremely talented Coordinator."

The reporter nodded, more satisfied than she was with her interview from May. The woman then turned back around, and May whistled at Dawn. The Twinleaf Coordinator looked over to her friend, who slightly gestured that it was time for them to leave. Dawn couldn't have agreed more with her friend's wishes, and she immediately moved to flee.

The pair booked it, sprinting past the camera crew and running.

" _Wait! We aren't finished!"_ the reporter shrieked angrily into her microphone as the two Coordinators ran off. Neither looked back as they kept running, hoping that the line of trees to their left would eventually end. Piplup complained as he gripped tightly onto Dawn's beanie, holding on for dear life.

Luckily, they didn't have to run far until their prayers were answered. The face of a small cliff came into view, with a gleaming set of silver stairs scaling up the face. The line of trees suddenly stopped and the dirt road became wider, joining with a path on the other side of the trees before going ahead to the staircase. Dawn and May sprinted up the stairs, reaching the top in a matter of seconds. As soon as they did, both Coordinators half-collapsed, leaning over and placing their hands on their knees to catch their breath.

"I think…we finally…lost 'em…" May heaved in broken speech, spitting on the ground at her feet.

"Good thing…too…" Dawn agreed, breathing just as heavily.

After a few more heavy breaths, May straightened her posture and looked ahead of them. "Hey, Dawn, there it is."

"What?" Dawn asked as she straightened, following May's finger. An opening in the cliff was clear as day, as well as the ascension of the cliff up some indeterminate height.

"I would guess that that's the Ice Path…" May ventured before pointing at the ascending cliff, "While at the top of that cliff is probably Blackthorn City."

"We should probably go." Dawn guessed, "I don't know how badly they wanted to finish that interview, but I wouldn't put it past the media to chase after us."

"Yeah, I really didn't want to sit through that." May responded, "Sorry for making you run."

"No, it's fine, really." Dawn shrugged, "Serves them right for pouncing on us and trying to force a rivalry between us."

"I couldn't agree more." May agreed before looking back at the opening of the Ice Cave. "Well, shall we be off?" Dawn silently agreed and the pair of Coordinators (plus Piplup) walked toward the large opening.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region - Ice Cave**_

"Holy cow, it's cold in here!"

Dawn shivered as she tried to wrap her arms around herself. May was also shaking from the cold. "We didn't come prepared at all, huh?"

May started to reach into her bag before pulling out two articles of clothing. "It's not much, but put one of these on." She offered, "I've always kept a few windbreakers with me since Hoenn."

Dawn graciously accepted the windbreaker, throwing the convenient jacket over her sleeveless top. Immediately, she felt warmer, although May was right, it wasn't much. Her skirt left her thighs completely exposed to the cold, though the knee-high boots and socks on her lower legs kept those serviceably warm. Dawn buckled her knees as she shook out the sensation of cold before zipping up the navy blue windbreaker and adjusting the collar. May threw on her own windbreaker, this one being a stark red, and zipped it up silently before fixing her hair and breathing a sigh of relief. Ready to go and somewhat warmer than when they entered the chilly cave, May and Dawn headed down the icy corridor.

An increasingly uncomfortable silence held over the pair for the longest time. Dawn passed the time by glancing back and forth at the formations of ice that gave the cave a signature look. Wide clusters of ice crystals reflected light coming in from the large entrance to the cave, and that light passed down the tunnel and kept the cave well lit. A few times, Dawn thought she might've seen a Pokémon cower behind some of the rocks and crystals at the sound of human intruders.

"Pretty cave…" Dawn said to herself. May heard her words and responded quickly.

"Been thinking the same thing." May said, "If I didn't already have Glaceon, I'd be looking for an ice-type right now."

Dawn nodded, "I've already got Mamoswine, but you never know. He's a big guy, so the combinations he can pull off are rather limited when compared to some of my others like Piplup and Buneary."

Dawn and May came to a ladder that ascended through a man-made hole in the cave ceiling. The corridor stopped in a dead-end, and with no branching paths from earlier, the two Coordinators guessed that the ladder would take them up to the next sector of the cave. May climbed up first, followed by Dawn. The climb was short, only going up about the height of one and a half stories. The second floor of the mountain cave was also well lit by reflected light, though somewhat darker than the entry floor. May and Dawn thought nothing of it and continued on.

After a long time of crawling through the cave, an explosion suddenly rocked the floor that May and Dawn stood on. A blast of smoke shot out from around the corner of the wall up ahead and a Piloswine came sprinting around the corner, wailing as it ran.

"May, look out!" Dawn shouted, swiftly grabbing May's arm and tugging her over as the Piloswine stampeded through where the Petalburg native had been standing only seconds before. The Swine Pokémon failed to notice the humans and kept running, eventually disappearing deeper into the cave, wailing as it went. Dawn and May both looked to the corner of the wall up ahead, where the smoke was diffusing into the air.

"What…what could've caused that?" Dawn asked aloud.

Dawn helped May to her feet and they both carefully walked over to the blind corner of the cave. Dawn peered around the corner of the ice-ridden wall, noticing that a large chunk of ice on the wall had been taken out by _something_ , presumably whatever had caused that explosion. Dawn watched carefully, until her left eye fell on a silhouette passing through the corridor further down the way. May peered over next to May.

"May, do you see that?" Dawn whispered, pointing at the silhouette. May leered, and at that moment the silhouette passed into a section of the corridor where reflected light lit up its form. The Pokémon had an odd, teardrop-shaped head. Its arms fused together at the Pokémon's head and sported small fingers on the end. Going back up to its head, May could see a few gouges taken out of its face to resemble a mask. The Pokémon casually breathed out as it walked, exhaling a freezing air into the cave.

"It's…a Froslass." May responded.

Almost as soon as May's words had left her lips, the wild Froslass turned, its yellow-and-blue eyes falling on the peeking intruders. Sudden rage burned in its gaze and the Froslass screeched. Dawn and May blanked as the ice-type roared angrily, forming a ball of purple energy in its arms.

"Ack!" May responded to the ice-type's rage. "Dawn, get back!"

Immediately, the ball of energy was flying toward the two. Both Coordinators huddled back around the corner of the wall, and watched as the attack passed by them and kept going down the corridor before exploding upon contact with the wall.

"That was Shadow Ball!" Dawn gasped. The two Coordinators ran out from behind their cover, and the Froslass raged that they were still around. "Hey, what's the big idea?"

Froslass ignored Dawn's complaint and charged up another Shadow Ball in its irregular arms. Dawn frowned and then brandished a Poké Ball, rearing back as she called out for a counterattack.

"Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil burst from its Ball on command, chirping as it eyed the aggressive Froslass. Froslass launched the Shadow Ball, and Cyndaquil opened its maw to blast forth a wave of flames to decimate the attack. Froslass growled unhappily and watched the fire-type with fear-inducing eyes before launching another crackling Shadow Ball

"Cyndaquil, counter again with Flamethrower, and then use Flame Wheel!"

Cyndaquil successfully battled back the Shadow Ball with a perfect Flamethrower. Dawn noted how refined the attack looked, a testament to their training, and then watched as Cyndaquil conjured a spark-heavy Flame Wheel and rolled forward at blinding speed. The fire-type curved and scaled up the ice-covered wall, leaving melted ice in its trail, and hooked toward Froslass. The territorial ice-type made to move out of the way, but Cyndaquil was too fast, and the fire-type struck Froslass across one of its arms. Froslass screeched as Cyndaquil hooked back around and retreated toward its Trainer, and the ice-type grabbed at its burned arm.

Cyndaquil chirped triumphantly as Froslass looked back up, rage flooding its eyes. However, Froslass knew when it was outmatched, and the ice-type turned tail and ran, leaving behind a wave of cold in its wake. Dawn gritted her teeth as the Froslass fled.

"Cyndaquil, let's go after it! I wanna catch that Froslass!"

Cyndaquil chirped understandingly and started to run with its Trainer. May followed, only somewhat displeased that Dawn had made the first move to battle the ice-type. The blue-haired Coordinator and the Johto fire-type ran ahead of her, searching for any sign of Froslass. The path luckily proved to be straightforward, bringing Dawn and May to an enlarged, more round section of the cave. Rocks jutted up in various places and the whole shape of the room formed a sort of dome.

" _Fross!"_

Dawn, May, and Cyndaquil all looked to the noise, finding Froslass levitating near the roof of the dome-like area. The ice-type looked very unhappy that it had been followed. Froslass then lowered itself more to the ground, before barking out at the intruders. Without much warning, Froslass reared its two arms back and then threw its hands forward. Immediately, blisteringly cold air shot forth from all directions, leaving ice on the nearby rocks and overwhelming the two Trainers and one fire-type Pokémon.

"That's Blizzard!" May cried as she did her best to shield herself from the cold. Cyndaquil fared worst against the ice, curling up into a ball of sorts to protect itself as ice formed in various places on its hide. Dawn and May didn't fare much better, but were able to stand the attack. Froslass looked clearly weakened, still nursing its burnt arm, but the ice-type immediately took on another aggressive stance as it noticed the two Trainers were watching it.

" _Lass!"_

"Okay, Cyndaquil, it looks like we're gonna get a battle out of this one! Let's capture Froslass!"

" _Quil!"_

"Okay, Cyndaquil, use Swift!"

A wave of glowing stars sped toward Froslass, and the Snow Land Pokémon leered before leaping upward and out of the way. The stars however curved around and upward toward the airborne Froslass. The ice-type saw it, and conjured a Shadow Ball to destroy the stars at point-blank before lowering itself back to eye level. With a thrust of its arms, hailstones started to fall all around the dome, smashing into the ground and cracking apart. A few hailstones struck Cyndaquil's side, prompting the fire-type to recoil in pain.

Dawn gritted her teeth and called for Cyndaquil to hang in there before looking back up at Froslass. However, to Dawn's surprise, Froslass was nowhere to be found. The hailstorm hadn't even reached the point where it totally obstructed her visibility. Froslass suddenly appeared right by Cyndaquil's side, and the fire-type jumped back before conjuring a Flamethrower. However, Froslass' form simply phased back into the glare of the hailstorm before appearing on Cyndaquil's opposite side. Without so much as a warning, Froslass delivered a powerful Shadow Ball to Cyndaquil's side, knocking the fire-type down and sending it rolling away. Froslass then phased back into the hailstorm and went missing again.

"Cyndaquil!" Dawn cried as the fire-type recuperated, staggering to its feet and fearfully looking around for Froslass.

 _That's got to be Froslass' special ability Snow Cloak. It's just like Paul's Froslass at the Sinnoh League!_

"Cyndaquil, we've got to keep an eye out for Froslass! Be alert!"

Cyndaquil chirped back an agreeable answer, but the fire-type didn't seem too excited about its new situation. Dawn started to become worried about the fear factor Froslass was having on the young fire-type, and then felt a pang of guilt. She was the one putting the little fire-type through this, against a much stronger opponent.

Froslass appeared directly in front of Cyndaquil, a Shadow Ball pulsing in its arms.

"Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil spat forth the spray of fire, surprising Froslass, who pulled back. The fire reached the ice-type, but a volley of hailstones fell between the blaze and the wild Froslass, and the Pokémon suddenly turned almost transparent. The Flamethrower passed through where Froslass once was and the ice-type reappeared in that exact spot completely unharmed. Both Dawn and Cyndaquil gasped. The Flamethrower had the makings of a direct hit, but Froslass' ability had given it total immunity.

Froslass appeared to smirk as it suddenly zoomed forward, its arm glowing an icy blue, before it dealt a devastating sucker punch right into Cyndaquil's midsection. The small fire-type doubled over and stumbled backward, whimpering. Crystals of ice formed where the Ice Punch had landed, pinching into Cyndaquil's thin hide.

Froslass phased into the hailstorm and reappeared at Cyndaquil's side, dealing out another Ice Punch. Dawn started to panic, and resolved to pull out the fire-type's Poké Ball to call Cyndaquil back.

"Cyndaquil, re—"

Froslass came rushing in with another Ice Punch, a victorious smirk on its irregular face. Cyndaquil clutched at its body, but then looked up, doing its best to leer through its closed eyes. Shame and fury combined within the fire-type's little being, and without missing a beat, Cyndaquil unleashed a glowing Flamethrower at Froslass. The confident ice-type had failed to anticipate that its small opponent would strike back, and as a result was swallowed up by the fire.

Froslass hit the dirt and Cyndaquil cheered. His Poké Ball was still pointed toward him in Dawn's hand, but the Coordinator hadn't bothered to return the fire-type yet.

Suddenly, Cyndaquil's small form became drenched in a blinding white light. Dawn and May gasped at the sight, both knowing what the light meant. Froslass looked up curiously from its place on the ground, its small mouth falling open in surprise. Cyndaquil's form lengthened greatly, and the fire-type fell to all fours as its legs became longer. At last, the white light disappeared and Cyndaquil's evolved form spawned flames from two places on its body: its head and its rear. The flames became much stronger than the Pokémon's pre-evolution had ever been, and the new fire-type roared proudly.

" _Qui-lava!"_

"Dawn, Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava!"

"Quilava, that's awesome!" Dawn shouted, and the fire-type nodded proudly. Froslass returned to the air, levitating and glaring shrewdly at its newly evolved and certainly more powerful adversary.

The ice-type raised its arms and the rocks nearby it started to freeze, signifying that Froslass was about to unleash its Blizzard attack. Before Dawn could command a counterattack, Quilava's flames strengthened and a fiery aura formed above the fire-type's head flames. Quilava then lowered its head so that the flames faced Froslass, who stopped to see what was happening.

A sudden, lava-like burst exploded from Quilava's head flames, raw power sending liquid flames spraying out like a tidal wave. Panic washed over Froslass' face and the new attack smashed into the ice-type, sending it careening backwards in a flash of super effective fire.

"That was Eruption!" May shouted in surprise, and Dawn briefly looked back to her before looking back to her newly evolved Pokémon with a ridiculous smile.

"Awesome job, Quilava! You learned Eruption!"

" _Qui-lavaaaaa!"_

The glare of the hailstorm suddenly faded, clearing up the view of the dome-like area. Froslass struggled as it tried to lift itself back up. Burns riddled the Snow Land Pokémon's hide.

"The hailstorm broke!" Dawn gasped, "Quilava, this is our chance!"

Dawn pulled out her Pokédex and scanned Quilava in an instant. It seemed that Eruption had added itself to the moveset without erasing any of Quilava's previously learned moves. Curious, but knowing that it wasn't the time for questions, Dawn put away the Pokédex and prepared to call out her next commands.

"Quilava, use Flame Wheel!"

The Volcano Pokémon purred briefly and then leaped into a wheel of fire, sparks shooting in all directions as the larger fire-type raced toward the staggered ice-type. Froslass looked up at the bright flames and its eyes widened in terror before Quilava smashed into it, sending the ice-type rolling.

"Now, use Smokescreen!"

Quilava came spinning out of the scorching wheel and landed a short distance from the downed Froslass. The fire-type opened its maw and released a cloud of black smoke at high speed, shrouding Froslass in the haze.

"Now use Flamethrower again!"

The smoke cleared from Froslass' eyes only for the ice-type to be met by yet another barrage of fire. The aggressive ice-type fell to the ground for the umpteenth time, grievously weakened and cringing from the repeated strikes.

" _Lass…"_

Dawn pulled an empty Poké Ball from the pocket of her bag, enlarging the capsule with glee. The ice/ghost-type was in prime condition for capture, and the Coordinator knew it. "Okay, go, Poké Ball!"

The capsule spun as Dawn threw it, arcing cleanly toward Froslass. The ice-type saw the incoming Ball and simply drooped its head, sighing dejectedly and conceding. The Poké Ball clapped the ice-type's head and it was sucked in through a flash of red energy. The Ball fell to the ground loudly and began to shake as it tried to contain the Snow Land Pokémon. After a few wiggles, the Ball settled and released a noise that indicated the capture had been complete. Quilava and Dawn both celebrated as May smiled with pride. Dawn then ran up to the grounded Poké Ball and picked it up, holding it so that she looked at the button that would open it.

"Froslass, I promise, you're going to be a great addition to our team. I'll be a Trainer you can be proud of." Dawn addressed the inanimate Ball, hoping that the battered ice-type heard her. Then, the Twinleaf Coordinator pocketed the Poké Ball and turned to May, who walked up with a grin.

"I gotta say, Dawn, I'm a little jealous." May teased, "You pulled that off well. You should be real proud of Quilava."

The Volcano Pokémon then appeared at Dawn's feet, pushing up on its back legs so that it became bipedal and placing its padded feet on Dawn's exposed thighs. The fire-type looked up happily, chirping. Dawn couldn't help but give a silly grin and reach to rub Quilava on the head affectionately. "You did great, Quilava. Froslass is gonna love it on our team, I just know it."

Dawn and May laughed together and then started walking with Quilava out of the domed area, heading deeper into the cave. Shortly after that, a light that signaled the cave's end became apparent, and the two Coordinators became overwhelmed with joy and broke into a run for the exit.

Bright light blinded both Dawn and May as they exited the cave. The warmth of the sunlight fell upon them and they both internally sighed happily. After so long inside the cold cave, the newfound heat was more than welcome. The two shielded their eyes from the new sun as they looked ahead, seeing the skyline of a small city rise up in the mountain foothills. The city of dragons glittered with an otherworldly glow in the light, and Dawn and May happily broke into another run for the city, the path to get there being very short, albeit hilly.

As the two Coordinators made their mad dash for the city, a male exited the Ice Cave. This man had short, jet-black hair that was cleanly trimmed just over his forehead. His eyes were a dark slate grey, piercing and unnerving. His outfit of choice, when he wasn't wearing his customary tuxedo for Contests, was a windbreaker as black as his hair with grey trim in various places, with a white undershirt peeking out where the jacket was unzipped around the chest. Dark denim jeans stretched down until they cut off at a pair of sneakers.

The teen's name was Jacen, and he was enigma to everyone he met. His past was unknown to all but a select few, and his training style was often frowned upon. Damned if he cared, though. To this teen, Pokémon were little more than powerful tools to be used in battle, whether that was a Contest Battle or a Gym Battle, both of which Jacen partook in. This was another fact that few knew, certainly not the two female Coordinators who Jacen loathed and saw as rivals. It was a mere coincidence that he had entered the Ice Cave after them, but the enigma had eventually caught up enough to witness the final stages of the blue-haired Coordinator's battle with the wild Froslass. Admittedly, Jacen had considered throwing a Poké Ball of his own before Dawn could, impressed by the Froslass' fight, but in retrospect Jacen was glad he hadn't bothered. The ice-type's weakness had become clear to him as he thought it over, considering how it had submitted to capture so easily.

Jacen snorted as his thoughts came to an end, and calmly walked toward Blackthorn City, where he intended to earn another of those Ribbons, and perhaps, challenge the Leader of the Blackthorn Gym.

* * *

 **There's Chapter 16. It'll be a few more chapters until we revisit Dawn and May, that's subject to change though. In the next chapter, we'll return to Ash and find out just what Riley is doing on Mt. Silver and what that'll mean for Ash.**


	17. The Last Aura Guardian

**We now return to Ash's journey. Please consider leaving a review or PM me if you'd like to talk about the story in greater detail.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 17_

 _The Last Aura Guardian_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Mt. Silver**_

Ash sat on a rock formation inside the cave, his eyes flicking back and forth as he followed Riley, who was carrying logs over to a pit only a few feet away from Ash with the help of Lucario. The rock formation underneath Ash's rear was one of several in what was more of a fractured circle than anything. In the center of this broken circle was a charred, circular section of rock, with a couple of logs of firewood on top.

Riley and Lucario each carried one log, and they carefully placed the logs on top of each other before taking a few steps back. The Aura Guardian fished through his jacket and pulled out some flint and steel, striking the two materials together. In a moment's notice, a small fire was started, and in a few more moments the flames had fed enough on the logs to create a warm campfire.

Riley took his place on one of the other rock formations, and Lucario did the same, effectively forming a triangle between the three people. Silence held over them, the only noise being the occasional popping as the fire continued to feed on the wood and oxygen.

Ash finally spoke up.

"You never answered me earlier." Ash started, his voice stoic and calm, "What are you doing here?"

Riley smiled thinly before responding immediately, "One thing at a time, Ash. I figured my cave here would be a much better place to talk than in the middle of a blizzard at the summit."

Ash briefly flashed back to a few hours earlier when Riley had escorted him away from the summit with only a couple of words. Ho-Oh had taken to the skies as the two left, presumably never to be seen again. Riley had then led Ash down a long hike of the opposite side of the mountain, which the latter had never traversed until now. Still, the Aura Guardian kept to himself, not talking at all except to inform Ash where they were headed. The hike hadn't been terribly long, they were still a solid ways above Silver Town when Riley turned into a small yet peculiar cave just off to the side of one of the many rocky plains like Mt. Silver's foothills. The shape of the cave, which was really more of a natural grotto, wasn't the only thing that stood out to Ash. Peculiar cave paintings littered sections of the wall, but the Trainer hadn't asked about them nor been able to decipher them.

Riley continued talking, snapping Ash back to reality. "First I should start by explaining just what I'm doing on this mountain. You see, back just before the start of the summer, I had a strange feeling. After some meditation, I determined that this feeling was the signature of a peculiarly strong Aura. From Iron Island, I was able to pinpoint just where the signature originated. Unfortunately, this Aura signature departed its point of origin barely a few days after I first picked up on it, so I waited to see if it ever became stationary. This did not happen until it finally reached one place: Twinleaf Town."

"You mean…" Ash interrupted, "You could feel…my Aura?"

"Precisely. The unlocking of one's Aura tends to occur with a rush of powerful emotion. Sometimes these emotions cause Aura energy to physically manifest, other times it doesn't." Riley confirmed, "As soon as you stopped in Twinleaf Town, I departed from Iron Island with Lucario to Canalave City. Unfortunately, it took longer than I anticipated to even reach the port. By the time I reached Twinleaf Town, you were long gone, Ash. Yet still, peculiarly, the traces of your Aura remained, leading me to the home of Johanna."

"Johanna…?" Ash commented along the way, but Riley continued without acknowledging him.

"Johanna was very kind, and explained that you had left for Kanto with Dawn and Brock. I left Twinleaf Town and headed to Kanto, arriving roughly two weeks after you did. By then, I could detect your Aura, somewhere in the center of the Kanto Region. Once again, I did my best to follow you, but I lost sight of your Aura a second time before arriving in Saffron City."

"Luckily, I ran into a Samuel Oak when I was in Vermilion City. He explained to me that he did know you, and that you had left for the Johto Region on the Magnet Train. I headed straight for Saffron City and took the Train to Johto. Your Aura signature reappeared to me as soon as we got out of the tunnel going underneath the mountain range. It was relatively easy to keep tabs on you from there, as you had been moving east consistently. From there, I followed you to the mountain. I arrived at the Pokémon Center at the mountain's foot right around a month after your Aura became stationary on this mountain. I've been climbing ever since, and I hung back in this cave for a little while as I felt out for your Aura."

"So…how did you know I was headed to the summit?" Ash asked, fully invested in Riley's story.

"Well, it wasn't me that knew you were headed there. I was…told…"

"Told? By who?"

"Ho-Oh." Riley answered quickly.

Ash blanked, his mouth falling open. "Ho-Oh told you? How is that even possible?" he said a little louder than he intended.

"Easy." Riley answered, "A fully-fledged Aura Guardian can gain the ability to commune with Pokémon. You've met a Pokémon with the Telepathy ability, no?"

"Uh, yeah…a couple of times."

"It's the same concept. An Aura Guardian such as myself can transmit their Aura to a Pokémon and essentially speak with them through the power of Aura. Ho-Oh appeared to me a few days after I first discovered this cave. Its presence was so powerful that it woke me from my sleep. I don't know why it appeared to me, but I believe it was to bring us together." Riley explained, "I communicated with Ho-Oh from that point, and eventually began waiting near the summit until you made your final push. I had assumed that we would meet at the summit yesterday, but…circumstances apparently prevented that."

Ash half-smiled nervously as he remembered the angry Golem that had come after them. Riley didn't seem to notice, shrugging off the mishap of the day before and continuing.

"Now, you need to understand I followed you here. Long ago, the Aura Guardians were a people of great power, and were looked up to and counted on to keep the peace. Since ancient times, the Aura Guardians have done just that. But as time went on and the world become more and more populated and more advanced, people's attitudes toward Aura Guardians began to change. Some felt that we were not needed anymore. Others feared us for our power. Others still hated us for our gifts. One by one, over the centuries, Aura Guardians were driven out of their dwellings across the world. Some were even killed. These acts deprived many Aura Guardians of the chance to train others who possessed the power to control and sense Aura."

Ash was listening with enthralled intent, his eyes slightly widening as he pictured all that Riley was telling him. The picture of debauchery that his mind projected made him want to wretch. How could humans be so cruel as to drive out and slaughter those who were sworn to protect them?

Riley's monologue continued, moving through the ages into near-present times, "With no way to pass on Aura to the next generation, the power of Aura died out almost entirely… _almost_. There were still some Aura Guardians left, but as the times turned to the modern era, they secluded themselves and posed as ordinary people. Eventually, the power of Aura and the horrors that afflicted its users became all but forgotten."

"…How did you become an Aura Guardian, Riley?"

Riley's eyes narrowed and he glanced up toward the roof of the cave. He then smiled, "When I was a boy, I lived in the country. One day, I met an elderly man named Dante. He was a hermit, traveling across the Sinnoh Region at his whim. I became close to Dante, close enough to consider him one of my closest friends. Dante explained to me one day…that he had lived a full life. He had fallen in love and married, had a few children, who then had children of their own. His wife had died many years ago, and his children never called home. Dante never got to be a part of his grandchildren's lives as they grew up. This drove him to leave his home, and he traveled around with the minuscule number of Pokémon that he had with him, hoping to see everything that he could before his body gave up on him. However, there was one thing that he had never gotten to express in his ancient life. It was then that Dante showed me the power of Aura. It was amazing, seeing this little blue orb of energy in the palm of an old man's hand. I told him that I wanted to use Aura, and Dante agreed, admitting that he had sensed the Aura within me from the day we met."

"Dante trained me from that day forward. We used to spar and train on this hill outside of my hometown, underneath this great big oak tree. Slowly, as my grip on Aura strengthened, it almost seemed as if Dante became a happier man. Color returned to his face, he smiled more often, and he truly seemed to believe in living again." Riley continued, "But then…disaster struck. When I was sixteen years old, five years after I'd first met Dante and nearly three years after I'd first begun training under him…we were found out."

Ash balked as Riley continued further, "A childhood friend of mine…he spotted Dante using Aura near me at the tree we always trained at. Although he never saw me use Aura, he panicked when he saw Dante doing so. We never realized we were being watched as he ran back to town, telling everyone who would listen about the man in the hills using magic. I will concede that what my friend did was completely natural. What came next, however, I never could've imagined."

"Dante and I had parted ways for the evening, and he was walking through town to return to his home. Nearby locals already knew just what power he possessed, and they did not hesitate to harass him. Eventually, the harassing became violent. I had no idea until the sirens wailed in the streets."

Ash breathed in sharply. The Aura Guardian's story, however, wasn't over.

"They were so terrified of him, even when he refused to fight back as they beat him within an inch of his life. They feared his power so much that they didn't care. He died that night in the hospital from his wounds."

Riley's eyes widened back to normal as if he was exiting a vision of the past, and he fought back the tears threatening to well up in his eyes. Lucario stood from his seat and walked over to his master and close friend, and comforted him. Ash sulked, deep in thought. What had Riley done to deserve watching his master die in front of him? How could perfectly decent people become so filled with hate, just because of something they didn't understand?

"Riley…I'm sorry…" Ash mustered, feeling foolish for not being able to add anything else.

"It is fine." Riley answered quickly. He made eye contact again with Ash, and the Trainer ignored the red in the Guardian's eyes, "It is in the past, and the past cannot be changed. But the future can be. And that leads us back to why I am here for _you._ I believe you've told me about your experience conjuring Aura in Kanto with an ancient Lucario, yes?"

Ash nodded.

"Your Aura is very strong, Ash, and as with Dante before me, I have not taken an apprentice yet. I am sure you can connect the dots," Riley explained, "but I would very much like to train you how to use your Aura, to refine it into a well of natural power. Train under me, Ash, and I can show you a power you never could've imagined."

Ash's eyes trembled as he mulled over the offer. Managing to piece together his words, Ash looked back up to Riley, his hands shaking a little bit as he gave his answer, "Riley, I...I would be honored to call you master."

Riley smiled, banishing his sadness to the dark corners of his memories where the feeling had been hidden for so long. "Very well, Ash. I am glad." Riley said quickly, "I am certain that we will make this worth your while."

"Well let's go!" Ash shouted, surging up from his place on the rock and standing confidently with his clenched fist. Pikachu, who had been closely listening from his place on Ash's shoulder, vocalized an agreement, feeding on his partner's enthusiasm.

Riley couldn't help but grin at the Trainer's youthful glow, something that the Aura Guardian had lost himself on the day Dante had died. Riley tugged his hat over his eyes to stifle his chuckling. "Tomorrow, Ash. The sun will set soon, so if we start now we won't get anything out of it," Riley answered, "I'll start cooking soon, and we'll both need to hit the hay. We'll be waking up a good while before sunrise."

Ash's shoulders sagged a little bit. He knew that Riley was indisputably right. Despite that, he desired to learn the ways of Aura more than ever now. He flashed back to his journey with May, Max, Brock, Kidd, and Lucario back in Kanto around three years before. Lucario had told him that his Aura was like Sir Aaron's. But it was only now that he was beginning to really tinker with that thought. Riley had praised Sir Aaron earlier that evening as a powerful Aura Guardian. The idea that Ash, only sixteen years young, could possess a power similar to a figure of such legend was baffling.

Ash's mind tinkered with all of the possibilities up until it was time to go to sleep. Riley had produced two sleeping mats and blankets to go with them, laying the mats out in separate places on the cave floor. Riley's Lucario walked away from the pair of humans and hopped on top of one of the many rock formations and then fell into a stance that resembled meditation. Ash found himself watching Lucario for several seconds.

"That is how Lucario sleeps." Riley butted in, startling Ash before the Aura Guardian turned back to his personal mat and unrolled the blanket. Ash's glance then fell on the flat sleeping mat and blanket, and he mentally groaned.

"Doesn't look super comfortable, does it, Pikachu?" Ash asked the electric mouse, who agreed quietly. The Trainer and Pokémon crawled underneath the sleeping mat together, as they were accustomed to, and Ash curled himself into a ball as he wrapped himself and Pikachu in the blanket. "You think Nurse Joy will worry about us?" Ash asked Pikachu quietly. The mouse took on a look of wondering, never really coming out of the trance. "Maybe we can ask Riley to let us go to Silver Town tomorrow. I'm sure he'll understand. Well, good night, Pikachu."

Pikachu smiled lightly before tucking himself into his own ball. Ash was right, the sleeping mat _was_ uncomfortable, probably meaning that it would be a rough night of sleep in the cold cave.

* * *

" _Ash! Wake up!"_

Ash didn't move, but Pikachu did, startling awake with a yelp. The electric-type looked up, seeing the shapes of Riley and Lucario in the darkness.

"Good morning, Pikachu." Riley greeted, but the electric mouse strongly disagreed that it was indeed morning, "Sorry to scare you, but Ash needs to wake up. It's time for our training to begin."

Pikachu stumbled his way to his feet and shook himself awake. _"Pika, Pikachu."_ The electric-type communicated with Lucario, explaining that he would wake Ash. The fighting-type turned to Riley and said nothing, but almost immediately, Riley acknowledged Pikachu.

"Very well, Pikachu. Do your thing."

Pikachu wore a mischievous grin as lightning surged out of his cheeks. He was growing relatively fond of zapping his Trainer awake. The electricity surged out of his cheeks and into his tail before bursting free in a bright yellow explosion, a forked bolt blasting into Ash's body. The Trainer shot into the air almost telekinetically and awoke instantly, a shout of pain escaping his lungs. The Pallet native crashed to the cave floor in a heap of smoke. Then, Ash noticed how dark it was. Somehow, he knew it was far earlier than he'd ever woken up for training on the mountain.

"Riley…what…time is it?" Ash groaned in broken pants, breathing in as much air as he could in an effort to wake himself up more fully.

"Well, if you're going by a generic clock, it's roughly 5:30 a.m." Riley answered.

" _What?"_ Ash shouted in response, looking up at the Aura Guardian, "I _never_ woke up that early to train my Pokémon up here!"

"Well, we aren't training Pokémon, now are we?" Riley answered unsympathetically, "We're training _you_. Besides, Ash, I even let you sleep extra. I've been up for over an hour. Now get up, we're going out onto the plateau to warm up."

Riley and Lucario then walked away from Ash, headed to the opening of the cave. Pikachu hopped over to Ash, chirping cheerfully.

"Oh, hey Pikachu." Ash groaned, "Thanks for waking me up… I think. I guess we need to get ready. It's probably going to be really cold out there." The Pallet native unhappily got up off of the chilled rock that made up the cave floor, and started to stretch out the tightness in his arms by swinging them back and forth. Within a few minutes, Ash was dressed in his usual cold gear and headed outside of the cave. Riley and Lucario stood a short ways from the den, and the Aura Guardian had lit a tall torch and lit it to provide a small source of light. The torch had been driven into the ground, and the light was just enough to illuminate the whole of Riley's form and some of Lucario's.

Ash and Pikachu came to a solitary stop about two feet away from the Aura Guardian and his partner. Silence held over them for a short moment, until Riley spoke up.

"Are you ready, Ash?"

"Yep! I'm ready!"

"Good." Riley answered instantaneously, "We're going to start with an evaluation. An Aura Guardian must be physically fit in order to best control Aura. So first, I want you to do as many push-ups as you can, right now."

Ash gave Riley a puzzled look, but dropped to the ground, assuming the customary push-up stance. Without further ado, Ash lowered himself to the ground, pushing himself back up into the 'up' position before repeating. Quickly, the Trainer's arms tired out, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain, mustering twenty push-ups before he could do no more. Ash fell to the ground after completing the twentieth rep, heaving as his arms strained to recover.

"Not bad, Ash." Riley commented, "But it can always be better. Now, roll over. I've got a full routine to get into."

* * *

Ash mashed the wild berries into his mouth, crunching them up as quickly as he could. He had lost the coat and pants half an hour ago; his body had heated up enough and produced enough sweat that he felt warm on the cold mountain. Truth be told, Ash wasn't ecstatic that he was back to eating wild berries. He had become brutally accustomed to two fresh-cooked meals at the Silver Diner every single day, and his stomach rumbled for its usual feast as the Pallet native finished his breakfast of berries.

Riley arrived just as Ash had finished eating, having left to forage some more berries from the wild brush that populated the mountain. The Aura Guardian carried a small tub stuffed with berries of his own, and crashed down into a seated position to eat his own breakfast. Riley ate his food much, much slower than Ash had, seemingly taking the time to relish the taste of each individual wild fruit. The painstakingly slow pace was beginning to kill Ash, but he held off criticism until Riley finished. The Aura Guardian smoothed his coat as he stood up, and looked to his new protégé.

"All right, Ash, we're done with breakfast. What do you say we go down to Silver Town?"

"Wait, really?"

"Sure thing. I'm sure you'd like to send some of your Pokémon back to Kanto. Also, we can get some extra clothes. I've been thinking it would be wise to head there in the morning and the afternoon. Despite what you might think of me after the core routine I've had you do, I'm no savage. We don't have any running water and we could both use showers at the end of the day." Riley explained further.

Ash hopped up to his feet, happy once again. "All right! When can we leave?"

"If you wish, we can head down now. You can recuperate before we get to the real workouts."

Ash whirled around and started throwing on his cold gear, since he would eventually cool down and possibly freeze if he walked down to the town in his vest and shorts.

Ash and Riley reached Silver Town within the hour. The sun had come up over the horizon and sat at a drastically acute angle over it, showing that it was early morning. Silver Town was bustling with activity—or at least, with as much activity as it could get—and Ash's first stop was going to be the Pokémon Center. The Pallet native split from Riley, sprinting toward the automatic doors leading into the hospital.

"Nurse Joy!" Ash called as he ran into the warmth of the Pokémon Center.

Nurse Joy looked up from her desk and she smiled brightly, "Well, hello, Ash! I was beginning to get worried about you. You didn't come back to the Center last night."

"I'm really sorry, Nurse Joy." Ash apologized as he reached the desk, "I've met up with a friend higher up on the mountain and am going to be camping with him for some time while I finish my training. But we're going to be in Silver Town twice a day through that time so we can get necessities."

Nurse Joy seemed to understand the situation, and then asked her usual question. "Do your Pokémon need any rest?"

Ash then remembered his battle with Moltres, and decided not to say anything specific about that. "Oh, yeah, I haven't had a chance to get them checked up." Ash answered, unclipping his Poké Balls and turning them over. Nurse Joy turned and disappeared into the examination room as Ash ran over to the videophone to call his mother. His conversation with Delia was relatively short, and Ash only revealed that a friend from the Sinnoh Region had run into him on Mt. Silver and that they would be training together. After Nurse Joy returned and mother and son ended their call, Ash rotated his Pokémon out with Professor Oak. His new set involved Pikachu, Buizel, Quilava, Heracross, Donphan, and Swellow.

Ash met back up with Riley shortly after, finding the Aura Guardian in the local gear shop down the path from the Center. Riley had been trying on a heavy jacket when Ash arrived, and the Guardian eventually bought the gear. With their errands completed, Ash and Riley prepared to head back up the mountain to resume the former's workout.

Ash spotted the Silver Diner, and his stomach rumbled. "Hey, Riley, can we stop at the diner and eat?"

"Ash, you just ate your breakfast barely an hour ago." Riley chastised, "Besides, an Aura Guardian must be able to get the most out of less, so our diet of berries will be fine for breakfast. However, I will concede and allow you to eat there during our evening trip to town."

"All right! Manuel's cooking is just too good to pass up!"

Within the next half hour, Ash and Riley were back up on a good section of the mountain. Their cave was still a ways up, but the terrain was mostly the same as it was outside of Riley's grotto. At the moment, Ash was sitting cross-legged on the hard ground while Riley gave a lecture.

"The key to any Aura Guardian is physical and mental toughness. He must be strong and agile, but also smart. It is part of an Aura Guardian's job to do their best to dissolve conflict before resorting to force." Riley explained, pacing back and forth steadily.

"But Riley, you don't look _that_ strong."

Riley turned to face his protégé. "Hit me."

"What?" Ash asked, balking.

"I said hit me." Riley repeated, "I want you to take a swing at me."

Ash stood up nervously, still eyeing Riley uneasily. The Aura Guardian simply stood solidly and watched. Reluctantly, Ash clenched his fist and surged forward, aiming to punch Riley in the face. The punch rocketed toward Riley, but the Aura Guardian simply shot up a hand and caught Ash's fist, wrapping his fingers around it and clenching as tightly as he could. Ash's swing stopped in midair and pain flooded up the Trainer's forearm.

Ash wailed and Riley let go, allowing the Trainer to reclaim his hand and hold it. "Why…why would you do that?" Ash asked while panting, his hand still hurting.

"To prove a point." Riley answered quickly and calmly, "You do not have to look strong to be strong. That goes for both the mind and the body. That being said, I will commend you for a moment. That was a good punch."

Ash shrugged off the compliment as the pain went away in his hand. He then stood up to face Riley again. "What now?" he asked nonchalantly.

Riley answered with a wicked grin, "Now, we run."

* * *

Ash's legs turned over one after the other, his footfalls releasing a hollow _click_ each time his feet hit the earth. His arms pumped leisurely at his sides. He had just finished running three miles around the mountain trails at the behest of Riley, who insisted that they were starting easy. Ash disagreed. There was a clenching discomfort in his lungs and burning in his legs, not to mention the pain of his feet clapping against solid rock for so long.

Ash finally rounded the last corner onto the rocky plateau. Riley and Lucario stood stoically side by side, unmoving as Ash approached them. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of running, Ash collapsed and caught himself, breathing hard as he tried to regain his composure. After several heavy breaths, Ash looked up, and found Riley to be smiling.

"Can we never…do that…again?"

"I'm sorry, Ash. But I promise, there is a method to this madness. Soon, you'll be stronger, faster, and better than before." Riley promised, "Now, I'm going to give you a little break from the physical workouts. Your next task will be to spar with Lucario."

Lucario stood only a few feet from the still-recovering Ash. The Aura Pokémon was unnervingly calm, his only movement the flexing of his hands. The large spikes that extended on the back of the Pokémon's hand glinted in the harsh sunlight.

"Ash, this won't be too hard on you. I'm having Lucario teach you some basic defensive moves as well as Aura movements."

"Am I going to get to use Aura?"

Riley shook his head, "I'm afraid not. We still have a long way to go before we start working on that. Now, Lucario, go!"

The Aura Pokémon was on Ash in a blur, its canine hand shooting up behind it before coming down toward Ash. The Pallet native instinctively raised his arm to defend, and Lucario lightly tapped his arm into Ash's, indicating the Pokémon wouldn't be inflicting harm on its master's newest protégé. Lucario then staggered back and sent out what looked like a Force Palm without the energy bursting from it. This time, Lucario's palm reached Ash's stomach and the fighting-type gave a light push. Ash flashed his gaze up to Riley, who nodded.

"That's okay, Ash." Riley called, "We're not using any moves today. But once we get a grip on Aura, I'll be letting Lucario take off the gloves and you'll have to defend against some real Pokémon attacks."

Lucario and Ash's sparring session continued for a while longer, with the Pallet native gradually getting a grip on the defensive moves and even feeling out the patterns to counter some of Lucario's mock attacks. Eventually, Riley called off the match, next instructing Ash on some strength routines and then finishing up with another core routine. In his first day of training, Ash had done two brutal routines of core workouts, a 3-mile run plus strength and conditioning, and a sparring match with a Pokémon. But still irking Ash was the lack of any Aura use throughout the day.

Ash and Riley then headed down to Silver Town, another long walk that Ash couldn't wait to be over with. He recalled running into the Pokémon Center to use a shower. Riley permitted him to eat dinner at the Silver Diner, giving the Trainer a chance to taste the work of the Diner's cook, Manuel, for the first time in a day and a half.

At sunset, the master and apprentice made their way back up to the former's cave, neither having divulged a word of the nature of their training higher up on the mountain. Tomorrow would mark day two and the start of this new routine's daily repetition.


	18. The Aura Is With Me

**Penned this chapter while watching football and was actually rather surprised by its length. I hope y'all enjoy. Please consider leaving a review, guys.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 18_

 _The Aura Is With Me_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Mt. Silver**_

Ash walked out of the Silver Town Pokémon Center and breathed in the freezing air. He was wearing a newer heavy jacket, this one being a dark gray color with bold yellow trim in the sides. He had just rotated out some of his Pokémon with Professor Oak and spoken to his mother over the videophone. In his fourth week of training with Riley, still no one but the master and apprentice knew of the true nature of their training. Ash felt genuinely guilty not telling his mother about what he was training to do, but that had also been a result of not actually conjuring Aura yet.

It was very puzzling to the young Trainer. For nearly four weeks, he'd risen from bed long before sunrise and trained relentlessly both himself and his Pokémon. His sparring matches with Lucario and Riley had become much more fast-paced, but still no Aura surged in the palms of the Aura Guardian and his partner Pokémon when they battled with the youth. Many times, Ash had hidden himself from the pair and done his best to create Aura, but each of his attempts had failed. He didn't understand this. He had been easily able to create the energy while wearing Sir Aaron's gloves back in Kanto. Maybe that had been a result of using the gear of the ultra-legendary Aura Guardian and being in a place such as the Tree of Beginning.

Riley appeared in Ash's field of vision and the Trainer shook away the thoughts, artificially brightening his mood as he walked closer. "Hello, Ash. Are you ready to go back up?"

Ash agreed and the pair headed back up the mountain, eventually arriving at the rocky plains that had been the main hub of their training for these past few weeks. Ash fell deep back into thought. His physical training had provided a great boon to his physique in such a short time. While he wasn't ripped by any means, Ash's upper body muscles had certainly gotten larger and more toned. His strength routines often consisted of lifting heavy rock-type Pokémon such as Geodude. He'd been going on longer runs each day, and by now he was clocking in nearly 6 miles in one sitting. Despite the lack of Aura use, Ash had to admit that Riley's physical training routines had been extremely helpful.

Now back on the rocky plain, Riley set down what he had been carrying and turned to his apprentice. "Today, Ash, we'll be doing something a little bit different."

"What do you mean? Longer runs? Lucario taking off the gloves?"

Riley shook his head. "No." he answered quickly, "Allow me to show you."

Ash followed Riley a ways away from the cave, walking down the seemingly endless rocky plain. Plateaus of great height sat stoically above them as they walked, and Ash could not shake the feeling that he was being watched. Finally, after a very long walk, Riley stopped, prompting Ash to do the same.

"Look there." Riley pointed out ahead of them.

Ash glanced, and saw various moving rocks, some of much larger than others. "Graveler and Geodude." Ash remarked, finding the sight very unremarkable.

"Feel out for their Aura." Riley ordered, "I've explained to you how to do this."

Ash gulped and then closed his eyes, clearing his mind. All he could see was blackness, obviously. Ash tried to focus, listening for the faint sounds of the heavy rock-types moving about. Ash took in a deep breath, opening his palms in the direction of the rock-types, envisioning their footfalls.

Nothing.

"I…I can't." Ash said as he opened his eyes, seeing the rock-types virtually unmoved from where they were.

"That is all right, Ash." Riley answered, "Truth be told, I didn't expect it to work. Our training with actual Aura has been nonexistent."

"Riley, when can I learn how to create Aura? For weeks all we've been doing is running and fighting and working out. We haven't done anything with actual Aura, and you told me that's why you wanted me here."

"Ash, I promise you, this is all according to design." Riley answered calmly, "Look at your progress in just over three weeks. I can promise you that you're working far harder than I ever did under Dante. When I was in your position, our work was much easier, and therefore, lasted much longer. I want our time here to be as brief as possible."

Ash slowly nodded. "So, what are we doing here?"

"You are going to defend yourself from these wild Pokémon." Riley answered quickly, continuing before Ash could respond, "I'm going to upset them, and they're going to come after you."

" _What?"_

Riley ignored Ash's confusion. "Oh, and no using your Pokémon. This is an agility and intelligence exercise. Being an Aura Guardian is about defense, first and foremost. But we haven't really worked on defending yourself against a group."

"Riley, I'm confused. What do you—"

Riley conjured up a large Aura Sphere calmly in his hand without answering Ash before launching the sphere toward the group of rock-types. A small explosion followed, sending a couple of the lighter Geodude into the air, but equally upsetting the group of living rocks. All of them immediately glared toward the humans as their confusion died down, and anger flooded through them.

"Have fun, Ash." Riley commented before suddenly jumping high into the air. A blue blaze trailed behind him, indicating that he was using Aura to power his leap as he maneuvered over to one of the lower plateaus. Unfortunately, the angry rock-types didn't bother to follow where Riley had fled, and instead focused on Ash, who forced a nervous smile as he heard the larger Graveler start growling.

"Easy now…" Ash tried, taking a few steps back as the group of rock-types started to walk his way, all of them leering at him. Ash reached for a Poké Ball instinctively, but felt an otherworldly power grab his hand and pull it away. Ash looked immediately to his hand and saw the faintest flashes of a dying blue glow, and looked up to the plateau that Riley stood on.

" _Remember what I said Ash! No Pokémon!"_ Riley shouted from the height, his voice echoing doing below in the mountain valley. Ash cursed under his breath and Pikachu clenched his little grip around his partner's shoulder.

"What about Pikachu?" Ash shouted back.

" _You can keep him out, but you can't command him to attack! We'll train both of you! Now, look out!"_

Ash and Pikachu both looked toward the angry rock-types and saw one of the Graveler spinning large rocks in its irregular three-fingered hands. The rock-type reared back its strange arms and launched the rocks toward the Trainer and Pokémon. _"Grav!"_

Ash's jaw dropped as he panicked, and without much thinking he dropped toward the rocky ground, catching himself in a clean push-up as the sound of the two rocks whizzing over his head made him tense. Not a second later, he heard the rocks smash into the terrain behind him and shatter.

" _Good!"_ Riley called from the high-up plateau, _"That's what I want to see! Quick thinking and agility!"_

" _Screw you, Riley!"_ Ash shouted nonchalantly as the rock-types got closer, more of the Pokémon calling forth attacks. The Aura Guardian didn't respond vocally, simply smirking as his protégé stood defensively and watched, waiting for the next volley of attacks.

" _Geodude, Geo!"_ various Geodude shouted as they smacked the ground with their humanlike hands. Without any further warning, the live rocks pushed themselves into the air, launching at high speed toward Ash and Pikachu. Ash dove to the side, and Pikachu fell off of his shoulder to the ground, Shaking off the daze, Pikachu looked up at the oncoming rock-types and gaped as they roared angrily. The electric mouse sidestepped at blinding speed, briefly showing off the boons of its last three months of training. One Geodude flew by Pikachu as it missed, but another identical living rock was hurtling toward the electric-type and he sidestepped again. This routine repeated several times until each of the Geodude had missed, and Pikachu jumped back over to Ash's shoulder.

The Graveler now outnumbered the Geodude ahead of them, and the larger living boulders grumbled as they summoned another Rock Throw attack. This time, 4 individual Graveler brought forth two rocks each, turning them as they looked calculatingly at their enemies.

" _Grav! Grav! Graveler!"_ the rock-types shouted as they threw their rocks at Ash. Ash smoothly turned his upper body to dodge the first rock, before doing the same but to the opposite side to dodge the second. Two more rocks followed shortly after, and Ash again dropped to the ground to dodge the remainder of the volley of attacks, hearing six rocks whiz by above him before getting back up.

"Okay, that was cool." Ash remarked to Pikachu as he stood on his feet again.

Pikachu's head immediately then flicked back behind him, and the electric-type panicked.

" _Pika-pi!"_

Ash looked back and saw a smaller group of Geodude flying at him from behind, and Ash jumped to the side and out of the way, watching as the smaller rocks flew through where he had been a split-second before. Each of them landed awkwardly on the ground, but didn't seem to be affected.

"Woah. Thanks Pikachu." Ash heaved, "You saved my skin back there."

One of the Geodude smacked the ground repeatedly as it turned to face Ash, before launching itself in the air. "Oh, gimme a break! Don't you guys ever give up?" Ash complained. Thanks to his dodge only seconds before, he was now trapped up against the plateau wall where Riley was standing, and large rocks on either side of him were going to make it hard to dodge.

Resorting to his only other option, Ash threw out his hands, opening his palms and tensing his arms as he prepared for the forty-pound rock to reach him. The wild Geodude saw his target remaining stationary and leered victoriously, reaching out its humanlike hands in triumph.

Ash spread his feet to steady himself quickly, before the Geodude came smashing into his palms. The pain was incredible. The heavy living rock had brought the full force of its body forward, and Ash made a mental note to make sure his hands weren't broken once the adrenaline scorching his veins died out. The adrenaline also, in part, allowed Ash to absorb the massive brunt of the rock's lunge, and the Trainer tucked the rock-type into his chest and stabilized himself, completing the catch of the ridiculously heavy rock. The wild Geodude complained as it realized it had been caught, and did its best to swing its rocky arms at the Trainer, but to no avail. Ash's hand was large enough to cover the rock's face, so its swinging attacks look more like a Flail attack.

Another Geodude launched itself in the air toward Ash, angrily grumbling as it gained speed. Ash quickly glanced down at the Geodude he had caught, who was still flailing unhappily, and had an idea. Ash placed his other hand on the caught Geodude, holding it carefully, and reared back his arms over his head. The Geodude complained as its vision was now not only blacked out, but it was being moved around as well. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder to allow the Trainer to move. Finally, as the second Geodude closed in, Ash slung his caught Geodude, throwing it with two hands toward the oncoming one. The second Geodude panicked as it realized the Pallet native's game, but had no defense against the thrown Geodude. The two living rocks smashed together with a thunderous _thump_ , and both rocks immediately fell to the ground, their eyes made of swirls as they fainted.

Ash broke a wide smile as the improvisation worked, and his arms cried in pain. He had just thrown a ridiculously heavy rock with his hands, and the act was a testament to his newfound strength.

Unfortunately, the Graveler and other Geodude were not impressed with the move. If anything, the aggression only angered them. This time, all of the Graveler and Geodude channeled an attack that Ash couldn't name off the top of his head. The only thing that the Pallet native could register, however, was the dreading terror that started to overwhelm him. He was still trapped against the plateau and between the large rocks, and the rock-types had noticed this as they walked to a point directly in front of him.

Before Ash could cry out, a figure in a blue jacket landed in front of him, a flash of blue energy spreading out in the rock underneath his feet. A unique hat covered the man's spiky hair. The figure looked up toward the rock-types, who continued to channel their attacks without acknowledging the newcomer. Ash knew immediately that his savior was Riley, but said nothing.

The Aura Guardian brought forth a wall of blue energy as the rock-types launched their attacks, throwing rocks and boulders and other debris. The wall of Aura blocked it all, acting as a force field of sorts as it deflected or destroyed the attacks. As the attacks stopped, Riley then conjured a blinding blue light in his hand and held his open palm toward the rock-types. The Graveler and Geodude looked into the pulsing light, enthralled by its glow, and as Riley put away the light from within his body, the angry Pokémon calmed. They looked around, ignoring the humans, and then without much deliberation, walked away deeper into the valley.

Riley turned around to face Ash, wearing a wide smile. "That was very impressive, Ash." Riley complimented genuinely, "You thought quickly, acted quickly, and figured your way out of a compromising situation."

"Thanks, Riley." Ash responded with a smile of his own, "But…why did they just walk off like that? Why'd they respond to that light like that?"

Riley looked down to the hand he had produced the glow out of before looking back up and answering, "Remember how I told you I communicated with Ho-Oh through Aura to find out about you? I just did the same thing with the Geodude and Graveler. Through the power of Aura, I explained the reason we angered them and apologized. They calmed, and now are on their way."

"Cool…" Ash remarked, "Riley, can you show me how to do that?"

Riley tugged on his hat, grinning confidently, "I can show you much more than that. Next, for the first time since you started training under me, we will begin using Aura."

* * *

"Close your eyes and clear your mind." Riley instructed calmly, "Aura is the living essence inside of everything that exists and is. It flows through you, Ash, but to control it you will need to focus it."

Ash closed his eyes. The darkness that existed when he shut his eyes always helped him concentrate, since he had nothing to distract his view. His mind extinguished all of his thoughts as he did so, and the Pallet native took in a deep breath. Exhaling, Ash outstretched his arm, opening his palm. The blackness that covered his sight pulsed ever so slightly with his heartbeat, and for a second he thought he saw a faint blue glow in the dark behind his eyelids. The glow dissipated just as he registered it, but he continued to focus.

The focus quickly turned to strain, and his efforts broke apart. Ash sulked as he dropped his arm, recognizing that he couldn't create Aura.

"Do not get down on yourself, Ash. It's a big leap, trying to create Aura right off the bat. Here…" Riley offered, "Do you have any questions you'd like to ask? Let's talk. It will help you relax."

Riley sat down on a miscellaneous rock formation on the plain, inviting Ash to sit down on a nearby one. Ash thumped down onto the rock, producing a _slap_ , but Riley ignored the Trainer's dejected demeanor. "Well, Ash?"

Ash thought for a moment. "Why do Aura Guardians always have a Lucario with them?"

Riley smiled at the question, immediately reminiscing to when he had first met the Riolu that later became his Lucario. "Lucario are one of the few Pokémon in this world that can sense Aura and use it to their advantage. Naturally, humans who could sense Aura and the Lucario line matched up well. Their pre-evolution, Riolu, can also sense Aura, though to a lesser degree and with less precision."

Ash nodded. "The Lucario that I met in Kanto was Sir Aaron's. He had been trapped in the staff when Sir Aaron sacrificed himself to stop a great war. Lucario told me that Sir Aaron had taken him under his wing and taught him the ways of Aura."

Riley nodded. "Indeed. I have heard the legend of Sir Aaron on multiple occasions. Sir Aaron was the first Aura Guardian to pass on the ways of Aura to a Pokémon. According to his writings, he recognized the ability within Lucario, and took him as an apprentice. Before Sir Aaron, Aura Guardians had exclusively taught human pupils their abilities."

Riley continued, "Since that first revolutionary move, Aura Guardians have almost always bonded with a Riolu, imprinting on them at birth and raising them. Dante had a Lucario of his own, and was responsible for breeding my Lucario after he took me as an apprentice."

Ash glanced to Lucario, who held a stone glance on its face. "Can I see Lucario use Aura?"

Riley nodded quickly. Ash had witnessed Lucario's use of Aura before, but hadn't asked upfront to watch. Riley glanced to Lucario, who met its master's glance and got up from his place on the ground. The Aura Pokémon took a few steps forward, and then stretched its arms before beginning.

A beautiful, azure ball of energy formed on the edges of Lucario's palm, before breaking and spreading around Lucario's form until it created an outline of energy. Riley watched his partner Pokémon intently. Ash instinctively closed his eyes and reached out his palm to Lucario. The blackness in front of Ash's eyes lit up with a blue glow, rushing across the inside of his eyelids at high speed. Shortly after, a full picture formed in Ash's mind, his mind's eye projecting what he was seeing. The silhouette of Lucario was in the image, and its entire body was pulsing with running energy. Ash knew this could only mean one thing.

"I…I can sense it." Ash remarked, keeping his eyes closed as he gazed in awe at Lucario's Aura.

Riley snapped his attention over to his protégé, confused. "What?"

"Lucario's Aura…" Ash continued calmly, "I can sense it."

Riley smiled proudly, "What do you see? What do you feel?" he asked quickly, intrigued to hear what the youth was experiencing.

"I feel…power. Such raw power, just waiting to be released…" Ash explained, keeping his eyes closed and his palm outstretched as he drank in the feel of Lucario's Aura, "It's so beautiful, and so warm, and yet, the power within is undeniable…"

"Yes…that sums up Aura." Riley agreed, watching his protégé blissfully sense the power within. Suddenly, Ash's palm started to glow, and Riley gasped. Ash opened his eyes slowly, carefully glancing to his palm. The energy grew into a finely shaped ball, pulsing with raw power that even Riley could feel. The Aura Guardian's smile widened, and Ash started to look giddy. Amazingly, the change from focus to glee didn't hinder the generation of the Aura Sphere.

"Congratulations, Ash. You've conjured Aura."

Ash stood up, bringing his palm closer so that he could look down on it. The energy pulsed beautifully, before dissipating into glittering stars of light. Without missing a beat Ash summoned another Aura Sphere, this one much brighter, and he whirled around to launch it in the sky. The ball of energy beamed upward, eventually being torn apart by its high speed, but it didn't matter. Ash watched the sky for a while longer before turning to look at Riley, grinning from ear to ear. Riley likewise grinned like a child. It had been a long time in the making, and somehow, Riley knew that now their training would only expedite.

* * *

The Aura Sphere hurtled toward Ash from the side. He reacted to the blue glow flashing in his peripheral vision and whirled at a perfect 90-degree angle. Ash's arm shot up in a horizontal position, a wall of equally blue energy generating seamlessly in front of it. The Aura Sphere broke apart when it made contact, and Ash quickly shut his eyes, feeling out for the Pokémon's Aura. The shape of Lucario dashed deeper into the mountain cave, sprinting away fast enough to the point that Ash could no longer find the Aura signature. The youth gritted his teeth and he ran after Lucario into the darkness.

Riley was right. Ash's training had really sped along. Three and a half more weeks had blazed by; making their total time together about seven weeks, and each day had brought a new breakthrough in Ash's Aura powers. Ash's Aura Sphere had been nearly perfected by now, and he had learned to spread Aura all around his body and conjure things like impenetrable shields of energy, infuse projectiles with Aura, and even the robust technique of powering up his Pokémon's moves by pouring his Aura into their attacks (this technique was also highly illegal in League combat, but the existence of the technique was enough to convince Ash to learn it).

Ash felt out for Lucario's Aura as he pushed deeper into the cave, scanning repeatedly for the familiar signature of the fighting-type. He passed into a wider section of the cave, and immediately the signature of Lucario's Aura reappeared to him.

Unfortunately, that Aura signature was directly above him, and hurtling downward at high speed.

Lucario crashed down right behind Ash, holding a long rod of energy in its two hands. Ash whirled around, reopening his eyes, and brought forth two forearm bracers made of Aura to guard him. Lucario lashed out with the Bone Rush attack, aiming for Ash's midsection. The youth blocked the swing with his left forearm and then moved his right arm up to deflect the inevitable overhead counterattack from Lucario. This technique worked perfectly, and left Lucario open for a jab from Ash's left arm. Unfortunately, Lucario saw the jab coming and dissipated the Bone Rush rod in order to block Ash's move. Their battle continued, with Lucario taking the defensive for a few moments as Ash swung for the fences with his Aura-infused fists.

Finally tired of Ash's relentless attacking, Lucario leaped high into the air, avoiding the youth's final swing, and propelled himself with Aura to the ceiling of the room. The darkness swallowed Lucario's form, and Ash gritted his teeth before closing his eyes and feeling out for the fighting-type's Aura. He found the signature easily, seeing that Lucario was fleeing by crawling upside down along the ceiling. Impressed, Ash confidently ran after Lucario, leaping superhumanly after the fighting-type.

Ash had also learned how to increase his physical attributes like jumping with the power of Aura. Though he was nowhere near as refined with these techniques as Riley and Lucario were, he was still able to gain an advantage by jumping greater distances.

A huge number of Aura Spheres burst toward Ash as he rounded the corner. Opening his eyes instantly, Ash curled himself up and formed a shield of Aura, absorbing the collective power of the Aura Sphere attacks as they sank into his own Aura. Ash stood up fully as the Spheres went away, holding a glowing aura of power in his hand, and supercharged the stolen Aura with his own, creating an abnormally large Aura Sphere.

Sudden pain erupted from Ash's nose, interrupting his charging of Aura. A sticky liquid oozed from his nostril. The large Aura Sphere died out almost instantaneously and Ash staggered to his knees, his right hand immediately fumbling for his nose. Ash recognized the liquid's stickiness and determined that his nose was bleeding again.

Riley appeared out of the shadows, immediately kneeling beside Ash and placing a hand on his chest and back. "Lucario, you can come out now. We're done here."

The Aura Pokémon rushed out of the darkness, seeing the youth before him bleeding from his nose and calming its nerves. This had begun to happen lately when Ash overexerted himself.

"Ash, I've told you this too many times. You have limits." Riley scolded as he produced a handkerchief and gave it to the youth to wipe his nose and put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, "You are powerful, yes, but your power is raw and when you overexert yourself like that, trying to combine the powers of your own Aura and Lucario's Aura, things like this happen."

Ash spit on the rocky ground, a tad embarrassed that the exercise had been interrupted by his own stupidity. "Sorry, Riley."

"It's fine, Ash." Riley insisted, "On the bright side, that was your best match with Lucario yet. You defended against his attacks expertly and made some solid attacks of your own."

 _Yes, I would agree,_ Lucario's voice burned inside Ash's head. The Aura Pokémon had taken to speaking with Ash in the Trainer's head every now and then, now that he had been able to establish competent control of Aura. _You battled very well, Ash._

"You're well on your way to becoming an Aura Guardian." Riley encouraged, "I'm not sure you'll ever be able to stave off nose bleeds, that seems to be a side effect of your great power. However, I really believe that our training here is close to complete."

Ash's nosebleed stopped, and the youth staggered his way to his feet, taking in a deep breath. "Thanks, Riley." Ash conceded, doing his best to smile, "I'm really thankful for every you've done for me."

"As am I, Ash." Riley agreed, nodding and smiling wistfully. "Now, come on…let's head back."

* * *

 **That concludes Chapter 18. A little heads up, with exams coming up, I'm going to be strapped down with studying. My only free time is going to be on the weekends (and there will be lots of it) until December 16** **th** **, when exams conclude and I'm let out for Christmas break. I'm going to try and put out Chapter 19 tomorrow, and we should have 20-21 chapters in this story before the 16** **th** **. Again, please consider leaving a review at the bottom. These reviews encourage me to keep writing, and I really enjoy getting opinions and feedback from my readers.**


	19. One Final Test! The Last Stretch!

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 19_

 _One Final Test! The Last Stretch!_

* * *

 **Johto Region – Olivine City**

Dawn woke up pleasantly that morning. Piplup was huddled up next to the Twinleaf Town Coordinator, dozing off. Meanwhile, the blue-haired Trainer was ready to start the day. She carefully climbed out of the bed, moving extremely slowly so as to not disturb Piplup. The spoiled Penguin Pokémon wasn't very fond of being woken up, and the 13-year old Coordinator knew that all too well.

Dawn's reflection in the bathroom mirror was one of giddy excitement. Today, she was going to vie for her fifth and final Ribbon, at none other than the Wallace Cup. The vibrant traveler from Hoenn had chosen Johto's Olivine City as the next location for the Wallace Cup, citing the beauty of Olivine's portside view as the perfect destination for the spectacular.

Dawn showered at a leisurely pace, taking as much time as possible to ensure that her hair was perfectly arranged, clipping in the yellow hairclips to complete the look. Dawn exited the bathroom after a long prep session, packing her customary pink dress and preparing her other side accessories and ball capsules for the Contest.

" _Luuuuuuup…"_ a certain penguin complained. Dawn turned to look toward the bed, finding the round blue penguin stretching out before standing on its small feet. Blinking twice, the penguin seemed to fully wake up, and took on a happier expression upon seeing its Trainer all prepared for the day. _"Lup!"_

"Good morning, Piplup." Dawn greeted with a grin, "Are you ready for the Contest today?"

" _Piplup!"_

"Well then, let's head downstairs and get a bite to eat and then meet May! We'll need all our strength today!"

Piplup agreed with a chirp and hopped down from the bed, happily walking beside Dawn as they left the Pokémon Center hotel room for the last time. The building only had one floor of rooms, despite the city being a common tourist destination, but Olivine made up for this by having several other hotel establishments. However, Pokémon Trainers often got discounts to stay at Pokémon Centers, so if there was room available, Dawn preferred to stay there.

A buffet was already set out for guests waking up that morning. More people bustled in and out of the Pokémon Center, most of them dropping off Pokémon to Chansey and Nurse Joy. Dawn filled her plate and then grabbed several containers of Pokémon food, heading immediately outside into the public yard.

Dawn took a bite of her breakfast as each of her Pokémon went out into the yard to eat their individual meals and get the sleep out of their systems by playing. Togekiss played her role as the mother figure by defending Dawn's smaller Pokémon from the hungry wrath of Mamoswine so that they could eat in peace. Dawn then heard the opening of the automatic door behind her, and then the familiar voice of her friend and traveling partner, May.

"Dawn!" May called before running over with her plate of food. The Petalburg native sat down in the wire chair across from Dawn, stopping to release her Pokémon into the yard, before turning to eat and talk with Dawn.

"Hey May. You sleep good?"

"Great, Dawn! Are you ready for the Wallace Cup?"

"You betcha! I'm gonna get my fifth Ribbon today!"

"Go for it, Dawn!" May agreed, "I'll be watching the whole thing from the stands."

Dawn nodded confidently. May had already earned five Ribbons, her last one coming in the Cherrygrove Contest about a month ago. Since then, Dawn had claimed her fourth Ribbon and then been invited to the Wallace Cup specifically by Wallace. As the reigning Wallace Cup Champion, Dawn's invitation had been almost expected, so that she could have the chance to defend her title.

After some more time spent talking, Dawn and May finished their meals and then called back their Pokémon, heading back inside to check out of the Pokémon Center. Then, the travelers were on their way to Contest Hall just a few blocks down, rushing their way there so they could get there early. May parted ways with Dawn, headed to get her ticket scanned so she could get a front-row seat as early as possible, and Dawn to the competitor's entrance, which lead to the locker and practice rooms.

Dawn knew for sure that this Ribbon was going to be hers. Her Pokémon were ready, and Dawn herself was psyched up for the Contest. As she got her Contest Pass scanned by the usher and headed down the stairs to the competitor's lounge, the blue-haired Coordinator smiled giddily as she heard the whispers of nearby people about 'the Wallace Cup Champion' being in the building.

* * *

 **Johto Region – Mt. Silver**

"All right, Ash. Our workout is nearly finished. I have one more task for you." Riley told his protégé, glancing toward a Pokémon nearby on the rocky plain. "Do you see that Golem?"

Ash stood up on his feet, cracking his neck casually to loosen up. The Megaton Pokémon was fidgeting as it broke apart a rock for food. Yes, the rock-type was eating an actual rock. "Yeah, I see it…eating…what about it?"

"I want you to lift it." Riley said nonchalantly.

" _What?"_ Ash asked, glancing at his master with a surprised look. "Did you just ask me to _lift_ it?"

"Yes." Riley answered quickly, again like the task was nothing.

"B-b-b-but a Golem weighs practically a ton! How do you expect me to do that?"

"Simple. Put all your muscles into it, lift with your legs instead of your back, and then put some Aura into it."

"…Oh." Ash mumbled, understanding. They had worked on using Aura to increase physical attributes plenty, but their work on increasing strength with Aura had been few and far between. Riley had preferred to work on strength naturally.

Ash carefully walked toward the feasting Golem. Riley called out from behind him, "I'll keep Golem calm with Aura. You just do your thing, Ash!"

Ash didn't acknowledge Riley's comments, simply reaching the Golem and squatting down to the ground. The Trainer placed his hands on the underbelly of the walking boulder, doing his best to clench his fingers around the grooves in the Pokémon's body. Without further ado, Ash pulled upward, preparing to lift the Golem.

The only thing that Ash could really manage was pushing the Pokémon upward, barely onto its pointed toes. Ash kept trying, fixing his hands in an attempt to lift. Finally giving up on his natural raw strength, Ash channeled his Aura. Blue energy formed in spades on his hands and spread up his arms, creating a sort of flame. Instantly, Ash's strength increased, and the Golem slowly lifted up into the air, a few inches off of the ground. Now with the rock-type in his grasp, Ash adjusted his form and put more of his Aura into it. Golem went higher and higher until Ash was able to push himself underneath it and giving a final push.

Ash stood up fully, the gargantuan Pokémon lifted over his head as the flames of Aura burned all around his shape. Ash shouted triumphantly as he succeeded, before lowering the Pokémon back to the ground and releasing it. The Golem simply turned to look at the Trainer, a blue glow vanishing from its eyes, and then nonchalantly walked away, the ground vibrating as it left. The flames of Ash's Aura died away until he was back to normal, sweating right through his long-sleeved shirt.

"Congratulations, Ash. We are done. We'll call this one early today."

"A short day? It's not even noon!" Ash hollered happily before turning to run back to the cave. Riley watched his protégé begin to leave, thinking up a thought, before calling back to him.

"Hey, Ash! Wait up!"

The Pallet native turned, puzzled, and walked back over to Riley, stopping a few paces in front of the Aura Guardian. "What's up?" Ash asked.

"I've wanted to try this for a long time. Today, you've earned this. Ash, I challenge you to a battle."

Ash's eyes widened and an elated smile appeared on his face, "You're on, Riley! Let's go!"

Not a moment later, Riley and Ash were standing a good ways from each other on the rocky mountain plain. Lucario and Pikachu stood by their respective Trainer's sides, both watching the other carefully.

"How's about a little one-on-one?" Riley suggested.

"You know who I'm using, then! Pikachu, get in there!"

" _Pika!"_

The electric-type bristled as it hopped in front of its partner. Electricity crackled around his cheeks. Riley smiled, motioning silently for Lucario to get in there. The much larger Aura Pokémon grinned confidently at the little mouse. Lucario had grown relatively fond of the chipper electric-type, but the gloves were about to come off for this battle. Lucario knew the true intentions Riley had with this battle.

"You can have the first move, Ash!"

"Great! Pikachu, let's start with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu launched forward, a trail of light behind it. Lucario leered as the mouse got significantly closer with each passing instant, until Pikachu was finally on him. The tackling move collided with the fighting/steel-type. Lucario, however, didn't even move, and Pikachu bounced off. Trainer and Pokémon gasped as Lucario stood solidly where he was, unaffected by the Quick Attack.

"Good move trying to gain a quick advantage with speed, Ash, but Lucario's part steel-type. Normal-type moves aren't doing a _thing!_ " Riley chastised, "Now, Lucario, let's make 'em pay with Bone Rush!"

Lucario generated the familiar energy rod and grinned as its Aura pulsed into the attack. Lucario sprinted, its strides becoming lengthier and more powerful thanks to the use of its Aura, and Lucario was on Pikachu in an instant.

"Pikachu, counter it with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's drastically buffed speed allowed it to harden its tail to steel and lash out in defense, deflecting Lucario's initial Bone Rush attack. The Aura Pokémon, though, wasn't just going to leave it at one swing, obviously.

"Again!"

Pikachu deflected another swing from Lucario, and then another and another. But by the fifth strike, Lucario was moving too quickly, subconsciously using its Aura to increase its speed. The fifth swing of the Bone Rush rod smashed onto Pikachu's back, bending the electric-type down and into the ground before Pikachu ricocheted off of the earth, flying back toward Ash. The mouse maneuvered around and caught itself on the ground cleanly, but cringed as it responded to the damage. Ash gritted his teeth and called out for the next command, not wanting to lose the advantage of speed.

"Pikachu, let's go with Thunderbolt!"

" _Chuuuuuuuu!"_

Riley didn't have time to call out for a command, and the lightning bolt struck Lucario perfectly on the mark, evening the playing field. Lucario staggered back, recovering from the electricity, and glared at the electric-type, who grinned triumphantly.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

Lucario called on its signature attack, fostering a pulsing ball of Aura between its paws, and launched it. Pikachu stiffened as it watched the oncoming sphere, and Ash called out a perfect counter. "Hit it back with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu slapped the Aura Sphere back with a clean tail of steel, and Ash called out a second attack, "Now, use Volt Tackle to confuse Lucario!"

In an instant, there were two attacks coming Lucario's way: Pikachu's Volt Tackle and its own Aura Sphere. Riley found himself stuck, and the Aura Pokémon wasn't faring much better. Deciding to take one attack and defend against the other, Riley reluctantly called out for Bone Rush. The following rod of energy cleanly sliced the Aura Sphere in half, rendering it useless, but Pikachu reached Lucario and rammed into its stomach before the fighting-type could counter. Luckily, Lucario managed to guard itself with the Bone Rush rod, cutting some of the damage the attack dealt. Pikachu aborted the attack after driving Lucario into the ground, using the fighting-type as a launch pad to soar back over to Ash's side of the field.

Pikachu landed cleanly on his feet and whirled around to face to Lucario, who got up from the ground slowly, the remnants of the Volt Tackle's electricity showing on both of them. Recovering quickly from the recoil damage, Pikachu crouched lower to the ground, anticipating Ash's next commands.

Unfortunately, Riley called out first. "Close Combat!"

Lucario finally showed off its spectacular speed, sprinting forward and sending forth nearly a dozen punches and kicks into Pikachu's midsection. The electric-type was overwhelmed and sent flying back, shouting out a _"Pika!"_ as he went. Pikachu slammed into the rocky ground, bouncing like a rock being skipped across water before coming to rest in a cloud of dust.

"Pikachu, you all right?" Ash called, and the electric-type struggled to get up. Shaking out the pain, Pikachu readied itself. Lucario sagged after the series of punches and kicks, and Ash recognized this. Knowing what he would do next, Ash threw a finger out toward the fighting-type.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, quick!"

The mouse leaped into the air with a spin, megavolts of lightning surging through its body. Ash threw out his hand and focused, calling on his Aura. Almost immediately, the lightning surging out of Pikachu's cheeks and around its body turned a brilliant blue, and the mouse launched its Aura-infused Thunderbolt. The influenced attack forked in an unnatural pattern, dancing back and forth as it made its way to the stagnant Aura Pokémon.

"Lucario, absorb it!" Riley called out the counter, and Lucario immediately put its hand forth. The Thunderbolt attack struck Lucario's palms cleanly, pushing the fighting-type backwards across the ground. Lucario soon stabilized, digging its feet into the rocky ground and holding still as it absorbed the lightning. It sucked the blue energy out of the attack before expelling it entirely, and the Thunderbolt attack had no effect.

"Nice try, Ash!" Riley called out, "But you should've seen that one coming! Enhancing an attack with Aura won't have any added effect on Lucario!"

Lucario grinned in agreement, until a flash of yellow suddenly overwhelmed its form. The flash was huge, far taller than the Aura Pokémon and wider than its own wingspan. Electricity fanned out, showing that the Thunderbolt had indeed affected Lucario. Riley gaped, realizing his miscalculation. The electricity eventually died down, and Lucario sagged down onto both knees. Bristles of electricity then appeared around his form, indicating paralysis was taking hold.

"Lucario!" Riley cried, surprised.

"Yes, it worked!" Ash whooped, pumping a fist in the air. Riley shot his glance up to his protégé, confused, "You see, Riley, using my Aura to strengthen Pikachu's Thunderbolt was nothing more than a distraction! I knew that you would call for Lucario to absorb the Aura, but I was pretty confident that he wouldn't be able to absorb the effects of a move like Thunderbolt. And do you know why? When you used Close Combat, that lowered Lucario's overall defense and special defense levels, meaning he'd likely struggle to defend against further attacks."

Riley smiled wistfully, understanding his mistake and quite impressed by the normally hotheaded Trainer's calculation. Truth be told, he was far from an excellent Trainer. His work as an Aura Guardian had been a hindrance on his potential to develop himself as a legitimate Trainer. That didn't necessarily mean he was a pushover, but he was far from a heavyweight. "I'll admit, Ash. I'm impressed. You've really come a long way. Farther than I think even you could've thought yourself capable of." Riley praised.

"I know coming here was no mistake." Ash agreed, "This has been the best possible move I could make as a Trainer, and this battle is proving that to me. But first we've got to finish this, Riley, and I promise you, we're gonna finish it! Now, Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu roared out a triumphant _"Pika!"_ and rushed forward, summoning massive amounts of electricity and chanting as he built up power and raced toward the paralyzed Lucario. _"Pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika…!"_

Pikachu reached the fighting-type, landing his attack.

" _Pika!"_

A huge explosion of smoke, dirt, and stone blasted up in the immediate vicinity of the collision, forcing Riley to cover his face with his arm. Chancing a look into the smoke, Riley shouted for his partner. "Lucario!"

The smoke took several seconds to clear, but the scene in front of the Trainers was obvious. Lucario was on all fours, a ring of paralyzing electricity traveling up and down the fighting-type's body. However, the Aura Pokémon persevered, refusing to go down by doing its best to stand on one knee. The fighting-type barked, inviting Pikachu to keep attacking it.

"Okay, Pikachu, time to knock Lucario out for good! Use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu raced toward Lucario, but Riley had a counterattack up his sleeve. Lucario had suffered massive damage in the last few moments, so his next attack would have a great boon. "Use Reversal!"

Lucario grinned darkly as crystals of Aura-infused energy appeared in an orbit around its body and brightened. Pikachu kept running, though, and Lucario threw out its two hands at full force, dealing out the blast of energy onto the mouse. Pikachu shrieked as it felt the full brunt of the massive attack, and Ash immediately understood where he had gone wrong. Lucario had one more attack in its four-move arsenal that Ash had never seen during his own personal matches with the Aura Pokémon, and that move dealt increased damage when its user was wounded.

"You weren't wrong, Ash. This battle isn't over!" Riley agreed, "Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario staked its place on the ground and summoned another sphere of energy, barking as it did so. Ash countered with another call for Quick Attack, and Lucario released the pulsing energy.

"Now, spin!" Ash called.

Pikachu leaped toward the Aura Sphere attack and then spun out of the way, the ball of energy missing completely. Pikachu then landed effortlessly on its little legs and continued the Quick Attack charge. Riley then called for the inevitable Reversal attack, and the familiar blue crystals of energy surged as they orbited Lucario's body.

"Block the attack with Iron Tail!" Ash called as Pikachu got dangerously close to the fighting-type. Pikachu obeyed the command in an instant, aborting the Quick Attack and turning its tail to steel before flipping over in a backward somersault. Lucario had channeled the Reversal into its paws, and launched the attack forward at the electric mouse, who was only inches away.

The Iron Tail cut upward through the crackling energy, slashing the Reversal apart. Lucario gaped as it was thwarted, and neither Riley nor the Aura Pokémon had any time to defend further. "Iron Tail one more time!" Ash called, and Pikachu whirled back around with another tail of steel, letting gravity guide it and crashing the powerful attack right onto Lucario's snout. Lucario fell victim to the attack like a bug to a flyswatter, and was driven clean into the ground by the overwhelmingly powerful electric mouse.

The dust cleared quickly, and Lucario was flatly crumpled on the ground, its eyes turned into swirls, while Pikachu was standing safely nearby and heaving from exhaustion. Riley nodded acceptingly, doing his best to wear a smile. The battle had proven everything he thought about the boy who had been his protégé for the previous two months. The Aura Guardian trotted over to the downed Lucario, who had quickly recovered from the fainting but was certainly far from able to battle. The fighting-type pushed itself up into a seated position, giving a defeated whine. Riley smiled, comforting the fighting-type.

"Don't beat yourself up, Lucario. You battled well. We were outsmarted today." Riley commented. The two turned to look up at the Pallet native, who was celebrating his victory with Pikachu. The Aura Guardian and fighting-type communicated for a brief moment telepathically, their words remaining secret between them. They came to an agreement, and the pair stood back on their foot, Lucario experiencing some trouble in doing so thanks to its wounds. Together, the Aura Guardian and Lucario walked up to Ash.

"Ash!" Riley called, getting the Trainer's attention. Ash stopped playing with Pikachu, looking at Riley expectantly as he stood back up.

"Your training is complete." Riley said quickly.

"What?" Ash asked, puzzled, "Do you mean that? I…I assumed we had so much left to learn."

Riley shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Ash. In the past two months, I've taught you most of what I know. You've become stronger, faster, smarter, and better than before, and you did this on your own, not because of me."

Ash shook his head in disagreement, "That's not true, Riley. The reason I got this far is because you were there to guide me..." Ash placed his fist into his other open palm, just slightly dipping forward in a gesture of respect, "...master."

"Say what you will, Ash." Riley conceded, "But a physical instructor can only do so much. Experience is a far better teacher, something I'm sure you're well aware of."

"So…I guess that's it, then." Ash wondered aloud, sadness in his voice.

"I'm afraid so." Riley agreed somberly, "But, Ash, know that I'm releasing you for a reason. When I was your age, I was on my own and had to follow the path I'd been trained for. There wasn't anything there for me. But you, Ash, you have more talents than I. There is another calling for you, my friend."

Ash listened expectantly as Riley continued, "You have the makings of an extraordinary Pokémon Trainer. Together with your Pokémon, you've strengthened your bonds beyond a limit that few have ever broken. They've become stronger because of you, Ash, and you've become stronger because of them. I don't know just what you wish to do next, but I do know that there are many paths you can take."

Ash thought for several seconds. "Thanks, Riley. I know what I'm going to do next. I'm going to go on another journey. I don't know where. It may be someplace I've already traveled, or it may be somewhere brand new. But first I need to go back to Johto…first I need to…I need to…"

Riley finished his sentence with a smirk. "Find her?" Riley suggested knowingly.

"…What?" Ash asked, dumbfounded.

"First you want to find her. Dawn." Riley elaborated, "I'm no fool, Ash. I felt it that day on Iron Island, and I feel it even stronger now. This feeling that you feel, I haven't had the chance to feel it in many, many years. Treasure her, Ash. Dawn will forever be a part of your life. You'd best decide whether you only want her as a friend."

Ash's mind swelled and his cheeks reddened. Embarrassment flooded every fiber of his being, and he shivered uncomfortably as he tried to shake off the embarrassment. "You're right, Riley. I'm going back to Johto. I'm going to find Dawn. And I'm gonna do what I can to fix what we had…she probably hates me now."

"I wouldn't say that, Ash." Riley disagreed, "I'm sure she wants you back by her side just as much as you do. I cannot feel her Aura from all the way up here, but I can take a wild guess."

Ash and Riley stood there for several more minutes, both silently contemplating many, many things. Finally, Ash extended a hand toward the Aura Guardian. "Riley? Thank you…so much. For everything."

"No, thank you, Ash Ketchum." Riley countered. The Aura Guardian then took Ash's hand and firmly shook it, "You gave me the chance to be a master and were a better pupil than I could've ever hoped for. Now, the teachings of Aura live on in one more human, and when the time comes, you will have the opportunity to pass on what I have taught you to another young pupil."

The two Aura Guardians pulled their hands apart, struggling to accept at face value that their time together was over. Ash turned to head back to the cave. The Aura Guardian followed, and together they packed their things from the cave. Both had become strangely fond of the grotto that had served as their home for the past several weeks. Exiting the cave, Ash headed to the face of the cliff that overlooked Silver Town. The mountain settlement was a few thousand feet below him, so he would have a good walk back to civilization. The time was about half an hour before noon, so Ash would likely get there right at the start of the afternoon.

The Pallet native turned back to the Aura Guardian, giving him a nod. "Goodbye, Riley."

"Goodbye, Ash. Come visit me on Iron Island sometime. And keep working on your Aura. It could save your life one day."

"I will. I promise." Ash agreed. Finally, he turned and started to walk down the mountain path, headed for Silver Town. Riley and Lucario walked to the face of the cliff, watching Ash go. For several minutes, they watched as his shape became smaller and smaller, before finally they couldn't see him at all.

"Lucario…I'm really proud of what we did here these last few months." Riley told the Aura Pokémon. Lucario barked in agreement. His Aura Guardian partner smiled wistfully. "Yes, I'm sure he will go on to do great things. Now, what do you say we head back to Sinnoh?"

Lucario nodded and gave another agreeing bark. "Good." Riley approved, drawing another Poké Ball. The capsule glinted in the near-noon sunlight and the Aura Guardian rubbed a thumb over the button.

"Pidgeot, go!"

The large Bird Pokémon burst free from its Ball, squawking as it breathed in the fresh mountain air. The flying-type crowed again and then turned to its Trainer. Riley stroked the bird's neck. "Good morning, Pidgeot. We need a ride back to Sinnoh, if you'd be so kind."

" _Pidge!"_

"Thank you, old friend." Riley answered as he climbed onto Pidgeot's back. Riley returned Lucario, knowing that the flying-type could only hold him on its back, and then patted the bird on the back of the neck. Pidgeot launched into the air, crowing as it gained height, and started flying toward its home region.

"Pidgeot, we're gonna head back to Iron Island! But first…we have a quick stop to make…"

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Undisclosed Location**_

It had been several moons since Riley was last on this hill. Pidgeot beat its heavy wings as it landed, and the Aura Guardian hopped off of the bird as the flying-type landed, dropping the last several feet and cushioning his fall with Aura. Pidgeot began to roost as Riley started to walk up the second half of the hill.

A great oak tree larger than life itself stretched over the hill, sapping most of the light that shined on the hill. Miraculously, grass still grew plentifully at the hill's pinnacle. The hill attracted almost no attention, being a solid walk away from the nearest city. Still, Riley felt the need to come back here each year. The hill held indescribable value to the Aura Guardian, for it had been the place that he had trained many years ago to become the man he was now.

Riley reached the oak tree and turned to place his back against the huge trunk. Below him, Pidgeot crooned its feathers, its massive plumage blowing in the slight breeze. The Aura Guardian admired the scene before him. They had been flying for many, many hours, and night had long since fallen on the travelers. They would sleep here tonight; most likely in the branches of the oak, before completing the second leg of their journey back to Iron Island. Riley would only admit it to himself, but he just might've ended his training with Ash a little bit too early. The boy was ready to return to the world, yes. After all, he had another calling. But still, the threat level that a youth like him faced was very low, so skimping on a little bit of additional training wouldn't matter much. If Ash kept practicing, he would cover those bases on his own.

The real reason Riley had ended the training was because of the particular day that it was. It was the first week of December, and cold was sweeping the planet. Sinnoh had a noticeably cooler climate, far cooler than Kanto and Johto, and it was showing in the weather tonight. No snow had fallen just yet, but within the next week there would likely be a blanket of the light powder on the ground.

Riley reached inside the flap of his jacket, his hand clasping around an irregular shape tucked into a pocket. He pulled his hand out, carrying the shape and examining the various holes and mouthpiece that characterized it.

An ocarina.

The Aura Guardian kept it with him wherever he went, carrying it as a symbol of the past. After examining the fine instrument for a few more seconds, Riley pulled the mouthpiece to his mouth and began to play.

The notes that exited the instrument were one of utmost familiarity. The song had been drilled into his head over the years. He had learnt the tune from Dante before he had become the older man's apprentice, and since then the fine music had remained a part of Riley's being, especially after the tragedy that ended their time together.

Finally, after a few minutes of playing, Riley stopped, interrupted by his own crying. Tears streamed down his face, but he did not sob. The Aura Guardian also didn't move to wipe the tears from his face, letting them flow freely off his cheek and into the grass beneath him. Riley pulled the ocarina down, placing it back in his cloak, and, with the quietest sob he could muster, looked to his immediate right. The ground was identical to everything else, colored green by the countless blades of grass. Very close to the base of the oak tree, an irregular stone had been driven into the ground, marking the spot and leaving only one explanation for what this dirt plot was.

A grave.

Thirteen years after digging this very grave, Riley had to admit he was amazed that it hadn't been disturbed. In fact, there weren't even hints that anyone had ever come upon the grave. It was proof of how little attention the hill attracted, and had been the perfect resting place for Dante. It was unconventional, sure, but it wouldn't have been right to bury him in the cemetery, even with an unmarked grave. He would attract attention digging a grave there, and the lunatic fringe of people in Riley's hometown wouldn't hesitate to desecrate the grave of an old man branded as a witch. Riley couldn't have such things happen to his father figure.

"Master, I've returned…" Riley whispered to the grave, still crying, "Just as I always have…each year…"

Pidgeot had stopped roosting at the foot of the hill, and crawled up to where its Trainer was standing, watching the Aura Guardian cry. The large bird understood the concept of death, and had given the Trainer a lift to this very spot more than once, but only once each year, and always in the winter. That particular concept, Pidgeot couldn't understand, due to its simple lack of sentience. Nevertheless, the flying-type did not interrupt.

"I've found…a most promising pupil…" Riley continued through his crying, still staring at the irregular stone that marked Dante's grave, "And I am confident in him, after all these years…Aura can now live on…"

Obviously, the grave didn't answer. Riley continued speaking, however, pouring out his emotions through tears as he spoke of his most recent exploits as he did each year. "Master…you were my closest friend. I don't know where I would be right now if I'd never met you…oh, Master…"

Riley shed a new wave of tears, and covered his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. The sound of an opening Poké Ball rang in Riley's ears, but the Aura Guardian knew it was only Lucario. A canine paw on his shoulder confirmed the suspicion, though Riley never acknowledged the fighting-type's presence.

"If only you could still be here with me…" Riley whimpered, "If we could just have one last hour to speak to each other…that would be enough…for me…it would be enough…"

Riley finally stopped speaking, giving in to his tears. Pidgeot and Lucario both stood solidly, unmoving and respectful of their Trainer's sorrow. After several minutes, Riley finally ceased his crying, though he did release some choking sobs. The Aura Guardian brought his head up and reached a hand to his hat, pulling it off of his head. Riley breathed in heavily, and then sighed as he exhaled.

The Aura Guardian placed the peculiar hat onto the grave, right in front of the stone that marked it. Each time he'd come back to the grave, he'd rested his hat on top of it, as the hat was the symbol of an Aura Guardian. Riley watched the hat for several seconds, almost as if he were expecting it to sprout legs and run away. Finally, he brought himself to utter his last sentence; the reason that he had come to his hometown once again…the reason he always came back each year, and on this day each time.

"Happy birthday, Master…"

* * *

 **This will likely be my last update for a bit. I really wanted to get this one out so we could wrap up the Mt. Silver arc, and I also wanted to add a little bit of depth to Riley's character with the last segment there. Let me know what you thought about that in a review, if you'd be so kind. As I stated in the author's note of my last update, exams are right around the corner and my free time will be pretty limited up except for late at night and on the weekend. Look for Chapter 20 to be released on Sunday, that's when I hope to get that one out. Before I go, a review reply:**

 **K2-Black-Panther: There will be no horror in this story. The primary genre is adventure, so please bear with me there.**

 **That covers everything I wanted to address. Please remember to leave a review at the bottom, and I'll see you all on the other side.**


	20. Never Looking Back

**I am back early with the next chapter after a brutal week. I got a lot of unexpected time to write this chapter yesterday and since today is Friday I've had nothing but time to finish it up, so I thought I'd go ahead and post early. Before we get to that, I have a review reply:**

 **hunter81095: You know, I'll admit, I actually didn't know that. If memory serves me right, in the DP saga they mostly stuck to a four move limit. In fact, that has been a bit of a drag on some of my battle scenes, wanting to do something with a Pokémon but not having the best move to do that with. So, in this chapter I fixed that, giving five moves to a particular Pokémon that appears. I'm glad you approved of what I did with Riley, I felt that it was great for some last minute character building. Last thing, I promise you, we will be getting to our favorite crooks very soon. Team Rocket as a whole will not just disappear from the timeline, although it may seem that way thus far. Hang in there.**

 **Now, I present to you, Chapter 20. I'm really amazed that we've gotten this far in such a short time. Please let me know what you think in a review!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 20_

 _Never Looking Back_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Mt. Silver**_

Silver Town came into view as Ash rounded the path yet again. A wide smile appeared the Trainer's face. "Look, Pikachu, we're here!" Ash pointed out; drawing a happy reply from the electric mouse, "Let's go!" Ash shouted, breaking into a run as Pikachu clutched its little paws around his shoulder.

Pikachu was more than ready to get off of the mountain. It had been four long months of constant work, less food, and less rest. Although this has been good for all involved parties, especially for Ash, there was nothing that Pikachu would like more than the sight of his friends and a warm bed.

Ash bolted off of the mountain trail, cutting corners of the road in order to move faster. At last in Silver Town, Ash sprinted over to the Pokémon Center, blazing through the automated doors far earlier than scheduled. Nurse Joy herself was surprised, but nevertheless welcomed the Trainer back.

"Hello there, Ash! You're very early! It's barely even noon!"

"Hiya, Nurse Joy! My friend and I decided that we had trained for long enough, so I'm finally throwin' in the towel and getting off this mountain!"

Nurse Joy smiled curtly before responding, "Well, that's wonderful. Say, Ash, I don't think I ever saw your friend since you stopped staying at the Center. Who's this friend?"

"I'm afraid I can't say. He prefers to remain anonymous." Ash answered, doing his best to sound joking in his tone so as to not off Nurse Joy. The seasoned nurse simply shrugged and Ash handed her his Poké Balls, sending Pikachu with her so that the mouse could heal up from the injuries he'd sustained from battling Lucario. Immediately, Ash ran over to the videophone as he always did when the nurse disappeared into the back room, calling up his mother.

The black screen roared to life with Delia's image, her red ponytail sticking out from behind her neck and hanging off to the side. _"Ash, my baby!"_

Ash groaned at his mother's happy greeting, even though she always addressed him as such. He had grown uncomfortably used to being called a baby, despite being sixteen years old. "Hey, Mom. How are you doing?"

" _I'm doing well, Ash. I've been stocking up for Christmas. You'll be coming home, won't you?"_

Ash remembered that it was in fact December, having practically lost track of time in the previous few months. "Oh, crud, it's almost Christmastime! There's not much festivity going on up here on the mountain. Of course I'll be coming back! Is there snow in Pallet Town yet?"

Delia frowned, _"No, I'm afraid not. There have been reports of snow north of Cerulean City, though, so it's only a matter of time!"_

"Well, that's awesome!"

" _My goodness, Ash, have you seen your hair?"_ Delia asked with surprise, _"It's much longer than it was before!"_

Ash deadpanned and then reached his hand back to feel his hair. He had never really thought about his hair growing out, but he did realize that it had been four months since he'd last cut his hair. As a result, the Trainer's raven hair stuck out in more places under the front of his cap, as well as stretching further down his neck and fanning out in more characteristic spikes. Considering Ash's new body type, however, he felt as if it worked. Next, Delia noticed the new bulk in Ash's upper body.

" _And Ash, what have you been doing all this time on the mountain? You look much bigger now!"_

Ash half-smiled sheepishly. His mother had always known when to make him feel awkward. "Oh, yeah, just uh…some intense training, y'know? I've been training my Pokémon and myself."

" _Well, I quite like it. You're beginning to look like a man!"_

"Hehe, thanks, Mom. Hey, I want to show you something." Ash answered, deciding that now was the right time. The Trainer looked over his shoulder, seeing that Nurse Joy was still in the back room, before turning back to look at the digital picture of his mom. The Pallet native brought one of his hands up into view, opening his fist and igniting a faint azure glow that grew into a small, round sphere. "I met an old friend up on the mountain a few months back…and he taught me how to do this. It's called Aura."

" _Oh, my, Ash…that's incredible. You just keep on surprising me. I don't know anything about Aura, however. You will have to tell me when you're here for Christmas. Speaking of which, when are you coming back home?"_

Ash extinguished the Aura Sphere and rubbed the back of his head. "Gee, I don't know, Mom. I haven't had a chance to think about it. First I need to head back to Johto…I'm going to figure out where Dawn and May are right now and hopefully rejoin them. I'll figure out what I'm going to do then."

" _All right, dear. I understand. You go and find your friends. I know that they will be overjoyed to see you."_ Delia answered, smiling in her loving motherly way, _"You call me tomorrow, mister."_

"I will, Mom. Promise." Ash agreed, nodding sternly to show he meant it. "I love you."

Delia's face glowed when Ash said that. He was never really one to drop those kinds of words, growing up to be dense all his life and virtually unable to pick up on affection. Despite that, he was very caring. Delia smiled next, replying, _"I love you too, Ash."_

The connection cut out and Ash walked back over to the main counter, reaching the desk as soon as Nurse Joy left the medical room, carrying his tray of Poké Balls. "Here you are, Ash." Nurse Joy told him, turning over the tray and allowing Pikachu to hop back onto Ash's shoulder and for the Trainer to clip the five Balls back to his belt.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Ash praised as he clipped the fifth Poké Ball to his belt, "Nurse Joy, do you think you could help me out real quick?"

"Why of course, Ash. What can I do for you?" Nurse Joy replied, smiling.

"I need you to look up the Johto Contests. I'm curious to see which ones are up next. I have some friends who are Coordinators, and they've been traveling around Johto." Ash explained. The Nurse immediately started typing away on her desktop computer, her eyes scanning the screen as results popped up.

Nurse Joy looked up from the computer, "There are a few coming up and some going on right now. But the most popular result is a 'Wallace Cup' going on in Olivine City."

"The Wallace Cup!" Ash shouted immediately, startling the Nurse with his enthusiasm, "Er, sorry, Nurse Joy. Can you see the Coordinators participating in the Wallace Cup?"

Nurse Joy made a few clicks on the desktop before looking back up, "There's a list of competitors right here, if you'd like me to read them off."

"Please do." Ash answered immediately.

"Kirk…Ernest…Logan…Jacen…Luke…Dawn…"

"Dawn! No way that's a coincidence, eh, Pikachu?" Ash pondered aloud, "I betcha she's competing to defend her Wallace Cup title from the last Contest cycle, eh?"

" _Pi-Pika!"_

"Well, that's settled. We're gonna head to Olivine City!" Ash decided. Nurse Joy wasn't entirely sure how the young man had decided so quickly, but accepted it anyway.

"I take it this Dawn is the friend you're looking for." The Nurse deduced, "And it sounds as if you have a plan, so I take it that means you won't be coming back here."

"Unfortunately, that sounds about right." Ash confirmed, "Nurse Joy, thank you. You've been a huge help these last couple of months."

"Just doing my duty, Ash. I'll admit that I will miss your enthusiasm." The Nurse replied, "Stay safe, Ash."

Ash nodded, smiling at the Nurse, before turning and hightailing it out of the building. Met once again by the cool midday air, Ash immediately unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt, calling upon one of his oldest Pokémon.

"Charizard, I choose you!"

The Ball burst open and a glob of light spilled into the open, materializing into the hardheaded fire-type that had been Ash's ace during his Kanto and Johto journeys. The Flame Pokémon signaled its arrival with a roar and a blast of flame into the clear sky before looking down at Ash and huffing out smoke from its nostrils.

"Charizard, we need a lift to Olivine City. Think you can fly us there?"

Charizard agreed with a roar before leaning down, making space for Ash to climb onto the fire-type's back. Ash situated himself and then patted the dragon's neck. In reply, the Flame Pokémon huffed out some more smoke before beating its powerful wings and lifting off without any struggle. Ash and Pikachu held on tight as the dragon beamed forward off of the edge of the plateau that the town sat on.

The group left Mt. Silver behind a far stronger team than before, the rest of their lives now ahead of them with renewed optimism. Ash never looked back as Charizard sped ahead, with Olivine City lying in wait and a hopeful reunion in the cards.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Olivine City**_

The skyline of Olivine City came into view sometime later. By Ash's count, it had taken just over an hour for Charizard to fly from the mountain range to the port city in western Johto. From his place high in the air, Ash could see the silhouette of the Whirl Islands and even the faintest flat shape of Cianwood City.

"Charizard, down there!" Ash called, pointing to a very large oval building that sat near the shore. The fire-type barked in compliance before rocketing downward and pulling up to pull off a strangely graceful landing. A tad dazed from Charizard's joke, Ash hopped off once the dragon was on the ground, and immediately the Flame Pokémon sagged as it huffed in exhaustion. Ash recognized that the dragon was tired and pulled out the loyal Pokémon's Poké Ball.

"Here ya go, buddy." Ash told the fire-type, "Get a good rest. You've helped us out big time."

Charizard was sucked back into the Ball by red light, and Ash clipped the capsule back to his belt before turning and gazing at Contest Hall. It was by far the largest building he'd seen in a few months, outclassing the runner-up that was the Pokémon Center in Silver Town by several stories. A very large screen at the front of the building advertised the Wallace Cup, and the sound of explosions coupled with cheering signaled that the Contest was going on at that moment.

"C'mon, Pikachu!" Ash called, breaking into a run, "Let's go and get a ticket!"

The Pallet native sprinted until he reached the gates of Contest Hall. A will call station was just behind the open gates, followed by lines of security to keep out customers who hadn't paid for a ticket. Ash casually trotted over to the will call booth.

"One ticket, please." Ash said quickly, doing his best not to sound overly eager. The attendant inside the booth was a young woman who was probably six or seven years Ash's senior. The attendant smiled and started to punch in a few commands on a screen. A smaller machine beside the attendant lit up with a green light and printed out a slip of paper, flashing another set of green lights when the command was completed.

"Here you are." The attendant offered, pushing the ticket through the hand-sized slip at the bottom of the glass window separating her from the Trainer, "You'd best hurry, sir. The semifinals are almost over."

Ash nodded thanks and then bolted away, flashing his ticket to security and gaining entrance. With virtually no one in the way, the Trainer sprinted forward again, entering the large tinted doors of Contest Hall.

The scene inside the Hall was a loud one, yet very few people occupied the hallways. An explosion signifying the use of Pokémon move sounded from the field, followed by an eruption of the crowd. Drawn to the action, Ash ran over to the top of the nearest steps, looking out over the battlefield below him. Two Coordinators, one a male with jet-black hair and a tuxedo and another a female in a grey dress, faced off in a Contest Battle.

Ash was at the top of the mezzanine level, meaning the front rows that he had grown used to sitting in when cheering on May and Dawn in their Contests were not far down from him. Another attack was called for, and Ash got a better look at the two Coordinators on the field. The male was using a Dragonair, and the female commanded a Mareep. The male called for a Dragon Pulse, prompting the serpent dragon-type to open its maw and release a blast of crackling energy. The female Coordinator called for a Thunderbolt counter, and the two attacks collided to create an electrical explosion. This move favored the female Coordinator, and a small chunk of points were pulled from the male's total.

Ash started to walk down the concrete steps of the mezzanine level, scanning the front row for an open seat. Instead, he found the slim figure of a particular girl with hooked brown locks tied up in a bandana. A wide smile appeared on Ash's face and he instantly picked up the pace, rushing down to the bottom level of the steps and unceremoniously pushing his way past a few members of the crowd. May had failed to notice him yet as he arrived right next to her.

"May." Ash said sharply and quickly, startling the Coordinator. She had been intensely watching the battle in front of her, dutifully studying the Coordinators duking it out on the field of battle. The Petalburg native snapped around to see none other than Ash, and she immediately burst out of her trance and joy washed over her, a grin taking over her face.

" _Ash!_ You're back!" May cheered, immediately hugging the Trainer. She tensed and recoiled as she felt the new, unfamiliar muscle that surrounded his newer, bulkier body, "Wow, you've got a little muscle there!" May remarked, half-smiling awkwardly.

"I missed you too, May." Ash joked, playfully smacking her arm. "So, what are you doing here? Did you get knocked out of the Contest?"

May shook her head as they both sat back down in the bleachers. "No, you see, I already earned five Ribbons, so I'm not eligible to compete. Dawn's going for her fifth Ribbon right now, though, so I'm watching."

"Ah…so if Dawn isn't here, I take it that means she's still competing." Ash reasoned.

"That's right. She actually just battled a few minutes ago and won her way into the finals."

"Wow, that's g—"

" _And that's it! Jacen's Dragonair has taken down Melissa's Mareep in another Battle Off! That means Jacen is headed to the finals against Dawn!"_

Ash and May both shot their focus back to the battlefield, where the male Coordinator's Dragonair was twirling around in place on the battlefield by spinning its serpentine form. Out of instinct, Ash closed his eyes, sensing for the victorious Pokémon's Aura. Immediately, a sense of power flooded his senses, signaling a clear conclusion to the seasoned Trainer.

"Woah, that's one powerful Dragonair." Ash remarked as he let go of the Pokémon's Aura, "Who is that guy?"

May gritted her teeth, speaking with a foul tone. "That's Jacen, a new Coordinator on the scene. You might remember him from the Mahogany Town Contest."

Ash searched his mind for a memory but couldn't find one. He had heard the name Jacen before around that time, but had never been able to put a name to a face. Had he really been that out of it back then? The Pallet native chose not to tell May that he couldn't remember the male Coordinator, and listened back in as the brunette continued.

"He's super aggressive when it comes to Contest Battling. He treats it like a Gym Battle, and always tries to knock out his opponent's Pokémon rather than beat them through points." May explained, disgusted at the young man's unconventional tactics, "Unfortunately, there's nothing that says he can't do that. He's been a real thorn in mine and Dawn's sides since you left, but we've bested him a couple times."

Ash nodded, seeing the immorality in the Coordinator's tactics. That was the reason Contests and Gym Battles were different: the goal wasn't supposed to be to knock out the other team's Pokémon. The tuxedo-wearing Coordinator left the stage after returning his Dragonair, and a short grace period arrived where the final contestants would be given time to get ready and for the audience to get up and use the restrooms, buy concessions, or stretch their legs. Ash and May remained seated in the throng of people getting up and leaving.

"Y'know…speaking of Dawn…how's she been? Does she talk about me?"

May glanced over to Ash before looking down at the floor. She had picked up well enough on Dawn's unspoken feelings around the time Ash left, and had also picked up on the way she'd closed herself off to talking about him during that time. It hadn't been healthy, May knew that, but she also hadn't been keen to try and pry open Dawn's shell.

"Not much these days…" May admitted, "…You know that you upset her, right Ash? She understood why you wanted to leave, but it was…conflicting…for her, you know?"

"Yeah…I know." Ash agreed slowly, "I didn't make her come to Kanto with me and then travel to Johto. That was her choice, and I pretty much threw it back in her face back in Mahogany Town. I shouldn't expect forgiveness. That night…she was so… _angry_ …and rightfully so. For the first time in a long time, I…I cried that night. She didn't deserve for that to happen to her at all." Ash reminisced, stung by the memory. Finally, the Trainer turned to his Hoenn-born friend, "May, thank you for being there for her when I couldn't. You're a true friend. I'm so lucky to know you."

May smiled, internally fighting back a tear. Underneath that dense shell was a heart of gold, and likewise, it made May feel lucky to know the Pride of Pallet. "Are you sure you're Ash Ketchum?" May joked. First the fitter body, and now giving out a monologue, Mt. Silver had clearly changed Ash, and hopefully for the better.

Ash smiled and chuckled, stifling full-on laughter. "Yes, May, I'm pretty sure."

The bright lights in Contest Hall suddenly darkened, and the people that had returned to their seats by then cheered. People flooded from the hallways into their designated sections, hoping to reach their seats before the action started. A figure walked into the center of the now-dark battlefield, and Ash could make out odd, wavy hair that dropped down into characteristic hooks by the sides of his face. A spotlight fell on Wallace, the organizer of the Wallace Cup, and the tall Pokémon lover brought up a microphone so that he could address the crowd.

" _Welcome, people of Olivine City!"_ Wallace boomed, drawing a cheer from the crowd, _"As I'm sure most of you know, my name is Wallace! After so many spectacular appeals and even more spectacular battles, we have at last narrowed down our finals to two deserving Coordinators!"_

The crowd cheered as Wallace continued, _"First, in the red corner, I'd like to introduce to you, from Kanto's Fuchsia City, Jacen!"_

A spotlight fell on the curtain as the material parted and the tuxedo-wearing juggernaut strutted out into full view, carrying himself with a smug confidence that made him instantly unlikable. The male walked down the path and around to his side of the battlefield. Not once did he raise his hand to acknowledge the crowd, simply staring into space down the battlefield. Wallace pulled up the microphone again.

" _And last but certainly not least, in the blue corner…the defending champion of the previous Wallace Cup from two years ago! From Sinnoh's Twinleaf Town, please welcome Dawn!"_

The cheering that followed was several times the strength of the cheering for Jacen. The crowd became raucous and wild as a spotlight again shined on the curtains as they parted, revealing the blue-haired fan favorite. Ash's eyes nearly popped out of his head as Dawn walked out in a very different outfit from her usual Contest competitions. Her hair was devoid of the typical yellow clips, leaving her long blue hair straightened and down. Her dress was a pristine white and hugged her slender form, dancing as she walked toward the battlefield. A yellow ribbon sat on the back of her dress, giving the basic outfit a unique flair. Almost immediately, Ash remembered the Hearthome Collection, when Dawn had worn the very same outfit. Why she had chosen to go with such a different look, Ash couldn't be sure, but he could agree with himself that it was a good look for the girl. Dawn eventually reached her side of the battlefield, wearing a confident look that outclassed Jacen's smugness.

Wallace stepped off of the battlefield, still holding the microphone. _"Without further ado, good people of the Johto Region and beyond, I proudly present to you: the Wallace Cup Final!"_ Boundless cheering followed the declaration as Wallace retreated to his special spot as guest judge, bringing the total number to four. The lights finally returned to normal, forcing Ash to squint just a little bit as he readjusted, and the two Coordinators stared each other down.

"I can just feel that this will be a good one." May remarked absently, "Just look at those two. Jacen has been Dawn's biggest rival this Contest season. She's going to bring everything she has."

Finally, Jacen broke the tension, swinging his arm back as he revealed the Poké Ball he'd carried to the stage. "Kadabra, battle stations!"

The flash of white light spawned the Psi Pokémon, who twirled its spoon with anticipation. The psychic-type's feline eyes leered and its characteristic mustache hung down from its face. The burly tail on the psychic-type bristled and the Psi Pokémon flexed its small arms, shifting in its breastplate-like torso. Dawn smiled and then showed her Poké Ball, rearing back her arm.

"Froslass! Spotlight!"

The Ball burst open and the white light revealed Dawn's most recent catch. The Snow Land Pokémon crowed as she was released from her Ball, raising her attached arms and screeching out at the opponent across from her.

"Wow, Dawn caught a Froslass!" Ash said in awe.

"Yup. Caught her in the Ice Cave a couple of weeks ago right before the Blackthorn Contest. Froslass gave her one heck of a battle but finally gave in, and she's been a great pupil, although she's a little headstrong." May replied, leaning onto the edge of her seat in anticipation, "And she packs a punch, too."

Jacen wasted no time in calling for the opening attack. "Kadabra, use Psybeam!"

The psychic-type grunted in response and summoned the irregular blast of energy, telekinetically churning it around with its free hand. Kadabra then threw the attack forward, creating a spinning Psybeam attack.

"Froslass, shield yourself with Ice Beam!"

The Snow Land Pokémon instantly spat forth a beam of ice on the ground. The forked beam of cold energy kept going, almost immediately building up a wall of ice in front of her. The Psybeam arrived just as the wall was completed, succeeding in breaking the ice but doing no more damage. The shield deteriorated after the attack died down and Jacen lost a small amount of points.

"Now, Froslass, use Hail!"

Froslass crowed and raised her arms irregularly, forming a sea of storm clouds high above the battle. Hailstones fell to the battlefield, cracking apart as they made contact with the ground. Froslass's form suddenly shifted strangely, bending as the icy weather dropped the temperature around the battlefield.

"May? Why is Froslass doing that?"

"That's Froslass' ability Snow Cloak. She can turn invisible when it's hailing!"

"Woah, that's gotta be useful!" Ash remarked, "You can do this, Dawn!"

Of course, the Twinleaf Coordinator couldn't hear him; she was too absorbed in her battle for Grand Festival eligibility. "Now, Froslass, phase! Let's get close to Kadabra!"

Froslass howled and the hail around her increased, and before anyone knew it, Froslass was gone, disappearing into the inclement weather. A few instants later, Froslass was right next to the psychic-type.

" _Ice Punch!"_ Dawn called immediately. The ice/ghost-type obeyed and delivered a swift punch to Kadabra's side. The Psi Pokémon wailed as it was briefly thrown back, and Froslass disappeared again. Jacen didn't react, his eyes simply moving with tense calculation.

"Dawn's found that taking it to Jacen like he does to other Coordinators really helps out when battling him in a Contest." May remarked, "We've both been shifting to offense when we battle him. It doesn't always work, but it gives us a leg to stand on."

" _Kadabra, use Calm Mind!"_

Kadabra closed its eyes in thought before flashing its eyes back open, gaining a new confidence. Dawn and Froslass didn't take note of this, and the blue-haired Coordinator continued her offense. "Froslass, use Shadow Ball."

The Snow Land Pokémon summoned the ball of darkness, watching Kadabra intently as it sat in wait of the attack. Obeying the command, Froslass launched the ghost-type attack toward the stationary Kadabra.

Unfortunately, Jacen had a plan for that. _"Psychic!"_

Kadabra threw out its two hands, the spoon in its right hand pulsing with a magenta energy, and the Shadow Ball stopped in its tracks, taking on a magenta aura similar to the one that surrounded Kadabra's spoon. In an instant, the Shadow Ball turned on its heels and hurtled back toward Froslass at a far greater speed, leaving the ice-type defenseless. The Shadow Ball connected and a solid chunk of Dawn's points dropped, putting Jacen in the lead.

The hail started to weaken, and Froslass's pulsing form started to become more solid. The Shadow Ball had successfully connected, a rare sight when the Snow Land Pokémon had Snow Cloak activated. That was only going to make matters worse. "Kadabra, use Psychic again!"

Froslass was suddenly lifted into the air by the psychic-type's telekinesis. The hovering ice-type looked about in terror as it went higher and higher into the air, completely unable to control its body. Kadabra leered from the ground below, guiding Froslass' movements with its mind.

"Now, throw Froslass into the ground!" Jacen commanded savagely, beating his clenched fist into his open palm for emphasis. Kadabra didn't hesitate, lifting its hand as high as it could go and then thrusting it downward with bewildering speed. The telekinetic hold on Froslass collapsed as it threw the ice-type downward. Froslass rocketed toward the ground, closing its eyes in fear.

"Froslass, don't panic! Use Ice Beam on the ground!"

The ice/ghost-type opened its eyes, hearing the command. With a new resolve, Froslass threw out its pseudo-hands and shot a signature forked beam of ice, freezing the ground that she would land on. Froslass righted itself as it drank in the cold energy, flipping around and gliding onto the ice to land gracefully and thwarting Kadabra's Psychic attack. A large chunk of Jacen's points vanished, and Dawn followed up the successful defense with an offensive call.

"Froslass, quick, use Blizzard!"

Before Jacen or Kadabra could register a defense, the powerful storm of snow and ice was upon them, freezing the battlefield over and also forcing Kadabra to curl itself up in an attempt to shield itself from the cold. Jacen guarded his face with his arm, grumbling unhappily.

"Froslass, use Shadow Ball and keep using it!" Dawn called, prompting Froslass to launch several balls of dark energy. Several were nothing more than diversions, while other shots were directed at Kadabra. The ruse worked, causing the psychic-type to take its eyes off the ball and glance at the diversion Shadow Balls before being struck by the attack-oriented ones. Within a few strikes, Kadabra was struggling, and Jacen called out a counter as his points rapidly dwindled, putting himself in an extremely deep hole.

" _Kadabra, use Psychic on the Shadow Balls!"_

Kadabra recovered and instantly stopped the Shadow Ball dead in front of it, holding control over the mass of ghost-type attacks. The psychic-type's grip, however, was struggling. Ice had formed on Kadabra's shoulders and other joints, limiting its mobility. Without command, Kadabra threw the Shadow Ball attacks forward, sending the barrage in Froslass' direction.

"Froslass, use Hail!"

As the Shadow Balls closed in on the ice-type, a second hailstorm erupted, activating Froslass' Snow Cloak ability. Perfectly, the ice-type phased through the barrage of ghost-type blasts, avoiding any damage. Once again, Jacen's points dwindled. "Now, Ice Punch!" Dawn called, and Froslass vanished into the hailstorm. Not a moment later, the ice-type appeared at Kadabra's side and dealt a brutal punch, knocking the psychic-type over.

Froslass reappeared in front of Dawn, and a tone sounded, signifying the end of the match. Kadabra was staggered, its frozen joints offering it no help in recuperating from the massive damage it had sustained. Jacen's game plan had utterly failed, with Dawn able to counter and outdo each of his moves. The scoreboard only emphasized that reality, showing Dawn with only about a quarter of her points gone while Jacen was missing closer to three quarters of his total points.

" _Time's up! And the winner of the Wallace Cup is…Dawn!"_

The crowd had already known the result to be obvious, but still erupted in cheers. Jacen gritted his teeth at his rival before returning the wounded Kadabra to its Poké Ball and turning to leave with a huff. Wallace got up from his seat along with Mr. Contesta, handling the case that held the Aqua Ribbon before walking up toward the victors. Froslass danced circles around Dawn, celebrating in its dominant victory in its own little world. Seeing Wallace approaching, Froslass calmed and then hovered over beside its Trainer.

The Contest Master nodded with an appreciative grin. "My defending champion wins again, and in such dominating fashion, too. Dawn, I am pleased to present you with the Aqua Ribbon—again."

"Thank you, Wallace!" Dawn answered, barely able to contain her excitement. She shivered as she reached to grab the prestigious Aqua Ribbon from the case in Wallace's hands. She gazed at the familiar Ribbon, and then turned to look at Froslass, sharing a smile with the ice-type.

"I understand that you've earned Grand Festival eligibility with this win, and once again, you've broken a cold streak on the Contest trail." Wallace commented, "You picked the right time to do so, young Dawn. I'll be rooting for you in the Grand Festival."

"Thank you, Wallace." Dawn answered warmly before the Contest Master turned and walked away with Mr. Contesta. Giddily, Dawn ran toward the curtains with Froslass in tow. The crowd roared their approval at the result, prompting Dawn to wave to the nearest collection of fans before she disappeared behind the curtains.

* * *

May broke into a run, half-sprinting her way to the entrance for competitors. Ash was in tow behind her, trying to get the excited brunette to slow down, but the Petalburg native refused to listen. Finally, they reached the competitors' entrance outside of the stadium, just a short ways from the public entrance. Two security guards stood guard at the entrance as May and Ash reached it. The security guard on the right immediately stepped out into their path.

"Woah, little lady, where are you going? This entrance is for the competitors only." The guard said in a gruff voice.

May stepped back and fished through the parcel on her belt, finding her Trainer ID inside one of the slips. She held her card out for the guard to see. "My name's May Maple. I'm a registered Coordinator and close friend of the two-time Wallace Cup Champion. I wanted to visit her and congratulate her personally.

The guard examined the ID card and then nodded. "My apologies miss. What about him?"

May looked back to Ash, gulping as she thought for an answer. "Oh, right, this is her brother."

The security guard leered as he pondered the claim, before stepping back and motioning for his partner to make a path. "Very well. You both may enter." The guard told the pair before stepping out of the way as well. May smiled and thanked the guards before running down the stairwell that went underneath Contest Hall, connecting the dressing rooms used by Coordinators to the outside world.

May ran ahead of Ash as they reached the main hall, sprinting down the corridor and past a few alcoves before skidding to a stop beside another divot in the wall. Ash watched from a distance as she pulled a heavy door open and disappeared into what could only be the dressing room. Sucking in an uneasy breath, Ash made his way much more calmly toward the door that May had disappeared through, a thousand possible scenarios running through his mind. There was no doubt that Dawn would be behind this door. How would she react to his return? Would she embrace him? Would she shun him and turn away? Surely not, right?

Ash was at the designated door in a few moments, and he breathed in again before clasping his hand around the handle. He almost didn't want to open the door; for the dark corners of his mind insisted that this wouldn't go well. Shaking himself out of his dark fantasy, and accepting that he needed to do this, Ash tugged open the door, walking through into a world of possibilities.

* * *

Dawn turned as May burst through the door, meeting her friend in the congratulatory embrace. "Dawn, I'm so happy for you!" May cheered, "You and Froslass were perfect in that battle!"

"Aw, thanks, May." Dawn answered sheepishly. Her emotions had flooded her once she had disappeared behind the curtains carrying the Aqua Ribbon between her fingers. She still held the Ribbon now, tightly clinging to it like a lifeline. Glancing down at the uniquely colored Ribbon, Dawn pulled out her Ribbon Case and placed the Aqua Ribbon inside, filling all five slots.

"Hey Dawn, listen. Before you started battling Jacen, something happened. There's someone you need to see." May started, realizing how unsure of herself she was.

The door opened a second time, silencing the Petalburg native and catching the attention of both Coordinators alike. Through the door slipped a well-built figure, clad in an all-too-familiar navy and yellow vest and jeans. The male's hair was longer than it had been the last time that Dawn had seen it, but the mane of hair still retained its classic spiky shape, stretching out in multiple directions. The extra growth sat well with the growth all around his body too. Leaner arms mounted on wider shoulders hung down to the sides of the Trainer as he nervously slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Lastly, the most signature detail of them all sat atop the teen's head. A bold red hat with a navy blue middle section was tightly fitted to his head, a light blue image of the top half of a Poké Ball, with the famous center button underneath it, clearly signified his class.

Other than the hat, the only thing that remained the same was the characteristic Z's underneath his eyes and his large, arch-shaped eyes. Slim yet piercing brown irises trembled as the awkward silence held over the three Trainers in the room. Ash Ketchum stood there, calmly holding his gaze at Dawn. It had been four long months since he'd last been at Dawn's side. Finally, he took a chance and broke the silence.

"Hey…Dawn…"

* * *

 **And that's it! A nice "to be continued" for all of you. What, you didn't think everything would be solved in just one chapter, did you? Sorry, you'll have to wait some more. I'll see what I can do as far as getting the next chapter out as quickly as possible. Please consider leaving a review, and have a great weekend, everyone!**


	21. Reunions and Rockets

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 21_

 _Reunions and Rockets_

* * *

 **Kanto Region – Undisclosed Location**

James watched as the Grunts loaded the last of the boxes onto the cargo plane. Not too long ago, it was a task that he would've been doing himself. Now that he was an Admin of Team Rocket, James was in control of Grunts posted under him. His two partners, Jessie and Meowth, also had authority over the lowly Grunts. The periwinkle-haired man snorted to himself. There was something demoralizing about being ordered around by a talking cat that was hardly a foot and a half tall.

Speaking of the devils, James' Admin partners arrived in the hangar at that very moment. The sliding doors opened to reveal the magenta-haired Rocketeer and the Cat Scratch Pokémon, both wearing stone cold expressions. Like James, Jessie now wore a black Team Rocket uniform, signifying their newfound status to any onlookers. Meowth, however, didn't wear a uniform. The Cat Scratch Pokémon went as naked as the day he was born, but he wasn't any lower on the command tree than his two human partners.

"Good morning, chaps." James greeted as his fellow Admins reached within earshot, "We're almost ready to leave."

"Good." Jessie answered, "Giovanni wants us in the air as soon as possible. He's stationed an operative at the new Coronet Base to run things until we arrive."

A Grunt arrived next to the gathered Admins, standing stiffly upright with his arms packed tightly against his sides. "The last of the cargo has been loaded, sir!" the Grunt reported robotically, "All systems are go for your flight to Sinnoh!"

"Good." Jessie replied, smiling in her unsettling way.

Meowth chimed in, "Now, scram!" The Scratch Cat had taken to his new authority quite well, making a point to order around the human Grunts. His inflated sense of superiority that had come with his ability to speak human speech had only grown larger with their promotion.

The Grunt brought up a hand to his Team Rocket-issued cap, performing a salute. "Yes, sir!" he answered agreeably, showing no sense of discontent that a Pokémon one-fourth his size was giving him orders. With that, the Grunt and his gathered co-workers who had helped with the loading shuffled away and out of the hangar. Now left alone, the three Rocket Admins exchanged glances to each other and then walked to the plane, casually climbing up the ramp into the cargo hold. The cargo ramp closed automatically as the plane's three passengers entered, and they headed toward the cockpit. For this trip, the three Admins would have to fly themselves to the Sinnoh Region and begin startups for the new base, hidden in the forested throngs of Mt. Coronet. Sometime after that, they would have nearly one hundred Grunts transferred to their operation, and would be given a full budget to use on recruiting homegrown Sinnoh residents to join the criminal organization.

The three Admins took their seats in the cockpit. James sat in the co-pilot slot, Jessie sat in the pilot's chair, and Meowth sat in a smaller chair in between and just slightly behind them, forming a triangle between the three. Each Admin put on their headsets and at Jessie's prompting, the engines roared to life. The array of computers in front of them booted up and displayed countless amounts of data, running preliminary checks and registering green lights on all systems.

Jessie propelled the cargo plane forward, eventually escaping the hangar and throttling at full speed ahead, taking to the clear skies of Kanto.

"Nice day." James muttered as the plane ascended into the air. From the window of the cockpit, visibility was perfect, and directly in front of the three Rocket Admins was the mountain range that divided Kanto and Johto. As always, the titanic Mt. Silver dwarfed the rest of its mountain brethren. The sight of the huge mountain stirred thoughts within James that he hadn't thought about in quite some time. More precisely, since the Magnet Train Station in Saffron City.

"Say, chums, what do you think the twerps are up to?" James asked aloud, catching the attention of both Meowth and Jessie.

Jessie gave a very matter-of-fact answer. "The last report from Giovanni's agents still places the Pallet Town twerp on Mt. Silver up ahead. We don't quite know where the twerpette is, but perhaps they suffered a breakup!"

James frowned as Meowth laughed. Jessie continued, "Anyway, it isn't our business to wonder about them anymore. We have new assignments now."

"I know, but still." James interjected, "You don't even wonder about them?"

Meowth butted in, "Y'know, James is right. Those twerps have been a big part of our lives for da lass two years, da twerp and his Pikachu for da last six years. Sure, we'll be real busy for a while. But who knows, once we take over da Sinnoh Region, and then the whole woy-uld, I'd betcha we'll see 'em again, but this time we'll be da ones in charge!"

"Ooh, I do like the sound of that." James agreed.

"In any case, we have bigger things to be worried about." Jessie responded flatly, not bothering to acknowledge Meowth's words, "If we're lucky, we never have to deal with the twerp's Pikachu again."

Silence fell over the three Admins as Jessie started to turn the plane, curving the aircraft in the relative direction of the Sinnoh Region.

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Olivine City**_

" _Hey…Dawn…"_

The blue-haired Coordinator stalled, trying to process everything.

Ash was back.

"Dawn?" Ash called out, shaking her out of her trance, "Is everything ok?"

Dawn's vision cleared and she settled again on Ash. Her best friend had finally come back, and her reeling mind finally settled on her response.

"Ash…" Dawn finally said, his name escaping her lips like a breath of fresh air. She stepped forward gently, and Ash did the same, grinning from ear to ear. The two Trainers surged forward, and Dawn's hand ever so slowly came up. Ash seemed to notice that her hand was going up, and he raised his hand up as well, anticipating a high-five. Finally, they reached each other, and Dawn made her move.

 _SLAP!_

Ash dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, vibrating the ground as he hit the floor. His hand immediately went to his cheek, feeling out the new, stinging pain in his cheek. Groaning, he pulled his hand away from his cheek, uncovering a nice big red spot. May stood speechless, her jaw hitting the floor.

"Ow…I guess I kind of deserved that, huh?" Ash groaned, sitting up with his legs thrown out in front of him. Dawn stood above him, seeing red and nothing else.

" _You're damn right you did!"_ Dawn spat, _"Don't you_ ever _up and leave again!"_

"Dawn, calm down—"

" _No!"_ Dawn interrupted, "I will not calm down, Ash Ketchum. We were supposed to travel together again, and you totally bailed on me and May! If you actually expect me to—"

In a split-second, suddenly Ash was on her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Immediately, Dawn felt the new muscle that he had built during his time away. It was strangely comforting, and Dawn's rage started to melt away. Meanwhile, Ash was taking in Dawn's scent, finally content to be back with her again. May smiled at the sight, the gears in her head turning mischievously.

"I'm sorry." Ash whispered to Dawn, "I promise, I'm here to stay now."

"I'm sorry too." Dawn muttered back, "I overreacted…"

"No…you didn't." Ash disagreed, "I deserved every bit of that and probably more."

With everything that needed to be said between the two now said, Ash and Dawn pulled apart, both freshly smiling. "So this is your fifth Ribbon, huh Dawn?"

"Yep! I'm finally eligible for the Grand Festival!"

"I guess I picked the right time to come back, then. Now, can I have my high-five?" Ash asked, raising his hand prematurely. Dawn didn't hesitate, immediately surging forward and watching as her hand collided with Ash's. It had been too long since they'd exchanged their signature high-five, and the feeling felt good.

May butted in next, "Well, if we're all good with each other, I say we head on out to Goldenrod City for the Grand Festival. We've got two weeks to get there!"

"No need to worry, now that Ash is back we'll make it there in half the time!" Dawn teased Ash in response. The trio laughed and left the dressing room, escaping into the hallway and then heading out into the crisp air of Olivine City. Almost immediately, May and Dawn pointed Ash to a café by the docks, and the promise of food was more than enough to drag Ash into the establishment.

As soon as the meal arrived on the table, Ash dove in, scarfing down the fresh food with wild abandon and sparing no expense. Dawn and May watched with surprise as the Trainer cleaned his plate before the two had even started to eat their own orders. Ash pushed the empty plate away from him and then sagged in his chair, releasing a satisfied sigh as he palmed his belly.

"Well, he may be bigger and have longer hair, but he's definitely still Ash…" May commented absentmindedly, sighing at the Trainer's eating habits. She calmly cut a piece of her own food from the whole and then ate it, and Dawn followed suit, eating much more humanely while Ash grinned, satisfied with his meal. Suddenly, he let out an enormous belch that lingered for several seconds. Dawn shriveled her expression in disgust.

"Ash! Gross!"

"What, Dawn?" Ash defended, "I haven't eaten since breakfast!"

Hearing the sincere ridiculousness of Ash's argument and knowing that she wouldn't win if she dragged on, Dawn groaned and went back to eating her food. May decided to break the ice from that point forward, beginning to talk as she finished the second bite of her meal.

"So, the Grand Festival is in Goldenrod City in two weeks." May explained, "We'll want to get a move on if we want to have some spare time to train."

"Well then let's finish up here real quick and get moving." Dawn agreed.

Ash spoke up, much more nervously, "If you girls don't mind, I feel like I could use a haircut. My hair's really grown out, if you haven't noticed."

"Oh, we've noticed." Dawn sputtered in response, giggling for a moment, "May, do we have time?"

"Yeah, that shouldn't take long. And while Ash is doing that I can call my family about the Grand Festival!" May decided. Immediately, she started to eat faster, taking less time to enjoy the food in order to hopefully speed along their errands. Within minutes, both she and Dawn were finished, and after paying for their meals, headed out. Ash disappeared into a barbershop while Dawn and May ran to the Pokémon Center, hoping to call relatives and exchange Pokémon.

Dawn was talking with Nurse Joy when May returned from her phone call, and the Hoenn-born Coordinator appeared rather happy. "May, you okay?" Dawn asked quickly.

"Oh, yeah, Dawn, I'm great. I just got off the phone with my mom and dad and Max, and they said they'd decided to fly to Johto to watch the Grand Festival in two weeks!"

"That's awesome! I'll get to meet your family!"

"And now that Ash is back, I have a feeling Max is going to be real excited to challenge him to a battle." May pondered, grinning stupidly, "I just know Ash will be up to it. Max hasn't stopped thinking of that promise since the day we all split up."

"Speaking of Ash, we should probably head back to find him. He's probably almost done with his haircut."

"Good idea. So, Dawn, what do you think of Ash's new…physique?"

"…What?" Dawn asked, an unwelcome warmth starting to rise to her cheeks.

"Oh, come on, I could see you checking him out just a little bit at lunch." May teased, winking and poking the blue-haired Coordinator on the shoulder, "I'm smart enough to pick up on those things. Now, answer the question."

Dawn's cheeks burned now, and she instinctively moved to cover her face out of embarrassment. "Okay, okay, you got me, May. It's…nice…you can tell that he really worked hard up there on Mt. Silver."

Dawn and May avoided the topic after that in order to keep from embarrassing Dawn further. They started to talk about the Grand Festival until Ash turned up in their field of vision, walking out of the barbershop he'd entered some time earlier. The Pallet Town native saw them as well and ran over to them, meeting them halfway.

Ash's hair was a tad shorter than it had been when he'd disappeared into the shop. His neck had been trimmed by an inch or two and he'd thinned out the overall growth of the hair. Now, he looked as he had several months ago, with only the slightest hints of growth in it. In a day or two, it would be as if his hair had never grown out. The look fit well with his new physique, much better than the raven mullet he had sported on his return.

"Hey guys." Ash greeted, "Are we ready to go?"

"All set!" Dawn answered.

The trio started to walk out of Olivine City, talking and laughing on their way out of the city and onto Route 38. Immediately, a dirt path bordered by fresh green grass stretched outward for miles, lined by trees on each end. Ash gasped, awestruck, as he took in the view. It looked just like any other Route in the Region, but to Ash, it was like Heaven. The gentle breeze around them caused the bunched blades of grass to shift back and forth like ocean waves, creating a scene of tranquility one wouldn't expect to find just a matter of minutes from the city.

"Ash, you okay?" Dawn asked, tapping the larger Trainer on the shoulder, "You zoned out there."

Ash blinked a few times and escaped his musing. "Oh, yeah, sorry. It's just…been awhile…since I've seen so much grass. There isn't much of that up on the mountain…a lot more rock and snow everywhere."

Dawn and May shrugged and the group started walking down the road, chatting it up at times until May broke the news about her family's upcoming trip to Johto.

"So, Ash. I talked to my parents and Max before we left." May started, immediately catching the Trainer's attention at the mention of the younger boy. "They decided to come out to Goldenrod for the Grand Festival, and Max is coming along!"

"No way, really?" Ash answered with happy surprise, "That means I can finally battle Max!"

"Funny, he said the same thing on the phone! He was going on and on about how he couldn't wait to battle you." May agreed, "He's been keeping me updated on his travels. He's got four badges now, and since his next stop was going to be the Petalburg Gym, he came back home to challenge my dad. My dad beat him in their first match, so he was really down until I told him about you."

"That's awesome. Good for Max." Ash answered with pride, "That kid has the makings of a great Trainer, and I know a thing or two about losing. It sucks."

Almost as soon as Ash finished his sentence, Dawn noticed an all-too-familiar figure shortly up ahead. A youth with slick jet-black hair stood off to the side of the road, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. A Kadabra stood in front of the youth, heeding his commands. The psychic-type looked raggedy and a little beaten up, but made a point to obey its Trainer's orders.

" _Kadabra, uproot the tree with Psychic!"_

Kadabra threw out its arms; a spoon clenched in its claws, and summoned a pinkish aura around a nearby tree off to the side of the road. Kadabra pulled up its arm slowly, motioning to rip the tree from the ground, but the stalwart tree wouldn't budge. Kadabra tried again, but the tree still would not come uprooted.

The black-haired Trainer grumbled loudly and told Kadabra to stop, steam practically coming out of his ears. "Kadabra, you weakling!" the Trainer snapped, "This is exactly why we lost today: because you weren't strong enough! I knew I was making a mistake by putting you in the final match. I should've used one of my actual strong Pokémon!"

Ash, Dawn, and May all heard the Trainer's tirade, and immediately Ash surged forward to confront the vindictive Trainer. The crunching of grass led the black-haired Trainer to hear him coming, and immediately he turned around, glaring at Ash. The Pallet native came to a stop and simply stood, furiously watching the Trainer. Dawn and May caught up, and both of them grimaced.

"I knew it." Dawn muttered, "Jacen."

"Dawn." Jacen sneered back, showing virtually no emotion.

"You're that Trainer Dawn fought in the finals." Ash growled, "The one who always tries to knock out his opponent's Pokémon."

"Yeah, and what do you want? Can't you see I'm busy training here?" Jacen spat, leering at Ash. Ash's face twisted and he became very upset.

"Except you're not training Kadabra, you're abusing it!" Ash snapped back, "How can you expect a Pokémon to become strong if all you do is put it down and make it feel weak?"

Jacen didn't look happy at all with the newcomer's rant, gritting his teeth and grumbling back, "What does it matter? Pokémon only get strong when they're put in tough situations. My other Pokémon understand this. Kadabra does not, and I lost today because of that."

Ash brought up a clenched fist and held it suspended in the air between him and Jacen, "You ever thought that maybe you aren't training it right? That maybe Kadabra needs to be shown compassion so that it can be strong for you?"

Ash felt the power of his Aura well up inside him. His heartbeat thumped with a little extra oomph, pulsing with the energy of life. In response, Ash took in a deep breath, exhaling with a much more calm demeanor than he'd inhaled with. The power within started to fade away, heeding its owner's command to retreat back into the depths of his being. Riley had told him that he wasn't supposed to use Aura for offense without being provoked first, and Ash intended to hold that lesson. Besides, he had no idea how a Trainer like Jacen might react to Ash using Aura. Would he panic and lash out like the people of Riley's hometown? There was no way of knowing.

Ash looked back up at Jacen, who watched him with a puzzled glare. "Just…think on it." Ash offered, "Think about Kadabra's needs before your own. Any Pokémon can be strong; it's just a matter of learning a Pokémon's strengths and weaknesses to overcome its shortcomings."

Jacen snorted and shook his head condescendingly. "You're pathetic." Jacen spat, "I'll see you at the Grand Festival, Dawn, May…and I'm going to defeat both of you. Just you wait."

The Trainer called Jacen then turned to walk away, motioning to the disoriented psychic-type. "Kadabra. Let's _go."_ Jacen snarled. The Psi Pokémon still stalled as Jacen started to walk away, glancing up at Ash and holding its stare for a few seconds before turning and trotting after its Trainer, loyally following as Jacen stormed down the Route.

"What a jerk." Dawn grumbled. Ash simply watched as Jacen walked away, gritting his teeth. Not since Paul had anyone called him pathetic. Not to mention the fact that Ash had become insurmountably stronger during his time away. Pathetic was the last thing he was.

"Some people will just never understand, it seems." Ash lamented, still watching Jacen walk away, "What's his deal, anyway?"

"Couldn't tell you." May joined in, "He still competes in Contests, despite clearly not being a Coordinator."

"Maybe he's like Nando." Ash suggested, "Nando wanted to earn Gym Badges and win Ribbons."

"That's one twisted Nando, then. At least Nando took pride in actually Coordinating with his Pokémon." Dawn answered, briefly thinking about the Pokémon Bard, "We should get going."

The trio started heading down Route 38, never seeing Jacen again despite the aggressive Trainer having been only a moment ahead of them. Ecruteak City waited at the end of this Route, with Goldenrod City being a ways south. The clock was ticking, and the Johto Grand Festival was just around the corner.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Mt. Coronet, unknown location**_

The cargo plane's cloaking device collapsed. Mt. Coronet cast an eerie shadow over the Sinnoh Region despite night having fallen long ago, standing as a dark silhouette shrouded in mystery despite all of the advancements that the people below it had made over so many centuries.

The pilot and co-pilot of the cargo plane stared at a rapidly flashing red and green light. An endless plain of trees stabbed upward beneath them, though the freestanding mountain that divided the Region dwarfed them. The flashing lights up ahead signified the end of the cargo plane's journey. In a smaller chair behind the two pilots, a bipedal cat snored, blissfully unaware of the impending landing.

The bold red R on the two pilots' black uniforms said all that anyone would need to know…at least in the Kanto Region. Team Rocket was virtually unheard of in the Sinnoh Region. The two pilots—and the snoozing cat behind them—would be responsible for erasing that narrative.

The radar inside the plane reported no buildings ahead. Jessie and James cocked their heads. They'd been given next to no information about the new Coronet Base other than its location, and had been expecting a building somewhere, but according to the system, there was nothing in sight for miles. Now they had a whole new set of questions. Suddenly, the headset Jessie wore crackled to life in her ear as noise poured through it. A single voice began speaking.

" _Aircraft, you are entering private airspace. State your business or you will be shot down."_

Jessie smiled at the military-style professionalism the speaker spoke with, but knew it was nothing more than an act. The magenta-haired Admin brought the microphone to her lips, answering in an almost unnervingly silky voice.

" _This is Eris-1, requesting permission to land. We bring a package requiring signage."_

There was no response from the speaker on the other line of the headset. Instead, floodlights flicked on up ahead, revealing a huge steel door built into the side of the mountain, hidden by the darkness. As Jessie and James wiped away the impressed expression on their faces, the large bay door ahead of them scrolled open, retracted downward by an unseen machine. The floodlights on the door went out and smaller lights began lighting in the tunnel revealed by the door. Jessie and James both smiled. Their destination was just ahead of them. Jessie all but killed the throttle and the cargo plane gently eased into the tunnel, sinking into the uncharted insides of Mt. Coronet. The noise of the bay door reclosing behind the plane could be heard as Jessie gently navigated the cargo plane through the odd tunnel, hovering above the ground and following the lights. Shortly after, the tunnel opened up into a huge hangar.

Jessie and James worked together to carefully land the plane in the center of the hangar. Both Admins sighed with relief that their trip was finally over. It had taken quite some time to reach Sinnoh, and they all knew they could use a nice warm bed for the night.

Jessie and James put away their equipment with haste and stood up from their sights, making to leave the cockpit. In the smaller middle chair, Meowth continued to snooze. Jessie gritted her teeth and clapped loudly next to his air, instantly waking the cat and making him shout in terror as his hairs stood on end. Meowth looked around in countless different directions in the next full second, realizing that it was only Jessie after frantically searching for intruders.

"Wake up." Jessie grunted, "We're here."

Meowth looked up at her, puzzled, before remembering the rest of the day and immediately unclipping his seat belt before hopping out of his chair. The Scratch Cat Pokémon thumped to the ground and followed his fellow Admins to the cargo ramp at the back of the plane, which opened as they walked toward it. Several boxes of cargo sat on either side of the trio, secured to the metal floor of the plane by mesh nets and bolts.

The cargo ramp hit the floor of the hangar and Jessie, James, and Meowth all walked out into the light simultaneously. They each squinted for a moment, trying to adjust to the grey light that lit the hangar of Team Rocket's new Coronet Base. About a dozen steps in front of them stood three people, forming a triangle. Two people in white garments bearing the signature 'R' of Team Rocket stood behind a smaller, wrinkled old man with sagging eyes and round, red glasses. The man had a very unique hairdo consisting of pale purple locks forming a truly indescribable pattern on the back half of his head, leaving the front half completely devoid of any hair.

At the same time, all three of the new Rocket Admins immediately recognized the man with purple hair. The only real difference in his current outfit versus his previous one was the replacement of the gold 'G' with a red 'R' in the middle of the shirt underneath his lab coat.

Their contact was a former member of Team Galactic, and a very high-ranking member at that.

The three Rocket Admins stood, awestruck, as the purple-haired man and two Grunts approached them, halting a handful of feet away. The Grunts stood solemnly while the old man took another step forward, smiling as best as his wrinkled face would allow. The voice that parted his lips was gravely and scratchy.

"Welcome, Jessie, James, and…Meowth, correct?" the man greeted, doing his best to sound truly sincere, "I would imagine that you remember me from your last visit to Mt. Coronet, but I'll start with an introduction anyhow. My name is Charon, former head scientist and commander of Team Galactic, and I have been assigned to assist you in Team Rocket's endeavors in the Sinnoh Region."

Charon smiled again, the creepiness rolling off of him in waves. It was clear he had mastered the art of intimidation, despite being a crotchety old man well beyond his youth. The red-lensed glasses glinted in the unnatural lighting, adding to his unnerving demeanor. The former Galactic scientist parted his lips and spoke again.

"It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the new Coronet Base."

* * *

 **So, Ash has officially reunited with Dawn and May, our favorite crooks have met Charon, and the Johto Grand Festival is almost here. In the next chapter, a long-awaited battle between two characters will be held, so look forward to that! Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in a review at the bottom, and I'll get the next update out this weekend!**


	22. Fulfilling a Battling Promise!

**All right, defense time. I struggled with this chapter, and also spent a lot less time of each day bothering to write, and got this one out a lot later than I anticipated. This could end up being the norm, I don't know. But hang in there, I don't intend to just leave this story unfinished.**

 **Olmg: thanks for the feedback. Glad to see someone sees flaws in this work and points them out, because there are flaws. I will do what I can to fix those issues in the future.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 22_

 _Fulfilling a Battling Promise!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Mt. Coronet**_

The hour was very late when Charon trudged into the office. The elderly scientist moved to push his red-lensed glasses further up on his nose before sitting down in the wheeled office chair. A large control panel was laid out in front of the chair, and against the wall was a screen as large as life itself.

Sighing, Charon brought up his wrinkled hands, preparing to type on the keyboard. The new Admins that he would be working with had had trouble wrapping their heads around Charon's new rank within Team Rocket. After the business on Spear Pillar and Cyrus's ultimate betrayal, Charon had slipped away from the ensuing chaos, managing to evade any kind of detection by the authorities. The scientist's research was still on him at the time, and a few weeks later he'd decided on his next course of action. He'd flown to the Kanto Region, earning a meeting with the head of a prestigious company with backgrounds in the science performed by Cyrus during his machinations to create a new world. The head of this company had called himself Giovanni, and, after looking over Charon's research, decided to introduce to him the organization called Team Rocket.

Giovanni had revealed himself as the group's leader, and promised that if Charon would hand over his research, he would have a place in Team Rocket, and they would make use of his research correctly. From that day forward, Charon served as Giovanni's advisor to the Sinnoh Region. Very shortly after this development, Giovanni officially decided to expand operations into the Sinnoh Region, hoping to look more into the Space-Time Legend and the creation of the Region. Charon was fully aware of true nature of Giovanni's plans, and personally he agreed with the intended goal much more than he had with Cyrus's goals. However, it would take some time to establish a legitimate footing in the Sinnoh Region, much less undertake those steps that Team Galactic had taken.

Charon started to type into the computer, inputting the commands needed to initiate the video communication. The screen booted to life and showed a short series of dots. A few seconds later, the screen lit up, displaying the stern face of Giovanni. It was also nighttime in the Kanto Region, yet the leader of Team Rocket remained in the armchair at his desk in the base.

"Charon." Giovanni greeted emotionlessly.

"Good evening, Giovanni. I apologize for the lateness of my call." Charon replied.

"I assume my operatives made it to the base in one piece." Giovanni assumed, only half-asking for a response.

"Yes sir, Giovanni. They were…quite surprised…to see me here."

"As expected." Giovanni answered quickly, "You are aware of your orders from this point forward?"

"I am. We are to begin recruiting operations for Team Rocket. Also, we are to begin researching even further into the Space-Time Legend, as well as other Legendary Pokémon tied to the origins of the Sinnoh Region."

"Very good." Giovanni nodded in response, "Early studies indicate that there are many more Legendary Pokémon in the Sinnoh Region than Dialga, Palkia, and the Lake Guardians. I expect constant updates on your research, Charon. Cyrus failed through his shortsightedness. I will not make those same mistakes."

"Very good, sir. I look forward to the results of our operations." Charon answered, nodding in agreement.

The live feed with Giovanni cut out, leaving Charon alone in the communications room again. Sighing with exhaustion, Charon climbed out of the chair and trudged out through the automatic door, heading toward his quarters. In the coming days, nearly a hundred more operatives would arrive in Sinnoh. Half of them would be sent far and wide to recruit for the organization, while the other half would assist in research operations. Giovanni was right; there were more Legendary Pokémon in the Sinnoh Region. And if Giovanni wanted to succeed where Cyrus had failed, he would need more than just the Pokémon that controlled time and space.

* * *

~TWO WEEKS LATER~

 _ **Johto Region – Goldenrod City**_

The Goldenrod City Airport was bustling with activity. Hordes of people darted back and forth down the hallway, the tourism in Goldenrod spiking thanks to the Grand Festival being held in the metropolis. Ash, Dawn, and May stood on their toes, trying to watch for Norman, Caroline, or Max. If the screens all around the terminal were right, then their plane from Petalburg City should've landed several minutes ago.

"You think their plane got delayed and they haven't landed yet?" Ash asked absently. May bounced back and forth as people bolted in front of her field of vision, doing her best to get a clear view down the hall to watch for her family.

"They haven't called me about it, so I don't think so." May answered, "They should be here already, though."

Suddenly, Ash spotted a familiar plot of slate-black hair, and a characteristic cut of hair that fell down over the man's forehead. He looked to be in the latter half of his middle-aged years. The Pallet native recognized the older man immediately, but May also saw the man at the same time and called out first.

" _Dad!"_

The older man looked up, glancing around before looking ahead and tracing the voice to the brunette. Joy flooded the man's face and he called out somewhere behind him before rushing toward May. Norman, the Petalburg City Gym Leader and May's father, blazed past people until he reached his teenage daughter, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"Dad! Can't…breathe…" May stammered hoarsely. Norman realized that he was squeezing and then let go, pulling away from his daughter and chuckling.

"Sorry, May. I got a little carried away there."

" _May!"_ the voice of a younger boy called out. Norman turned to look behind him and May shifted to look past her father. A woman with curly red hair and a much smaller boy with messy blue hair rushed forward after Norman, both colliding with the brunette in a tight hug. May happily hugged the other two members of her family, nuzzling up against them affectionately before they both pulled back.

Norman walked over to Caroline, wrapping an arm casually around her shoulder, while Ash walked up with another girl. Ash waved calmly, "Hi there, Norman, Caroline, Max."

The boy with messy dark blue hair, Max, realized Ash was there and immediately bolted around May, reappearing directly in front of Ash. Max looked like a dwarf compared to Ash as he looked upward and confidently clenched a challenging fist.

"Ash! Let's battle right now!" Max cried with a little too much enthusiasm, "I've been training really hard since I found out we were coming to Johto so I could beat you!"

Ash grinned widely and laughed, "Is that so, Max? Well, I guess I have to—"

"Hold on just a moment!" Norman interrupted, stepping forward, "If you haven't noticed, Max, we're in the middle of an airport terminal. Your battle with Ash can wait."

Max started to protest until Caroline stared him down, and the smaller boy calmed himself. Norman then glanced to the other girl in the group, putting on a welcoming smile. "You must be Dawn." Norman started, extending a hand to the blue-haired Coordinator, "I'm Norman, May's father."

Dawn accepted the handshake before answering, "That would be me. It's so nice to finally meet you, Norman and Caroline."

"And you as well, dear." Caroline replied.

Max then appeared again, this time in front of Dawn. "Wow, you're even prettier in real life!" Max declared. The younger boy then placed a confident hand over his heart, "I'm Max, and I'm gonna be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer."

Dawn giggled at the naïve boy, not even remotely registering that he was doing his best to flirt, "Gee, that sounds just like someone else that I know." Dawn teased, glancing to Ash and giggling. The group collectively chuckled before heading out of the airport, claiming Norman and Caroline's bags before reaching the open air of the city. It was only a short walk to the Pokémon Center, where the new arrivals booked rooms. May and Dawn would be in one room, Norman and Caroline in another, and Ash and Max in a third room.

The travelers then followed that by eating lunch, provided by the Pokémon Center itself. An egregious menu allowed everyone to order something different for themselves. Ash kept it simple and went with a basic sub sandwich, while Caroline and May represented the opposite extreme in ordering more complicated salads. The group ate in relative silence, Ash for once eating more like an actual human being, until Norman broke the silence.

"So, Ash, what are you doing now that you're back in Johto? I understand that you've just returned from some intense training on Mt. Silver." Norman inquired, genuinely interested.

"That's correct, Norman. I haven't decided just what I'm going to do next, though. I initially came to Johto to travel with May again and take some time off of competing, but old habits die hard, y'know?" Ash responded, "So…I guess I'll figure it out after the Grand Festival. My Pokémon and I got way stronger during our time in the mountains, so I definitely don't want to waste all that power."

Max suddenly pushed his plate forward and hopped out of his seat, as confident as ever. "Well, Ash, I say let's put that to the test!"

"What's that, Max?" May asked out of nowhere.

"C'mon, Ash, I've been waiting over an hour now, and this is the perfect time to battle!" Max insisted, "Won't you battle me?"

Ash smiled proudly, remembering how eager he'd been at the time to battle anyone he saw. When he was younger, he'd seen every battle as a testament to his potential, almost never passing up a battle when the health of his Pokémon allowed it. Making up his mind, Ash pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Sure thing, Max. You're on."

Max jumped up and down with excitement, "Yes, yes, yes! Finally! I've been training so hard for this! C'mon, Ash, let's go!"

Max turned and bolted for the doors that led to the Pokémon Center's public battlefield, where any Trainer could train and battle whenever they so wished. Ash chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm as he followed at a much more leisurely pace. Dawn, May, and the latter's parents followed Ash outside, the quartet making their way to the sideline of the battlefield as Ash claimed his place at the nearest battle box. Max stood at the far end of the battlefield, confidently pacing. As Caroline, Dawn, and May all sat down, Norman stepped up to the painted referee box, standing adjacent to the midfield line and raising his arms to garner the Trainers' attentions.

"The battle between Max from Petalburg City and Ash from Pallet Town is about to begin!" Norman recited, "Each Trainer will use 3 Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three of a single Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. Furthermore, both Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon!"

Max spoke up, challenging Ash, "Get ready Ash! I'm all grown up now, and I won't be a pushover!"

"Nor I, Max." Ash responded with the utmost calm, "But I am warning you. I'm far stronger now than I ever was during our travels in Hoenn."

Pikachu called out in agreement toward Max, showing no sign of ill will toward the younger Trainer. Max revealed a Poké Ball in his hand, clutching it tightly before rearing back his arm.

"Now, Swellow, I need your assistance!" Max called. The red-and-white capsule spun forth masterfully, breaking open and spitting out white light that formed into the shape of the regal Swallow Pokémon. The flying-type spread its wings and crowed, _"Swellow!"_

"Hmm, a flying-type." Ash said aloud, "Okay, this one should be easy! Pikachu, get in there!"

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu cried in answer, leaping off of Ash's shoulder and landing gently on the dirt. The mouse crouched and crackled some spare electricity from its cheeks, signaling its readiness.

"I thought you'd use Pikachu!" Max shouted, "But a Trainer can't get strong if they never face tough situations! Swellow, are you ready?"

" _Swellow!"_

Norman nodded, raising his arms to their furthest height. Without further ado, Norman brought his arms down in a swift crossing motion, shouting for all to hear. _"Now! Battle begin!"_

"Swellow, use Aerial Ace!" Max shouted, not wasting any time. The Swallow Pokémon took to the skies and performed a magnificent loop, summoning a speedy white aura around its body as it launched toward Pikachu. The electric mouse did its best to grin, as if knowing that this round wouldn't be too tough on him. After all, flying-types were at a disadvantage to electric-types.

Ash smiled as well, throwing forth a finger as he called for the counterattack. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu instantly launched forth the crooked bolt of lightning toward the flying-type, who continued to close in. Max immediately called out a response.

"Dodge it!"

Swellow barrel-rolled out of the way, righting itself and continuing its forward path toward Pikachu once again. The bird's speed increased, but Ash had planned for the missed attack, already calculating his moves much further ahead.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's tail turned to the familiar steely grey, and the smaller mouse shot itself forward into Swellow's path, whirling itself around and colliding the Iron Tail perfectly with Swellow's jaw. The flying-type squawked as its deadly path was cut off easily and it tumbled to the ground. Clouds of dust were kicked up as Swellow's lightweight body thumped a clean path into the ground, but the flying-type moved to get up anyhow. However, Ash and Pikachu had no plans of allowing Swellow to try another attack, and the Trainer called forth the mouse's signature attack.

"Use Thunderbolt, now!"

A second hooked bolt of lightning was sent forth, hurtling toward the struggling Swellow. The steel-type attack hadn't even been that powerful, yet the flying-type was already feeling weak. As the bird looked back up, all it saw was the golden flash of electricity hurtling toward it. Max shouted out for a dodge, but the electricity was moving too fast and Swellow wasn't fast enough.

The flying-type's shriek as it was struck by the Thunderbolt was saddening, and before the surge had even ended it was clear that the first round of battle was over. Unsurprisingly, Swellow collapsed to the ground, its eyes marked by swirls. Norman raised his hand, calling for the end of the round.

"Swellow is unable to battle! The winner is Ash and Pikachu!"

Caroline, Dawn, and May all gawked as Swellow went down for the count. The Thunderbolt that they had just witnessed was unlike any that they had ever seen. This even went for Dawn and May, who had each spent two years of their lives traveling with the Trainer and his powerful Pikachu. Even during that time, Pikachu hadn't been _that_ strong.

"Such power…" May whispered.

"That was really something. Ash wasn't kidding about his training." Dawn agreed with amazement.

Max, meanwhile, stood completely still, struggling to process what he'd just witnessed. Norman called out to his son, jarring the younger Trainer from his daze.

"Max! You need to return Swellow!" Norman barked.

Max blinked repeatedly as she shook his head and woke up, moving to pull Swellow's Poké Ball from his belt. "Right, um…Swellow, return!" Max called, and the red light that shot forth from the Poké Ball enveloped the fainted flying-type and sucked it back into the protective capsule. Max turned the face of the Poké Ball to him and looked at the button. "Sorry, Swellow. I was way too confident. I promise I won't make that mistake again." Max admitted before tucking the Ball back onto his belt.

"Sorry about that, Max!" Ash called out apologetically, "I'll try to go a little easier on you!"

Max shook his head in denial, "Don't do that, Ash! I want to see your full power! Besides, I've still got two Pokémon left!" Max pulled the second Poké Ball from his belt, enlarging it and clutching the capsule confidently, "I'm sure you'll remember this one, but there've been a few changes since you last saw my next Pokémon!"

Ash raised an eyebrow and smirked confidently, the thrill of battle rushing through his veins. He hadn't had the chance to battle another Trainer since his final day with Riley on Mt. Silver. On the other side of the field, Max slung his arm back and threw the Poké Ball in a perfect spiral, calling forth his next Pokémon.

"Kirlia, you're up!"

The Poké Ball exploded in a brilliant flash of light, materializing into the peculiar shape of the Emotion Pokémon. The Kirlia placed its hands complacently on its waist and summoned a gentle psychic aura around its form before changing its stance into a confident fighting stance.

"Hmm, lemme guess, Max, is this the old Ralts we found back in Hoenn?" Ash asked, already fully knowing the answer.

"That's right, Ash. I came back for Ralts, just as I said I would, and Ralts evolved into a Kirlia." Max confirmed, "I promise, Kirlia has some tricks up his sleeve."

"That's good enough for me!" Ash called, "But tricks aren't everything. Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

The electric-type jumped forward eagerly, summoning the white aura of speed as it fell toward the ground and taking off toward Kirlia. The psychic-type stood calmly, its hands holding still over the tutu at its waist, as Kirlia waited for Max's command.

Just before Pikachu could finish closing the gap, Max shouted, "Teleport!"

Kirlia vanished from reality, and Pikachu tore through the space where the psychic-type had once stood, passing through thin air. The mouse aborted its sprint and skidded to an unsteady stop, searching every possible direction for the presence of Kirlia. Max grinned triumphantly as Pikachu looked around, and raised his arm confidently as he called for another attack.

"Now, Kirlia, use Magical Leaf!"

Kirlia reappeared at an angle from Pikachu, and the mouse spotted the Emotion Pokémon quickly and then braced itself. Leaves imbued with unknown energy appeared from thin air and obeyed Kirlia's thrust, arcing cleanly toward Pikachu.

"Ack! Pikachu get outta there!" Ash called, and Pikachu obeyed without hesitation, sprinting back toward its side of the field. The Magical Leaves didn't relent, though, and curved after the fleeing mouse.

"This isn't gonna work. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

The electric-type skidded to a stop and turned to face the oncoming leaves before releasing another powerful Thunderbolt at the leaves, tearing them to pieces and successfully defending Pikachu. The mouse exhaled a sigh of relief, and then turned back to face Kirlia, who calmly walked back to where it had been standing before using Teleport. The Emotion Pokémon leered and watched Pikachu, as if it were calculating all of the mouse's potential next moves.

"Okay, Kirlia, use Psychic!"

The psychic-type instantaneously threw out its arm, a powerful force wrapping itself around Pikachu and lifting the electric-type off of the ground. Pikachu panicked as it was lifted high into the air, flailing about as its body was controlled and commanded to go further upward.

"Pikachu, hang in there!" Ash called, but the cry was mostly moot. Max grinned widely, thrilled that the battle was working into his favor.

"Kirlia, throw Pikachu down!"

Kirlia made a swift chopping motion with its arm, and its control over Pikachu forced the mouse downward before breaking away. Gravity now controlled Pikachu's movements, sending the small electric-type hurtling toward earth.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried, "Try to somersault forward! Stick your landing with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu steeled itself and turned itself forward, pushing itself before breaking into a full-on somersault. His movements caused the mouse to roll in Kirlia's direction, and as gravity willed him down, Pikachu lit up his tail with the stunning silver light of Iron Tail. The mouse stalled as gravity made its final push toward earth, and with one final swing, Pikachu slammed his powerful tail into the ground, landing right at the intersection of midfield. The ground shook violently as the Iron Tail connected with the solid rock and dirt beneath Pikachu's feet, and Kirlia felt the full force of the seismic wave. Max stared with a mixture of shock and awe as Kirlia stumbled and smacked into the shifting ground.

The dust cleared and Pikachu stood stoutly on all fours, proud at its success. Kirlia staggered back to its feet and huffed with displeasure. Max turned his shock into a grin. "That was impressive, Ash. I forgot how strong Pikachu was, and that Iron Tail made me pay." Max conceded, "But we aren't through yet. Kirlia, use Teleport to get close to Pikachu!"

Kirlia vanished into thin air, and Pikachu perked its ears and looked around for the Emotion Pokémon. Kirlia appeared behind Pikachu, perfectly in the mouse's blind spot, and Max beat Ash to the punch in calling for a command.

"Psycho Cut!"

One of Kirlia's arms lit up with a pulsing pink energy, and the next thing Ash or Pikachu knew the electric-type mouse was bouncing away from Kirlia, driven by a slash of psychic energy. The energy eventually dissipated, leaving Pikachu vulnerable on the ground. Kirlia teleported again, this time appearing beside Pikachu and executing a second Psycho Cut to perfection, having the same effect on Pikachu. Kirlia's stature clearly belied its strength as Pikachu struggled to get up after coming to a stop from the Psycho Cut's onslaught, and the Emotion Pokémon stalked over toward the electric-type to hopefully put an end to the battle.

"Kirlia, use Psycho Cut again! Let's finish this!" Max commanded, gushing with gleeful confidence. Kirlia's arm lit up once again with the forsaken psychic energy, and Pikachu staggered at the psychic-type's mercy.

"Pikachu, don't give up!" Ash shouted, "Use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu's eyes shot open with a sudden resolve, and Kirlia was instantly caught off-guard. The small mouse lunged at full power, rocketing toward Kirlia. The psychic-type immediately took a defensive step backward, firing the Psycho Cut haphazardly and without any real aim.

The attack missed.

Pikachu put his full weight into the speedy tackle, using Kirlia's falling body as a launch pad to return to level ground. The Emotion Pokémon fell backward and Pikachu landed cleanly a few feet away from the psychic-type, in perfect position to heed Ash's next command.

" _Volt Tackle!"_

"Kirlia, look out!" Max responded in panic, but there was no way to defend against the next attack. Kirlia had managed to mostly regain its footing, but had missed the call for Pikachu's next attack, only looking back up at its adversary just as Pikachu was about to collide with it. An explosion mixed with miscellaneous charges of electricity surged outward from the point of impact, blinding all parties to the scene on the battlefield.

When the smoke cleared, Kirlia was passed out on the ground, and Pikachu stood on its legs victoriously.

"Kirlia is unable to battle!" Norman called, "The winner is Ash and Pikachu!"

Max cringed at the result. Now, he was down two Pokémon to none, and if any of Ash's other Pokémon were even remotely as strong as Pikachu, he wouldn't stand a chance. The smaller blue-haired Trainer pulled out Kirlia's Poké Ball and called for the tough psychic-type to return.

"You were great, Kirlia." Max consoled as he gazed at the face of the Poké Ball, "You earned a good rest." He added before tucking the Ball back onto his belt and unclipping his final Pokémon.

"Okay, my trump card! Go, Marshtomp!"

The burly Mud Fish Pokémon lumbered out of the Poké Ball, its various fins stretching as the water/ground-type relaxed its muscles. Marshtomp zeroed in on Pikachu and steeled itself for battle.

"Marshtomp is part ground-type." Ash reasoned, "That means electric-types will have a tough time with it. Pikachu, come back!"

Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief and dragged its battered body back to Ash, falling back on its rear end at Ash's feet and preparing to rest. "You were awesome, buddy." Ash complimented, "All that training really paid off."

The Pride of Pallet then stood to face Max and Marshtomp, already knowing what his next choice would be. Unclipping the desired Poké Ball from his belt with a calm expression, Ash reared back his arm and called forth his Hoenn trump card.

"Sceptile, I choose you!"

Max's jaw dropped in a mixture of surprise and discontent as Ash called out the one Pokémon that Marshtomp would have trouble with. The grass-type Forest Pokémon stood tall and steadfast, almost menacing in its calm demeanor. Sceptile placed a reed in its mouth and grinned as it bit down on the small blade of grass, recognizing Max immediately. Max was no fool, however. Sceptile had every right to be so confident, and its size definitely belied its natural speed. Plus, if Ash's apparent training on Mt. Silver had been anywhere near as intense as he had made it out to be, it was likely that Sceptile had become even faster.

"Marshtomp, let's use Mud Bomb!" Max ordered.

Marshtomp immediately started creating a cannonball of mud and gunk, the blast pulsating between its fishlike hands, before launching the projectile toward the calm Sceptile on the other end of the field. Sceptile didn't flinch at all as it waited for the Mud Bomb.

"Sceptile, dodge it with Quick Attack!"

Sceptile dove to its immediate left with a Quick Attack, making the Mud Bomb miss entirely. Immediately, Ash called out for a Leaf Blade, and Sceptile formed sharp blades from its arms. One step from the grass-type seemed like it was leaping across an entire ocean, and two rapid slashes of green were Max's only indication that Sceptile had hit Marshtomp, for the grass-type returned to its previous position almost instantly, chewing on the reed some more while Marshtomp recovered from the speedy slashes. The Mud Fish Pokémon staggered to its feet, already visibly wounded from the Leaf Blade attack, and Max found himself lost.

"Um…uh…Marshtomp, use Water Pulse!"

Marshtomp obeyed without question and began forming a pulsating sphere of water, launching it toward Sceptile and waiting for the move to hit. Again, Sceptile stood without reaction, and Ash called out for the next attack.

"Sceptile, counter with Night Slash!"

Sceptile surged forward, its arm glowing with a toxic purple energy, and in one swift swing, the Water Pulse shattered into spraying droplets of water, before sprinting toward Marshtomp. Max recognized that his window was only a matter of instants, and took advantage of what little time he had.

"Use Protect!"

The all-too familiar impenetrable wall of energy formed around Marshtomp's body, blocking Sceptile as the grass-type appeared and savagely slashed its arm twice. The attacks bounced harmlessly off of Protect, and Sceptile leered as it slashed futilely again. Max grinned, using Sceptile's own confidence against it.

"Take Down!"

Marshtomp lunged forward at full power, smashing through its own Protect and slamming into Sceptile. The full-body tackle sent the pair of Pokémon tumbling to the ground with the water-type on top. Suddenly, Max had an upper hand of sorts, and recognized his slight advantage.

"Mud Shot!"

Ash gritted his teeth, having had enough of Max's sudden control over the battle, and called for a counterattack.

"Sceptile, use Quick Attack to get Marshtomp off of you!"

Sceptile lunged upward from the ground, the aura of speed left behind acting as a thruster, and Sceptile successfully lifted Marshtomp's wide body off of it. "Leaf Blade!"

For the second time, Sceptile landed a brutal Leaf Blade into Marshtomp's midsection, and the water-type staggered to one knee in an attempt to recover while Sceptile returned to its side of the battlefield. The Forest Pokémon wasn't the happiest camper at the moment, now that its reed had been lost in the heat of its grapple with the Mud Fish Pokémon. Marshtomp groaned out loud, grabbing at its midsection where the Leaf Blades had connected.

"Marshtomp, can you keep battling?"

" _Marshtomp, Marshtomp."_ The Mud Fish Pokémon stammered, feeling very real pain from the lightning-quick Leaf Blades. Norman took a step forward in Max's direction, calling out to his son.

"Max, I'm sorry to say this, but I have to step in. Marshtomp is very hurt. We need to call this battle." Norman interfered, showing real concern for both his energetic son and the wounded Marshtomp on the battlefield.

" _Sceptile…"_ the Forest Pokémon muttered in agreement.

Max looked to Ash, and then to Sceptile, and then to the small audience of females watching the battle. Humiliation set in as Max brought out Marshtomp's Poké Ball.

"Yeah, call the battle." Max said sadly, "Marshtomp, return!"

Norman raised his arms as Marshtomp disappeared in a stream of red light back into the capsule. "The battle has been forfeited. That means the winner of the match is Ash from Pallet Town!"

For once, Ash didn't celebrate his victory. Max looked completely beaten up, and without any warning, the younger Trainer turned and bolted to the exit gate of the fenced-in battlefield, sprinting down the block and out of sight.

" _Max!"_ Norman shouted, but the younger boy didn't listen, continuing to run. Ash returned Sceptile without hesitation as Caroline, Dawn, and May all surged out of their seats, running to the fence to try and call Max back. All five other members of the group met at the fence, and Ash turned to Norman and Caroline, carrying the battered Pikachu in his arms.

"Norman, Caroline, I'll go after Max. I bet I'd be the one person he'd talk to right now, crazy as it sounds." Ash told the two parents, "Pikachu, you want to help? Something tells me he isn't going to the Pokémon Center."

" _Pika, Pikachu."_ The electric-type agreed.

"Okay." Ash decided, pulling another Poké Ball from his belt, "Staraptor, I choose you!"

The flying-type burst out of the Ball, hovering in midair. Pikachu climbed up onto the top of Ash's head, waving at Staraptor before jumping up and landing on the Predator Pokémon's back.

"Staraptor, I need you to look for Max! Pikachu will help point him out!"

" _Starrrr!"_

Ash then hopped over the fence entirely, landing on the sidewalk on the other side, and bolted down the path that Max had taken. Staraptor and Pikachu flew into the air and started their search from the sky, getting a much better view than Ash could've hoped for.

Some time passed, and Ash's search had been futile until Staraptor arrived in the middle of the Trainer's path, crowing repeatedly as Ash reached it. Pikachu poked his head up above Staraptor's as the Predator Pokémon continued to trill.

" _Starr!"_ the flying-type trilled.

"You found him, Staraptor? Great job, let's go!"

Staraptor and Pikachu took to the skies again, and Ash followed from the ground. The two Pokémon led the Pallet native south to the terminal going out onto Route 34. Sure enough, right outside the terminal, hanging out on the shore of the sea, was Max.

"Max!" Ash called.

The younger Trainer turned his head, locking eyes with the older Trainer, before turning to look back out at the sea, hoping that Ash would leave him alone. Of course, this didn't work, and Ash ran up next to the Petalburg native.

"Max, are you all right?"

"No, I'm not all right." Max grumbled sharply, "I lost. I couldn't even knock out one of your Pokémon. Not one! All that training was for nothing."

"Hey, that's not true!" Ash answered, this time adding his own sharpness to his tone, "Training with your Pokémon is never a waste, you hear me? What would your Pokémon think if they heard you say that?"

"…They would probably be pretty ashamed of me." Max finally answered.

"Yeah, they would be. Look, Max, do you know where I've been for the last four months?" Ash asked, putting on a serious face. Max turned to look at the older Trainer.

"Mt. Silver." he grumbled. "You were never there whenever May called home, I know that."

"Yeah, that's right, but I was training my heart out every single day. The thing is, Max, I came out of the Sinnoh League finishing in fourth place, the highest I'd ever finished. And I probably would've gone further if it hadn't been for—"

"That Trainer and his Darkrai." Max cut Ash off, having watched the disastrous battle firsthand on television nearly six months ago.

"Yeah, that's right." Ash confirmed, "I came so far, and got so strong, and I couldn't do anything against Tobias. So I resolved to go somewhere tough and train for—well, I didn't know how long—until I could be the strongest Trainer there ever was. And that's my goal now. I want to set my sights on beating the best Trainers in the world. Trainers like Drake, Tobias, Cynthia, and so many more. But you can't get any stronger without losing first. Success isn't a straight path with no obstacles. I've been training Pokémon for a lot longer than you have, Max. But I see every bit of myself inside you, and I know you can become great too."

"…You really think so?"

"I know so." Ash answered quickly, "You're as smart a Trainer as there ever was, Max. But you're not gonna reach your goals without working for a long time. And one day, Max, when you're a lot stronger…when you've become a great Trainer in your own right…I'd love to battle you again."

Max looked out at the sea for several more seconds, feeling Ash's confident stare burning through him. Finally, Max sagged his head, sighing exhaustedly. And then, a new confidence swelled in his being, and the younger Trainer shot up to his feet, turning to face Ash with a big smile on his face.

"You're right, Ash. Success isn't a straight path. I'm sorry for acting like I did, and I'm sorry that I couldn't give you an honest fight today. But one day I will! I'm gonna keep working hard, and become a great Trainer. Because my Pokémon believe in me…I have to believe in them!"

"There's the Max I remember!" Ash answered with a wide grin. The Pride of Pallet gestured to the Petalburg native, "Now c'mon, your Pokémon need some rest. Everyone's waiting for us at the Pokémon Center."

Max nodded; his sorrows burned away, and he ran up to walk beside Ash back to the Goldenrod City Pokémon Center. The sting of his brutal loss earlier was now gone, and a new resolve had taken its place. The road ahead in his training would be tough, but Max would make it through, and one day, he'd challenge Ash again.

When that day came, he'd be much more equipped to take on the challenge.

* * *

 **I'm assuming that I won't be able to get the next chapter out by Christmas Day, because the next chapter is all about the Grand Festival (and maybe even the chapter after that, too. I haven't decided). So Happy Holidays to all of my readers. Please consider leaving a review at the bottom, any feedback is appreciated.**


	23. Let the Grand Festival Begin

**So, this chapter is getting out way later than I anticipated, and I don't really have any explanation other than I didn't care as much to finish this chapter quickly. By the day after Christmas, I only had 1,000 words written down, and I then went out of town for a week. Anyway, this chapter is all about the Grand Festival. Also, a final battle between two characters is in store for all of you, so I hope you enjoy that!**

 **Reneper: all great points. For #1, I'm just going to leave that unexplained, if it's all the same to you. The anime has a habit of Ash miraculously forgetting things he should already know, and often re-explains details from the past. I don't really have a comment on #2, I'm no expert on all things battling. On #3, I wanted to make the point that Max's Kirlia was particularly strong. Plus, another habit that the anime has had in the past is with theoretically inferior Pokémon being able to beat Ash's Pokémon, even when they should be completely outmatched. An example of this would be when Kenny beats Ash in a battle during his attempt to get Dawn to travel with him instead of Ash. I found this utterly ridiculous. Here we have a Trainer with presumably little to no actual battling experience versus a seasoned Trainer who recently collected all eight badges and yet Kenny won handily? Get outta here. Anyway, thanks so much for the review and pointing out flaws and inconsistencies in the story. I really like when readers are able to see the flaws in my work. I hope you'll continue reading as well.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 23_

 _Let the Grand Festival Begin_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Goldenrod City**_

The crowd's cheering was deafening, almost causing the arena to shake as the woman with the microphone made her way to the stage. All of the lights in the building shut down immediately save for a single shining spotlight in the center of the stage. The form of the woman lit up in fractures as she traveled up the steps, eventually settling in the shaft of artificial light. A wide, genuine smile crested the woman's face as she brought the microphone to her lips.

" _Welcome, one and all!"_ she shouted briefly, drawing more approval from the audience. The woman brought the microphone back up again, smiling in between her sentences, _"I hope you're as ready as I am for this spectacular event!"_

The crowd's continued cheering was answer enough. The woman gestured to the ceiling, where the large jumbotron blazed to life, bearing the portraits of too many Coordinators to count. After briefly displaying the clutter of portraits, the screen flickered as portraits were knocked away repeatedly until there were only 30 or so portraits remaining.

" _After a spectacular Contest season, thirty-two Coordinators have attained eligibility to the Grand Festival."_ The woman recited, _"Each of these Coordinators is equally worthy of being here today, but only one of them will hoist the Ribbon Cup at today's end and be granted the title of Top Coordinator."_

The graphic of the thirty-two entered Coordinators suddenly vanished, and the screen went dark. The woman down below continued speaking, _"First, as I'm sure you're all aware, this event begins with the Appeal Round. Only half of our present competitors today will be admitted into the Battle Round, where one by one Coordinators will be eliminated through battle until only one remains standing!"_

" _Now, without further ado, let the Grand Festival begin!"_

The portrait of some Coordinator that Ash couldn't name roared to life on the jumbotron, indicating that they would be first up in the appeals. The Pallet native started to zone out as appeals dragged on, until May was called up next. Immediately, Ash joined Max, Caroline, and Norman in cheering as May pushed through the curtains and made her way to the stage, one Poké Ball clutched in each of her hands.

The crowd drowned out Ash and May's family as the much-beloved Princess of Hoenn reached the stage. May grinned slightly as she confidently reared her two arms back, calling for her Pokémon as she slung the Poké Balls forward.

"Flaaffy, Wartortle, take the stage!"

The opposite-typed Pokémon materialized from the familiar flash of light, both glancing toward the crowd and wearing confident looks. May clipped the Poké Balls to her waist before preparing for her first command.

"Wartortle, use Rapid Spin into the sky!"

The blue Turtle Pokémon obeyed instantly, curving its body and then spiraling into the air. The water-type vanished into the shell as it climbed, and the shell immediately started to spin.

"Now, Flaaffy, use ThunderShock! Up!"

Flaaffy bleated and electrical energy surged out of the electric-type's tail orb, channeling up into the sheep's wool before shooting up immediately after the spinning Wartortle. The lightning glowed impressively as it closed in on the water-type, and May called out for a counter from the spinning Pokémon.

"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!"

Water shot out of all the holes in the shell, almost immediately catching the ascending lightning. Wartortle continued to spin, sending out water in an endless spiral, and the lightning instantly traveled through the currents of water, spiraling out likewise with the water and turning the water a spectacular electrical yellow. Wartortle reached the height of its ascent and started to fall, still spouting water from the holes in its shell. As the shell neared the ground, Wartortle popped back out of the shell, ending the electrical Hydro Pump attack. However, where the water disappeared, the electricity did not, circling around the water-type like a shield as the Turtle Pokémon landed.

The crowd erupted as Wartortle landed gracefully, its electrical ring shield dying out. Meanwhile, Flaaffy charged various amounts of electricity from its orb into the wool, lighting up the white fluffs into a shade of faded yellow, taking steps to negate its secondary role of the appeal routine. The crowd continued to chant, and the judges collectively nodded in response, dismissing May to return to the dressing room and await the announcement for whether she would pass the round.

A handful of Coordinators later, Dawn took the stage, and after a masterful Appeal, returned backstage to await the results.

Eventually, the Appeals concluded and the judges deliberated, taking a handful of minutes to make their final decisions. The jumbotron lit up as the committee announced the sixteen Coordinators who would be moving on to the Battle Round. All thirty-two Coordinators' portraits appeared on the glowing screen, and one by one portraits darkened until only 16 portraits remained lit. The darkened pictures were then erased from the screen and the remaining ones were automatically shuffled before being arranged into two lines. A faint pair of brackets appeared underneath the aligned portraits, setting up the Battle Round.

Dawn and May both made it, and were placed in opposite groups, meaning they wouldn't battle each other unless they both reached the finals. However, on May's side, the portrait of Jacen was placed on the opposite end of the line. If Jacen and May were going to battle, they would both have to reach the semifinal.

The bracket vanished and a pair of portraits appeared, taking up the majority of the screen. Both were males, but Ash didn't recognize either of them as said Coordinators made their way to the battlefield. Identical circles appeared on the jumbotron underneath the portraits before filling up with points.

In the first round, Dawn and May both claimed dominating victories, punching their tickets to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals ended in much of the same way, leaving only four Coordinators: Dawn, Jacen, Kirk, and May.

The jumbotron roared to life with the portraits of Dawn and Kirk, indicating they would be battling in the first semifinal match. The Grand Festival had dragged on for a few hours now, so the onset of the semifinal matchups was a relief for the impatient Ash. The booming voice of the announcer rocked the stadium, purging all thoughts from Ash's mind.

" _Our first semifinal matchup in the Johto Grand Festival is here! Everyone, please welcome—Dawn from Twinleaf Town, and Kirk from Azalea Town!"_

The curtains on opposite sides of the stadium parted, spitting out the confident forms of both Dawn and Kirk. The skilled Coordinators made their way up the small set of steps until both reached their respective boxes on opposing ends of the battlefield. Kirk wore a smug grin of confidence as he adjusted his bowtie and revealed two Poké Balls. On the other end of the battlefield, Dawn simply clutched her Poké Balls and leered.

A referee appeared to the side of the dirt battlefield, raising his arms. Without any words, he threw his arms downward to signal that the battle was cleared to begin, and both Coordinators wasted no time in calling out their Pokémon.

" _Meganium, Crobat, you're up!"_

" _Froslass, Piplup, spotlight!"_

The pairs of Pokémon spawned from their capsules, and an uneasy calm held over the battlefield. The jumbotron's clock started to tick, and Dawn reached forward first to call out the opening attack.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam! And Froslass, you use Blizzard!"

Piplup tore open its beak to spit out pulsing spheres of water as Froslass churned its arms in an indecipherable pattern. A tidal wave of cold came shooting out of nowhere from behind the ice-type, racing toward Kirk's pair of Pokémon. The insufferable ice overwhelmed the Bubblebeam attack and almost immediately, the bursts of water froze solid. Now turned into projectiles of ice, the Bubblebeam attack struck Meganium with unexpected force, while the remnants of Blizzard made Crobat flap wildly as it tried to fight off the uncomfortable freeze surrounding it. The crowd applauded as the announcer's booming voice exploded from the PA system.

" _And Dawn deals some immediate damage with a combination of Bubblebeam and Blizzard! Remember, ice-type attacks have an advantage over both grass and flying-types!"_

Kirk showed no concern as he called for an attack of his own.

"Meganium, use Double-Edge on Froslass! Crobat, use Tailwind to speed Meganium up!"

Meganium lumbered forward immediately, its gargantuan legs causing the ground to shake. After a few steps, Meganium's footfalls became quicker and the grass-type sped up. An aura of explosive power surged to life around the monstrous Herb Pokémon. Crobat flew its way behind Meganium, batting its four wings with unrivaled speed. A gale-force wind picked up as Meganium charged, and Crobat refused to let up. As a result, Meganium got even faster, though Dawn failed to understand how. Panicking, she called for a desperate counter.

"Froslass, shield yourself with Ice Beam! Piplup, protect Froslass with Bubblebeam!"

Froslass chirped and spat a forked Ice Beam at the ground, instantly piling up the ice into a makeshift shield. Meganium showed no concern however, and with little warning, rammed into the wall of ice and shattered it. The grass-type's ram didn't even slow it down, and Meganium wrecked into Froslass head-on as crystals of ice flew into the air.

Dawn's points fell dramatically in response to the failed counter as Piplup spat a Bubblebeam at Meganium. The attack went unnoticed by the larger grass-type as it galloped back to its side of the field, and no points were lost for the useless defense. Froslass cringed as it regained its invisible footing, hovering over the ground with a visible discomfort.

"Froslass, are you all right?" Dawn called. The ice-type nodded fiercely; pushing back the stinging pain and preparing to jump back into battle. "Okay, Froslass, use Ice Beam! Piplup, you use Whirlpool!"

Piplup howled as a churning whorl of water spawned from its beak. Crystalline blue energy overwhelmed the small penguin's form and with a swing of the water-type's flippers, the Whirlpool was released. Froslass followed the move by charging up another beam of icy energy, zapping the Whirlpool and freezing it solid. Miraculously, the frozen Whirlpool continued to spin, spitting small crystals of ice in a vortex as the huge attack neared its targets.

"Meganium, use SolarBeam to smash the Whirlpool!"

"Froslass, throw Piplup toward the Whirlpool! Piplup, use Drill Peck in the air!"

The ice-type turned just a tad as the smaller water-type sprinted over to the ice-type's arms, and with a telekinetic grip, Froslass launched Piplup toward the descending Whirlpool attack. Piplup rapidly spun in a circle as its beak lengthened, until the aura coming off of the Penguin Pokémon was almost otherworldly. Meganium, meanwhile, was charging up a powerful SolarBeam to destroy the Whirlpool. Piplup's assisted speed, however, beat Meganium to the punch, and the Penguin Pokémon tore its way through the frozen Whirlpool with little effort, causing the vortex of ice to shatter ceremoniously.

Kirk's points decreased as Piplup landed cleanly, and Meganium stopped absorbing the surrounding light as its target was smashed out of existence. The male Coordinator gritted his teeth and threw a commanding finger in the water-type's direction.

"Crobat, use Wing Attack on Piplup!"

Crobat flapped its quartet of wings and rocketed over toward Piplup, spinning as it did so. Its four wings lit up with a powerful white glow and Crobat started a series of spinning Wing Attacks. At Dawn's command, Piplup dodged by hopping from side to side. Small notches of Kirk's points decreased with each failed attack.

"Piplup, use Drill Peck!"

Piplup finally countered, dodging Crobat's last Wing Attack and then lunging forward. The Penguin Pokémon rapidly spun as it covered the short gap between it and Crobat, before spearing the Bat Pokémon with a rotating beak. More of Kirk's points were lost as Crobat took the hit, leaving the Johto-born Coordinator in a difficult hole.

"Meganium, use Razor Leaf!"

"Froslass, counter with a Shadow Ball Burst!"

Froslass leered as the Razor Leaf attack was let loose, swiftly levitating into the path of the sharpened leaves. The Snow Land Pokémon howled as she conjured a large Shadow Ball and held the sphere of energy high above her head. Then, without warning, the Shadow Ball burst apart into literally countless numbers of smaller Shadow Balls, meeting each individual Razor Leaf attack and disintegrating the projectiles out of existence.

Ash shot out of his seat. "Wow! I haven't seen that one before! Way to go, Dawn!"

Ash's cheering fell on deaf ears as Dawn got into a rhythm. "Now, Piplup, use Hydro Pump on Crobat! Froslass, use Ice Beam!"

Piplup's beak split open, a dark blue aura spawning from the little water-type's being and launching into the air with spectacular pressure. Froslass howled as she sent a forked beam of cold energy after the Hydro Pump. The beam of ice met with the water and creating an overlapping ring of ice around the blast.

"Crobat, dodge that and use Cross Poison!"

Crobat rapidly flapped its four wings and then corkscrewed out of the way of the icy Hydro Pump. The Bat Pokémon's wings lit up with a toxic energy as Kirk called for a move from Meganium. "Now, Meganium, use Double-Edge!"

Meganium lurched forward with an explosive aura as Crobat let loose the Cross Poison attack. The blast of energy flew out and Meganium ran up behind the blast, pushing the attack forward with its thunderous charging. As a result, the Cross Poison wrapped around Meganium's form, creating a sort of net around the huge grass-type's bright form. Froslass stood in the way, frozen with indecision.

"Piplup, protect Froslass with Bide!"

Piplup lunged toward the ice-type, but Meganium was moving far too fast. Piplup's last-chance dive only served to involve the water-type in the impact. The poison-laced grass-type smashed into Froslass and Piplup head-on, producing an explosion that surged with the toxic glow of Cross Poison. Froslass and Piplup were thrown back mercilessly, and the two Pokémon thumped on the ground as they skidded to a halt. The smoke cleared quickly, and Kirk's Pokémon remained standing. Dawn's hand had found its way to cover her mouth in shock. The combination, as well as the brutality of Meganium's hit, served to cut away a massive portion of Dawn's points, bringing the Coordinator's points to a tie.

A white glow around Piplup caught Dawn's attention. The small water-type cringed as it moved to get up. The white glow came in the form of an outline, and trailed slowly around Piplup's battered form. Meganium stood only a few feet away, puzzled by Piplup's glowing.

Piplup screeched and the white glow fully surrounded its small form. The glow resembled evolution, but to Dawn, it was something else. Piplup had managed to absorb the brunt of Meganium's attack with Bide, and the glowing was the second part of the Bide technique: returning brutal damage back to the opponent. Kirk realized this too as the glow spread out in a bright sphere, but it was too late to find any sort of counter. The glow of Bide shot out with a bright light, overtaking both Meganium and Crobat. As the light faded, Crobat was struggling to stay in the air, while Meganium had collapsed onto its front knees. Kirk's points dropped, and the sound of the timer hitting zero echoed in the quiet stadium.

" _Time's up! Piplup's last-second Bide has cut Kirk's points down, so that means the winner is…Dawn!"_

A roar resounded in the stadium and Dawn cracked a wide smile. Piplup placed its flippers on its waist triumphantly and bragged. "Piplup, Froslass, we did it!" Dawn cried. The downed ice-type had glanced up to watch Piplup's victorious revenge, and now, Froslass circled around Piplup, chirping praise to the smaller water-type. Meanwhile, Kirk had walked over to Meganium, soothing the wounded grass-type as Crobat hung back behind the Coordinator, flapping its wings to stay airborne.

"Meganium, don't be ashamed." Kirk soothed, "We just got unlucky. Now, you take a good rest. You too, Crobat." Kirk returned both Pokémon to their Poké Balls before walking over to Dawn, who was celebrating with her Pokémon. The Coordinator from Azalea Town combed his light green hair with his free hand as Dawn turned to glance at her opponent. "That was a great battle, Dawn." Kirk congratulated, "You earned that victory."

"Thanks, Kirk. But Piplup was the one who won that battle. I'm not sure how, but using Bide worked."

"Well, it doesn't matter." Kirk decided, "You're in the finals now, so I've a favor to ask. Win the final match. Go get that Top Coordinator title."

"Sure thing, Kirk." Dawn answered confidently, "Good luck to you."

"You as well." Kirk agreed before turning and walking away, his hands shoved into his pockets. Dawn watched the green-haired Coordinator leave before turning back to her Pokémon and returning them to their Poké Balls. With a wave to the crowd, Dawn began walking steadily backstage, deaf to the announcement that she had earned her place in the finals and would face the winner of the second semifinal match: the match between May and Jacen.

* * *

May stepped out from behind the curtains, breathing as calmly as she could manage. The arena had gone dark, the only light produced by the thousands of small flashes coming from various places in the stands. The Petalburg Coordinator sucked in another breath. She had every reason to be nervous. To call her opponent a skilled battler was a massive understatement. Jacen was physical, relentless, and made a living off of bending the rules of Contest Battling. Though May had defeated Jacen a handful of times, Jacen had also beaten her on multiple occasions. And now, their next battle was just one step down from the ultimate prize of Coordinating.

May reached the battle box on her end of the dirt battlefield. Bright lights mounted underneath the jumbotron blazed to life, creating a clean shaft of light over the whole of the battlefield. As this occurred, Jacen arrived at his battle box on the opposite side of the field, his face a mask that showed zero emotion. Not even his trademark scowl was present, and it only served to unnerve May further.

In the depths of her mind, May shook herself from her stupor. This was not the time to become lost. Everything was going to be on the line in this battle, and she had to be determined to win it. With this new resolve, May's expression changed from her previous failing mask to a new one of sheer confidence. May reached behind her and grasped two spheres, one in each hand. With the click of a button, the spheres enlarged, and May grinned. May's dream was within reach, and she wouldn't allow the likes of Jacen to stand in her way of catching that dream.

* * *

" _Blaziken, Wartortle, take the stage!"_

" _Dragonite, Tyranitar, get out there!"_

Jacen's choice of Pokémon wasn't surprising in the least, considering his affinity for powerful Pokémon. It wasn't hard to guess that Jacen had evolved his Dragonair. On the plus side, that would mean May wouldn't have to deal with the former snakelike Pokémon's speed and its long body. Conversely, however, Dragonite were known to pack quite a punch, not to mention the Tyranitar standing to the dragon-type's side.

The announcer's voice boomed to life on the PA system, visibly jarring May. _"Wow! We certainly have no shortage of powerful Pokémon in this battle! What will these two Coordinators have in store for this slugfest?"_

May and Jacen both leered at each other, sheer determination exuding from both of them. Their rivalry had been nothing short of bitter and spiteful, and more likely than not, their rivalry would end here. Without warning, May shifted her stance and threw forth a commanding finger.

"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump! Blaziken, use Fire Spin!"

The counter-type Pokémon chirped in response and released their respective attacks. Water of immeasurable pressure jettisoned from Wartortle's widened mouth, pulsing with power. Blaziken, meanwhile, opened its beak and released a corkscrew of scorching flames. The fire tailed after the Hydro Pump, and the flames circled around the blast of water, creating a cage of fire over the attack. Jacen spoke coldly as he called for a counterattack.

"Tyranitar, use Rock Throw!"

Tyranitar bellowed fiercely and summoned a very large and irregularly shaped rock. The tall Armor Pokémon grasped the huge rock and threw it like a baseball, straight toward the oncoming Fire Spin/Hydro Pump combination. The rock twirled as it met its target, smashing through the attack and destroying it completely before fading out of existence. A small notch of May's points decreased as the announcer's voice once again filled the stadium.

" _And Tyranitar's powerful Rock Throw completely neutralizes May's combination! What a display of power!"_

Over in the stands, Max stared in awe. "Woah, that's one tough Tyranitar."

Ash gritted his teeth. "That's Jacen for you," he commented, "I've only seen a couple of his Pokémon, but each one has been really powerful. This isn't going to be easy for May."

May groaned as she tried to think of a new attack. Blaziken and Wartortle had many combinations between them, as well as powerful individual attacks, and with Jacen's battling style, brute force would need to be a component of her strategy. Her adversary would not simply let up, especially in a match this big.

"Dragonite, use Giga Impact! Tyranitar, you use Dark Pulse!"

The Dragon Pokémon puffed its chest and then took off directly into the air, spinning its body briefly as it did so. As the powerful dragon-type reached the crest of its ascent, a dangerous aura started to form around its body. Dragonite dove down toward Blaziken and Wartortle, who stared up in awe. Tyranitar summoned a blast of dark energy between its powerful hands before launching it toward Dragonite. The Giga Impact was in full force as the Dark Pulse connected with it, and almost instantaneously, the darkness wrapped around the Giga Impact before sinking into the attack's aura. The Giga Impact's aura turned a purplish-lined black and flares of energy spiked in several directions as the dragon-type surged down.

"Wartortle, Blaziken, dodge it!"

Both of May's Pokémon leaped to opposite sides, and Dragonite crashed down into the space they had once been. The Dragon Pokémon bellowed as it tore up the ground and skidded along, and May took the chance to attack.

"Wartortle, use Ice Beam on Dragonite!"

Wartortle wasted no time, blasting a crooked beam of cold onto the dragon-type's back. Dragonite howled further as the ice connected, freezing its back and the edges of its wings.

" _Oh, and May narrowly dodges that Dark Giga Impact and executes a devastating Ice Beam on Dragonite!"_

"Quick Wartortle, use Rapid Spin, and Blaziken, use Flamethrower!"

Wartortle swiftly lunged toward Dragonite and withdrew into its shell, spinning as Blaziken released a Flamethrower toward it. Just like their earlier combination, the stream of fire circled around Wartortle's shell, and the flames danced back and forth as the withdrawn turtle spun. The combination smacked into Dragonite as Jacen shouted at Tyranitar.

"Tyranitar, get out there and use Thrash!"

May shot her gaze toward the Armor Pokémon as it raced forward, its arms and legs glowing as it raced toward Blaziken. Wartortle was keeping Dragonite busy, so May focused on her evolved starter. "Blaziken, counter with Sky Uppercut!"

Blaziken chirped and leaped to meet the charging Tyranitar. The taller Armor Pokémon growled as Blaziken landed in front of it, and wildly swiped its arms and legs with brute force. Blaziken expertly shifted backward and to the side to dodge a wayward punch and kick, before lunging in with a glowing fist and delivering a crushing Sky Uppercut to Tyranitar's chin. The huge rock-type wailed as it was sent into the air. Jacen spat a few curses and then called for Dragonite to get out of its current predicament and return to its side of the field. Tyranitar righted itself as it fell, and landed safely with a heavy _thump_ on its side of the field. Dragonite landed next to Tyranitar, and both Pokémon glared with disdain at their opponents. May glanced up at the scoreboard, finding Jacen's points to have dropped dramatically, placing her in a comfortable lead.

"Wow, May really did a great job of countering Jacen's commands!" Max praised.

"She's really come a long way." Caroline agreed, "She's learned how to be offensive and defensive in battle."

"Yes, but it's not over yet." Norman commented, "A lot can happen in a few minutes."

May, feeling the battle turn in her favor, called out for her next command. "Blaziken, Wartortle, let's get in close! Use Blaze Kick and Aqua Tail!"

Both Pokémon rushed forward, their respective moves charging up in their wake. Tyranitar and Dragonite both bristled as their opponents closed in.

"Dragonite, get up and behind Wartortle! Use Thunderbolt! Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse on Blaziken!"

Dragonite swiftly flew into the air, whirling around at bewildering speed until it was behind the sprinting Wartortle. May bit her tongue as she realized her mistake. Electrical energy coursed around Dragonite's wings before shooting out in a single beam of crackling lightning. Wartortle realized the threat and whirled around in an attempt to stage a defense, but it was no use. The electricity connected and savagely coursed through Wartortle's body, eliciting a wail of pain from the Turtle Pokémon. Blaziken continued running toward Tyranitar, and the Armor Pokémon released a powerful Dark Pulse as the fire-type got close.

"Blaziken, dodge!"

Blaziken leaped and corkscrewed around, expertly landing back on its feet and continuing its charge. Its flaming feet became hotter and hotter, leaving scorch marks in the ground as it ran.

"Tyranitar, defend with Thrash!"

Blaziken attempted its kick as Tyranitar threw out a glowing limb. The two attacks collided and bounced off of one another, and the titanic pair kept throwing attacks at each other in an attempt to hit the other. Dragonite's Thunderbolt died down and Wartortle stumbled, so May turned her focus to the water-type. Unfortunately, so did Jacen.

"Dragonite, use Thunderbolt again!"

"Wartortle, dodge with Rapid Spin!"

Dragonite released another terrifying Thunderbolt, but Wartortle withdrew into its shell and rolled away, popping back out away from the dragon-type's attack.

"Ice Beam!"

Dragonite stopped its Thunderbolt as Wartortle released another beam of cold energy. Jacen called for the airborne dragon-type to dodge, and succeeded, until May called for Wartortle to keep using Ice Beam and keep Dragonite on its toes. Meanwhile, Blaziken missed a kick attempt, and Tyranitar took full advantage of this, dealing a brutal slug of its arm into Blaziken's chest. All of the wind left the fire-type's lungs as it was thrown back, bouncing as it skidded into the ground. Tyranitar grinned cruelly as Jacen called for another attack.

"Tyranitar, finish Blaziken with Dark Pulse!" Jacen shouted, before turning to glance back at Dragonite. The dragon-type was dodging Ice Beam after Ice Beam. May saw Tyranitar closing in on Blaziken, an irregular shape of dark energy held between its clawed hands, and called for Wartortle.

"Wartortle, help Blaziken! Use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle stopped its Ice Beam barrage and saw Tyranitar closing in on Blaziken. Acting quickly, Wartortle bounced into the air, rushing water filling its tail and spouting in all directions. The Turtle Pokémon somersaulted around to face Tyranitar, swinging its tail as it neared the ground. The Armor Pokémon caught the water-type in its peripheral vision, but the huge Pokémon was too slow. The water shot out like a tsunami from the ground, rushing forward and taking Tyranitar in its grasp, dragging it away from Blaziken.

Jacen gritted his teeth, but noticed the opening that Wartortle had left. Dragonite was still flapping its wings in the air, unharmed and unnoticed.

"Dragonite, use Thunderbolt! Maximum power!"

Dragonite roared and an aura of lightning circled around it, launching in an irregular collection of lightning bolts. Wartortle turned around, but the electricity was moving too fast. The water-type simply accepted its fate and shut its eyes, waiting for the pain of electricity shocking its insides.

The pain never came. A loud noise rang in Wartortle's ears, followed by a grunting noise. The water-type's eyes shot open, and the Turtle Pokémon was unsurprisingly amazed by what it saw.

Blaziken was kneeled down with its back to the water-type, powerful flames wrapping around its arms and down its torso. The fire acted as a shield of sorts, deflecting most—but not all—of the lightning and thus protecting Wartortle.

" _War-tortle-war…"_ the water-type called out with amazed gratitude. Dragonite's powerful Thunderbolt died out and Blaziken cocked its head so that it could see Wartortle. The fire-type smiled confidently.

" _Blaziken…"_

"Wow! Wartortle protected Blaziken when it was down, so Blaziken protected Wartortle in its moment of need!" Max yelped from the stands.

May smiled at her Pokémon's protective instincts, and the two Pokémon shifted around so that they stood back-to-back. Blaziken watched as Tyranitar waded out of the remnants of the Aqua Tail, and Wartortle watched the airborne Dragonite like a hawk. May glanced at the clock as it hit 1:30 remaining. Jacen was only slightly behind May in points now, and she would need to keep it that way for ninety more seconds.

" _Wow, folks! It looks like we have more of a Gym Battle on our hands here than a Contest Battle! With a minute and a half remaining, which Coordinator will be left standing?"_

"It's gonna be me!" Jacen responded to the rhetorical question confidently, throwing a commanding finger at the pair of Pokémon, "Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse! Dragonite, use Thunderbolt!"

The larger Pokémon both released their respective special attacks at the duo of Pokémon. Dragonite's Thunderbolt crackled and spun around as Tyranitar's Dark Pulse pulsated with energy.

"Blaziken, Wartortle, dodge!"

May's pair of Pokémon split up and dove out of the way of the attacks, which mashed together. Unfortunately for May, the Thunderbolt and Dark Pulse joined together and created a sort of dark-colored lightning bolt, which succeeded in taking away a small notch of May's points, all but closing the gap between May and Jacen.

"Blaziken, use Flamethrower on Dragonite, and Wartortle, use Rapid Spin and circle around Tyranitar!"

Blaziken hopped in Dragonite's direction and then planted a knee into the ground, leaning up to face the airborne dragon-type. A powerful stream of fire launched from Blaziken's maw, heading straight for Dragonite. Meanwhile, Wartortle leaped toward Tyranitar and withdrew into its shell, spinning speedily around the Armor Pokémon.

"Dragonite, dodge!" Jacen shouted. Dragonite obeyed, but May simply called out for more Flamethrowers, forcing Dragonite to bounce back and forth away from the fire. Next, Jacen turned to look at Tyranitar, who was wrapped in a cone of wind as Wartortle rapidly revolved around the rock-type. A notch of Jacen's points went away as the winds reached high speeds.

"Tyranitar, use Hammer Arm!"

Tyranitar's arm started to glow, and the Armor Pokémon watched Wartortle for a few quick revolutions before slamming its arm down into the ground. The field cracked and rock shot up in all directions. Wartortle's shell was struck by the environmental shockwave and the water-type bounced away, popping back out of its shell with a wicked grin. Some of May's points decreased, effectively tying the two Coordinators. Wartortle reached Blaziken once again, and the fire-type finally connected on a Flamethrower, striking Dragonite's wing.

The dragon-type stumbled and started to fall out of the air, its wing burning with a small flame. May saw the chance that she had and called for another combination. "Blaziken, grab Wartortle and throw him toward Dragonite! Wartortle, use Aqua Tail when you're in the air!"

Jacen realized what was about to happen and shouted for Tyranitar to help. "Tyranitar, get in there! Use Hammer Arm!"

"Blaziken, throw Wartortle and then block Tyranitar with Blaze Kick!"

Tyranitar lumbered forward with a glowing arm as Blaziken grabbed Wartortle by the shell. Dragonite continued to fall, futilely flapping its burned wing in an attempt to regain its ability to fly. Blaziken powerfully threw Wartortle, sending the Turtle Pokémon rocketing toward a point where it would meet Dragonite head-on. The Aqua Tail attack charged up in Wartortle's wake, and the water-type flipped over as it reached Dragonite's falling form.

The Aqua Tail connected perfectly, striking Dragonite's midsection with an impressive amount of force. The dragon-type howled as it felt the brunt of the attack, and Dragonite tumbled over as it struck the ground and rolled over on its back. Blaziken, meanwhile, landed in Tyranitar's path, attempting a Blaze Kick and throwing the Armor Pokémon off-guard.

The bell sounded, and the clock bore three zeroes in bold yellow font.

" _Time's up! After a grueling battle of powerful Pokémon, the results are in!"_

May and Jacen both looked up to the board, but the answer was clear. May had just enough more points than Jacen did.

" _The winner is…May!"_

May jumped for joy and shed a tear of equal joy before running toward her two Pokémon. Blaziken and Wartortle happily met their Trainer halfway and the trio began to celebrate.

"We did it, Blaziken and Wartortle!" May cried, "We're going to the finals!"

" _War-war!"_

" _Blaze…"_

May looked over Wartortle's shoulder to see Jacen. The aggressive Coordinator wore an expression of pure disdain. Without a word, he returned Tyranitar and Dragonite and turned away, briskly walking to his end of the curtains and angrily forcing his way through them, disappearing into the depths of the red fabric.

"You know, Blaziken and Wartortle, I genuinely hope we never have to deal with that guy again." May commented. Wartortle agreed, but Blaziken made no sound, simply looking up at the jumbotron up above.

"What's wrong, Blaziken?"

" _Blaze."_ Blaziken answered quickly, pointed a curved finger at the bright screen. May leaned back to look at the screen, and remembrance hit her like a hammer to the head.

"Oh…that's right…" May muttered.

On the jumbotron, the portraits of two Coordinators were lined up side by side, with a graphic of the Ribbon Cup trophy wedged in between them and a large red "VS." hanging above the trophy. One of the portraits was of May, and the other portrait was of the only other Coordinator still left standing.

" _Let's give a big round of applause for our two finalists!"_ the announcer boomed over the PA system, _"May! And Dawn!"_

* * *

 **That's it for Chapter 23, and the next chapter will showcase the final match between May and Dawn for the title of Top Coordinator! I'll try to get that out in about a week. I would like to write it and get it out sooner, but the reality is that my initial interest in this story has dropped. That doesn't mean writing it is a drag. When I first started I was pumping out chapters each day, and that is just going to have to change as I look further ahead to where this story will go in the future as well as things like proofreading. Also, in the next chapter or perhaps the one after that, a new Pokémon will be captured by one of our heroes. I won't say which one yet. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter below, and I'll see you all later.**


	24. The Grand Prize

**Updating ahead of schedule today because I spent all afternoon yesterday writing. School was closed due to a winter storm coming through, and once I got started with this chapter, I couldn't stop. Let me know what you think at the bottom.**

 **Guest: Aw, thanks. I hope you continue to feel that way**

 **Reneper: Thanks for the kind words. I prefer real battles as well, which is a flaw in my Contest Battle writing. I often feel that it sounds too much like a battle. Contests just aren't my thing. I also pride myself on being able to debate with others, which is practically impossible nowadays with particular topics. Please feel free to review or PM if you see anything, have questions, etc. I'll be happy to respond.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 24_

 _The Grand Prize_

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Goldenrod City**_

Dawn stared up at the mounted screen in the dressing room, her breath hitched and uneven.

She was going to be battling one of her best friends for the ultimate prize of Coordinating. She wasn't looking forward to it, honestly. She had spent the past six months traveling and competing with May. Sure, they had come face-to-face on more than one occasion during their Contest runs, but Dawn had always seen those matches as friendly competition. But this, the battle for the title of Top Coordinator, meant everything to both Coordinators. This wasn't some simple Ribbon that they would always have another shot to win. Everything was now on the line, and whatever deity watched over them had been cruel enough to pit the two close friends against each other.

May appeared through the red curtains into the dressing room, moving tensely as she walked. The brunette Coordinator glanced up and made eye contact with the frozen Dawn, and she tried her best to offer a half-smile.

"…Good job." Dawn tried, "You fought hard against Jacen…you earned that win…"

May sheepishly smiled again, "Thanks, Dawn, but…I'm not as pleased as I normally would be."

"Me neither." Dawn agreed.

An uncomfortable silence held over the two, an endless river of thoughts plaguing both of their minds. After several moments of silence, May brought up the courage to speak.

"Dawn…whatever happens…" May started, "I want you to know I'm so glad we got to travel together."

Dawn brightened at her friend's words, doing her best to smile, "Me too, May."

"We both grew as Trainers during our travels. It was good for us to not have Ash…I see that now." May continued, "But now I'm scared. What dumb luck it took for us to both be matched up against each other in the finals, huh?"

Dawn looked at the floor, taking a seat on the bench. "When I first made it to the Grand Festival back in Sinnoh…I made it all the way to the finals. I ended up battling my rival, Zoey, for the Ribbon Cup. Since my very first Contest, Zoey had managed to push me to be better. Along with Ash, Zoey served as a mentor. And when it all came down to it…I couldn't do it. I lost on the biggest stage of Coordinating. It crushed me. I'd come so far only to stumble in the worst way. I didn't know what I was going to do next. I came to Johto so that I could keep traveling with Ash, but almost as soon as we got here…he left. I never resented him for it, but I wanted to so badly. And in the end…you're right. I grew so much more not having Ash by my side like I was used to."

May nodded slowly, taking a seat on a bench opposite of Dawn. "When I first started my journey…I didn't even like Pokémon. I only became a Trainer so that I could travel around Hoenn by myself. Well, that changed when I met Ash. I ended up falling in love with both Pokémon and Contests, and started chasing that goal to become a Top Coordinator. I didn't do so well in the Hoenn Grand Festival, placing in the top eight. I followed Ash to Kanto while he took on the Battle Frontier, and I made it to the semifinals in my next Grand Festival. I got beat by a Coordinator named Solidad. After that, I decided to come to Johto on my own and find my own style for Coordinating. Just like you, being away from Ash was a boon for my growth as a Trainer. Being on my own forced me to learn and better myself."

"No wonder we get along so well." Dawn chuckled. May giggled back, before another uncomfortable silence claimed the air between the two.

"Dawn…like I said…whatever happens, I just hope nothing changes between us." May spoke up.

Dawn smiled, a warm feeling rushing through her. "No need to worry, May, nothing will ever change between us. We're always gonna be friends, I promise."

"Good." May answered, offering a genuine smile. The Petalburg Coordinator got up from her bench and walked over to where her stuff had been left before the semifinals. She started to fish through her bag and select the Pokémon she would use. Dawn moved over to her bags to do the same. A few moments later, a woman poked her head through the curtains.

"The match begins in five minutes. Wrap it up." She said monotonously before disappearing back behind the curtains. Dawn glanced over to May before clutching her chosen Poké Balls and tucking them into her clothes. Together, the two Coordinators walked out of the dressing room and down to the hall. The backstage area was built underneath one side of the bleachers. The hallway split into two separate paths connecting to opposite ends of the battlefield. Each Coordinator was assigned one of the two sides and would have to walk down that side of the hall to reach the field.

A short, portly man dressed in a blue tuxedo with a red bowtie spotted the two Coordinators and flagged them down, jogging up to the pair. A button pinned to his tuxedo bore the seal of the Johto Contest Committee, indicating that he was a representative.

"Dawn and May, I presume?" the portly man asked, a bead of sweat on his brow. He was an older man, completely bald except for dark grey chops of hair running along the sides of his head above his ears. The man adjusted his bowtie before standing somewhat officially.

"That would be us." Dawn answered quickly.

"My name is Earl; I'm a representative of the Johto Contest Committee. Congratulations on making it to the finals." The portly man said, "Although I'm sure you're already familiar with them, I am required by rule to read off the rules for today's battle."

Earl broke open a small book that had been apparently tucked into his sleeve. He briefly spun the pages before settling his aged eyes on the print, and he began reciting the words in a raspy voice. "The upcoming battle is the final round of the Johto Grand Festival. If you are hearing this, you have successfully reached the finals, and are one step away from gaining the title of Top Coordinator."

Earl sucked in a wheezy breath before he continued reading, "Today's battle will be in the customary Contest Battling format. Each Coordinator will use two Pokémon and will be assigned an amount of points at the start of the battle. Competitors will aim to decrease their opponent's allotted points by completing various combinations and dealing damage to opposing Pokémon. A Coordinator can also lose points if the opponent takes advantage of a Coordinator's combination. Although not ideal, it is possible to win the battle through knocking out the opponent's Pokémon. This is known as Battle Off. When the timer expires after five minutes of battle, the Coordinator with more remaining points will be announced as the winner and will receive the Ribbon Cup and title of Top Coordinator. Good luck to you both."

Earl closed the book quickly and then sucked in another sharp breath. The book vanished back up Earl's sleeve, and the representative pointed to the far end of the hallway. "Miss Dawn, you will be battling from the south end, which is at the end of the hall that way. Miss May, you will be at the north end, which is down the hallway behind me." Earl pointed back behind him as he talked, "Good luck to you both, and congratulations again on getting this far."

Earl then turned and walked away briskly. Dawn and May turned to each other. The brunette Coordinator extended a hand, which Dawn eagerly shook. "Don't hold back, Dawn."

"You know I won't." Dawn answered, "Don't you hold back, either."

The two Coordinators unclasped their hands, and, without another moment of silence, turned to head their separate ways. When they next saw each other, they'd be standing on opposite ends of the battlefield, vying for the grand prize of Coordinating.

* * *

" _Ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages! The final round of the Johto Grand Festival is about to begin!"_ the announcer boomed through the speakers. The crowd roared approvingly, and the woman from before trotted out to the nearby stage. A cone of light shined down upon her as she pulled the microphone to her lips.

" _Once again, thank you all for coming! Today, we've narrowed down our participants to two final Coordinators! Both are more than deserving of being on this final stage, but unfortunately only one of them can hoist the Ribbon Cup and call themselves Top Coordinator. Please welcome our finalists: from Twinleaf Town, Dawn! And from Petalburg City, May!"_

Another deafening roar from the crowd rattled the stadium. The red curtains on each end of the battlefield parted and the two teenagers stepped out into the open. The floodlights in the stadium returned to life, illuminating the entire stadium, and both Dawn and May reached their opposing battle boxes. Both wore looks of almost forced confidence. To anyone who personally knew the Coordinators, it was clear that neither of them wanted to face the other for this prize.

"They look really tense." Max said dumbly. Norman and Caroline both glanced to their younger son, but said nothing. Ash simply stared, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two Coordinators on the field.

A referee walked up to the box on the sideline, carrying a flag in each hand. Almost automatically, he raised his arms, the two flags dangling from the sticks they were attached to. "The final round of the Johto Grand Festival is about to begin. Coordinators, are you ready?"

Dawn and May both nodded, saying nothing. The referee continued, "Very well. Good luck to you both."

Dawn and May's portraits appeared on the jumbotron, along with full circles of points underneath them. The referee's arms raised up impossibly further, before he swiftly swung them downward to commence the battle. _"Battle, begin!"_

Both Coordinators raced to grab their two Poké Balls calling out their Pokémon at the same time.

" _Glaceon, Beautifly, take the stage!"_

" _Quilava, Pachirisu, spotlight!"_

Four rays of white light struck out onto the field, each materializing into a respective Pokémon. On May's side, Glaceon purred and Beautifly danced in the air as it flapped its wings. Pachirisu energetically bounced and Quilava showed off its flames in a display of confidence. The timer began to tick down, and an uneasy still held over the battlefield. Knowing that time was precious, especially in this battle, May jumped first and called for the opening attack.

"Glaceon, use Ice Shard, and Beautifly, let's use Psychic!"

Glaceon howled as she summoned a ball of glittering ice. The sphere was small, but it pulsed with energy, indicating its power. Beautifly's eyes began to glow with a blue color, and an identical color began to appear over Glaceon's Ice Shard. Without further ado, the ice-type launched the Ice Shard. Beautifly's glowing eyes brightened instantly and the Ice Shard fell under its control, immediately moving faster.

"Quilava, take out that Ice Shard with Flamethrower!"

Quilava lunged forward and opened its maw, sending scorching flames in a straight line. _"Qui—laaaaaava!"_

The Flamethrower attack spiraled toward the oncoming Ice Shard, overtaking it and swallowing the ball of ice briefly. After a few seconds, however, the flames were suddenly ripped apart and the Ice Shard reappeared, flying forward again and headed straight for Quilava.

"Ack! Quilava, dodge it!"

Quilava panicked as well and hopped out of the way. The Ice Shard smashed into the spot where the fire-type had been only a split-second before, shattering into countless pieces. A notch of Dawn's points was taken away, and the blue-haired Coordinator glanced up at May with a mixture of anger and impressment.

"Quilava, use Flame Wheel, and Pachirisu, use Discharge!"

Quilava summoned another batch of flames, but this time from the pockets of scorching fire that spawned from its head and backside. The flames whirled around the quadruped fire-type and Quilava started moving. Pachirisu summoned countless blasts of lightning from its cheeks and sent out the blast in a wide radius. The Discharge swallowed Quilava's Flame Wheel as the fire-type got moving, but when the fire-type rolled out of the blast at high speed, tendrils of electricity coursed in and out of the fiery wheel.

"Beautifly, use Silver Wind to knock Quilava out of that Flame Wheel!"

Quilava sped into close range and Beautifly started beating its wings at high speed, glittering wind blowing off of them as the bug-type flapped. Glaceon took a few steps back as Quilava got close, until the Silver Wind attack met its Flame Wheel. Instantly, Quilava slowed.

"Glaceon, use Dig!"

Glaceon tore its way underneath the ground, disappearing from view, as Beautifly's Silver Wind undermined Quilava's speedy Flame Wheel. The gale-force winds pushed away Quilava's barrier of flame and electricity, tearing open the attack and leaving Quilava completely exposed. A few tendrils of conjoined fire and lightning remained around the fire-type's body, but without any warning Glaceon reappeared from underground, kicking Quilava high into the air.

"Quilava, no!"

Quilava fell hard to the ground as Dawn's points dropped some more, leaving her with roughly seventy-five percent of her total points as the clock struck 4 minutes. May, meanwhile still had every inch of her points left, putting her at an early advantage. May's confidence bubbled to the surface as she called for another successive attack.

"Glaceon, use Shadow Ball on Pachirisu! Beautifly, let's use Aerial Ace on Quilava!"

Glaceon purred as she generated a ball of pulsing dark energy, while Beautifly ducked its head and charged at high speed. An aura of white light formed a cone around Beautifly's rushing form, and Dawn opted to go on the defensive.

"Pachirisu, defend! Use Discharge at full power!"

Pachirisu purred as it tucked itself in for a moment, before unleashing a huge blast of electricity. _"Chiiii-paaaaaa!"_ the electric-type cried as dozens of crooked lightning blasts shot out in all directions. The oncoming Shadow Ball was instantly torn apart by the lightning, while a handful more blasts shot toward Beautifly. The bug-type caught the electricity through its peripheral vision and dodged without command, narrowly avoiding any damage, but wisely backed off as Pachirisu's Discharge attack died out. Quilava regained its footing as some of May's points decreased. However, Dawn was still behind.

"Pachirisu, follow it up with Sweet Kiss! Quilava, use Swift!"

Both Pokémon used their moves simultaneously, releasing hundreds of hearts and stars into the air toward their opponents. Both of May's Pokémon tensed as the Petalburg Coordinator called for a counter.

"Beautifly, use Silver Wind to bat it back!"

Beautifly's wings glowed again as it once again used Silver Wind. The Swift attack was moving much faster than the Sweet Kiss, and so the Silver Wind mostly failed to slow it down.

"Glaceon, use Ice Shard again and again to knock out the attacks!"

Glaceon started chain shooting spheres of ice, knocking away various hearts and stars out of existence. However, Dawn had meant to use the ranged attacks as a decoy. With a raise of her arm and a confident point of her finger, Dawn shouted out for the real combination she had wanted.

"Quilava, let's turn up the heat! Use Eruption!"

Quilava howled loudly as the flame on its head increased exponentially in size. Scorching hot lava and fire generated out of thin air as the burn reached an immeasurable temperature, and both liquid and solid projectiles were launched high into the air.

May looked up in shock at the massive Eruption blast, and called out a desperate counter as the Swift/Sweet Kiss combo was destroyed. "Beautifly, use Psychic on the Eruption!"

Beautifly tensed greatly as it summoned its psychic powers. The solid projectiles began to slow until they ultimately stopped, but the almost liquid fire that had been launched up with the lava rocks could not be stopped. Beautifly's grip weakened as it was narrowly missed by falling lava.

"Now, Pachirisu, use Discharge again!"

" _Chiiiiii-pa!"_

Another spread-out blast of lightning came straight for Glaceon and Beautifly. Countless forks of lightning closed in on Beautifly, striking the bug-type cleanly. The grip of Psychic instantly vanished and the suspended lava rocks began to fall to the ground again. The cacophony of noise that began as the Eruption made contact with the ground was so deafening that whatever May called out next fell on deaf ears. Electricity merged with the remnants of the Eruption attack so that tendrils of lightning surged around the volcanic material falling out of the sky. Despite losing some points due to the failed Swift combination from earlier, Dawn gained the lead as May's points dropped dramatically.

After what felt like an eternity, the Eruption subsided, leaving May's side of the field looking like an actual volcanic eruption had taken place there. Partially smashed boulders, most of them still burning with an insufferable heat, littered the field. Beautifly had taken great injuries in the attack, but still managed to keep itself airborne. The ground near the bug-type kicked up and Glaceon's head popped out, followed by the rest of the ice-type as it slinked out of the ground and onto the field.

 _So, May called for Glaceon to protect itself with Dig. Smart,_ Dawn thought. The clock read just over 2:45 remaining, and the tension ramped up as May's Pokémon recovered. After a few more seconds, May called for another attack.

"Glaceon, use Iron Tail! Beautifly, use Aerial Ace!"

The two Pokémon rushed in to physically attack Dawn's Pokémon. Feeling smugly confident, Dawn lazily called for a counter. "Quilava, use Flamethrower." The fire-type released a stream of fire toward the pair of Pokémon, but May wasn't finished yet.

"Hide behind the lava rocks!" May shouted, and her Pokémon did. Glaceon somersaulted her way behind the nearest rock, her tail still glowing brilliantly, while Beautifly's Aerial Ace died out as it tucked itself behind another rock. The Flamethrower struck Glaceon's rock, but did next to nothing, and the ice-type vaulted over the rock and back into the open, rushing forward with bewildering speed and striking Quilava across the face with a swift Iron Tail. Quilava recoiled in pain and its head swung diagonally downward, but Glaceon only threw a second Iron Tail, this time to the fire-type's body.

Quilava briefly went airborne as it was sent tumbling away. Pachirisu watched her partner bounce away as Beautifly reappeared, summoning another Aerial Ace and racing toward the unaware electric-type.

"Pachirisu, look out!" Dawn shrieked. The electric-type instantly looked back ahead to see Beautifly right in front of it, and with adrenaline-filled speed, Pachirisu dove to the side. Beautifly ignored its miss and simply hooked around, speeding toward the grounded electric-type again. "Use Spark!" Dawn shouted. Pachirisu summoned electrical energy all around its body and rammed forward as Beautifly reached it, negating the Aerial Ace and dealing some more damage to the bug-type. Beautifly skidded on the ground before stopping, and looked up at the smaller electric-type.

"Quilava, get up and use Flame Wheel on Glaceon!"

"Glaceon, defend yourself with Iron Tail! Beautifly, use Psychic on Pachirisu!"

While Quilava and Glaceon clashed with fire and steel, Beautifly's eyes glowed a brilliant blue, creating an outline around Pachirisu of the same color. The electric-type was lifted into the air, squirming as it lost all control of its limbs, and the bug-type held the Electric Squirrel Pokémon suspended in the air. Meanwhile, Glaceon dove out of the way of another Flame Wheel, its tail glowing as it thrashed about. Dawn turned her attention briefly to Quilava, but May's voice brought her reeling back toward Pachirisu's predicament.

"Beautifly, throw Pachirisu into the path of the Flame Wheel!"

" _What?!"_ Dawn shrieked, "Quilava, abort!"

But it was no use. Beautifly's throw was too quick, and Quilava's reaction time wasn't fast enough. Pachirisu bounced into the path of the fiery attack, and the crackling wheel of fire overran the electric-type. A howl of pain rocked Dawn's ears as the flame met Pachirisu's fur.

" _Pachirisu, no!"_

Quilava realized its mistake and broke apart the Flame Wheel, landing haphazardly on the ground and running toward its teammate. The fire had only briefly struck Pachirisu, but the damning effects of it were evident. A blot of scorched fur on Pachirisu's chest signified that the electric-type had suffered a burn, which would only hamper the Squirrel Pokémon's movements…if Dawn were lucky.

"Now we've got 'em!" May whooped, "Glaceon, use Iron Tail again!"

Glaceon meowed viciously as it hopped into Quilava's immediate vicinity, slapping its flat tail into the fire-type's turned head. Quilava hit the dirt again, exposing the downed Pachirisu. The burned squirrel, however, would have none of the ice-type's abuse. Without command, Pachirisu released a Discharge at point blank, striking Glaceon at full power and sending countless volts of electricity through its body.

"There we go, Pachirisu!" Dawn praised, "Quick, use Super Fang!"

Adrenaline coursed through Pachirisu, negating the pain of its burn, and its bucktooth glowed as it became larger. Glaceon had no time to defend itself and Pachirisu clamped its empowered jaws into the ice-type's side, only further damaging Glaceon.

One minute remained on the clock; one minute until the Top Coordinator would be chosen, and Dawn was still behind by a small margin. "Quilava, Pachirisu, get back now!"

Dawn's Pokémon obeyed and bounded out of Glaceon's immediate range. Beautifly appeared again, gently flapping its wings as it hovered beside its partner. Dawn called for another combination, hoping to gain the lead in the battle's final seconds.

"Quilava, use Smokescreen! Pachirisu, you use Super Fang!"

Quilava blasted a mountain of black smoke, shrouding Glaceon and Beautifly's sight. Unable to see their opponents, Beautifly and Glaceon took up a defensive stance and backed away slowly. Meanwhile, Pachirisu's bucktooth glowed again as the smaller electric-type raced toward the wall of smoke, still blissfully undetected. With a few more steps and a great leap, the electric-type soared through the wall of smoke, aiming for where Beautifly had been only seconds before.

Pachirisu guessed right as it broke through the smoke, its fang glowing with power. Beautifly recognized that it was the target, but had no time to react, and Pachirisu sank its fang into the bug-type's body. The Butterfly Pokémon squirmed and squeaked, but Pachirisu refused to let up.

"Glaceon, knock Pachirisu off with Shadow Ball!"

Glaceon's attack was surprisingly swift, and the sphere of ghostly energy connected with Pachirisu to knock it off of the bug-type and into the ground. The Smokescreen wall diffused into the air, revealing Quilava to be rushing toward Glaceon with a Flame Wheel. The ice-type had blinded itself by defending Beautifly, and finally after so many attempts, the fire-type move connected with Glaceon's side.

Dawn's points at last evened with May's, and the clock read 40 seconds remaining. Time was all but out.

"Glaceon, use Ice Beam! Beautifly, use Psychic!"

Glaceon regained its footing and spat a crooked Ice Beam as Beautifly took control of the blast with Psychic. Under Beautifly's control, the Ice Beam split into two: one headed for Quilava, and the other for Pachirisu.

"Quilava, Pachirisu, d—"

The Ice Beams struck both of Dawn's Pokémon before she could get out her command, and Pachirisu appeared to be in a special kind of pain as the ice struck her burn. The Ice Beams died out quickly, but the lasting effect on Dawn's Pokémon was there. They were both very tired, and that didn't bode well for Dawn's chances.

Thirty seconds.

"Quilava, use Flamethrower, and Pachirisu, use Discharge!"

Both Pokémon acted quickly, subconsciously knowing that their time was short. Quilava spat a Flamethrower that became encircled by electricity, hitting Glaceon perfectly and knocking the ice-type to the ground. The hit succeeded in evening Dawn and May's points.

Twenty seconds.

"Quilava, hit Glaceon with another Flame Wheel!"

"Beautifly, stop it with Psychic!"

Beautifly's telekinetic grip grabbed onto Quilava's next Flame Wheel, and without any thought the bug-type discarded Quilava away from Glaceon, putting May back into the lead.

Fifteen seconds.

"Discharge!"

"Ice Beam!"

"Swift!"

"Silver Wind!"

"Shadow Ball!"

"Smokescreen!"

"Spark!"

Five seconds.

"Use Flame Wheel and Discharge!"

Quilava and Pachirisu summoned their last-ditch attacks, once again meshing fire and lightning together in a speedy wheel. Glaceon spat an Ice Beam into Quilava's path, fast enough that it was able to build up into a miniature roadblock. Quilava's progress was slowed enough that the timer ran out, reading three zeroes.

 _Ding!_

All motion ceased. The electrical Flame Wheel diminished and Quilava half-collapsed to the ground, overwhelmingly exhausted. Beautifly stumbled in its flight as it realized it could rest, and Pachirisu was taking heavy breaths as its burn scorched its fur.

" _Time's up!"_ the announcer shouted, _"What an amazing final battle! But it's all over now!"_

Dawn glanced to May, who met her eyes. With the smallest hint of a tear in her eye, May nodded gratefully. If May were to be declared the loser, then so be it. Together, Dawn and May looked up at the jumbotron above them.

Both of their point circles looked identical to the untrained eye. The battle had worn away eighty percent of both Coordinators' allotted points after several successive hits and significantly less defense in the second half of the battle.

" _After such a spectacular battle, it's hard to declare one Coordinator the winner. But the judges have decided. The winner of the Johto Grand Festival, and the next Top Coordinator is…"_

Dawn tensed. May tensed. Quilava and Pachirisu tensed. Glaceon and Beautifly tensed. Both teams' futures were held in the announcer's next words. With a click, the jumbotron screen changed to show the portrait of the victorious Coordinator.

" _It's May! With her Glaceon and Beautifly!"_

Confetti cannons went off. Essentially half of the crowd answered with a roar. Over in the front row of the stands, Norman, Caroline, and Max all cheered.

"May did it! She actually did it!" Max shouted.

Ash sat back in his chair, surrounded by cheering supporters, with his arms crossed and a calculating look in his eyes. He was happy for May. In fact, he was very happy for her. But there was a whole other side to the equation of her victory.

On the south end of the battlefield, one blue-haired Coordinator fell to her knees, an unholy mixture of shock, sadness, and confusion flooding every one of her senses.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, not again. Not again!" Dawn stammered quietly enough so that only she could hear herself, "This can't be happening again, not like this…"

Ash watched Dawn collapse, and felt a pang of hurt in his heart. She'd come so far, and dumb luck had pitted her against her best friend for the title of Top Coordinator. Only one of them could win, so it was impossible to please both parties.

 _Poor Dawn…_ Ash thought to himself. He would be thinking the same thing for May if the tables were turned, he knew that much. Ash brooded about nothing particular for several minutes, and didn't realize how much time had passed until Max shook him back into reality.

"Ash, you okay?" Max asked, "Ash?" Max waved his hand in front of the Trainer's face.

"Yeah, Max, I'm good. Just thinking."

"Well, they're about to give May the Ribbon Cup." Max explained.

"Oh."

Ash stood up out of his seat with the rest of the crowd. Mr. Contesta, the Director of the Contest Committee, carried the prestigious Ribbon Cup in his hands. May stood at the center of the stage as Mr. Contesta reached her, a big smile on his face. Dawn stood off to the side, watching as her friend claimed the trophy and her title as Top Coordinator.

" _Let's all give a big round of applause to the newest Top Coordinator, May! Congratulations on your victory and your new title, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we look forward to seeing your next exploits in Coordinating!"_

Seeing May carry the Ribbon Cup, Dawn turned and walked away prematurely, hanging her head. The cheering of the crowd was still audible as she walked into the dressing room and changed out of her dress and into her regular outfit before heading for the stadium lobby.

For a few minutes, Dawn walked in circles around the crowded lobby, avoiding eye contact with any people who passed. The pain of the loss was threatening to crush her. She knew that she should be happy for May, but at the same time she struggled to do so.

" _Dawn!"_

Dawn looked up and directly ahead of her. A shape jogged toward her, though Dawn failed to make out what it was through her clouded eyes until the shape was right upon her. All-too-familiar spiky raven hair and two characteristic Z's made it clear who was in front of her.

"Oh, Ash…" Dawn choked out. Without warning, Dawn collapsed forward. Ash caught her, a tense panic rushing through his body.

"Dawn, are you all right?" Ash asked fearfully, "Is everything—"

Ash was cut off by the sounds of Dawn crying into his chest. She shook with each individual sob, depositing droplets of water onto his vest.

"Ash…I got so close this time. I just knew that I had it won. And I know that I should be happy for May, but at the same time I'm so upset." Dawn whimpered. Ash understood now, and Dawn felt him wrap his arms around her, protecting her from the outside world. Faceless people passed by the pair, a few of them glancing awkwardly at the larger teen holding the broken girl, but Ash ignored them all.

"Dawn, I know how you feel. You handled that loss to Zoey so well. But now, after everything you've done to become a better Coordinator, you feel like you're back to square one."

Dawn shook a few more times. "Y-y-y…yeah…"

"Well you're not. Square one is so far behind you. And so is square two, and square four, even square twenty is way behind you." Ash continued, "You're a great Coordinator. You know what I told Max the other day when I beat him? I said, 'success isn't a straight path with no obstacles'. You're gonna have to fail a couple of times before you can succeed. Take it from the guy who's lost four League Conferences in a row."

Dawn's sobbing slowed, before stopping altogether. After several seconds, Dawn sniffled and pulled her head away from Ash's chest, standing up straight again. She rubbed her eyes with her arm and color returned to her face, banishing the redness left behind by her crying. Miscellaneous water stains on Ash's vest were somewhat visible, but the dark fabric hid most of the evidence.

"Just what were you doing up there on Mt. Silver, Ash Ketchum?" Dawn joked, "You don't seem like yourself."

Ash chuckled, "How about we leave that for another time? We should head back to the Pokémon Center. May and her family already left."

Dawn swallowed before answering, "Yeah, that sounds good. How is May?"

"Honestly, she was really worried about you. At first she was going to come with me to find you, but I had her hang back and go with her family."

"Okay, I guess…" Dawn decided, falling silent as she left the stadium with Ash. Her heart swelled. He'd come looking for her all on his own after she ran off. Dense as he was, Dawn couldn't help but think there just might be hope for him yet.

* * *

May carried the Ribbon Cup trophy in her hands as she walked down the street. Her little brother Max and both of her parents had been fawning over her since they left the stadium.

"I just can't help but keep saying how amazed I am with you, May." Caroline praised, "After so many years of all your hard work, you've finally gotten your big dream."

"Thanks, Mom." May answered with a nervous smile, "I'm really glad all of you came to watch."

"I'm just glad you made the trip worthwhile." Max joked. Caroline smacked Max's arm and the ten-year-old rubbed his arm with a frown, "What, it was just a joke!"

Norman spoke up next, "Have you given any thought into what you might do next now that you're officially a Top Coordinator?"

May bit her lip as she thought for a moment, "Hmmm…no, not really. I guess there are a lot of possibilities. I could go travel another Region. I probably wouldn't be able to compete in any more Contests, at least for earning Ribbons."

"Or, maybe you could come back to Hoenn with us and stay at home for a while." Norman suggested, "Take a load off. Maybe you could help out at the Gym or mentor some younger Trainers. You have experience with regular Pokémon battling."

"Yeah, those are great ideas!" May agreed, "I'll have to think on it."

Max spoke up, an uneasy tone in his voice. "Hey, uh, May, isn't that the guy you beat in the semifinal round?"

May's focus turned to straight ahead, following Max's pointing finger. Indeed, over at the end of the block, the infamous Jacen was standing on the sidewalk. He held a Poké Ball in his hand, looking down at the small capsule. May couldn't decipher his expression, but the entire situation was suspicious.

"Yeah, that's him. But I wonder what he's still doing here." May decided, "I would've assumed he left right after he lost."

May started walking more briskly, her grip unintentionally tightening on the Ribbon Cup. Norman, Max, and Caroline walked behind her, each of them equally curious. They had never met the boy, but they had all heard less than stellar things about him in the short time they'd been in the city.

"Jacen?" May asked carefully as she reached him. The male Coordinator glanced up before turning his head to the side to look at May. Disdain burned in his eyes as he responded.

"May." Jacen answered back coldly, "I see you won the Ribbon Cup, although you didn't deserve to."

Anger instantly burned through May's veins. Her face went red and her knuckles went white as she clenched her hands around the trophy's handles. "Now, you look here! Who do you think you are, saying I didn't deserve to win something? Everyone on that stage today deserved to win the Ribbon Cup!"

"Hmpf, don't kid yourself. Sure, they accept a lot of people, but only a small handful of those people are actually worthy of winning." Jacen disagreed.

"Why does it even matter? You don't even compete in Contests properly! You try to use your powerful Pokémon to beat everyone else's to where they can't battle!" May argued, "Why do you even compete in Contests if you can't do them right?"

"Why does it matter so much to you? You closed-minded Trainers could never understand. So I compete in Contests and challenge Gyms. Big deal. All that says is I'm a better Trainer than you are."

"Is that why I beat you today, then?" May spat venomously.

"A fluke." Jacen asserted quickly. He waited a few more seconds before glancing behind May and grinning smugly, "Where's Dawn? Did she run off to cry after you beat her? What about your pathetic bodyguard?"

"It doesn't matter. What are you even still doing out here, anyway? You've always left immediately if you didn't win, so why stick around now?"

"Well, I wanted to see who won the Grand Festival, of course." Jacen answered, "But if you want to know why I'm _still_ here, I'll answer you."

Jacen clicked the button on the Poké Ball and the capsule enlarged. He then clicked the button a second time, and the capsule popped open, a sparkling blue light jumping out of the Ball's insides and materializing on the street a few paces away from Jacen and May.

The form of Dragonite materialized into reality. The normally proud dragon-type stood off the edge of the curb with a look of confusion written on its face.

" _Drago?"_ the dragon-type grunted.

"You're finished here." Jacen snapped.

" _What?"_ May responded with shock.

" _Dragoo?"_ Dragonite whimpered, _"Drago-Dragonite."_

"I don't care. You couldn't even take down her Wartortle today with any of your Thunderbolts, and a Flamethrower caught you and lost the battle for us. You're not fast enough, and if those Thunderbolts were any indication, you aren't strong enough either. I don't have anymore use for you."

" _Dragoo! Dragonite!"_

"You aren't changing my mind, Dragonite." Jacen said coldly.

"What are you doing?" May demanded, "You're just gonna let Dragonite go because he didn't win like you wanted?"

"I'm letting Dragonite go because he's _weak_. I don't have any use for weak Pokémon." Jacen sneered, "Now, if you're done questioning how I do things, I'm leaving. Have a nice life."

Then, Jacen turned and stalked away, his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat. Dragonite called out as his Trainer left him behind, _"Drago! Drago-Dragonite!"_

Jacen never turned around, despite his former Pokémon's calls. Before long, he had rounded the corner and vanished for the last time.

" _Dragoo…"_ the dragon-type whimpered, sagging its round head. The noodle-like antennae drooped down as if to exemplify the Pokémon's sadness. May's grip on the Ribbon Cup loosened. Jacen had kicked a perfectly good Pokémon to the curb because it didn't meet his standards, and that just wasn't right.

May bent down and placed the Ribbon Cup down on the sidewalk, walking away from the trophy and toward Dragonite. As she planted her feet, Dragonite seemed to register that she was there, and perked up. The dragon-type towered over her, yet May was not intimidated in the least.

"Hey, Dragonite." May said quietly, "I'm really sorry."

" _Dragoo."_ Dragonite half-snorted, half-whined.

"Listen…I think you're strong. I think you're a great Pokémon who just needs the right Trainer."

" _Droo?"_

"What do you say you come with me? I've never trained a dragon-type before. And I think with the right Trainer you can be a great Pokémon."

" _Draag?"_ the Dragonite cooed with a hint of wonder in his voice.

"What do you say? Do you want to travel with me and my Pokémon?"

Dragonite seemed to ponder the proposition for a few moments. Its antennae would flick back and forth as it studied May and the other people who were with her. Finally, Dragonite relaxed and nodded fiercely.

" _Drag."_

May smiled like a child on Christmas morning. "Thank you, Dragonite." May breathed as she pulled out one of her spare Poké Balls, "I promise, I'll make this worth your while."

May tossed the Poké Ball in an arc, and the sphere ricocheted off of Dragonite's thick head, sucking the tall dragon-type into the capsule. The Poké Ball clattered to the ground and shook back and forth for a few seconds before going still and sounding a unique tone that signaled Dragonite's capture.

May happily reached down and clutched the capsule, bringing it up to her chest and briefly hugging it. She then turned around to look at her family, finding Caroline had grabbed the Cup and was now holding it. May reclaimed the Ribbon Cup with a sheepish smile.

" _Hey!"_ a familiar voice called from down the block. It didn't take a detective to know whom the voice belonged to. Ash, now accompanied by Dawn, ran up toward the family of four. "What'd we miss?"

May raised her arm to show Ash the Poké Ball. "Well, I just caught a Dragonite."

" _What?_ No way, I missed that?" Ash complained, "Wait, how did you…?"

"We, uh ran into Jacen just now. He…released his Dragonite in front of us and then just…walked off."

"Huh. That reminds me of how I got Infernape. He was a Chimchar back then, and his Trainer released him because he thought he was weak. But we sure showed him, didn't we Pikachu?"

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

The group started walking together again, headed back to the Pokémon Center and to their respective rooms. Exhaustion set in quickly for the six members of the group. Dawn found herself brushing her dark blue locks in front of a tall mirror, clad in her traditional nightgown. May was doing much of the same, dressed in her own nightgown and pacing around the room. The brunette Coordinator opened her most recent Ribbon Case, staring at what was essentially her final set of Ribbons.

"Four tries." May muttered.

"What's that?" Dawn asked.

"Four tries…four Grand Festivals. Each time I got closer until I finally won." May explained further, while still managing to be vague, "Dawn, you're okay, right?"

"Yeah, May, I'm fine. I just needed some time to think, you know?" Dawn admitted, "To be honest, if I had to lose to someone, I'm just glad it was you. You earned the win tonight. But you know what? I'm not giving up. In the next Grand Festival that I compete in, I'm gonna win. And then we'll both be Top Coordinators!"

May smiled, her heart warmed by her friend's return to normal. "Sounds like a good plan to me!" she agreed, before both of them burst into laughter.


	25. Fare Thee Well, Johto!

**Guest: I actually haven't thought much about that. I was originally going to give Dragonite to Ash, but I decided against it because I already have plans in the future for Ash to catch at least 2 new Pokémon. I won't tell you which ones, of course, but I will consider giving another Pokémon to Dawn as well.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 25_

 _Fare Thee Well, Johto_

* * *

 _Ash crept out of the darkness, half-crouched and cautiously moving along. Fear and dread dulled his thoughts, while adrenaline guided his movements through the corridor. Suddenly, a voice barked at him from the darkness, startling the Trainer. Ash could make out some kind of shape, but the absence of light from the hallway kept him from recognizing the shape._

" _Well…I thought you would come here, Aura Guardian," the voice growled, adding venom to the words 'Aura Guardian'._

" _W-what? How did you—"_

" _We have our ways. But that is beside the point. I'm certain you've come to save your feminine friend and that Pokémon of yours. I have no issue with allowing you to do so. They are none of my concern. Our work is nearly complete, and the day of reckoning is at hand. There is nothing you can do to stop us now."_

 _The human shrouded in darkness then turned and fled, its feet pit-pattering on the concrete floor._

" _Wait!" Ash shouted, giving chase to the unknown speaker, "Stop! Tell me what you mean! Where are my friends?"_

 _At the end of the corridor, a pinkish tear in reality formed, taking the shape of a spinning circle. The tear emitted the dimmest of light down the corridor, outlining the shape of whoever had been speaking to him. All that Ash could make out was that the speaker was short and fairly round._

" _You don't expect me to give you_ all _the answers, do you? If you can control the power of Aura, then I'm sure you can figure this out on your own. See you soon, Ketchum. It hasn't been a pleasure."_

 _The figure then turned and hopped through the tear in reality, disappearing before the rift snapped shut and faded out of existence._

* * *

 _ **Johto Region – Goldenrod City**_

Ash shot up from the bed, his skin slick with sweat. Heavy breaths recharged his senses, and the blur in his vision faded until Ash recognized the Pokémon Center hotel room. The Trainer glanced at the large window against the wall, noticing that it was still dark. The digital clock on the bedside table, however, declared that it was around 6:00 in the morning. During Ash's time on Mt. Silver, rising early had become a requirement, and eventually, a habit. However, waking up from nightmares was not common at all. Ash normally didn't remember his dreams within a few minutes of waking up, but every detail of this dream stuck with him and provoked an endless stream of dark thoughts.

Ash heaved again and then pulled the covers up, resolving to wake up and get ready for the day. His mind was already churning, and he wouldn't be getting back to sleep very easily anymore. Pikachu began to stir as Ash moved, but the electric-type fell back into sleep as soon as he had begun moving. The Trainer thinly smiled before vanishing into the bathroom, showering and then getting dressed within the next couple of minutes. Ash again woke Pikachu, who complained upon being pulled away from the blissful realm of sleep, but hopped onto his partner's shoulder nonetheless. All ready to go, Ash glanced over to the second bed in the room. Max snoozed contently underneath the sheets. Deciding that he needed some fresh air, Ash turned and walked toward the room's exit.

Ash quietly closed the door to the room and calmly walked down the hall and into the lobby of the Pokémon Center. The only soul in the large lobby was Nurse Joy, who was automatically moving about to prep for another long day of working at the Center. The Pallet native simply waved as the Nurse's gaze flicked past the Trainer and kept moving, but he didn't get a response. Shrugging, Ash walked out one of the side doors that led to one of the Center's battlefields. The early winter breeze chilled Ash's skin as he stepped outside, but he simply moved to the nearby bench that overlooked the battlefield for several moments. The gears of his brain turned with imagination, evening out his breathing and spawning little shapes on the field.

 _The roar of the crowd pounded in Ash's eardrums as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Pikachu was heaving heavily in front of Ash, although plentiful amounts of electricity still jettisoned from the sacs on his cheeks. On the other end of the field stood a tall purple Pokémon with long scythe-like fins protruding from its arms. A golden star-like pattern took up the end of the Pokémon's snout. The Pokémon was commanded by a tall woman with lush blonde hair and furred cuffs on the wrists of her black outfit._

 _Cynthia._

 _Ash's imagination ran wild as Cynthia ordered Garchomp to use Giga Impact. As the Mach Pokémon closed in with staggering speed, Ash countered with a dodge and then a swift Iron Tail that connected with Garchomp's back. The dragon-type crashed into the ground, but without missing a beat, Cynthia called for a Brick Break attack. Garchomp's swing was low and terrifyingly fast, connecting with Pikachu's belly and bowling over the electric-type. Pikachu bounced away like a ball, ricocheting off the ground a few times before coming to rest._

" _Garchomp, let's finish this! Use Dragon Rush!"_

" _Pikachu, get outta there!"_

 _Garchomp lunged forward, a hearty "Garrrr!" escaping from its throat. Pikachu struggled to stand back up, its entire body weakened by the Brick Break. But it wasn't until Pikachu glanced up to see the advancing Mach Pokémon that real terror set in for the electric mouse._

"Ash? You all right?"

The daydream faded instantly and Ash recoiled away from the voice, tensing defensively as he searched for the source of the voice.

"Woah, there. Sorry to scare you."

Ash calmed as he recognized the figure and the voice at the same time, "Oh man, you got me, Norman."

The Petalburg City Gym Leader chuckled, "Sorry about that. You looked really pale for a second and you were just staring out there at the field. You sure you're all right?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, Norman. Just, uh…daydreaming."

"Hmpf. Ironic, considering it's not daytime yet."

Ash rolled his eyes and chuckled along with Norman. Their chuckling died down and Norman began speaking with a fatherly, almost concerned voice.

"So why are you really out here?"

Ash gulped, even though there was really no specific reason he was out here, and he wasn't trying to hide anything. "Nothing gets past you, huh? All right, fine. I, uh…I had a bad dream. Only it didn't feel like a regular dream. I was in this really dark place, and I was talking to someone. I couldn't see them, but he kept saying things like 'our work is nearly complete' and 'there's nothing you can do to stop us'."

"Hm. That is weird." Norman commented as he took a seat on the opposite side of the patio. Ash then sighed, making a second choice in the back of his mind.

"Norman, I gotta tell you something. When I was training on Mt. Silver, I didn't just train my Pokémon."

"I can see that." Norman joked, gesturing to Ash's larger muscles and extra few inches of height.

"That's not what I mean. I met an old friend of mine on the mountain. He, uh…he said that I could do things that almost no one else could. He said it was a gift that I had, and he wanted to train me to use it."

"This sounds like something out of a science fiction book." Norman interjected, "But I'm afraid I'm not following."

"Well, uh, try not to freak out." Ash said uneasily, his hands shaking, "He said that different people react differently to stuff like this."

Ash didn't give Norman a chance to question further before he concentrated. Almost immediately, the energy of Aura seeped into his veins, the living energy inside him pulsing and flowing independently from the rest of his body. The Trainer's hand stretched out and with a deep breath, a small Aura Sphere formed in the palm of his hand.

Norman's face read nothing but pure amazement.

"That…that is Aura…" Norman inferred, the azure glow glinting off of his eyeballs in the dark.

"You know of this?" Ash asked with curiosity.

"I've done my fair share of research, but…the books say that this art is long dead." Norman explained, "I always believed that somehow it was possible, but I had no real idea how."

"Well as you can see, it isn't dead. This friend of mine was an Aura Guardian, and he tracked me down in order to pass on the power to me and train me how to use it. Often times he said that I would need it someday." Ash explained, before clenching his hand into a fist and dissipating the Aura Sphere.

"Why are you telling me this?" Norman inquired.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. But I figured you might as well know. The dream I was having—or whatever you might call it—the figure I was talking to addressed me as an Aura Guardian as well."

"That's rather specific." Norman pointed out, "I'm following when you say it didn't feel like a regular dream, but dreams can be pretty weird. Maybe see if it keeps happening? Who else knows about your…gift?"

"Just my mom, and nobody else." Ash admitted quickly, "That's another reason why I'm so concerned. You're one of two other people who know about this."

"I see. Then your secret is safe with me, Ash." Norman answered, "It's the least I can do in thanks."

"In thanks?"

"Mm-hmm. You spent two years traveling with my son and daughter, showing them both what being a Pokémon Trainer was like. My little May grew up right before my eyes, and now she's achieved her greatest dream. And Max…you pushed him harder than ever before in his goal to become a Pokémon Trainer. I swear, every day, he would say something about what he was going to do when he was a Trainer, and how he was going to be your greatest rival." Norman explained, "The energy in that boy is astounding to me. And I have you to thank for that."

"Shucks, Norman. I can't take all the credit for that." Ash chuckled with embarrassment.

"Listen, son, you need anything, you just give me or Caroline a call." Norman offered, "We'll do whatever we can to help."

"I'll remember that." Ash answered with a nod, "Thank you, Norman."

An orange light peeked out over the horizon as Ash said this, summoning the Trainer's attention. Norman looked too as the sun crept into the sky, squinting at the little light in the sky and putting on a smile. For several minutes, Norman and Ash sat like that, each watching the rising sun from the patio of the Pokémon Center.

"Well, we should probably go wake everyone up. Our flight out of here is in a few hours." Norman decided, standing up from his seat. Ash followed, nodding quietly and following the Gym Leader into the Center.

* * *

"May, come on!"

"I'm almost done, Max!"

Max and May were arguing again. Their plane would be in a few hours, and while Max wanted to get there early, May had more things to do in getting ready for the day and as such took longer.

The day had finally come. May would be returning to Hoenn with Max and her family. Max, Norman, and Caroline were all ready to go, and they spent the time chatting with Ash. Eventually, May and Dawn reached the top of the steps and trotted down to the lobby together, joining up with the group.

"It's about time!" Max complained.

May's face went red until Norman stepped in between the two, "Now you stop it, Max. We've got over two hours until our plane."

"Yeah!" May snapped.

"Well hey, if we've got a little time…" Ash butted in, stepping over to May. He grinned, "You know I never did get to beat you in a battle while we were here."

May's eyes lit up and she grinned competitively, "Is that a challenge I smell, Ketchum?"

"You betcha! I figure Sceptile and Blaziken have some unfinished business, eh?" Ash proposed with a wicked smile.

"You are so on!"

"Hey, wait, if you're gonna battle May, I don't wanna be left out!" Max complained.

"Sorry Max," Norman stepped in, "But you already battled Ash. I think it's May's turn."

"Aw…okay…"

"It'll be quick, I promise." May said, "Are you ready, Ash?"

Ash clenched his fist confidently and grinned, "Born ready."

"The battle between Ash from Pallet Town and May from Petalburg City will now begin! Are we both agreed on the rules?" Norman asked both sides, formally, despite having no real reason to do so.

"You betcha!" May answered. Ash simply nodded.

"All right then! Battle, begin!"

Ash wasted no time in revealing the concealed Poké Ball, adrenaline rushing through his veins already. "Sceptile, I choose you!"

May spun her own Poké Ball on her finger before closing her hand around the capsule and throwing it, "Blaziken, take the stage!"

The old rivals from the Hoenn Region both spawned from their Poké Balls, each locking eyes at the same time. Sceptile produced a reed and closed its jaw around it, grinning confidently. Blaziken, meanwhile, took an offensive stance and flared the flames that guarded its wrists. It had been far too long since they'd last battled, and both Pokémon aimed to settle the score that had begun back in the Terracotta Contest almost three years ago.

"Sceptile, use Quick Attack!"

Sceptile lurched forward before seemingly disappearing from view. A bright white aura of speed was left in the grass-type's place, and without so much as a warning the tall grass-type slammed into Blaziken, reappearing to knock the fire-type to the ground. Blaziken stumbled and fell backwards, recovering almost immediately after, but Sceptile was already back on its side of the field. The fire-type was nothing short of impressed. Sceptile had managed to become even faster since the last time they had battled.

"Shrug it off, Blaziken! We've got some speed of our own to show off! Use Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken's feet erupted in flames and the fire-type used its powerful legs to launch itself into the air. Gravity overtook Blaziken's jump and threw the fire-type toward the ground, arcing the Blaze Pokémon toward Sceptile's position.

"Sceptile, dodge with Quick Attack!"

Sceptile practically teleported a few feet to the side, and Blaziken landed anti-climactically. Some stray flames spread out from where the fire-type's feet had landed, but other than that, the attack had missed entirely.

"Night Slash!"

"Block it!"

Sceptile lunged forward with yet another burst of ridiculous speed, its arms bathed in a piercing violet light. Blaziken spotted the grass-type as it closed in and brought up its arms, powering up the flames on its wrists to serve as a guard. Sceptile clashed with Blaziken and hacked at the block, but the fire-type stood its ground. The Night Slash was rendered ineffective, and in Sceptile's moment of inaction, May called for an attack.

"Use Flamethrower!"

A cone of scorching flames erupted from Blaziken's gaping mouth, connecting with Sceptile and wrapping around its body. The flames burned painfully, but Sceptile instinctively scrambled back and rolled into the ground repeatedly, putting out the majority of the burning fire. Blaziken leered at Sceptile incredulously before leaping into the air, landing cleanly back on May's side of the field. May gasped at Sceptile's swift response. Although the Flamethrower had no doubt hurt Sceptile, its after-effects had been neutralized.

"That was good, May, using Sceptile's own speed against it. But we've been working on how to defend against fire for the past couple of months, to the point where it's an instinct now." Ash explained, "Use fire all you want, but you'll have trouble getting a lasting effect from it."

"I should've expected something like that from you, Ash." May answered, barely fazed, "But Blaziken and I have plenty of fire to spare, and we'll make you eat those words!"

"We'll see about that. Sceptile, use Agility!"

Sceptile shifted back and forth at a speed so fast, it almost appeared that there were multiple copies of the grass-type on the field. The mirages faded, but there was no telling how much faster Sceptile would be. The grass-type was already indescribably fast, and his body was twitching with slight, involuntary movements. How much faster could he get?

"Blaziken, hang back. I wanna see what Ash does."

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!"

May smirked at Ash's eager use of offense. Sceptile surged forward at high speed as large growths on its arms grew a brilliant emerald. "Blaziken, use Fire Spin on the ground!"

Blaziken obeyed and spat a curved blast of fire at its feet, lighting the dirt ablaze. The flames spread out in a controlled, spiral-like pattern as Sceptile arrived. The grass-type lunged forward anyway, striking Blaziken twice with two brutal Leaf Blades, but the grounded flames lapped at its feet regardless. Sceptile bounded back to its side of the battlefield, grinning with the reed in its teeth as Blaziken recovered.

A brilliant flash of orange ripped into existence all around Sceptile, spinning around its body quickly before vanishing. Sceptile's legs weakened for a moment, but the grass-type managed to stand strong again.

"What was that you were saying about a lasting effect, Ash?" May taunted.

"That's my fault, Sceptile. I didn't think about Blaziken's Fire Spin." Ash apologized to the proud grass-type before raising his voice to compliment May, "That was good, May. But you're a long way away from sealing the deal."

Sceptile cocked its head so it could see its Trainer out of one eye and grinned. The Fire Spin would hurt him for the rest of the battle, but he was still in great shape for now.

"Okay, Blaziken, let's hit 'em with some more fire! Use Flamethrower!"

"Sceptile, dodge and use Leaf Blade!"

Blaziken released another beam of fire, but Sceptile had no trouble dodging it. The grass-type sped toward Blaziken and readied its Leaf Blade.

"Counter with Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken spiraled into the air as its feet caught fire, corkscrewing and then kicking out as Sceptile attempted a Leaf Blade. The move succeeded both times, deflecting Sceptile's Leaf Blades, but as Blaziken went to land back on its feet, Ash shouted for a different attack.

"Night Slash!"

Blaziken landed, only to feel a slashing pain in its belly. Sceptile sped along, dashing away from its target and rounding back to Ash's side of the field. Blaziken staggered, falling to one knee as it felt for where the attack had connected.

"Blaziken, no! Are you all right?"

" _Blaze…"_

"Sceptile, you ready to finish this?"

" _Scep-tile!"_

"All right, use Solarbeam!"

Sceptile's form instantly started to glow as it drank in the sunlight pouring down from the early morning sky. Blaziken looked as its adversary, frowning worriedly.

"Blaziken, let's strike first! Use Flamethrower, max power!"

Blaziken appeared to hesitate as it opened its beak. Its throat glowed a bright orange, and then a powerful blast of flame shot out. The fire pulsed and flared in different directions, but Sceptile was now stationary thanks to its use of Solarbeam.

"Sceptile, get out of there and use Night Slash!"

The fire overran Sceptile, swallowing the grass-type and cutting off its Solarbeam charge. Ash shouted as he lost sight of Sceptile. The powerful flame caused his face to heat up, and the hot wind that followed blew his spiked hair backward and nearly knocked his cap off, forcing Ash to grab the brim of the hat and hold it down. Finally, the fire was snuffed out, and the sensation of heat faded away. Ash blinked a few times and noticed that Sceptile was nowhere to be found, having vanished from its previous spot.

"What the…?"

"Where did Sceptile go?" May gasped.

Suddenly, two purplish slashes appeared, one crossing diagonally across Blaziken's body and the other retracing the horizontal slash that had struck Blaziken only a few moments before. Sceptile appeared a handful of feet to Blaziken's side, smoldering patches resembling a burn marking his shoulder.

Blaziken croaked as the attack sapped all of his remaining energy, and any footing the fire-type had been about to gain after the Flamethrower attack had vanished. Unceremoniously, Blaziken crumpled to the ground, his eyes marked by swirls. Sceptile stumbled as well, though the grass-type prevented itself from fainting and simply stood on its knees. The move declared a clear winner of the battle, and Norman raised his arms and waved them, pulling all attention to him.

"Blaziken is unable to battle! The winner is Ash and Sceptile!"

There was no cheering from the victor's side of the field. May gently walked over to her fallen starter and helped him sit up. Blaziken crossed its legs as it sat up straight, its entire body hurting from Sceptile's brutal physical attacks.

" _Blaze…"_

"Oh, Blaziken, you battled so well. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

" _Scep-tile."_ The nearby grass-type croaked in agreement, drawing both Blaziken and May's attention, _"Scep-tile. Scep-tile, Scep-tile."_

" _Blaziken…"_

Ash popped in at that moment, catching May by surprise. "Hey you two, that was a great battle. You and Blaziken battled hard. I had fun."

"Me too." May agreed with a smile before turning back to look at Blaziken, "Now, what do you say we get you and Sceptile some rest?"

" _Blaze."_

Ash joyfully munched on the breakfast sandwich, a combination of eggs, bacon, and cheese squeezed between two bagel buns. The rest of the group ate a little more civilly, and Ash was done eating well before anyone else as a result.

"So, May, what are you going to do when you get back to Hoenn?" Dawn piped up.

"Yeah, I wanna know that too." Ash agreed, leaning forward in his chair eagerly.

May set her fork down on the plate and then placed her elbows on the table, leaning against her connected arms. "Well, I gave that a lot of thought last night, and I decided that I'm gonna take a break from traveling."

Ash cocked an eyebrow as Norman, Caroline, and Max all turned to listen to May. "I've spent the vast majority of the last four years away from home, training and becoming better. But now that I've achieved my big dream, I'm kind of at a loss. I've decided that I'm gonna go back home to Petalburg City and help my Dad out at the Gym, and then I'll see where I go from there!"

Norman and Caroline both smiled. Max became happy and declared, "That means you'll be home for Christmas!"

"Wait…Christmas?" Ash asked, puzzled.

"Yes, Ash, Christmas. It's a winter holiday where—" May teased.

"I know what Christmas is!" Ash interjected, "My Mom told me about it back when I left Mt. Silver, but I guess it never really registered how close we were. The past six months have flown by so quickly! Oh shoot, I should probably go call my Mom!"

Ash shot up from his seat and bolted over to the videophone, wildly typing away at the dial that was built into the wall. May and Max chuckled as Dawn rolled her eyes playfully. "Only Ash would lose track of time like that." She commented before turning back to May and Max, "Do you guys really have to leave?"

May frowned, "Yeah, Dawn, I guess we do. It's been really fun competing and traveling around, but our paths are different now. We'll have to make the most of it."

"Yeah, guess so…"

The group ate in silence for a few more minutes until Ash came back from the videophone, leaning on his chair as he stood. Everyone had mostly finished eating and in a few more moments the group was ready to go with a little over an hour before their flight. Ash and Dawn both tagged along with the family of four to the airport, escorting them all the way to the gates of airport security.

Regretfully, it was time for the group to finally split. Norman and Caroline took a few steps back to let the younger four people say their goodbyes. Ash and Max shook hands, the younger Trainer quite literally looking up to the older one.

"Good luck with the Hoenn League, Max. You're gonna be great."

"Thanks, Ash. Whatever you do next, I know you'll win. But no matter what happens, the next time we battle, I'm gonna beat you!" Max said confidently.

"Hmpf. All right, Max, I'll take you up on that offer."

A few feet away, Dawn and May hugged. "See ya, Top Coordinator."

"See ya soon, future Top Coordinator." May answered with a chuckle, "Seriously though, good luck. I know you'll win the next one."

The Coordinators pulled away from their hug, and Dawn glanced over to Ash and Max, who were laughing about something. May shifted her gaze from Ash, to Dawn, and then back to Ash, before turning and looking Dawn straight in the eye.

"The next time I see you, you better have gone and gotten him, girl. Guys like him won't be around forever." May said sternly.

"Yeah…I know…it's just hard." Dawn answered half-heartedly.

"I get it, Dawn. Take your time. If what I've seen from Ash is any indication, you'll have plenty of it."

"Wait, what?" Dawn asked, but May had already started walking toward Ash. Max trotted away from the older Trainer and rejoined Norman and Caroline, leaving only May's goodbye to Ash.

Ash exhaled heavily, "Bye, May."

"Bye, Ash." May answered, before she surged forward and wrapped the taller Trainer in a tight hug, "Good luck to you."

"You too. We'll see each other again soon, I know it." Ash answered, tightly holding onto May for a moment, almost as if he wouldn't be letting go of his friend. But their time was running low, so the two friends were forced to separate. May rejoined her family, and after a final glance and waves from each member of the family, Ash and Dawn were left alone.

"Well…what now?" Dawn asked eventually after they walked out of the airport.

"I don't know. I guess we head back to Pallet Town." Ash answered.

"Yeah, let's do that."

"Let's fly back on our Pokémon, then. No point in walking all the way around from Saffron again." Ash decided, unclipping a Poké Ball and calling on Charizard. Dawn called out Togekiss, and after both Trainers climbed atop their respective Pokémon's back, took to the skies, leaving the Johto Region behind for good.

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Above Route 1**_

Charizard and Togekiss were flying relatively slowly now. They had cleared the mountain range splitting Kanto and Johto less than an hour ago, and Viridian City was passing below them now. The air was frigid up in the sky, and Ash's teeth were chattering as the cold wind showed no mercy on his face.

"Hey, you wanna drop down on Route 1 and walk the rest of the way?" Ash shouted toward Dawn, "I need to stretch my legs!"

"That sounds great to me." Dawn agreed, "I could do the same."

"Okay, then! Charizard, let's land down there!"

"Togekiss, you too!"

The pair of flying-types started descending, covering about three-fourths of Route 1 on the way down. Both Pokémon landed in sync and then were sucked back into their Poké Balls, leaving the two Trainers to walk the rest of the way to Pallet Town. Ash and Dawn walked in silence, passing the T-intersection sign where they had last seen Brock and moving past it.

Eventually, the tree line opened up and the hills leading into Pallet Town appeared. Ash and Dawn both stopped, admiring the scenery. Snow had fallen by now all over the region, leaving a thin layer of powder on everything but the dirt path, which had been artificially cleared at some point.

"Woo. Feeling a little bit of déjà vu right now." Dawn joked, "Although the snow is new."

"Man, do I love Christmastime. Kanto and Johto are pretty far south compared to the rest of the Regions I've been to, but we always manage to get some snow every year around this time." Ash explained, his breath becoming visible with each breath.

"You can't argue with that view, that's for sure." Dawn agreed.

"Race you to town?"

"You'll beat me, but sure. I'm ready to get indoors. Piplup, you'd better hold on tight."

" _Luuup…"_ Piplup remarked with embarrassment as he tried his best to latch onto Dawn's head with his flippers.

"On your marks…" Ash began with a childish smile, "Get set…go!"

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Pallet Town**_

Ash raced into Pallet Town, Dawn hot on his heels. The main square of Pallet Town became an afterthought and the pair reached the path that led to the Ketchum household. The front porch was empty, but the wind chimes hanging down from the awning dangled endlessly as the wintry breeze blew through the town. Ash vaulted over the gate that fenced in the front yard, while Dawn entered much more tamely by actually opening the gate herself and closing it behind her. Her eager traveling companion beat on the front door relentlessly, and Delia eventually opened the door.

"Ash, my baby! You're back!" Delia shouted as she pulled her son into a hug, "Oh my, boy, you've grown quite a bit of muscle there since the last time I saw you! And Dawn, my dear, how are you?"

"Hi again, Miss Delia." Dawn answered with a childlike smile, "I'm doing great. What about you?"

"Well, I'm just finishing up preparations for Christmas. I'm so glad the two of you decided to come back here." Delia explained, "Ash says that your Johto journey is now over, yes?"

"That's right. Me and May moved fast, and we managed to close out the season really well!" Dawn answered with a chipper tone, "It didn't quite end how I wanted it to, though."

"Oh, that's quite all right, Dawn, at least you worked hard. Ash has been training for over six years and he's still working toward his goals. Anyway, do you two want some lunch?"

"You know I do!" Ash hollered in answer, "Break out the goods, Mom!"

Delia giggled, "All right, dear, I'll whip something up. You two make yourselves comfortable."

Delia strolled away in the direction of the kitchen and Ash shut the front, banishing the cold air from the house. The Pallet native then bounded over to the couch, crashing down onto one of the cushions and grabbing the remote. Dawn calmly sat down on the other end of three-cushion couch as the television flickered to life. A bird's-eye view of a stadium was on the screen, slowly zooming in before transitioning to a close-up of the battlefield boxed in within the stadium.

"Hey, look at that, this must be the Indigo Champion League." Ash said, "But…it should be over by now. Must be a re-run."

" _The challenger is down to only one final Pokémon, while Elite Four member Agatha still has three healthy Pokémon. It's the challenger's Alakazam up against Agatha's Gengar!"_

"Check that out. Agatha must've been the one to beat this guy." Ash commented absently. The challenger was a nameless Trainer with short, spiky orange hair, but he looked completely lost against the ghost-type specialist.

"Is Agatha part of the Kanto Elite Four?"

"Yep. I actually battled her one time in Viridian City, and she was unbelievably strong. Of course, I had no idea she was part of the Elite Four at the time. I only found that out _after_ Gengar beat Pikachu."

"Do you think you could beat her now?" Dawn asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. My limits haven't really been tested yet. I would love to challenge her, but I have no way of knowing how to contact her. Plus, it's the holidays, I'm sure she's busy."

" _Hey Ash!"_ Delia called from the kitchen, _"I just remembered that Professor Oak was going to come over with Tracey for dinner tonight!"_

"Oh, cool! What about Gary?" Ash shouted back.

" _Professor Oak said Gary wouldn't be back in Kanto for a few more days! Professor Rowan has been keeping him busy since Team Galactic collapsed!"_

"Well, that's cool. It'll be nice to see Gary again. I wonder how he's been doing." Ash pondered aloud.

"Hey, Ash?" Dawn butted in, "Look, as much as I love being here in Pallet Town again, I really think I should go back to Sinnoh and spend Christmas with my Mom."

Ash's demeanor immediately turned to one of confusion, before shifting to sadness, "…Yeah, that makes sense, actually. You're right."

"I don't mean to bail on you, really. It's just—"

"Hey, Dawn, you're right. You have family that you should spend the holidays with." Ash interrupted, "I'm not mad at all, really."

"…Okay…" Dawn answered half-heartedly.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Ash suddenly beamed, grinning stupidly as he shot up from the couch.

"That came out of nowhere." Dawn said back, glancing up at her traveling companion.

"After the holidays, I'll go back to Sinnoh!" Ash hollered, "We can travel around the Region again, just like last time!"

Dawn smiled happily, but knowing Ash, she wasn't 100% sold on traveling a Region for a second time. "Are you sure? I thought you liked to travel new Regions after a journey."

"Yeah, I do, but this time it's going to be different. I got so strong in Sinnoh, and we've made all this progress since we wrapped up our journey there." Ash pointed out, "So what's the point in running off to start another journey with just Pikachu and none of my other Pokémon? And then I can challenge the Sinnoh League again, and you could travel with me and compete in Contests again…if you want to, of course."

Dawn beamed. "I'd love to travel with you again, Ash!"

"Awesome! This will be great! We can go all around the Region too and see all of these people again like Gary, Zoey, Roark, maybe even Riley or Nando!"

"I like that idea!" Dawn agreed, standing up with Ash now, "Let's do this! Let's go travel Sinnoh again!"

* * *

Night had fallen on Pallet Town by the time Ash walked Dawn out the front door and onto the porch. Professor Oak and Tracey had left a little more than a half-hour ago after nearly two hours of eating and talking about the two Trainers' latest exploits and their upcoming plans. Delia and Oak had greatly approved of Ash's idea to revisit the Sinnoh Region for another journey, but Delia in particular had been sad to see Dawn leave. Dawn carried a moderately sized cubical box in her hands, specially wrapped from Delia.

"If you're gonna take a ferry back to Sinnoh, you'll want to head for Vermillion City. You'll have to fly just a little bit northwest—no, east—over the bay. All of the ships come into and out of Vermillion from there." Ash explained. "There should be plenty of hotels you can stay in before your ferry tomorrow."

"No need to worry, Ash, I got it." Dawn replied cheerily.

"Oh, I worry." Ash muttered.

"Why's that?"

"Well, it's just—you know, we've been traveling together for the better part of the last two and a half years. And Kanto isn't exactly the safest Region out there, what with Team Rocket still running around."

Dawn giggled, "Ash, you know I can take care of myself. Really, you don't have to worry about me."

"I'll try not to." Ash answered as he reached to open the gate that fenced in the front yard of the house. He let Dawn through onto the dirt road before following her out and shutting the gate behind him, "Just promise me that you will be careful."

Dawn giggled some more, interlocking both of her hands with Ash's. "Okay, I promise. You happy now?"

"Only a little bit." Ash remarked with a joking smile. Dawn fished one of her Poké Balls from her bag and tossed it in a shallow arc. Togekiss materialized from the bright light that leaped out of the capsule, purring with a happy _"Togeeee!"_ as it stretched its irregularly shaped wings.

Dawn walked over to Togekiss and pet the bulky normal-type's head before moving to climb onto its back and fly away. The Coordinator glanced back to Ash as the Trainer walked up next to Togekiss, briefly scratching the Jubilee Pokémon's under its chin before he turned his focus back to Dawn.

"I guess I'll…see you…" Dawn started, unsure how to finish her sentence.

"In two weeks." Ash said quickly, grinning and holding up two fingers.

"In two weeks." Dawn agreed, before looking up to the night sky, "Right. No need to worry."

A few seconds of silence later, Dawn shouted, "Okay, Togekiss, let's go!" and the Jubilee Pokémon rocketed up into the air, righting itself after it climbed a hundred feet or so and then blazing forward through the night sky. Ash stood from the ground and watched the silhouette of the Pokémon disappear from sight in the starlit sky. After a few more moments of watching the stars, Ash turned around and slowly walked back toward his home, sighing heartily as he hopped over the fence and reached the porch.

"Two weeks…" he muttered, before turning the doorknob and disappearing into the house behind a heavy _thunk_ as the door closed shut.

* * *

 **So, our heroes have split from May and left the Johto Region behind for good! A lot has happened in that time, and I'd be very pleased if as many people reading this as possible spoke their minds on the Johto arc as a whole in a review at the bottom. If you'd be so kind, let me know what you thought about this part of the story in general, what you liked, what you didn't like, and what you think I perhaps left out, did poorly, or could do better in the future. I'm inviting your criticism here, so please do consider leaving a review! I WANT to hear from you!**

 **As for the future, it is decided! Ash and Dawn will reunite once again soon and will take on a second journey in the Sinnoh Region! What did you think about Ash's strange dream(s)? What do you think will be in store for our heroes as they travel the Region again, especially considering other particular developments involving other characters? Also, if parts of this chapter seemed a little rushed, particularly when Ash and Dawn are in Pallet Town, I apologize. I honestly felt like I'd been writing this chapter for far longer than a week and could not wait to be finished with it.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as "The Journey Continues"!**


	26. Tis the Season!

**A shorter chapter than usual here to bridge the gap. I got quite a few reviews over the past few days and I'm grateful for each and every one. I hope that all of those who did review, as well as other readers in the future, will continue to leave reviews. In response to a reviewer who said that May didn't have much of a part in the story, you're right about that. I think her presence was necessary, but there probably could've been more to her character. My apologies. Remember to leave a review at the bottom; I hope I can get as many this time around as I did with the last chapter! Happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 26_

' _Tis the Season!_

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Pallet Town**_

A wintry breeze fluttered in through the opened screen window, flicking the drapes that hung from the top of the windowpane. The tendrils of wind danced over to the nearby bed in the room, towards the two shapes huddled up on the bedspread. The larger of the two shapes was very much so, curled into a cannonball position to conserve his warmth. The smaller of the two shapes was, likewise, very much so, but instead the creature was curled up on top of the bedspread, exposed to the elements as he huddled close to the Pokémon Trainer that dozed next to him.

The breeze caused Pikachu's hairs to stand on end and shook his whole body with a light shiver. The sensation caused the electric-type to awaken and then sit up on its rear, scanning the room for a moment as he adjusted to being awake. With a yawn and a few more blinks, Pikachu was fully awake. The mouse smacked its mouth as it stretched out every part of its body, before turning to the sleeping Trainer next to him.

" _Pika…"_ Pikachu purred happily, rubbing his back briefly on Ash's face. The Trainer's face scrunched up at the sensation, but subconsciously smoothed out in ignorance. The Pride of Pallet continued to sleep, undisturbed by Pikachu's methods.

Pikachu was feeling particularly mischievous, but at the same time he was certain that Ash wouldn't be pleased with being awoken by a Thunderbolt. Instead, the little electric mouse summoned the smallest of volts from its cheeks, generating small tendrils of electricity that circled around his cheek sacs. Gently, Pikachu tapped his cheek on Ash's nose, passing the small shock onto the Trainer. Ash's body tensed, and Pikachu shocked him again in response. After a third shock, the Trainer finally opened his eyes and smiled half-heartedly at the eager electric-type.

"All right, buddy, I'm awake." Ash groaned, "You got my attention."

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu squealed as it hopped into Ash's half-opened arms and then relentlessly pushed its head playfully into Ash's chest, succeeding in making Ash laugh and scratch the top of his head at the same time.

"You're excitable today, aren't you buddy?" Ash chuckled as Pikachu burrowed its head into his shirt, "What time is it?"

The clock read 7:30 exactly, making Ash somewhat content. He had been quite tired the night before, but his biological clock refused to shut itself off after so many months of rising early.

"Wait, is it Christmas?" Ash suddenly realized.

" _Pi-ka!"_

"Well then we'd better get moving, huh, buddy?" Ash asked excitedly, "C'mon, let's go!"

Ash grabbed onto Pikachu haphazardly and stumbled out of the bed in a single motion. He righted himself and then threw open his bedroom door, happily bounding down the steps as Pikachu tightly clenched onto the front of Ash's shirt. The teenage boy thumped down onto the ground floor and Pikachu half-relaxed as Ash trotted into the living room. Delia was setting down a boxed present underneath the tree when she heard her son, and she turned around immediately.

"Merry Christmas, Ash!" Delia cooed, bringing her son into a hug. Unfortunately, Pikachu was still dangling from Ash's shirt, and was squeezed in between the two humans. The electric-type unhappily kicked back and forth, and Delia backed away as she felt the mouse's movements, "Well, I'm so sorry, Pikachu. I didn't even see you there. Here, how about I make it up to you with some gourmet breakfast just for you?"

Pikachu loved the sound of that, and happily let go of Ash's shirt, falling and landing cleanly on the ground before bounding over toward the kitchen. Delia chuckled and followed the mouse's lead, disappearing into the kitchen. Ash snickered and turned to the tree, reaching down and sorting out the mere handful of presents stashed underneath the branches. It had always been Ash and Delia for Christmas, so there was never very much under the tree, but it had never mattered for the Trainer.

This year, Ash's wrapped up presents were at a grand total of 2, but as Ash had gotten older he had become less and less concerned with the number of presents he received. Delia returned from the kitchen without Pikachu, who was most likely chowing down on whatever delicacy she'd prepared for him. She sat down in the singular chair next to the couch, holding a cup of coffee. "Well, Ash, do you want to start opening?"

"You bet I do!" Ash hollered, immediately grabbing the closest box and wasting no time in tearing the wrapping paper apart. Underneath the paper was a traditional large rectangular box, which Ash mindlessly pulled open without much thought. Inside the box was a brand new backpack, primarily colored slate grey with navy blue zippers and the outline of a Poké Ball printed in red and white in the center.

"Woah, this is one of those brand new backpacks!" Ash hollered, examining every inch of the bag, "Thanks, Mom."

"That's not all that's in there." Delia added, "Unzip the top pocket."

Ash cocked an eyebrow and then reached for the nearest zipper. The sound made by the new zipper was music to Ash's ears, and his eyes lit up as he spotted the treasure trove of items inside the backpack.

"A new belt for my Poké Balls, some new gloves, and a new hat, too!" Ash listed, grabbing each item one at a time and pulling them out of the bag. The new hat was an inverse of his previous hat; the bill and sides was navy blue, while the front and top of the hat was red. The half-Poké Ball print was also white instead of light blue, and was outlined by a black trim. The gloves were fingerless as always; colored navy blue and ending at the wrists with a stark red trim.

"I figured I would put everything I could fit into the backpack so I could save on wrapping paper and boxes." Delia explained, "Do you like them?"

" _I love them!"_ Ash assured her, immediately forcing his hands through the new gloves and clenching his fists to test out the fabric, "The inside of these gloves feels a little different."

"It's some new fabric technology that they've come out with recently," Delia said, "Something about being extra-breathable." Ash squeezed the hat onto his head as Delia spoke, adjusting it constantly so he could try and find the best fit.

"How do I look?" Ash asked with a grin, "Like a Pokémon Master in the making?"

"You sure do, sweetheart." Delia answered with a chuckle, "Now, open the other one so you can run off and see your Pokémon. I'm sure you'd like to."

"Sure thing, Mom!" Ash declared, grabbing the second and final box. This one was much smaller; being more of a flat rectangular prism than the box the backpack had come in. Ash examined the box for a second before shredding the wrapping paper and pulling the box open.

Inside the flat box was a neatly folded new top. A navy blue vest-like jacket not unlike his original one was on top, with various red and white trims on areas such as the pocket and the hem. White sleeves extended from the shoulders of the jacket. Folded underneath the jacket was a black undershirt and a pair of dark blue jeans.

"I was looking at the first outfit you wore when you traveled Kanto, and I thought I might look into a different color scheme." Delia explained as she noticed Ash had gone silent, "Do you not like it?"

"No, no, I do, I'm just…thinking back, you know? It's not the same colors and all, but it brings back memories, that's for sure."

Pikachu bounded into the living room from the kitchen at that moment, chewing up the last of his breakfast. The electric mouse hopped onto the couch where Ash sat, and sat happily down on the cushions as he noticed the new set of clothes in the box. The mouse cocked his head curiously, one of his ears bending down with him.

"Hey, Pikachu, remember our first day together?" Ash asked with a sudden grin, "You were not a fan of me, were you buddy?"

Pikachu purred nervously and reached back behind his round yellow head, bending one of his ears down again, _"Pii-kaaa…"_

"Man, that seems like so long ago." Ash said absently, "Everything we went through, all the friends we made and the Pokémon we caught. I wouldn't trade that journey for anything."

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ Pikachu agreed, hopping onto Ash's shoulder and nuzzling up against his Trainer for a brief moment. Ash giggled and grabbed at the mouse playfully while Delia watched with a wistful smile. Her boy may have been growing up, but there was still plenty of childishness left in him.

"Okay, Mom, it's time for your presents." Ash decided, reaching down with Pikachu to the tree for the two boxes labeled 'To Delia, From Ash & Pikachu'. One box was very small, while the other was about the size of Ash's head. "They're not much, but I hope you like them."

Delia graciously took the two boxes with her hands and placed them on her lap, going for the smaller one first. The wrapping paper came off easily and revealed a grey box. Delia moved to open the box and found a golden locket inside. The front of the locket had a script letter 'D' engraved on it.

"Oh, Ash, how sweet of you."

"Open it up." Ash insisted, prompting Delia to pull the locket out of the box. She gave the necklace a once-over, running her fingers over the metal. She then pulled open the locket and gasped. Inside, placed on both parts of the locket, were pictures of Ash and Pikachu together. One picture was a simple shot of them in Pallet Town, while the next one was a snapshot of the pair on the hilly sections of a mountain range.

"What did I do to deserve a child as sweet as you?" Delia asked with a tear in her eye, "This is so thoughtful, Ash."

"Oh, stop." Ash complained jokingly, "Now open the other one."

Delia tied the locket around her neck and let it dangle as she unwrapped the larger present. Just like Ash's second present, underneath the paper was a plain white box. Delia opened this box and found a pair of picture frames stacked up. As she pulled both frames out to look at them, Delia saw that both already had pictures placed in them. One frame had a picture of Ash, May, and Dawn standing together somewhere in Johto, while the second frame held a nature shot on a snowy mountain. In the second picture, Ash could be seen pointing his hand forward in a commanding way, and Pikachu was releasing a Thunderbolt as the picture had been taken.

"What beautiful pictures." Delia commented, "I'll have to add them to the memory shelf."

"Yeah, as short as it was, the last six months were still a journey, so I figured we needed a picture to commemorate it. That second one was taken during our training on Mt. Silver. We were really high up when we took that! Do you like them?"

"Ash, you have no idea how happy it makes me that you think of me so much." Delia said as she wiped a tear from her eye, "Of course I like them. You're the best child a mother could possibly ask for."

Ash went to hug Delia and then helped her place the two pictures on the cluttered shelf where Ash's memorabilia from his journeys sat. "Any more journeys and we'll probably need a second shelf." Ash commented.

"Might get one anyway, just so we can space everything out instead of cluttering everything together." Delia answered, "Well, I know you want to go and see your Pokémon, so I won't hold you prisoner here anymore."

"Y'know I've never heard of a prison that serves food as good as yours." Ash joked back, "But yeah, I'll go see everybody. Might even get in a little bit of training." Ash briefly hugged Delia, before letting Pikachu jump up to his shoulder and heading for the door.

"Have fun with your Pokémon, Ash."

"I will! Merry Christmas, Mom." Ash hollered back as he disappeared out the door. The door slammed shut, leaving Delia alone in the house again. Holding the locket in her hand once again, Delia smiled gleefully before heading to the kitchen to prepare ingredients for Christmas dinner.

* * *

Ash washed his hands as he finished eating his breakfast. The waffle, drowned in syrup, proved to be stubborn, forcing the Trainer to chew more than he had wanted to in order to get the food down. After washing his hands, Ash went to clean the empty plate with warm water and soap, cleaning the dish somewhat and placing it in the dishwasher before washing his hands a second time. With his morning chores done, Ash trotted back into the living room.

Delia sat on the couch, calmly drinking from a cup of coffee as she flicked between countless channels on the TV before finally settling on the morning news. The anchor droned on about something or other before changing over to the weather.

"Well, Mom, I guess I should head out soon." Ash decided, "The ferry should be leaving in around an hour and I need to pick up my Pokémon from Professor Oak's lab."

Delia stood up from the couch, setting the coffee mug on the nearby table and walking over to her son, "All right my dear, give me a hug." Delia half-ordered, getting her wish immediately, "You have lots of fun traveling Sinnoh again. Say hi to Johanna and Dawn for me."

"I will, I promise." Ash answered as he hugged his Mom, "Pikachu, you ready to go?"

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu squealed agreeably, hopping up onto Ash's shoulder. The electric mouse glanced to Delia and raised its front leg to wave goodbye, causing Delia to laugh.

"Goodbye, Pikachu. You have lots of fun too." Delia said through her chuckles.

Ash then headed for the door, opening it and listening to the wind chimes sing in the winter breeze. The Trainer turned and glanced back at Delia, who was doing her best to hold her smile, and then departed, closing the door soundly behind him. The chilly wind was a welcome sensation on Ash's body as he adjusted his jacket and pulled his cap down so that it fit more squarely on his head. He clenched his hands into balled fists for a moment before sighing.

"Okay, Pikachu, let's head to Oak's." Ash decided. The electric mouse purred in agreement, and the Trainer took off, escaping onto the main road and heading straight for the Professor's lab. The jog there wasn't too long, so Ash found himself running up the curved steps on the hill within minutes. He skidded to a halt and knocked repeatedly on the door, which opened only a handful of seconds later.

"Hiya, Ash. You're right on time!" Tracey greeted, "The Professor's in the back with your Pokémon."

"Thanks, Tracey!" Ash answered as he barged into the building, immediately bounding to the backside of the building where he could get to the Ranch. Indeed, Professor Oak was tending to the five Pokémon Ash had chosen to initially bring with him to the Sinnoh Region: Buizel, Sceptile, Charizard, Glalie, and Heracross. Along with Pikachu, Ash would be carrying six Pokémon with him when he arrived in Sinnoh, something that he hadn't traditionally done during his time as a Trainer.

"Professor!" Ash called, getting the researcher's attention. Oak smiled contently, walking toward the teen.

"Hello there, Ash! You sure seem to be in a rush." Oak commented, "I promise I won't keep you too long. Here, I've fetched the Poké Balls of these five Pokémon for you."

"Thanks, Professor." Ash said as he grabbed four of the five Poké Balls. He robustly held them all in his two hands, pointing each of the capsules toward the group of Pokémon, "Okay, everyone, return!" The capsules shot a beam of red light to Buizel, Sceptile, Glalie, and Heracross, sucking each creature back inside the Poké Balls. Charizard was left as the only one still out of his Ball.

"I'd venture to guess you're ready to go?" Oak suggested.

"Seems like it." Ash half-agreed with a sigh, "I do need to get going. Professor, I'll call you when I get to Twinleaf Town tomorrow."

"That sounds like a plan, young man. Don't hesitate to call me if you need to exchange your Pokémon, either. I'll be around."

"Thanks, Professor Oak. Tell Tracey I said bye." With that, Ash ran over to Charizard, who obediently hunkered close to the ground to allow the Trainer to climb on its back, "Okay, Charizard, we're headed to Vermillion City. You ready?"

Charizard roared, beating his powerful wings twice in order to get into the air. The fire-type climbed higher with each beat of his draconic wings, and with a quick maneuver, accelerated forward in the direction of Vermillion City.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Canalave City**_

The ferry ship pulled into port around sunset. The water was colored a brilliant orange by the sun, which seemed to dip off the edge of the world out on the sea. Ash impatiently waited on the deck as he watched the port city grow larger and larger with each passing second. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ship had docked, and all passengers were cleared to disembark onto the port.

Faceless people surrounded Ash as they all walked down the ramp leading to the port. They walked slower than Ash would've liked, but he reluctantly tolerated their lack of hurry. After all, he wouldn't be reaching Twinleaf Town that day. His trip to the small town would have to wait until tomorrow.

Eventually, Ash reached the port, and he expertly maneuvered around the hordes of people in order to reach an open space on the concrete. "Man, Pikachu, we're finally back in the Sinnoh Region. Have you missed it?"

" _Pika-pi, Pikachu…"_

"I hear you buddy." Ash agreed, "Now, let's get to the Pokémon Center and book us a room. We won't be heading for Twinleaf Town until tomorrow."

Without another word, the teenager and the electric mouse sprinted away from the port, leaving the sea behind. The city soon swallowed the foreigners as they searched for the Pokémon Center, blissfully unaware of the goings on around them. Eventually, they reached the Center, and the pair eagerly entered, where they disappeared for the night.

* * *

Just down the sidewalk from the Pokémon Center, a young man with shaggy hair watched the teen vanish inside the Center. He had seen the foreigner enter the city, and tailed him to see just where he was going. The shaggy-haired man wore a raggedy grey jacket with black-striped sleeves, and smoky grey sweatpants on the bottoms with grey-and-black sneakers. Sunglasses hid his eyes, and the true unruliness of his hair was mostly shielded from view by the hood that he had pulled up to protect his face from the cold. Under normal circumstances, his hair would've been cut short and guarded by a grey beret, but since his assignments had been undercover operations and recruitment, he had been permitted to adopt the look of a vagrant.

Having seen all he had needed to see by that time, the stranger stepped into a nearby alley, taking care to make sure no authorities had been present. He passed a dumpster, and immediately next to it was an old, rusted ladder that went all the way up to the top of a building. The man began to climb as he had done several times before, each of his steps making a scratchy noise on the aging ladder, until he reached the roof of the building. The building was far from the tallest in the city, but from its roof he could see most of the island. The Pokémon Center could also be clearly seen from his vantage point. Flocks of people meandered up and down the sidewalks as the vagrant watched from above.

After a few moments of watching, the man fished for his phone from the pocket of the jacket. It was a small, round flip phone, outdated in the current time but still plenty effective in its purpose. While it would work perfectly fine down on the ground, the man's superiors had required that operatives find a secluded place such as this building before sending reports. It was best that their operations remained as low profile as possible for the time being, especially considering the suspicious language that operatives used when trying to reach the base. The phone began dialing the familiar number, and the line bleated for several seconds before someone finally picked up.

" _Information."_

"Hail Giovanni." The man replied quickly and robotically.

"… _One moment please."_

The line went silent for a few seconds, as was protocol. After a few seconds of crackling, a new voice came through the line.

" _Agent, please report."_

"This is Agent C-2, with a report on a sighting near the Canalave City Harbor."

" _Roger that, C-2. Proceed."_

"I've just spotted Ash Ketchum coming from the Harbor." The man said.

"… _Pardon me? You said you saw Ash Ketchum?"_

"That's correct, sir. I'm not quite sure what he's doing here, but he just entered the Pokémon Center. I'm on the roof of a nearby building where I'm keeping watch." The operative explained, "What are my orders?"

" _Remain where you are, Agent. This is an—unexpected—turn of events, and our operations are still too primitive to take immediate action on this."_ The voice answered, _"We cannot be sure of his reasons for being here, so we will resort to keeping an eye on him. Call off all objectives today, and get a hold of your fellow operatives in the city. I want that building and Ketchum watched around the clock, no matter where he goes. But until instructed otherwise, you will not interfere with him. Radio back here if and when he goes on the move. We can't afford to let him roam free."_

"I understand, sir. Consider it done."

" _Hail Giovanni."_ The superior on the other end recited.

"Hail Giovanni." The agent answered back before immediately hanging up. He pocketed the phone into his jacket. By nightfall, there would be half-a-dozen agents on the block keeping watch for the boy with spiky raven hair and the Mouse Pokémon that traveled with him. Their orders would be to simply tail him for as long as they could. If he left the city, they were to abandon their pursuit, and the call would be put out. Agents in other nearby cities as well as those in places such as airports, seaports, and bus stations would begin keeping an eye out in their area for him. While they were not authorized to interfere with him, and likely wouldn't be for a long time, the teen's track record with the organization did not bode well for their goals in Sinnoh, and his presence was more than enough to warrant being watched. With a little luck, the teen would be none the wiser, and as long as he didn't get in the way, they wouldn't be hurting a hair on his little head.

Either way, Ash Ketchum couldn't be allowed to stand in the way of Team Rocket's ultimate victory.


	27. A New Beginning

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 27_

 _A New Beginning_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 218**_

Ash's face was bitterly cold. Charizard was flying quietly through the clear skies, its orange wings beating every few seconds. Pikachu clung tightly to Ash's shoulder, his fur bristling in the wind. It was a frigid winter morning in the Sinnoh Region. Absently, Ash wondered what the weather was like in Snowpoint City at the moment. While the roads below him in southern Sinnoh were mostly clear, patches of frost were present on the endless lines of trees that bordered these roads. Odds were that in the northernmost city of Sinnoh, the people were snowed in. The cold had even forced Ash to wear a sleeved undershirt underneath his new traveling gear, as well as actual gloves instead of the fingerless ones.

"Okay, Charizard, Jubilife City should be right up ahead, so we need to turn right so we can head to Sandgem Town." Ash explained. Sure enough, the metropolis appeared in Ash's field of view, quickly growing from a small dot to a sprawling expanse of urban paradise. Buildings of all shapes and sizes stabbed at the sky while signs of various neon colors advertised all kinds of businesses and activities.

Charizard's body shook as he grumbled in response, shifting its body to turn and head south. The winds picked up for a moment as the fire-type righted itself, serving only to chill Ash's face even further.

"I really should've packed a face mask…" Ash grumbled.

The flight continued in silence, until the buildings of Sandgem Town began popping up in the distance. The town was starkly unlike the metropolis of Jubilife City. Nearly every building was no taller than a story. Sticking out the most, however, was the research lab of Professor Rowan. The front side of the lab was irregularly shaped, and it was attached to a short rectangular stretch of siding. A windmill with three blades stabbed upward from the opposite end of the lab, turning almost robotically in the moderate breeze.

"Hey, Charizard, let's land down in Sandgem Town and stock up on some food and stuff." Ash ordered, patting the dragon on the side of its neck. Charizard rumbled before he started to immediately descend, hardly slowing down as Ash adjusted himself to hop off of the fire-type. As the dragon neared the ground, Ash hopped off of its back, using the slightest amount of Aura to cushion his drop. Charizard pulled up as its Trainer disembarked, twirling around and flying back toward the teen while upside-down. Ash snickered at the fire-type's showboating and then quickly sapped the dragon back into its Poké Ball. "You show-off." Ash teased. The Poké Ball wiggled in response, showing that Charizard not only heard his Trainer, but also took pride in his showmanship.

Ash and Pikachu walked together down the block and entered a nameless shop. The Trainer made a point to stock up on ingredients for cooking. Brock wouldn't be with him on this trip, meaning he would need to make his own food most of the time. Luckily, Riley had shown him how to cook some basic meals during their time training on Mt. Silver. He paid at the cash register and then strutted out of the shop, his backpack already weighing heavily on him. It had never been his job to carry the cooking ingredients—that had always been Brock's prideful responsibility—so the traditional backpack that Ash had brought with him was packed to the brim.

"Hopefully this doesn't rip the zipper." Ash groaned to Pikachu, "I guess we should get going, huh? If we fly on Charizard, we should get to Twinleaf in about half an hour, give or take…"

"Say! Ash, is that you?" a heavy, scratchy voice called out from down the block. Ash immediately looked up and searched for the source. A tall man in nice clothes with thick grey hair came strolling over, waving to draw the teen's attention. A smile lit up Ash's face as he recognized the Professor of the Sinnoh Region.

"Hey, Professor Rowan!" Ash hollered, "Long time, no see!"

The Professor reached Ash and then straightened his posture, flexing his hands before speaking, "I'd say it has been, Ash. How are you?"

"I'm great, Professor Rowan! And you?"

"I'm doing fine as well, Ash, but—I thought you would've gone back to the Kanto Region by now, no? Didn't you compete in the Sinnoh League over six months ago?" Rowan asked.

"That's right, I did. I actually am just now getting back to Sinnoh. I was headed to Twinleaf Town to meet up with Dawn. We were going to travel the Sinnoh Region again."

"Ah, I think I understand. And my goodness, you're quite a bit taller now than the last time I saw you!" Rowan declared, "I almost didn't recognize you, you almost look like I did back when I was your age!"

Ash and Rowan laughed together, before the Professor began speaking again, "You say you're headed to Twinleaf Town to meet Dawn, hmm? Why, I just saw the lass the other day running through town with her Piplup. I flagged her down to speak to her on my way to work, but she never mentioned you'd be in town."

"I'll be sure to ask her about that, then. How's your research coming along?"

"Oh, it's been tremendous, truly it has! We've had some major breakthroughs on the possibilities of evolution!" Rowan gushed, "If you're interested, I'd be glad to have you at the lab so I could show you my findings. I think it would be of immense interest to you as a Trainer."

"You know Professor, that does sound interesting. But, I do need to get to Twinleaf Town pretty soon. I'll tell you what though, in the next few days when Dawn and I leave for our journey, I'll make sure to stop by when we pass through town."

"Yes, that sounds wonderful. I'd be honored to have you both there. You know where my lab is if you'd like to stop by." Rowan agreed, "Well, cheerio, Ash. Perhaps I'll give Professor Oak a call. He might be intrigued by our findings here."

Rowan stepped away from Ash and headed down the road, presumably toward his lab. The elderly Professor waved as he left, and soon Ash was back by himself on the road.

"Professor Rowan seemed pretty excited to show me whatever this evolution research is. It must be worth it to stop by." Ash suggested to Pikachu. The electric mouse agreed with a pleased _"Pii-ka!"_ and Ash pulled Charizard's Poké Ball free from his belt, glancing at the capsule. "I know we only just put you away to get you some rest, but this is the last part of the trip. Charizard, let's go!"

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Twinleaf Town**_

Dawn brushed her hair compulsively. She had slept in late this morning, and with the knowledge that Ash was coming into town today, her subconscious was driving her wild. She even knew that he most likely wouldn't care what she looked like, but here she was going to lengths to impress him.

 _Crushes stink,_ Dawn thought as she finally arranged her hair just how she wanted. She placed her yellow hair clips in to hold her locks in place and then began adjusting her clothes. She smoothed out her miniskirt and then tucked her feet into the pink boots she had worn since day one of her journey as a Trainer. Looking back up at the mirror, Dawn's focus fell on a few particular locks of her hair. They were uneven. She gritted her teeth and then removed the hair clips, going back to work.

Eventually, Dawn was finally comfortable with her appearance. She snugly fit her trademark beanie on her head, smiling at her reflection in the mirror for good measure. She skipped out of the upstairs bathroom and headed down the stairs gleefully. On the ground floor, Piplup was placing morsels of Pokémon food into his mouth one by one while Johanna was sweeping the kitchen. The former Top Coordinator looked up from her work and smiled.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Johanna greeted, "You look happy."

"You could say that." Dawn answered cheerily.

"Excited to see Ash again?" Johanna answered, wearing a smirk.

"Uh…um…" Dawn stuttered, "Yeah, you know? I'm glad I'll get to travel with him again, for real this time."

"All right, dear." Johanna said, not believing the excuse in the slightest but keeping that part to herself, "I put your breakfast in the microwave."

"Thanks, Mom!" Dawn said as she bolted to the microwave, throwing open the small door and grabbing at the plate of eggs and toast. Johanna went back to sweeping, the gears of her imagination turning endlessly as she worked. Before she knew it, Dawn had brought the empty plate back into the kitchen and was washing her hands when a sudden knock sounded at the front door.

" _I got it!"_ Dawn said immediately, recklessly drying her hands with a paper towel and powerwalking to the front door. Johanna stifled a giggle as Dawn's boots _clicked_ loudly on the wooden floors as she went to the door. The front door soon opened to reveal a tall teenager clad from head to toe in navy blue, red, and gray.

"You made it!" Dawn sighed with relief, smiling brightly and staring for a few seconds.

"Hey Dawn. Are you going to invite me in?" Ash teased, pulling his own childish smile.

"Oh, right! Yeah, come in, Ash." Dawn reeled; stepping back and pulling the door open as far as it would go so that the Trainer could enter the house. A winter wind followed in his wake, briefly grappling with the warm air of the house until Dawn shut the door. Ash suddenly shook like a dog as he worked out all of the cold from his body, adjusting to the comfortable warmth in the home.

"Place is smaller than I remember." Ash said absently, drawing a wide smile, "Or am I just bigger?"

"You're getting cocky, Ash Ketchum." Dawn snorted back, "Hi, Pikachu." Dawn waved to the little electric mouse on Ash's shoulder.

" _Pika!"_

"Good morning, Ash." Johanna called as she stepped into the living room from the kitchen, "How was your trip?"

"Hi, Johanna. It was good. The ferry landed in Canalave City yesterday evening and I was just in Sandgem Town about half an hour ago. I ran into Professor Rowan before I left!"

"Professor Rowan? I saw him the other day but didn't stick around for long. What's he doing these days?" Dawn joined in. Ash looked at Johanna and gestured to the couch as Dawn spoke, and Johanna granted him permission to sit on the couch. The Trainer did just that, sighing contentedly before answering Dawn's question.

"He seemed to be doing all right. Said he'd been making some breakthroughs on his evolution research." Ash said, before his face suddenly contorted, "Aw, shoot! I totally forgot to ask Professor Rowan about Gary! I saw him at Christmas but he headed back here a few days before I did to continue with his research!"

"No need to worry, we'll be going through Sandgem Town in a few days anyway. We can drop by Professor Rowan's then." Dawn pointed out.

"That's a good idea. He asked me to come to the lab on my way back anyway. He wanted to show me this evolution research he's been doing. I'm not really sure what it was about, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't interest me."

Ash and Dawn chatted about this and that for a few minutes, all the while being stealthily watched by Johanna. She took note of how comfortably they spoke to each other, how they saw eye-to-eye on so many things, and every little detail of their body language. Her studying left her with a wistful smile. It was no wonder her daughter felt the way she did about Ash. Now if only she could figure out how the latter felt about Dawn…

"So, Ash, did Dawn tell you about the Newleaf Festival tonight?" Johanna asked once the teens calmed down.

"Newleaf Festival?" Ash asked curiously, "No, I haven't heard about it."

"Mom, can't we just call it what it is?" Dawn groaned, "It's a New Year's Eve party that the town holds every year. Everyone in the town usually shows up, and there are fireworks and games, food, Pokémon battles, the whole nine yards."

"That sounds awesome!" Ash shouted enthusiastically, "I'd love to go! When is it?"

"The festivities usually start around 6 o'clock." Johanna said.

"Wait, this is Twinleaf Town. Why's it called the Newleaf Festival?" Ash inquired, scratching his chin.

"It's supposed to symbolize everyone turning over a new leaf for the New Year. Resolutions and all that stuff." Dawn explained.

"Oh. That makes sense. Duh."

"And I'm sure you can guess the traditions we have when the New Year begins…" Johanna started.

" _Mom."_ Dawn growled lowly, giving her best evil eye to her mother.

Ash, much unlike his old self, caught on, "Wait, what's the—"

Suddenly, the noise of a Poké Ball opening caught everyone's attention, and a flash of light jumped out from Dawn's bag by the front door. Buneary materialized from the light, hopping gleefully.

" _Bun-eary!"_

The Rabbit Pokémon then spotted Pikachu, and the electric-type's blood ran cold. Pikachu abandoned Ash's shoulder as Buneary came running, her blisteringly obvious affection for Pikachu radiating from every facet of her body. Pikachu hopped onto the coffee table and then over the normal-type's head, landing safely near the front door. Piplup noticed what was happening and joined in the fun, bounding in to guard Pikachu from the affectionate Buneary. Buneary seemed to catch on to the fun and all three Pokémon sprinted up the steps to the second floor, where the noises of quick-paced steps and noisy Pokémon cries indicated that they were playing.

Ash giggled like a child, "Even after all this time, Buneary just won't let that crush on Pikachu die. Poor Pokémon."

Johanna glanced to Dawn, who returned the gaze with a defensive expression, and decided not to further the agenda she had tried to nudge. The retired Coordinator grabbed the TV remote and gestured to Ash and Dawn.

"You two find whatever you want on TV. I need to get to cooking my share of the food for the festival." Johanna said before lobbing the remote in Ash's general direction. The Trainer caught the remote with one hand and swiftly flicked the TV on. The TV was currently airing a live feed of a basketball game between two teams that Ash didn't recognize.

"Hey, look at that." Dawn interjected, "I know these teams. The team in white is the Oreburgh Onix. And that other one in blue and yellow is the Sunyshore City Luxrays."

"You know basketball?" Ash asked, stifling a laugh, though he was unable to conceal the tone of disbelief.

"I sure do!"

"Never took you for the type, Dawn."

"Well, I had a friend back when I was a kid who really loved it, and he taught me the basics and got me into watching some games. I stopped following it when I got older and became more focused on Contests, but I still remember most of the rules and teams." Dawn explained.

Dawn and Ash quickly became absorbed in the basketball game. While Ash intently watched each move with a calculating glance, Dawn internally breathed a sigh of relief. Buneary had picked the right time to burst out of her Poké Ball. Ash hadn't even gone back to finish his sentence, meaning she was safe for now.

 _Saved by the bell,_ Dawn thought, before turning all of her focus to the game.

* * *

6 o'clock came quickly. The sky was painted orange as the sun made its final descent, being the final sunset of the current year. The festival was only a short walk from Dawn's house. It looked very much like the regular Twinleaf Festival, but the two events were always held at separate times and for different occasions. However, much of the setup was the same.

Stalls and booths lined the path. Electrical lights were aligned on the telephone poles above to keep the area lit as the sun disappeared. Children of all ages were playing games while adults flocked between different booths to browse whatever merchandises the vendors had to offer.

"Looks kinda like the Twinleaf Festival." Ash mumbled.

"It pretty much is the Twinleaf Festival." Dawn agreed, "Except there isn't one of those battling tournament things. Although plenty of Trainers still battle with each other while they're here."

As if summoned by talk of battling, a thick blow struck the back of Ash's neck, sending him stumbling forward. A familiar voice shouted out in pain as Ash caught himself from falling, and he whirled around to find the culprit.

" _Ow! Hey! Watch where you're going or I'm gonna fine—Ash?"_

A male teenager with curly blonde hair clad in a striped orange-and-white short-sleeve jacket was rubbing the back of his head. It was none other than Barry.

"Barry! Long time no see!" Ash whooped, "You haven't changed a bit!"

"Apparently you have!" Barry exclaimed, "I thought I ran into a grown-up!"

"Is your head okay?" Ash asked, calmed down now, "I have a feeling you hurt yourself more than you hurt me."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ash!" Barry said, "I haven't seen you since the Sinnoh League! What are you doing here in Twinleaf Town?"

"I'm going to travel the Sinnoh Region again with Dawn. I hope to challenge the Sinnoh League again soon."

"Oh, cool! I've been training hard since the day I lost to Paul, and we've gotten a heck of a lot stronger." Barry answered. Suddenly, he had an idea, "Hey, Ash, what do you say to a battle? I want to see if you've gotten stronger!"

Ash glanced over to Dawn, both of them fully knowing just how much stronger Ash had become. Ash then looked back at Barry, a smile forcing its way on his face, "I'd love to battle you, Barry. You ready to go now?"

"I was born ready!" Barry shouted, "Let's head over to the field!"

Ash and Barry both sprinted away from the collection of booths together, forcing Dawn to jog after them in tow. She didn't feel like running with the two boys. When she did finally reach the stretch of dirt and grass that the festival-goers had declared the battlefield, Ash and Barry were already set up, with a random resident of Twinleaf Town making his way to the sideline. There were a few people seated on the small hill to watch the battlefield, and plenty more people were standing around to watch. Dawn found an empty spot on the grassy hill and curled herself up as she sat down, hoping to keep as much warmth as she could. Over on the field, Barry called out to Ash.

"Whaddya say to one-on-one, Ash?"

"That works for me, Barry."

"All right!" Barry shouted, drawing his Poké Ball, _"Empoleon, let's show 'em how strong we are!"_

Barry's choice was too predictable. The water/steel-type formed out of the burst of light and took up a battle position after a confident _"Em-pol!"_

"What are the odds that Barry brings Empoleon out? Pikachu, you wanna get in there?" Ash asked the electric-type on his shoulder.

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu answered, hopping from his perch and landing on all fours in the dirt. His bolt-shaped tail curled upward for all to see, and a small jolt of electricity escaped his cheeks and coursed around the mouse's round body before trailing up the jagged tail and then vanishing at the end of the tail.

"Picking Pikachu, huh? No surprise on either side here." Barry taunted, "But the disadvantage we have isn't going to matter! Empoleon, let's start with Drill Peck!"

Empoleon coiled its heavy body before launching itself into the air. The huge water-type began to spin at high speed as a powerful light formed ahead of it. The Drill Peck attack pulsed with sheer power as Empoleon got closer and closer. Still, Pikachu did not move, patiently waiting for Ash's orders.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge." Ash said calmly. Pikachu obeyed, blurring his way over to the side. Empoleon crashed into the ground as a result, digging a trench as it skidded forward. The water-type looked up and around for its target as Ash immediately called for a second attack, "Now, use Quick Attack again!"

Pikachu was a blur concealed by an aura of speed; too fast to be noticed by the grounded Empoleon. Pikachu collided with the side of the water-type's face, snapping Empoleon's head sideways as he kept going. The electric-type landed cleanly on the other side of the field, whipping around on its toes to face the Emperor Pokémon.

"That speed…" Barry muttered in sheer awe, "No matter! Empoleon's a steel-type, so normal-type moves won't do a thing! Empoleon, get up and use Steel Wing!"

Empoleon huffed, _"Pol!"_ and shot up to its feet. Its wings glowed bright silver before the Emperor Pokémon leaped into the air with the intent of crashing down on Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to block!"

As Empoleon leaped into the air, so too did Pikachu. The electric mouse hardened its tail to steel and then somersaulted forward in order to meet Empoleon's Steel Wing attack. The Iron Tail collided and bounced perfectly off of the Steel Wing, but Empoleon wasn't done trying to attack after a single attempt. Pikachu kept turning about, blocking each Steel Wing attack, until finally, the pair of Pokémon closed in on the ground. The fall distracted the electric-type just enough for Empoleon to land a brutal Steel Wing into the mouse's side, sending Pikachu hurtling away and bouncing on the ground away from the water-type.

Empoleon landed cleanly and Barry celebrated the successful hit, but the blonde-haired Trainer showed no sign of slowing down. "Great job, Empoleon! Now, use Drill Peck!"

Empoleon lunged again, spinning crisply as it enlarged its powerful beak.

"Pikachu, quick, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu cringed as it regained its footing, but Empoleon was quickly closing in. The mouse's senses went into overdrive and he wasted no time in launching a brilliant Thunderbolt directly at the steel-type. The lightning hit Empoleon perfectly, sending countless volts through the Emperor Pokémon. Empoleon crashed into the ground as the electricity neutralized its Drill Peck and then did some more damage. Pikachu bounded back to Ash's side of the field as Empoleon struggled to recover from the powerful Thunderbolt.

"Empoleon, are you all right?" Barry shouted. The Emperor Pokémon chirped and staggered to its feet, appearing to shake off the brunt of the pain that the electric attack had dealt, "Good! That was some Thunderbolt, Ash, but it's gonna take more than that to put Empoleon down for good!"

"I'd hope so, Barry! Hit us with your best shot!"

"Careful what you wish for, Ash. Empoleon, use Hyper Beam!"

While Ash and Barry's battle continued, a boy with dark auburn hair was strolling over in Dawn's direction. The blue-haired Coordinator was watching the unfolding battle intently, completely unaware of the other boy walking over to her.

"Hi, Dawn!" Kenny said somewhat loudly, plopping down next to the Coordinator. Dawn recoiled from the voice, glancing over to her side and recognizing her friendly rival.

"Oh. Hey, Kenny. You scared me."

"Who's battling?" Kenny asked, glancing at the field, "Ah, Barry, and…is that Ash?"

"That's right!" Dawn said cheerily, turning her focus back to the battle.

"But, I thought he left Sinnoh." Kenny said almost hoarsely.

"He did, but I traveled with him for a short while in Johto before coming back here. We were going to travel Sinnoh again pretty soon." Dawn explained.

"Traveling with Ash again, huh?" Kenny deduced, "I see how it is."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Means nothing. Anyway, how have you been? I haven't seen you at all since the Grand Festival."

"I've been good. I competed in Johto for a couple months and got to the finals of the Grand Festival again, but…I lost."

"You got five Ribbons in six months? How did you pull that off?"

"I'm not really sure. I moved fast, I guess. I'm definitely not going to compete like that this time around; going to take it nice and slow, you know?"

Over on the field, Barry called for a Hydro Cannon, and Ash countered with a call for Thunderbolt. The electric attack was so powerful that it sliced cleanly through the super-powered blast of water, connecting squarely with Empoleon's chest. The Emperor Pokémon roared in agony before falling to its knees and crashing to the ground. The battle was declared over, and the two Trainers shook hands. Empoleon was returned to his Poké Ball while Pikachu reclaimed his place on Ash's shoulder.

Before long, Ash ran over to where Dawn had been sitting, a big, victorious smile on his face. He slowed down as he recognized Kenny, coming to a halt several yards from Dawn and Kenny and then steadily walking the rest of the distance until he was at conversational distance.

"Hey, Kenny. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well I do live in Twinleaf Town, you know." Kenny said sternly, "But I could say the same thing to you."

The boys seemed to stare at each other for a few seconds, though neither made any kind of move. The tension bore its weight on Dawn, and she stood up in an attempt to quell the pair's standoff.

"Ash, Kenny, how about we go find my Mom and get some food? Let's find Barry, too."

"…Yeah, food sounds good." Ash said lowly, "I'll go find Barry."

Ash turned and strolled back the way he had come, searching for the high-energy Trainer. Kenny watched him go through narrowed eyes. He had never been the biggest fan of Ash, having always seen him as some sort of competition. Dawn picked up on his animosity for the older teen now more than ever before.

"Kenny, why are you being like that?"

"Being like what?" he said unhappily.

"You were so standoffish with Ash. It's not like you."

"…It doesn't matter." He decided, "You're right, I was a little confrontational with him right there. I shouldn't be like that. A friend of yours should be a friend of mine."

Dawn didn't buy it, but she said nothing to the boy. It was best to not poke the bear. "Let's just head back to the square and find my Mom."

* * *

Midnight was fast approaching. After their shared meal, Ash, Dawn, Barry, and Kenny were either split up or together. The mutual dislike between Ash and Kenny never resurfaced, and both appeared to be better off now than they had been. Together, Ash and Barry had taken on many challengers in Pokémon Battles, and both had shown themselves to be head-and-shoulders above the rest of the Trainers there. At one point that night, Ash and Barry had even teamed up for a tag battle against Dawn and Kenny, but it was a battle that the two more experienced Trainers won handily.

As the final minutes of the current year ticked off of the clock, Ash and Dawn were separate. The older teen was sipping from a cup and talking with Barry and Palmer, the Tower Tycoon. The master of the Battle Tower had shown up later that night, and had accepted challenges from both Barry and Ash, though he defeated both of them. Ash appeared to regale Barry and Palmer with stories of the last six months; meanwhile, Kenny remained close to Dawn.

A ringing got everyone's attention. Johanna was clapping a spoon against a glass, producing a shrill attention-grabbing clang. The whole of the town turned to face Johanna, who stood with a handful of other adults on the 'stage' in the center of the town square.

"Three minutes to midnight, everyone! Everybody pair up with your partners!"

Dawn instinctively glanced over to Ash, but the older teen never seemed to notice. He went back to talking with Barry and Palmer. Barry's mother—Palmer's wife—strode over toward Palmer and linked arms with him. The Tower Tycoon grinned, but continued talking with Ash and his son for the time being. Dawn bit her lip nervously as she pondered whether or not to walk over to Ash. She ran a thousand scenarios through her head. Would it be worth it? What if he said no?

"Hey, Dawn!" Kenny said, jarring Dawn loose from her thoughts. The Coordinator glanced over to her childhood friend, who was childishly giddy.

"What is it, Kenny?"

The auburn-haired boy ran a finger through his messy hair before rubbing his left arm with his opposite arm. "So, uh, I'm sure you know this, but I want to ask."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, ah, you know how on New Year's…couples…well…" Kenny stammered. Finally, he gulped and then made a determined face, "I was gonna ask you if you'd kiss me when midnight hits."

" _W-what?"_ Dawn squeaked.

"You heard what I said…" Kenny insisted, reaching for Dawn's hand, "I've liked you for a long time, and…"

Dawn pulled her hand away instinctively as pure shock ran through her system. One of her hands found her heart as she tried to process everything Kenny had just said. A flash flood of interconnected thoughts bombarded her brain, confusing her in every which way.

"W-w…what's wrong…?" Kenny asked somberly, a bead of sweat forming on his brow and his brain having seemed to already figure it out.

Dawn stuttered more than she ever had before. "I-I-I-I…I…Kenny, I'm flattered, but…you…me…you're not…y-y-you're not…"

Dawn didn't know why, but her neck craned and she glanced over to where Ash was standing, happily sipping from his drink and laughing with Barry and Palmer. As she did so, alarm bells rang in her system, and she quickly looked back over to Kenny, trying to fight her gaping mouth closed.

But Kenny had already figured it out. Now, his focus was entirely on the oblivious Ash. Kenny's fingers twitched and moved about as his eyebrows shifted up and down. His face started to turn just the slightest hint of red.

"Kenny, I—"

" _I'm not him."_ Kenny interrupted, his tone as low as low could be.

"Wh…what?" Dawn squeaked again, though she knew he was right.

"I'm not him." Kenny said again, "I'm not perfect Ash."

"Kenny, it's not like that…" Dawn tried, still reeling doing her best to mentally pick up the pieces of what was happening.

"No. It is just like that." Kenny growled, turning his gaze to Dawn. Kenny's eyes narrowed into a full-on scowl.

"Kenny…"

" _Tsk._ You don't get it." Kenny said sternly, "You never could get it."

With that, Kenny turned on his heel and bolted, running away from the festival as quickly as he could. Dawn watched the auburn-haired boy run, and did her best to call him back, "Kenny, wait! Kenny!"

But it was no use. Kenny didn't look back, and his shape started to fade into the night as he ran.

"Dawn? Is everything all right?" Ash's voice asked from behind the Coordinator. Dawn turned to face her friend, doing her best not to cry. Ash glanced up to see Kenny's fading shape, and then focused back on Dawn, "What happened to Kenny?"

"He…well, he…" Dawn stuttered, turning over her shoulder to look at where the boy had run off. Ash seemed to get it, staring straight ahead into the darkness.

"I get it. Let's go find him."

"…No." Dawn decided quickly, "I need to talk to him. I'm probably the only person that can."

"Dawn…"

"I'll be back, Ash." Dawn countered, turning and immediately beginning to jog after Kenny. Ash tried to protest, but it became clear that she wasn't going to listen, and he stopped talking. Dawn broke into a run, somehow knowing that Ash hadn't followed.

It only took about half a minute for it to occur to Dawn that she had no idea where she was going. Kenny had faded out of sight before she had gotten going. The Coordinator scoured her brain for any ideas on where Kenny might've gone. His house seemed like a logical answer, but odds were he would've wanted to be alone. Kenny's house was too obvious of a spot to look.

A memory surged from the corners of Dawn's mind. The slightest hint of remembrance caused Dawn to quietly gasp, and she slowly closed her eyes as she channeled the memory.

" _Kenny! Kenny!"_

 _Dawn was walking through the woods on the edges of Twinleaf Town, searching for the little boy with dark auburn hair._

 _Dawn had come running from the one-room kindergarten school, her hair billowing behind her in the wind. Despite being only six years old, she already had flowing, dark blue hair like her mother had had when she was young. Kenny had run off toward the woods only a few moments ago, broken up into tears for some reason. The reason he had run off was already forgotten to young Dawn, but she knew that she needed to find him._

" _Kenny!" Dawn called out again, listening as her shout echoed eerily through the woods._

" _Go away, Dawn!" sounded Kenny's choked up voice. Dawn followed the sound immediately, tracing Kenny to an unparticular tree. The little blue-haired girl trotted over to the tree, immediately looking behind it. And there he was. Kenny._

" _Kenny, come on. You gotta come back," young Dawn pried, "Everyone will wonder where you are."_

" _Who cares what they think?" Kenny snapped. He had a twig in his hand, drawing in the soil beneath him, "Nobody cares about me."_

" _That's not true." Dawn chirped, "I care about you, Kenny. You're my friend, and you always will be."_

 _Kenny sat there quietly, his drawing becoming slower and slower. He pulled the twig away from his completed work: a small rendering of a Starly. The auburn-haired child sighed, dropping the twig at his side. Finally, he spoke, albeit at a low tone. "I come here a lot. Whenever I'm sad, I run out here and sit under this tree. A lot of times there are Pokémon here. There's this one Starly who always comes around, and he's really nice…sits on my shoulder and lets me feed it. It makes me want to be a Pokémon Trainer when I'm older, just like all those people you see on TV. But some kids say I can't be a good Pokémon Trainer…that I'm not good enough to be one."_

 _Kenny grabbed his twig again and started drawing in the dirt some more. Dawn sat there for a few seconds, watching the boy draw before finally speaking up, "Well you know what, Kenny? Those kids are wrong. You can do anything you put your mind to, and if they can't see that then they don't know you like I do. You'll be a great Trainer one day; I just know it! Kenny!"_

 _Several seconds passed. Kenny's face quivered, and the small boy reached to wipe a tear from his eye. "Do you really mean that?"_

" _Of course I mean it." Dawn said immediately._

 _Kenny waited, taking in a deep breath and then exhaling loudly before speaking, "Thanks, Dawn. You're the best." He said, a smile working its way onto his saddened face._

" _Now, come on." Dawn said with a smile as she reached a hand out to the boy, "Let's go home."_

"The woods…" Dawn whispered to herself, "He's gotta be there…"

Dawn glanced to the darkened tree line and trotted in the direction of the woods. In the middle of one of her strides, a sudden barrage of fireworks erupted into the sky, startling the Coordinator while indicating that midnight had hit. She ignored the endless bursts of explosions and kept running to the woods, eventually finally making it to the point that the tall trees sprouted up from the ground. Memories rushed back in flashes as Dawn walked underneath the trees, almost guiding her movements.

"Kenny?" Dawn called, just like she had on that day several years before.

There was no answer, so Dawn kept walking deeper into the woods. Twigs crunched underneath the footfalls of her boots, signaling to all that she was there. The flashes of memories kept guiding Dawn, until she finally came to a tall, wide oak tree. She remembered the tree like she had just seen it yesterday. Another flash of memory confirmed that this was the tree.

The noise of heavy breathing from behind the tree was proof enough that she had found her target. Though it was beyond dark outside, Dawn's eyes had adjusted and she could clearly see the tree and the rest of the forest around her, "Kenny?" she asked, this time with a much quieter tone, "I know you're there…"

"Why him?" Kenny asked from behind the tree. His voice was stiff but wavering, implying that he was probably struggling to keep it together.

"What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean. Why him? Why Ash?" Kenny grumbled, "We've known each other since even before we started school. I've loved you since before I even knew what the word 'love' meant."

Dawn's breath hitched as Kenny poured it out. Finally, everything seemed to click. How could she have been so naïve for all those years? How could she have never picked up on it?

"And then out of the blue this kid from who knows where shows up and you attach to him like a leech." Kenny seethed after what sounded like a choked sob, "I didn't get it then, and I don't get it now. What's so special about him? What's he got that I don't?"

"Kenny, it's not like that…"

"Then what's it like, huh?" Kenny snapped, shooting up from his place on the ground and finally coming out from behind the tree, "Please, Dawn, tell me what it's really like, because I sure as hell have no idea." Kenny's voice quivered almost hysterically, and Dawn swore she saw a tear fall in the darkness.

The Coordinator hung her head, "I don't know what it's like, Kenny…but I know that it is. And hurting you hurts me more than you think it does, so _please,_ don't blame me for this."

Kenny exhaled harshly, his body tensing as he did so. He sniffled, but remained as silent as he could be so that Dawn could keep talking. "It's not a matter of what Ash has and what you don't…when I first met him, I don't know why, but I was drawn to him. And…traveling with him and Brock remains the best choice I ever made…because I learned so, so much and saw so much more than I could've possibly imagined. And somewhere down the line…I don't know." Dawn choked out, beginning to cry herself, "It just…happened…I can't explain it, and I wish I could…"

Kenny's head drooped and he wiped a tear from his face. Dawn's face warmed and she continued, trying to be as gentle as she could. "Kenny, for what it's worth, you were the best friend I could've had as a kid. But…that's all…that I ever thought of you as. A friend…I'm so sorry, Kenny."

Kenny rubbed his eyes and sniffled, his stopped-up nose becoming evident. The auburn-haired boy slowly looked up, meeting Dawn's eyes in the darkness. "I'm sorry too, Dawn."

Dawn stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Kenny, tugging the boy in close to hug him. They held themselves there for a few seconds before pulling apart, and suddenly, all seemed to be right between the childhood friends. Dawn and Kenny started to walk back into town, leaving the woods and the tense situation behind them.

"I'm going to Hoenn." Kenny said after some time of walking, "I got a Contest Pass there right before Christmas."

"That's awesome, Kenny." Dawn said, "I'm sure you'll do great there. I'm going to make another run at the Sinnoh Grand Festival."

They chatted until reaching Kenny's house. The fireworks continued to go off in the distance, lighting up the night sky with a display of nearly every possible color, but the pair of friends never bothered to focus on it. Kenny sighed before walking up the steps to his front porch. He reached the front door, stopped, and then turned around, staring at Dawn for a few short seconds.

"Good luck with Ash." Kenny said quickly, rubbing his eye for a second as if trying to ignore he had just said that, "He's a good guy, really…and I'll be rooting for you, all the way from the Hoenn Region."

"And I, you." Dawn answered back in agreement. A steady silence held over the pair as Kenny then reached for the knob of his front door. The auburn-haired boy looked back to Dawn, who still waited at the foot of the porch, and parted his lips to speak.

"Goodbye, Dawn."

"Goodbye, Kenny."

And then Kenny was gone, vanishing inside the house. Dawn sucked in a breath, exhaling heavily enough that she shook. She turned away from the house and started to head back to the festival. The fireworks fell on deaf ears, as Dawn wondered just what she was going to tell Ash and her mom.

* * *

 **I hope you all liked the ending to this chapter. I don't think the whole deal with Kenny was _great_ , but it will serve to get him out of the way. Ash and Dawn's second Sinnoh journey will begin with the next chapter. Please remember to leave a review at the bottom and feel free to speculate and critique this work. See you all soon!**


	28. Professor Rowan's Breakthrough

**This is going to be a filler chapter, so I took the liberty of writing the chapter after this one and releasing them both together. I'm now going to try and release a new chapter every weekend, since I think that's more practical. Anyway, this chapter and even the one after it aren't great, but as a reviewer said, they're necessary to advance the plot. Please consider leaving a review at the bottom. Thanks to everyone for reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 28_

 _Professor Rowan's Breakthrough_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sandgem Town**_

Ash and Dawn passed the one-story houses, indicating they were now in Sandgem Town, their first stop on the journey. Just over a day ago, Ash and Dawn had left Twinleaf Town behind for their second trip of the Sinnoh Region. The freedom of the wilderness had become ever more thrilling to Dawn since they'd left. After more than 2 years of constant traveling, being cooped up in a house for two weeks had left Dawn itching to get on the road. She was beginning to understand why Ash had always been so intent on getting moving again. He had been doing this for far longer than she had. This only proved that he had rubbed off on her much more than Dawn would've previously thought.

Sandgem Town was around the same size as Twinleaf Town, but it was much more densely populated. Whereas Twinleaf Town had houses dotting every several hundred of yards of the clearing the town was situated in, Sandgem Town's homes were packed together more like a traditional neighborhood. Also much like Twinleaf Town, people were walking and biking everywhere they went, attesting to the small-town feel, as there were no cars to be seen.

"Well, we're in Sandgem Town." Ash stated the obvious, "We should hit the Pokémon Center and get registered for our stuff."

"Yeah, the sooner the better." Dawn agreed, "Hey, Ash, what are you going to do about the Sinnoh League? I mean you already earned eight badges in Sinnoh. Do you have to do it again to re-challenge the League?"

"Hmm, I don't know. I never really gave it much thought." Ash answered, scratching his chin, "I was planning on passing through most of those cities though, so I'll ask Nurse Joy.

Ash and Dawn walked through the automatic doors of the Pokémon Center and were instantly exposed to the warmth of air conditioning. There were only a handful of people in the Center, most of them sitting around and waiting. At the desk down the main walkway, Nurse Joy was handling a couple of Trainers. Ash and Dawn both walked to the desk together, standing in line behind the last Trainer in front of them.

The Trainer was a young boy, probably fresh off of getting his first Pokémon. He wore a generic blue hat backwards and had on a yellow long-sleeved T-shirt with a white collar and shoulders. Nurse Joy handed a tray carrying two Poké Balls on it to the young Trainer, smiling all the while.

"Here you go. Your Turtwig and Starly are all rested and ready to go." Nurse Joy said with a smile, allowing the boy to grab the two capsules off of the tray. With a short thanks to the nurse, the young Trainer whirled around with the intent of sprinting out of the Center, only to bump into Ash. The older Trainer simply snickered and the younger one wore a look of embarrassment, staring at the floor as he walked around Ash and then bolted out of the Center.

"And what can I do for you two?" Nurse Joy asked with a smile, drawing Ash's attention. Dawn stepped up to the desk quickly and smiled back.

"Hi there, Nurse Joy. I'm here to register for the Sinnoh Contest season." Dawn said.

Nurse Joy smiled with recognition, "I thought I recognized you." Nurse Joy chuckled, "The famous Dawn Berlitz. Word got to Sandgem Town about your performance in the Johto Grand Festival just a couple of days ago."

"Er, thanks." Dawn answered with a nervous grit of her teeth. She pulled her Trainer Card from a small pocket on her bag and handed it to Joy, who took the card and swiped it through the computer before typing quickly for a few seconds.

Nurse Joy tapped on the keyboard a few more times and then handed Dawn her Trainer Card. "There you go, you're all registered. You understand that you will have to collect five Ribbons all over again to enter the Sinnoh Grand Festival, correct?"

"I sure do, Nurse Joy." Dawn said, "Oh, and my friend is also here to register for—"

"I know your name as well, Ash Ketchum," Nurse Joy interjected, "the Trainer who took down a Darkrai _and_ a Latios during the Sinnoh League. You've garnered quite a following in the Sinnoh Region."

"Oh, really? Is that true, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked, raising one of his eyebrows in disbelief.

"It sure is. After that semifinal match, you'd expect all of the talk on the news to be about how that Tobias character had swept the competition with little difficulty. But no, all the news wanted to discuss was how an unknown boy managed to best not one, but _two_ of his Legendary Pokémon." Nurse Joy explained, "News stations all over the Region dug up everything they could find about your past competitions. All of that turned into debates about whether Legendary Pokémon should even be allowed in sanctioned tournaments. And then, it wasn't long until stations started declaring you missing, since you hadn't resurfaced in Sinnoh or in another Region."

Ash chuckled heartily at this. "I can assure you, Nurse Joy, I was not missing. I simply went away to train. Anyway, I'm here to register for the Sinnoh League again."

"I figured as much. May I see your Trainer Card?"

Ash handed the identification card to Nurse Joy, who rapidly typed away on her computer after swiping the card. In barely a moment, Joy handed the card back to Ash.

"Hey, Nurse Joy? What do I about Gym Badges? Obviously I already have all eight Sinnoh badges. What are the rules on that?" Ash asked, "I'm not familiar with them as I've never challenged a League twice."

Nurse Joy perked up, "Well, the rules of Leagues are a little different than the Contest Committee's rules. Since you have already earned eight badges in this Region, you do not have to beat the Gym Leaders a second time. You are free to sign on for any of the upcoming Conferences, which are held every six months."

"What if I want to travel the Region for a little while? I'll be traveling with Dawn, who will need to earn five Ribbons again."

"This isn't in the books, but I have seen Trainers challenge Gyms a second time." Joy said without missing a beat, "In addition to battling up-and-coming Trainers, Gym Leaders often have personal teams that are much stronger than their standard teams used against challengers. These teams are rarely seen, and are often made up of the Gym Leader's personal Pokémon, rather than those they use in Gym Battles, which are provided by the Pokémon League. However, all Gyms in Sinnoh require a formal challenge notice to be sent to them ahead of time, so you will have to do that first."

"So I can battle a Gym Leader's best Pokémon?"

"Correct."

"That sounds like something I'd want to do! How do I send out this challenge letter?"

"Well, it just so happens that it's included in your paperwork for registering for a League." Nurse Joy answered, reaching under the desk and revealing a short stack of forms. Ash's eager smile faded instantly as he realized he would have to fill out all of the paperwork. Normally when he went to a new Region, Professor Oak took it upon himself to register the teen for the regional Pokémon League, so Ash had never had to bother with paperwork. This was going to be another thing Ash would be doing on his own for the first time.

"I'll take the paperwork…" Ash groaned audibly, grabbing the handful of papers and a pen from Nurse Joy, "Is this all I have to do?"

Nurse Joy nodded and Ash grumbled, carrying the stack of forms over to the nearest table and crashing down in the chair. Dawn rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down in the chair on the opposite end of the table, watching as Ash swiftly filled in every blank and checked every necessary box in his path.

* * *

 _Gym Leaders of the Sinnoh Region,_

 _My name is Ash Ketchum, and I am issuing a formal challenge to each of you. I have already collected the eight badges of the Sinnoh Region, and wish to test my skills against your most powerful teams rather than your standard ones. I hope to field a challenging battle with each of you that will put my skills to the test. I will be making my way to each of your towns and cities in the next several months as I travel the Sinnoh Region. If you accept this challenge, I ask you to send confirmation to Professor Samuel Oak of the Kanto Region._

Ash smiled as he finished reading his written-out challenge letter. Finishing all of the paperwork had taken time, but the real obstacle had been writing a formal letter. More than once, Ash had required Dawn's superior language skills to help him. Finally satisfied with his work, Ash stood up from his chair and trotting over to the desk where Nurse Joy waited. The Nurse smiled as she took the paperwork from him and promised to send the letter, and the two teenagers left the Pokémon Center behind. Ash's wrist was in unrivaled pain from the constant writing, and he made a point to jokingly hold it as if it were broken. Their next stop would be the laboratory of Professor Rowan, the lead researcher in the Sinnoh Region. He had invited Ash only a few days before to visit his lab so that Rowan could share some of his latest research, and Ash had every intention of finding out just what the Professor had been so eager to share.

The windmill came into view over the egg-shaped lab after a short walk to the outskirts of Sandgem Town. Route 202 stretched northward from that very lab, connecting to Jubilife City some miles away. The gates to the facility were held open, allowing the pair to walk onto the dirt pathway leading up to the front door. After a simple knock, one of Rowan's many aides answered the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Hi there. I'm Ash from Pallet Town. My friend Dawn and I are here to see Professor Rowan."

The aide looked at Ash suspiciously for a moment, but then decided the visitor was welcome to enter and stepped aside. The aide turned and shouted, "Professor! You have visitors!"

Ash and Dawn walked inside the lab and the door was shut behind them. From the second floor of the lab, the tall Professor Rowan appeared, spotting his two visitors and smiling through his gray facial hair. The lead researcher of the Sinnoh Region thundered down the steps a leisurely pace, eventually reaching the ground floor and approaching Ash and Dawn.

"Welcome, Ash and Dawn!" Rowan greeted, "I'm so glad you decided to stop by. I assume you've just begun your journey?"

"That's right, Professor. We left Twinleaf Town early yesterday morning." Ash confirmed.

"And Dawn, how are you and Piplup doing?"

"We're great, Professor Rowan." Dawn said as she glanced down to the small starter Pokémon that she held in her arms, "Isn't that right, Piplup?"

" _Pip-lup!"_

"So, Ash, I presume you'd like to take a look at the research I spoke of." Rowan asked.

"Sure thing, Professor." Ash said, taking a step forward before remembering something else, "Oh, hey, Professor Rowan, I forgot to ask you something when we met the other day."

"Hmm? What would that be, Ash?"

"I was wondering where Gary Oak was." Ash said, "I saw him at Christmas and he said he was returning to Sinnoh for a researching expedition."

"Ah, yes, young Gary Oak." Rowan answered, "I sent him out about a week ago to observe wild Pokémon on the large island east of Snowpoint City. The Sinnoh Battle Frontier is located on the southern edge of that island, but most of what is north of there is relatively uncharted, especially Stark Mountain. But the reasoning for him being there is related to something else I need to show you. Dawn, you may come along as well. I have a feeling you'll both be interested in this."

Rowan turned and started walking outside of the egg-shaped room, back to the long horizontal part of the facility. Ash and Dawn followed down the hallway, and each party was noticeably silent on the walk down.

Rowan led the pair into a section of the facility that was dominated by machines like scanners and printers. Several aides were inside rooms along the wall, each of them tending to a few species of Pokémon, notably Garchomp, Lucario, and Abomasnow. Rowan stopped walking and then gestured to the Pokémon being examined in the various chambers.

"A few months back, I was invited to a Researcher's Convention in the far-off region of Unova." Rowan explained, "While there, I met another evolution enthusiast called Sycamore. Our common areas of research allowed us to hit it off quite well. Part of the convention was for various researchers to discuss some of their recent findings in presentations to the rest of us. Most of them were things that I already knew; after all, I've been in this field for many, many decades. But the most interesting discovery of the night was one of Professor Sycamore's reports. Ash, tell me what you see in common with those three Pokémon there."

Rowan pointed to the Garchomp, Lucario, and Abomasnow that were all housed in the separate rooms. Several aides were examining each specimen, and scanners placed on the outside of those rooms were running countless amounts of data up and down their screens. Ash gazed at each Pokémon with a puzzled look, before finally coming up with a connection.

"Well, they're all Pokémon native to the Sinnoh Region." Ash said dumbly.

"Hmpf, well, yes." Rowan chuckled, "But that's not the similarity I'm searching for. Guess again."

This time, it was Dawn who butted in. "Professor, all three Pokémon are in their fully evolved forms." The Coordinator said. The Professor's eyes seemed to light up as he smiled.

"Precisely, Dawn."

"Oh. Duh." Ash groaned, face-palming.

"Anyway, Dawn is correct. Each of these Pokémon cannot evolve any further." Rowan explained, "Or so we thought."

"What are you saying, Professor?" Ash said.

Rowan led the two Trainers over to a desk with a computer mounted on top of it. The old Professor sat in the office chair and began typing away at the computer. "Ash, Dawn, what if I told you that it was possible for some species of Pokémon to evolve _past_ their final forms?"

"You mean…evolve again?"

"In a way, yes." Rowan said, "Professor Sycamore's research was based around the existence of a phenomenon that he called 'Mega Evolution'. This phenomenon allows certain Pokémon to transform into a more powerful version of themselves, much like evolution, if you will. However, this transformation is only temporary, and takes a tremendous amount of power to perform. The energy required to Mega Evolve, in fact, is exceedingly hard to come by."

Rowan finished typing in the computer and brought up what could only be described as a biological blueprint of a Garchomp. The Professor kept talking, "Observe, if you will, the species known as Garchomp. Garchomp is a species that is capable of performing Mega Evolution, per Professor Sycamore's research. A 'Mega Garchomp', if you will, would look something like this…"

Rowan clicked a key and a simulation began to run. An electrical light wrapped around the dragon-type's form and Garchomp began to change. Additional spikes grew all around its torso and the shark fins on its arms morphed into scythe-like appendages, growing over the traditional claws that had once sat on the end of the dragon-type's arms. Ash and Dawn both gaped in awe of the transformation.

"How…how is that possible?" Ash said, awestruck.

"Well, as I said, the energy required to Mega Evolve is exceedingly rare. In fact, as far as we know, that energy is only contained in irradiated stones that are likewise exceedingly rare." Rowan said, closing the simulation and speedily typing away on the computer. Next, the monitor showed a perfectly spherical object that bore a strange symbol Ash didn't recognize.

"This is what we call a Mega Stone. It's a special stone that contains the energy required to Mega Evolve. Now, the next connection between those three Pokémon: Garchomp, Lucario, and Abomasnow are each able to Mega Evolve." Rowan explained, "Unfortunately, we have yet to acquire a Mega Stone for either of the three Pokémon. Furthermore, Mega Evolution is only possible if the Pokémon shares a particularly strong bond with its Trainer. Now, the reason I sent Gary to the area around Stark Mountain is because our scanners indicate an abundance of natural energy very similar to the energy that causes Mega Evolution. Gary's mission is to observe the wild Pokémon in that area, as well as research the presence of this energy. We have reason to believe that this abundance of natural energy is directly correlated to the existence of Mega Stones in the area."

"Woah, so Gary is looking for Mega Stones?" Ash said with a little bit of awe.

"For the most part, yes." Rowan answered, "Now, in Professor Sycamore's Region, they have extensive amounts of research on Mega Evolution. In fact, they have even developed artificial gear known as Key Stones, which are capable of causing Mega Evolution."

"Key Stones, huh? So, how can I get a Key Stone?" Ash asked, eagerly hoping for a good answer. This idea of Mega Evolution was incredibly enticing to him.

"Unfortunately, Ash, I do not have any Key Stones, I only have one item of the gear that Key Stones are often embedded in." Rowan said. He stood up from the office chair and stuck his hand in the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a small ring, "Observe, if you will. Sure, this ring may seem like any ordinary ring, but take a closer look."

Rowan handed the ring to Ash, and the Trainer immediately started glancing over it. Dawn closed in and also looked at the ring. Sure enough, there was an ovular indentation on the top of the ring, but the indentation itself was empty.

"Does the Key Stone go in this hole?" Ash asked.

"Correct, Ash. Key Stones are often embedded into personal accessories such as rings, bracelets, or necklaces. The Key Stones themselves are often irradiated much like Mega Stones, and act as a medium between the Trainer and Pokémon. As I said, I do not have any Key Stones, so the ring is useless for now."

"Oh…that's too bad…" Ash sulked.

Professor Rowan watched the teen for a few seconds and then nodded with a firm expression, as if deciding something. "You know what, Ash? How about you keep that Mega Ring?"

"Wait, really?" Ash asked, a confused half-smile appearing on his face.

"Of course. I'm no longer a Trainer, so I don't have any use for the ring. Who knows, maybe one day you will be able to unlock the secrets of Mega Evolution yourself!" Rowan said.

"Wow, thanks, Professor! I promise, I'll do my best to use this!"

"Professor," Dawn interrupted, "You said that only some Pokémon can Mega Evolve. How many is 'some'?"

"Well, the official number is around 50 thus far, but we are discovering new things every day we spend researching this." Rowan explained, "So there's no real telling yet just how many Pokémon can undergo this process."

Ash slid the Mega Ring onto his ring finger as Rowan said this, examining his hand as he fit the accessory on. "Wow, it fits perfectly!" he remarked, "Thank you, Professor Rowan."

"Oh, don't mention it, Ash." Rowan said, "As I said, if you are lucky enough, you may find a Mega Stone someday. Please do let me know if that happens, and then I could likely get a Key Stone from Professor Sycamore."

"You can count on it, Professor! Thanks so much!" Ash agreed.

Shortly after that, the two teens bid Professor Rowan goodbye and were on the road again, leaving Sandgem Town behind and heading northward up Route 202 toward Jubilife City, where Dawn would be able to enter her first Contest of the season. After that, they'd likely be able to head to Oreburgh City so Ash could battle Roark again. Ash and Dawn's second Sinnoh journey was finally underway, and both Trainers were intent on achieving their long-desired dreams.


	29. Gotta Take It All

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 29_

 _Gotta Take It All_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Jubilife City**_

" _Good news, Ash!"_ Professor Oak said on the other line, _"I just received a response from the Gym Leaders of Oreburgh and Eterna City! You can now challenge their personal teams once arriving in their cities!"_

"Really? That's great, Professor! Dawn and I just made it to Jubilife City, so Oreburgh City is just a couple days' walk from here.

" _Perfect timing, then! Where is the young lass?"_

"Who, Dawn? She had to get moving to Contest Hall and prepare for the Contest. I actually need to head up there in a few so I can get a good seat." Ash explained.

" _Well, then, I won't hold you up, Ash. If you see Dawn, tell her I said good luck!"_ Oak said, _"Bye now!"_

"Bye, Professor." Ash said before hanging up the videophone. The 14-year old Pallet native strolled out of the Pokémon Center, whistling as he made his way to Contest Hall just a few blocks away. The block in question was bustling with activity as people went in and out of the stadium and the surrounding buildings nearby. A large screen mounted on the outside of Contest Hall displayed brilliant snapshots of Pokémon Contests while advertising the upcoming Jubilife Contest and a countdown clock.

Ash quietly bought his ticket and was admitted into the stadium, where he quickly found a seat in the bottom row of the stands. People were still pouring into the stadium and the countdown clock still read half an hour until the Contest would start, so Ash made his way back up to the terminal and bought a bag of popcorn. He was soon back in his seat and after some time of twiddling his thumbs and munching on popcorn, the lights suddenly dimmed and raucous applause echoed in the stadium.

A shaft of light in the center of the stadium revealed a woman with curly light brown hair. Marian, the announcer for Sinnoh Contests, waved to the crowd before pulling a microphone to her mouth.

" _Welcome, one and all!"_ Marian howled, drawing more applause from the crowd, _"I hope you're all as excited as I am to kick off yet another season of Pokémon Contests!"_

The applause that followed unsurprisingly confirmed Marian's question, and the announcer continued, _"Wonderful! We have 16 Coordinators entered in today's Contest; meaning only eight can qualify for the Battle Round! So let's get started with the Appeals! First up, we have a Coordinator from Floaroma Town; let's give a warm welcome to Kenzie!"_

Ash's half-hearted clapping was completely drowned out by the cheering of the raucous Contest fans. Truth be told, he really didn't care about any Coordinator out there today other than Dawn, so the Appeals flew by for him until the aforementioned Coordinator came out onto the stage.

Dawn looked more confident and composed than Ash had probably ever seen her before as she stepped into the view of everyone in the stands. A single Poké Ball was clutched in her hand, held inside a ball capsule bearing a lightning bolt seal. The blue-haired Coordinator took a quick glance to the crowd, and with a flex of her individual fingers, reared back to call out her Pokémon of choice.

" _Pachirisu, spotlight!"_

The Poké Ball ripped open with a flash of light. Tendrils of lightning circled around Pachirisu as the electric-type materialized, surging in various patterns and causing a slight glow to appear around the squirrel's form. The Squirrel Pokémon purred as it landed on the ground and then brought its bushy tail up to its head, burying its face into the furry tail. The crowd released a collective, _"Awwww…"_ as Pachirisu did so, already earning the approval of the crowd.

Dawn closed her left hand into a fist, taking a confident stance and then calling out her first command, "Pachirisu, use Sweet Kiss!"

The electric-type squirrel pulled its face from its bushy tail and performed a captivating Sweet Kiss, releasing little hearts into the air in all directions. Dawn wasted no time in calling for the follow-up. "Use Discharge!"

Pachirisu clenched its body together and then released a brilliant explosion of forked blue electricity in all directions. The lightning bolts surged through the airborne Sweet Kiss hearts and ripped them apart. The catch, however, was that the hearts tainted the blue lightning with a pink hue, creating a brilliant color combination that danced around Pachirisu's form nicely. The crowd roared their approval as the pink Discharge died out, and the judges seemed to reciprocate the crowd's cheering as they sent Dawn backstage to finish out the Appeals.

It wasn't long before the results came out, revealing the 8 Coordinators who would be moving forward. Unsurprisingly, Dawn was one of them, along with 7 other unfamiliar faces. Ash was legitimately thankful that the Jubilife Contest had turned out so small, as he was itching to get into his upcoming battle with Roark in Oreburgh City.

Dawn thoroughly dominated her quarterfinal opponent, tallying more than three times the total remaining points her opponent had when the timer ran out. The semifinal match was much of the same, with Dawn outclassing and defeating a much less experienced rookie Coordinator. The comfortable wins were welcome boosts to Dawn's self-confidence.

The finals matchup, however, was where it got interesting.

* * *

Dawn stared confidently at the mounted screen in the dressing room. The television screen advertised the upcoming match between her and a Coordinator named Zachary for the Jubilife Ribbon. The blue-haired Coordinator was shifting her Poké Balls in her hand, twirling the shrunk capsules at an even pace before deciding on a particular one.

"So, you're Dawn?" an unfamiliar voice from behind her said.

Dawn whirled around to a young face sporting a mop of light brown hair. The boy was in a suit and bowtie and looked somewhat uncomfortable, though he seemed to be pushing his discomfort deep within him.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Zachary, but friends call me Zach." The youngster said, extending his hand. Dawn politely accepted the handshake. "I saw we're battling in the finals."

"Oh, uh, yeah." Dawn said. Zach's formal introduction had honestly caught her off-guard. "I'm sorry if I'm acting weird. A couple years ago my first Contest was held here so I'm a little nostalgic, I guess."

Zach chuckled, "Hey, that's fine. Don't take it easy on me, though. I watched you in the Grand Festival, and I wanna see for myself if you're as good as you looked on TV."

"I'll do my best to show you." Dawn said with a chuckle. Zach then walked away with a nod and smile and then disappeared behind the curtains, presumably to head to his end of the stage. Dawn glanced down at her chosen Poké Ball, speaking to the inanimate capsule, "I know it's been awhile, big guy," Dawn said, grazing her finger over the capsule and then enlarging it. The blue-haired Coordinator reached inside her nearby duffel bag, closing the Poké Ball in a ball capsule and placing a seal on the front.

"Let's go win us a Ribbon."

* * *

" _Ladies and gentlemen, the Jubilife Contest's final round is about to begin!"_ Marian announced, drawing cheers from the crowd, _"In the blue corner, from Hearthome City, he's the rising newcomer looking to make a name for himself. Please welcome Zachary!"_

The crowd celebrated Zachary's appearance, but Ash immediately knew that the applause he received would be nothing compared to when Dawn emerged. She was a proven Coordinator whose name everyone knew, up against a newcomer. People would cheer for her like their lives depended on it, as they had already done when she had appeared for her previous two battles.

" _And in the red corner, the prodigy from Twinleaf Town, the darling of the Sinnoh Region who's looking to come back with a vengeance, let's give it up for Dawn!"_

Sure enough, Ash was right. The dome of the Contest Hall literally shook with the applause. Thunderous clapping and stomping resonated all around the stadium, and the crowd's madness only served to inflate Dawn's confidence. Her chosen Poké Ball was clutched in her hand for all to see, wearing the unmistakable cover of a ball capsule. Zachary looked nothing short of intimidated by the cacophony, as the youngster absently glanced around at the thundering of the crowd with an awestruck look. He had thought his applause was modest, but the applause given for Dawn was on an entirely different level.

Dawn took her place in the battle box with a confident grin, squeezing the encapsulated Poké Ball as she readied herself. Zachary appeared to shake his nervousness away, and readied himself as well. Marian came back on the PA system and called for the battle to start.

" _With the first Ribbon of this Contest season on the line, we're all ready to go! Coordinators, are you ready?"_ Dawn and Zachary both signaled that they were, _"Then…battle, begin!"_

Zachary wasted no time in calling out his Pokémon, his impulses driving his movements early on. _"Bibarel, you're up!"_

" _Mamoswine, spotlight!"_

Both Coordinators had chosen burly Pokémon. Though Mamoswine outclassed Bibarel in size, the large Beaver Pokémon seemed unfazed, even thumping its huge tail on the ground, as it appeared to anticipate the battle. Mamoswine simply responded by rubbing its huge front foot on the ground, ready to charge.

"Bibarel, let's strike first with Water Gun!"

Bibarel vocalized and then spat a quick beam of pressured water from its mouth, arcing it perfectly toward Mamoswine, but the response was all too easy for Dawn.

"Mamoswine, dodge it!"

The mammoth ice-type seemingly floated off the ground as it avoided the Water Gun, which splattered harmlessly on the dirt. Dawn smirked and then threw out her hand to call for an attack.

"Use Take Down!"

The Twin Tusk Pokémon lumbered forward at an initially slow pace, but its footfalls increased in speed in a matter of seconds. As Mamoswine sped up, a bright light roared to life behind it, exuding great amounts of power as the ice-type closed in on Bibarel.

"Bibarel, use Take Down also!" Zach shouted.

Bibarel sloppily surged forward as Mamoswine closed in, generating its own aura of explosive power as the Beaver Pokémon ran. The two Pokémon collided with a loud _thunk_ before a small explosion split the two Pokémon from each other. Bibarel bounded away from Mamoswine, completely outclassed by the mammoth's power, and it served to take away a second notch of Zach's points. The young Coordinator gritted his teeth as Bibarel skidded to a stop and slowly sat back up. Dawn was no slouch in power.

"Bibarel, let's go with Hyper Fang!"

A renewed light glittered in Bibarel's eye and the heavy Beaver Pokémon suddenly leaped into the air. Dawn took an instinctive step back as the normal-type gained height and its large buckteeth grew in size and glowed. Bibarel's weight finally got the better of it, and Bibarel began to descend at high speed, heading straight for Mamoswine.

"Mamoswine, knock Bibarel away with Ice Fang!"

Mamoswine's huge tusks instantly glowed with a brilliant ice blue light as cold energy exuded off of them. Bibarel didn't let up as it descended, instead focusing as Mamoswine readied its defense. The Beaver Pokémon finally reached the ground and Mamoswine reared its tusks back before swinging the ice-infused blades upward.

Unfortunately, the attempt missed completely. Bibarel landed on the ground at full force just inches away from the ice-type's tusks, gently shaking the ground as it did so. After Mamoswine's attack missed, Bibarel lunged forward and dug its Hyper Fang attack into the folds of skin under Mamoswine's fur.

Mamoswine's eyes nearly popped out of its head as it registered the pain. All of the ice-type's instincts went out the window and it thundered around, trying to shake Bibarel off. Eventually, the Beaver Pokémon let go and escaped out of the ice-type's immediate range, but the pain from the bite remained. Dawn's points decreased as Mamoswine's initial rampage calmed, but she and Zach were now tied in the points department.

"Mamoswine, are you all right?" Dawn asked. The ice-type groaned out a _"Mamoo…"_ in response, and recoiled away from where its wound was. Bibarel's Hyper Fang had done a real number on him. Doing his best to ignore the pain, Mamoswine crunched one of its huge front feet on the ground, causing it to shake for a brief instant.

"All right, Mamoswine. Let's show off one of our combinations. Use Ice Armor!"

" _Ice-what?"_ Zach said as he heard the command.

An Ice Shard roared to life in between Mamoswine's brilliant tusks, pulsing with the ice-type's power. Once the Ice Shard was in prime condition, Zach moved to call for a counter.

Instead, however, Mamoswine lurched forward and swallowed the Ice Shard, shocking both Bibarel and Zach, _"But…but why? Why swallow an Ice Sh—"_

The sudden cold that ran through Mamoswine's body stung, but was also refreshing to the mammoth. The pain from the earlier Hyper Fang attack suddenly vanished as adrenaline ran through Mamoswine's veins. Suddenly, huge spikes of glittering ice shot out of Mamoswine's back, spreading from the crest of its back and all the way down to the end of its back. The result was Mamoswine's famous Ice Armor.

Ash grinned at the sight of the technique. Dawn had picked up the idea after Ash's battle with Palmer, when Grotle had accidentally swallowed his own Energy Ball attack. The grass-type had gained a power boost from doing so. It hadn't been enough to defeat Palmer's Rhyperior, but it had certainly been an interesting experience, and the technique had become a mainstay in Dawn's routines with the Twin Tusk Pokémon.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Fang!"

Mamoswine howled and thundered forward, turning its tusks to powerful blades of ice again. The sight of the oncoming ice-type was actually quite scary from Zach and Bibarel's point of view, and it showed as Zach hastily called out for a counter.

"Bibarel, use Water Gun!"

Bibarel spat a powerful stream of water, but the blast was completely useless. Mamoswine raked its tusks upward as the Water Gun got close, and actually managed to sling a good amount of water up and onto its back, where the water collided with the Ice Armor. The spikes of ice were so cold, even, that the stray water froze and added onto the armor, serving to take away some of Zach's points. Mamoswine then caught Bibarel in its tusks, stabbing the Ice Fang attack into either side of the Beaver Pokémon.

"Now, Mamoswine, throw Bibarel!"

Mamoswine roared, _"Mamooooooooo!"_ and then reared itself upward, lifting Bibarel off the ground as the huge ice-type stood on its back legs for a few instants. Mamoswine swung to the left, sending Bibarel flying. The normal-type crashed into the ground hard and bounded several feet further, taking quite a bit of punishment in doing so.

"Bibarel!" Zach shouted.

Mamoswine lumbered back toward Dawn, keeping a steely eye on Bibarel as the Beaver Pokémon struggled to get up. Eventually, Bibarel succeeded in standing, but fell to all fours in order to bound back over to its side of the field. The normal/water-type rustled its fur as it tried to walk it off, and then took a steady stance as it prepared to make another run at Mamoswine.

"Bibarel, use Water Gun and roll around on the ground!" Zach shouted.

Dawn watched, confused, as Bibarel spilled immeasurable amounts of water in all directions on the ground. The Beaver Pokémon rolled in the dirt happily as it did so, before sitting back up and thumping its tail happily. Bibarel had practically created a lake on its side of the battlefield.

"What's their game?" Dawn said to herself aloud. Zach wasted no time in answering her question, enthusiastically throwing his open palm forward to command Bibarel.

"Bibarel, use your tail on the water and attack Mamoswine!"

Bibarel barked and then turned itself around, raising its huge and powerful tail for all to see. Then, without warning, Bibarel dropped its tail with a seismic force, slamming the burly appendage into the water. The result was a significant tidal wave shooting up and heading in Mamoswine's direction. Bibarel did this again and again, sending up choppy tidal waves in quick succession. The waves came on at high speed, and though they weren't very tall, Dawn still wondered what this move could possibly accomplish.

The waves attacked Mamoswine's legs and Zach called out for another attack without any warning.

"Bibarel, use Ice Beam!"

Dawn then finally understood, but there was no time to do anything about it. Bibarel spat a familiar beam of jagged cold energy from its bucktoothed mouth, aiming directly at the water it had jettisoned all over the field. The Ice Beam worked with bewildering speed, instantaneously spreading a toxic freeze all throughout the spillage. The freeze found its way to the waves Bibarel had shot toward Mamoswine, encasing the Twin Tusk Pokémon's soaked legs in ice that anchored it to the ground.

"Mamoswine!" Dawn cried as the ice-type tried to move, but failed, "So, that was their game…how can Bibarel even use Ice Beam?"

Even though he couldn't hear her, Zach was able to tell that Dawn was confused by Bibarel's ability to use Ice Beam. "That's right, my Bibarel is unique in a lot of ways. Not many Bibarel can use ice-type attacks. And we've got a couple of other attacks that'll rock your world. Bibarel, use Superpower!"

Bibarel vocalized again and its tail began to glow in a brilliant light. The Beaver Pokémon leaned forward in order to move on all fours, and with a quick motion, Bibarel smashed its tail down onto the frozen ground. The force of the blow generated an immense shock wave that caused both Dawn and Mamoswine to wobble. The ice anchoring Mamoswine to the ground vibrated uncomfortably against the Twin Tusk Pokémon's legs, making the ice-type groan unhappily. The ice was wedged deep into the skin of its legs, holding it tightly to the ground. Fortunately, Bibarel's use of Superpower was making it a little looser.

The clock was winding down to less than a minute, and Dawn and Zach were effectively tied. The ice on Mamoswine's feet was beginning to loosen, and as the mammoth moved its legs, Dawn noticed it too. Color returned to her face as she formulated a plan. Mamoswine instinctively shuffled its legs more and more as the tremor from Superpower calmed down, loosening the ice's hold. Finally, the ice-type was nearly free.

"Mamoswine, use Take Down, full power!"

Mamoswine lurched forward, and its front legs shattered the chains of ice that had held the mammoth down. With two legs free, its back legs came free of the ice even easier than the front ones had, and Mamoswine was off. The aura of power that generated behind Mamoswine as it ran was fueled by the ice-type's anger at being held down, and Zach paled as he realized that his chance of winning was now dwindling. Desperately, he called for a haphazard counter.

"Bibarel, use Superpower to defend yourself!"

Bibarel's tail glowed again with the light of Superpower. Both Trainer and Pokémon hoped to throw Mamoswine off of its course with a well-timed tremor in the ground. The Twin Tusk Pokémon, however, would have none of Bibarel's last-ditch defense. Mamoswine sped up to a bewildering speed, crashing its gargantuan body into Bibarel before the normal-type could swing its own tail. The impact was vicious, generating an explosion of light that wrapped around the two large Pokémon.

In the stands, Ash shielded his eyes from the light with his arm, and he squinted to see the result of the collision. The light died out just as quickly as it had come, and Bibarel bounced limply away from where it had been standing, coming to a stop just in front of Zach. Swirls marked its eyes, indicating the Beaver Pokémon was unable to battle.

" _Battle Off! That's it!"_ the referee on the side of the field declared, raising the flags that he carried in his hands.

Marian came on the PA system, her booming voice declaring the result for all to hear, _"And Bibarel is unable to battle! That means that the win goes to Dawn from Twinleaf Town!"_

The jumbotron hanging from the ceiling changed to declare Dawn's win official, showing her portrait with a snapshot of the Jubilife Ribbon hanging on the side. Big, bold letters spelled out _WINNER_ as the crowd went nuts.

Back on the battlefield, Zach had dropped to his knees beside the now-conscious Bibarel. The young Coordinator stroked the Beaver Pokémon's head as Bibarel grunted sadly, lamenting its failure. "Don't be sad, Bibarel. You gave it all you had. I blame myself."

"Don't get down on yourself like that." Dawn said. Zach's head shot up to find Dawn standing above him and Bibarel, smiling brilliantly, "Both of you gave it everything you had, and you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Th-thank you." Zach said uneasily.

"Of course. You've only just gotten started on your journey, right?" Dawn asked.

"That's right." Zach nodded.

"Then there are so many opportunities out there for you to learn and grow. When I first started out, I didn't think anyone could hold a candle to me." Dawn explained, "I lost my first-ever Contest right on this field, too. But I took the lessons I learned and grew. Even today, I'm still seeing and learning and growing. That's what going on a journey is all about."

Dawn squatted down so that she was close to the downed Bibarel, "And you, little Bibarel…never stop trying. You've got a great Trainer, I can already see that."

Bibarel grunted in response, nodding slightly. Dawn then stood back up, smiling at the Beaver Pokémon. Zach shook and then spoke up, "Thank you, Dawn. That means a lot."

"Don't mention it." Dawn said, before turning and starting to walk away.

"Hey." Zach said quickly, "Maybe we'll meet again and get to battle someday."

Dawn stopped, and turned her head so that she could see Zach out of the corner of her eye. "Count on it," she said with a smile, "Good luck, Zach."

* * *

Dawn walked out of the Coordinators-only room carrying the Jubilife Ribbon in one hand and her Ribbon Case in the other. The blue-haired Coordinator grazed her hand over the soft Ribbon. Over two years before, she had lost the chance to earn this Ribbon, and it had been a blow to her confidence. Just like she had told Zach, though, she had taken the opportunity to learn and grow as both a Trainer and a person. She was beyond grateful to Ash and Brock for those things. She couldn't even imagine where she might be today had it not been for the two foreigners. Dawn then opened the Ribbon Case, placing the Jubilife Ribbon squarely in one of the five allotted spots inside the case, before snapping it shut and pocketing it.

" _Dawn!"_ a familiar voice called from a ways away. The Coordinator prodigy turned her head to see Ash running toward her. Her heart swelled just a little bit and she smiled as Ash reached her, skidding to a stop as he did so.

"Hey, Ash." Dawn greeted with a happy grin.

"You did great out there, Dawn. Does it feel good getting to win this one?"

"You bet it does!" Dawn agreed, "It's kinda crazy to already have my first Ribbon so fast. But we've still got four more to win."

"That's the spirit!" Ash laughed, "So, do you want to head over to Oreburgh City? Professor Oak told me Roark agreed to have another battle earlier today!"

"Sure thing, Ash! Let's head back to the Pokémon Center first, though, so I can get everything packed up again, and then we can be on our way." Dawn said.

"All right, that works for me. Lead the way, Top Coordinator." Ash said with a devilish grin.

Dawn giggled, beginning to walk in the relative direction of the Center, "Only if you can keep up, Pokémon Master."

* * *

 **So, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed the past two chapters, despite the big-time filler in Chapter 28. The next chapter will be all about Ash's battle with Roark, and either in that chapter or the next Team Rocket will be getting involved in the story (finally). I hope you're prepared for the long haul. Please leave a review at the bottom, tell me what you thought of this chapter, what you would like to see happen, all that good stuff, and I'll see you all next week!**


	30. Roarking the Trend

**I'm back with our longest chapter ever. It's still processing that we're at 30 chapters, so I want to say thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to keep this story going. At first it was just an impulse creation, but it's turned into a big story with a lot of possibilities. Anyway, Chapter 30 is all about Ash vs. Roark, so I hope you all enjoy that. We should begin to be picking up with the plot in the near future, and I'm sorry if it's been a real long haul. My decision-making on this story has flip-flopped _a lot_ in the three months since I started it, and I hope I can do right by you all with it.**

 **ManleyTogekiss: I chose to return to Sinnoh simply because I know the Region better than any of the others by a long shot. Pokémon Diamond was my first game, and I was a big fan of the show at the time. If I picked to go to another Region, I don't think I could do a great job with it.**

 **PRLSHPPR: I can't disagree with that. The only thing I really have to say is check out another story on here, "Another Road", which also takes a very long time to develop the Pearlshipping. Personally, I like it that way. They are teenagers, after all, so I think it's accurate to say that they have feelings for each other but it's very hard for them to express those feelings. There are a lot of things going on at that time in a person's life (and in this case, they have a lot more going on to add to that), so you can make the argument that it is more realistic to write it that way, where it takes a long time to develop their relationship. I'm not saying my story is perfect. In fact, it's far from it. But that is my reasoning for giving a backseat to Pearlshipping at this point.**

 **Side note: Everyone reading this, if you aren't already, you should definitely give "Another Road" a shot. It's a very good story that has been going for a while now. I based quite a few elements of this story off of that author's work, and would recommend it to any Pearlshipper.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 30_

 _Roarking the Trend_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Oreburgh City**_

Ash released a sigh of relief from his lungs. Finally, after several days of walking, they had reached Oreburgh City, and his battle with Roark was drawing close. The mining city was situated right on the edge of the mountains that split Sinnoh in two, and streams of smoke generated by factories wafted into the air from various areas around the town.

The travelers passed the sign reading _'Oreburgh City'_ and the green grass came to an end and turned into chalky gravel and sand. Stone-gray buildings stretched out on either side, though the red roof of the Pokémon Center stuck out in the middle of one of these lines of buildings.

"Man, Oreburgh City hasn't changed a bit!" Ash declared.

"It's definitely the same as I remember it." Dawn agreed, "So, Ash, shall we head straight for the Gym?"

"I thought you'd never ask! Pikachu, you ready?"

" _Pi-Pika!"_

"All right, let's go!"

Ash suddenly took off, kicking up dirt in his wake. Dawn thought about shouting for him to slow down, but simply shrugged it off and ran after the Trainer. Ash ran through the city like it was his hometown, dodging the occasional passerby as he ran a path drawn by his own memory.

The Oreburgh Gym was situated in the furthest reaches of the city, up against the mountains that stretched out from behind the mining town. The Gym itself was built on the inside of a natural rock formation at the bottom of one of the many smaller mountains near the town. Eventually, the dirt path turned to solid rock, making both Ash and Dawn's footfalls click much louder. Ash finally skidded to a stop just outside the entrance to the Gym, taking a moment to admire the rock formation. After he took his moment, he simply walked toward the front doors, which were built underneath the opening of the rock's arch.

"Roark?" Ash called as he lightly pushed the door open. There was no response. The Trainer pushed the door all the way open and allowed Dawn to enter before walking down the hallway, "Roark?"

The chattering of voices caught Ash's finely tuned ears, guiding him to glance to the right down the adjacent hallway.

" _Pip?"_ Piplup chirped as Ash changed course to walk down this new hallway, following the voices. After a couple of steps, however, a booming laugh vibrated the hallway for a moment.

" _This is quite the specimen, my son! Just where did you get this?"_

"Ha, I thought so!" Ash said, "That sounds like Byron."

Ash broke into another run down the hallway, following the second voice to an open doorway and peeking inside the room. Inside stood two people, a young adult and a middle-aged man. The younger man wore a gray jacket with stripes on the hem, and a characteristic red miner's cap fit snugly on his head. The middle-aged man had spiky burgundy hair and a beard, and carried a shovel like a cane.

"— _they said it was a never-before-seen Pokémon that wasn't native to Sinnoh. Isn't it the coolest?"_

" _You've come a long way from the boy you used to be. I'm proud of you, son. You're going to restore this fossil, yes?"_

" _Of course I will! The chance to observe a Pokémon we know nothing about in the flesh? Who wouldn't restore this thing?"_

Ash knocked on the door now, making his presence known. Roark and Byron both turned their focus from the mounted fossil on the wall, glancing at the two teenagers in the doorway.

"Ash! And Dawn, too!" Roark said first, "I didn't hear you two come in."

"Sorry about that, Roark. I didn't realize your dad was here." Ash apologized, staying completely out of the room.

"Don't sweat it, Ash." Byron insisted, "Come in, come in! Let me have a look at you, boy."

Ash and Dawn stepped fully into the room, and Byron nodded, "I thought as much. You seem a little taller than you were the last time we met!"

Ash scratched his neck and laughed, "Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately. Anyway, how are you, Roark, Byron?"

"We're both doing great, Ash." Roark answered this time, "I suppose you're here for our battle."

"You know it!" Ash said, "Are you ready to go now?"

"Battle? I didn't know anything about this." Byron interjected, glancing to his son for answers.

"Ash sent out a challenge letter to all of the Gym Leaders about a week ago. Apparently he's traveling the Region again." Roark explained to Byron. The middle-aged fossil enthusiast nodded in response.

"Ah, that makes sense. I haven't been in Canalave City in a week or two, so I haven't had the chance to hear about this." Byron said, "You must be challenging the League again."

"That's right. I wanted to battle the Gym Leaders again so I could have some practice, but I wanted to challenge their personal teams instead of their standard ones."

"Ooh, so we'll be seeing both of your best Pokémon. I like the sound of this. Now I almost want to battle." Byron said, "But I suppose I will have to wait. Besides, if you want to battle my _personal_ team, it's probably best that you beat a couple more Leaders," Byron said, throwing in a wickedly confident smile.

"Overconfidence is a weakness, father." Roark snorted, "Anyway, Ash, I'm ready to battle if you are. Dad, will you serve as referee?"

"Of course I will." Byron chortled, "It'll give me some free scouting time on Ash here."

* * *

Byron raised his shovel in the air with two hands wrapped around the handle. "The battle between Roark the Gym Leader and Ash the challenger will now begin!" Byron bellowed, "This will be a three-on-three battle, and because Ash has already earned the Oreburgh Gym Badge, standard Gym challenging rules are off! Both participants may substitute Pokémon and are free to use any tactics within the bounds of official Pokémon League rules!"

Dawn shivered at the familiarity of the scene. Just like her last visit to the Oreburgh Gym, she wore a cheerleading costume. Piplup and Buneary were set on the railing in front of her, each in their own miniature versions of Dawn's outfit. The cheerleading costume was a reddish-pink, with a wide V-shaped set of blue and white stripes across the chest. Dawn held a pair of bright pink pom-poms, as did her two Pokémon.

"Trainers, are you ready?" Byron boomed.

"All set here!" Ash replied.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Roark declared.

Byron grinned like a madman and then lifted his shovel into the air with one hand, roaring, "Well then, battle, _begiiiiiiiiiinnnn!"_

Roark pulled the side of his jacket open, reaching inside the flap and grabbing his first Poké Ball. The capsule enlarged and Roark reared back, slinging the Poké Ball in a perfect curveball.

" _Golem, go!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and the Megaton Pokémon emerged from the familiar white light. Golem opened its rocky maw and growled, clenching its three-fingered hands into irregularly shaped fists.

Ash grinned wide as he immediately decided which Pokémon he was going to use for the first round. "Hey, Pikachu, remember the last time we fought a Golem?" Ash asked. Pikachu let out a nervous, _"Piiii-kaa…"_ and bent one of his ears downward. Indeed, their last encounter with the species had been quite the heart-racer. The pair had been high up in the depths of the Mt. Silver caves, where they'd stumbled upon a wild Golem. The rock-type had been furious at the intruders and chased them most of the way back to Silver Town before Pikachu and Squirtle finally managed to ward it off.

"Okay, buddy, I don't want to put you out there just yet. I know who we're gonna go with." Ash said, scratching one of Pikachu's ears. The electric-type conceded with a happy, _"Pi!"_ and hopped off of Ash's shoulder, landing safely on the ground and then sitting down. Ash reached for the belt concealed by his jacket and unclipped a miniaturized Poké Ball, enlarging the capsule with a click of the button on the center.

" _Squirtle, I choose you!"_

The Tiny Turtle Pokémon materialized from the capsule with an eager, _"Squirtle!"_ and landed on all fours before standing upright. The water-type identified the huge Golem standing before it and grinned confidently, standing still and watching the rock-type intently.

"A Squirtle, huh?" Roark shouted, "I see you're moving to get a type advantage as quickly as possible. We'll see if that works."

"Don't underestimate my Squirtle, Roark. We might surprise you a few times."

" _Squirtle!"_

"Golem, use Rollout!"

Golem beat its rocky chest for a moment before latching its arms and legs onto its body and curling into a boulder. The move was all too familiar to Ash and Squirtle, as the wild Golem back on Mt. Silver had used Rollout several times in its pursuit of them. Roark's Golem lunged forward and started to roll at high speed, covering a baffling distance in mere seconds.

"Squirtle, dodge it!"

Squirtle lunged to the side, narrowly escaping the speedy Rollout attack. Squirtle's landing was haphazard, and the Tiny Turtle Pokémon stumbled. Roark recognized this in an instant and immediately commanded Golem to execute another Rollout. Golem tucked itself in and sped forward, catching both Ash and Squirtle off-guard and barreling into the stumbling water-type. Squirtle ended up on its back, and Golem stood threateningly over the small turtle.

Roark grinned and then threw his hand forward, shouting out his next command, "Golem, use Mega Punch!"

Golem barked and then clenched its left hand into a rocky fist. Energy immediately surged into the rock-type's irregular arm, and Squirtle was trapped underneath the rock-type's huge foot. Ash, however, stayed unnervingly calm.

"Squirtle, use Hydro Pump!"

The Tiny Turtle Pokémon reared back its head and before Golem could launch its knockout punch, an incredibly powerful blast of water exploded from Squirtle's mouth. The blast struck Golem cleanly in the face, sending the huge Megaton Pokémon flying backward, where the rock-type collided with a large rock that jutted out of the ground and nearly shattered it.

Squirtle carefully got back to its feet and pumped its little fist. Over in the bleachers, Dawn and her Pokémon did a cheer, encouraging the water-type's ego. Meanwhile, Roark tugged on his miner's hat to make it fit even more snugly than it had. Byron noticed this and laughed heartily.

"A little too eager, aren't you, son?" Byron bellowed.

"Maybe just a little." Roark said, "That was good, Ash. Perhaps you were right about underestimating Squirtle. But a type advantage isn't everything. Golem, use Rock Throw!"

Golem's fall had created a massive dust cloud in place of the rock formation that the Megaton Pokémon had crashed into. From that cloud, three solid-sized rocks came flying toward Squirtle, catching the water-type off-guard.

"Dodge!" Ash simply shouted. Squirtle obeyed and barrel-rolled out of the way of the oncoming rocks, narrowly skidding to a stop.

"Again, Golem! Don't let up until I say!"

The dust cloud began to clear, allowing Ash to see the silhouette of Golem's form. The massive Pokémon was flailing its arms, sending too many rocks for Ash to count in Squirtle's direction.

"Dodge using Rapid Spin!"

Squirtle withdrew into its shell and spun at high speed, creating an air current that held it above ground, which the water-type manipulated to help dodge the barrage of rocks. Golem, however, refused to let up, throwing an endless amount of rocks in Squirtle's direction until finally, one of the boulders cracked into Squirtle's shell, knocking it out of the air.

Squirtle landed awkwardly as it reappeared from its shell. Golem, now in full view of everyone, thundered away from the shattered rock formation and roared angrily at the downed Squirtle.

"Great job, Golem!" Roark called, "Now, finish it with Double-Edge!"

Golem barked and lowered its head, immediately lumbering forward. An aura of explosive power formed around the creature's roughly spherical form, and Squirtle was all but helpless to defend itself as it was still cringing from the earlier blow.

Golem began to close in on Squirtle, when Ash realized how to counter. At the top of his lungs, Ash shouted for the water-type. "Squirtle, spin and use Hydro Pump! Counter-shield!"

Squirtle blinked and then glanced up toward the advancing Golem with a steely, menacing glare. Though Squirtle was still grounded and on its back, its shell was the perfect tool to help it spin. Squirtle instantly slinked back into its shell and water blasted out forcefully from the individual holes in the shell. Squirtle's leg holes jettisoned a Hydro Pump whip into Golem's feet, striking the legs of the huge rock-type and forcing the Double-Edge attack to stop. Golem stumbled as Squirtle continued to spin, and countless more whips of high-pressured water slapped Golem silly before the rock-type finally stumbled into the ground, far off of its target.

Roark gasped at the result. "What was that?" he shouted.

"Just a little something me and my Pokémon have worked on for a while now! We call it Counter-Shield!" Ash hollered back, the heat of battle rushing through him, "And now, we're gonna finish this! Squirtle, use Aqua Tail!"

Squirtle croaked and then leaped into the air, now recovered from its cringed state earlier. Its tail suddenly energized with a vortex of water that churned and built up power as the Tiny Turtle Pokémon arced downward.

"Golem! Get outta there!" Roark shouted as the Megaton Pokémon stumbled to its feet in a daze. The huge rock-type heard its Trainer's command, flicking its attention toward Roark, before turning its glance upward to see Squirtle rocketing downward toward it. Golem's face turned to one of panic and it moved to get out of the way, but the rock-type was still dazed, and Squirtle was moving far too fast for it to matter. The water-type crashed down tail-first, delivering a crushing blow to the rock/ground-type that sent Golem flying toward the sideline, crashing into the dirt and skidding its way into the wall that cut off the bleachers from the battlefield.

Golem was floored; its arms and legs sticking out in different directions, and swirls marked its eyes. Byron raised his shovel with one hand and boomed, _"Golem is unable to battle! The winner is Ash and Squirtle!"_

Squirtle sprinted over toward Ash, prompting the tall Trainer to squat down and stretch out his arms, welcoming Squirtle as the Tiny Turtle Pokémon leaped into them. Squirtle and Ash both laughed as they celebrated the win, and Pikachu even joined in as he jumped onto Ash's shoulder and complimented Squirtle with a series of _Pika's_.

Roark brought out Golem's Poké Ball and returned the fainted rock-type into the capsule, rotating the Ball in his hand so that he could look at the face of it. "You did great, Golem. I'm sorry. You deserve a good, long rest." Roark minimized the Poké Ball and hooked it back inside the flap of his jacket, "That was impressive, Ash! Between your Counter-Shield technique and Squirtle's speed, Golem and I were completely outmatched."

"Thank you, Roark! Golem put up a great fight, and we're ready for everything else you have to throw at us!"

Roark snickered, _"Hmph!_ We'll see about that, Ash. I hope you know how to battle an opponent that's in the sky!" Roark swiftly revealed his second Poké Ball, lobbing the capsule in a clean arc, _"Aerodactyl, go!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and sent a blob of light skyward, which materialized into the airborne Fossil Pokémon. The prehistoric rock-type screeched as it gained some more air and then perched itself on one of the rafters high above the battlefield. Aerodactyl simply glared down at the battlefield at the challenger in the box on the other side of the field, as well as the two Pokémon with him.

"An Aerodactyl." Ash muttered, "This isn't going to be easy. Squirtle, do you think you can battle some more? I won't put you through it if you can't."

" _Squirtle! Squirt-Squirtle!"_ Squirtle croaked confidently, hopping out of Ash's embrace and landing cleanly in the dirt. The Tiny Turtle Pokémon looked up at Aerodactyl's personal perch, returning the menacing Pokémon's glare.

"I guess that's a yes, then." Ash decided, "All right, Squirtle! Let's go!"

" _C'mon, Squirtle! You can do it!"_ Dawn shouted. Piplup and Buneary agreed, chanting out a series of " _Pip!"_ and " _Bun!"_ while dancing methodically.

Roark placed a hand on the tip of his hardhat, smiling thinly. "All right, Ash, we'll bite. Aerodactyl, use Take Down!"

The screeching from the rafters was earsplitting. Aerodactyl's form leapt off of the man-made perch in the ceiling and immediately accelerated downward toward Squirtle.

"Squirtle, dodge!"

Squirtle hopped to the side just as Aerodactyl got in close, and the prehistoric Pokémon zoomed past the water-type. Aerodactyl sharply hooked around, glaring at Squirtle with frustration, and stubbornly tried again to execute a Take Down. Again, Squirtle jumped out of the way. This time, the rock-type flew away to safety, getting out of Squirtle's immediate range and hovering over to Roark's side of the field.

"Squirtle's too shifty to hit a physical attack easily." Roark calculated aloud, "Aerodactyl, let's use AncientPower!"

Aerodactyl's eyes lit up with an eerie glow, and the prehistoric Pokémon focused its menacing gaze on Squirtle. The ground around Aerodactyl began to shake, and boulders were suddenly ripped out of the dirt, forming a ring around the Fossil Pokémon. Aerodactyl reared back its wings, thrusting them forward after a few seconds, and the barrage of boulders came flying toward Squirtle.

"Ack! Squirtle, Counter-Shield!"

Squirtle croaked and immediately began spinning on the ground, spraying a Hydro Pump in all directions. Unfortunately, the boulders were completely unaffected by the technique, and passed right through the shield. Squirtle recognized this immediately and tried to get out of the way, but the Tiny Turtle Pokémon simply wasn't fast enough. The first boulder crashed into the ground immediately to the water-type's side, and the second wrecking ball slammed into Squirtle head-on.

Squirtle was thrown back and the rest of Aerodactyl's boulders crashed harmlessly to the ground. Meanwhile, the small water-type bounced toward Ash on the ground, skidding to a stop in the dirt. Squirtle blinked and then sat up, looking at the block of smashed boulders just a few feet away from it. The glow in Aerodactyl's eyes went away and the Fossil Pokémon screeched approvingly while Roark showered the rock-type with praise.

"Now, Aerodactyl, use Thunder Fang!"

Aerodactyl launched forward at high speed, volts of electricity crackling from its powerful jaws. Ash and Squirtle both went into panic mode. "Counter with Aqua Tail!"

Squirtle leaped forward and successfully batted Aerodactyl back with a clean Aqua Tail, but the prehistoric Pokémon only fell back a little bit, and once Squirtle fell at gravity's mercy, Roark called for another Thunder Fang. This time, Aerodactyl clamped its jaws perfectly around Squirtle's small body, sinking immeasurable voltage into the water-type. Squirtle's cries of pain were enough to make Ash hurt, and Aerodactyl carelessly dropped Squirtle from mid-air before hooking away from the ground and flying back over to Roark's side of the field.

Squirtle collided with the ground after a short drop and bounced across the dirt. It didn't take a genius to know that Squirtle was down for the count, and that was only confirmed when Squirtle skidded to a stop, displaying nothing but swirls in its eyes.

" _Squirtle is unable to battle! The winner is Aerodactyl and Roark!"_

Aerodactyl shrieked victoriously from its side of the field, flapping its wings and lowering itself to the ground, where the rock/flying-type finally rested. Roark praised Aerodactyl while Ash walked out toward Squirtle's stagnant form. The water-type was conscious again, but was still unable to move beyond a simple turn of its head.

"Hey, Squirtle. You did great." Ash said, wrapping his arms around the water-type and walking back to the battle box, "You take a good rest, okay? You've earned it." Ash said as he sapped Squirtle back into his Poké Ball. Ash sighed and then looked down at Pikachu, who had watched the round from the ground.

"Pikachu, you wanna get in there?"

Pikachu's eyes lit up and the electric-type immediately left its rear to stand on all fours. _"Pika!"_ Pikachu boasted, confirming that he was willing and able. Ash simply flicked his wrist toward the battlefield and Pikachu bounded out into the dirt, bracing its legs as it took a battle stance.

"I was wondering when Pikachu would get in on this." Roark called from across the battlefield. "Aerodactyl, this Pokémon's tough; real tough. Keep your guard up."

Aerodactyl cawed and then opened its wings again, welcoming the challenge. Hoping to keep the pace up, Roark shouted, "Use AncientPower!"

The eerie white glow returned to Aerodactyl's eyes, and boulders were ripped from the ground once again. Pikachu braced himself as the Fossil Pokémon lobbed the boulders in the electric-type's direction.

"Pikachu, dodge with Quick Attack. Let's get in close!"

Pikachu said nothing, simply lurching forward before the familiar aura of speed appeared behind it. In an instant, Pikachu had avoided the path of the first two boulders, and then zigzagged out of the way of the next handful of rocks. When the attack was over, Pikachu was barely a stone's throw away from Aerodactyl, and Ash capitalized.

"Iron Tail!"

Pikachu flipped forward in the air, turning his tail to steel and slashing across Aerodactyl's face. The mouse's speed was bewildering, and to a regular onlooker might've looked like a silver and yellow blur raking across the Fossil Pokémon's face. In any case, Aerodactyl recoiled immediately, managing to catch itself from falling by spreading its wings and lofting itself into the air. The prehistoric Pokémon craned its neck to glare at the small electric-type and then shrieked angrily.

"Aerodactyl, use Aerial Ace!"

Aerodactyl screeched and surged forward toward Pikachu. The electric-type instinctively dodged without command, but Aerodactyl had zero intention of letting up. The rock-type hooked around in an instant and then slammed into Pikachu from behind, thumping Pikachu forward into the ground before speeding forward. Pikachu was nothing short of dazed by the hit, having felt the full brunt of it without warning.

"So fast…!" Ash gasped, "Pikachu, get outta there!"

Pikachu heard Ash and then bounded away eagerly, using its speed to escape to its side of the field. Aerodactyl watched the electric-type flee and cawed tauntingly. Roark chuckled as Pikachu reached Ash's side of the field.

"That's the secondary affect of AncientPower. The user has a chance to have all of its individual stats boosted, including speed, and it looks like it worked out very well." Roark explained.

Ash gritted his teeth angrily. Roark had gained an advantage already. True to form, however, Ash moved to continue the battle with little thought. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu eagerly discharged some lightning from his cheeks, feeling the soothing rush of high voltage run through its veins. With a flash of light, Pikachu sent a forked blast of electricity directly at Aerodactyl.

"Aerodactyl, dodge!"

The prehistoric Pokémon corkscrewed out of the way of the blast, but Ash instantly shouted for Pikachu, "Keep using Thunderbolt! Let's knock Aerodactyl outta the sky!"

Pikachu complied, blasting several more Thunderbolts toward the airborne Pokémon. Aerodactyl dodged the first two successive blasts, but the third bolt struck the rock-type clean in its torso, zapping it and sending the Pokémon hurtling toward the ground.

"Now, Pikachu, get in close with Quick Attack and use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu huffed and shot forward, its tail turning to steel halfway through the burst of speed. Aerodactyl hurtled aimlessly toward Earth, leaving Pikachu with an easy shot.

"Aerodactyl, wake up! Use Giga Impact!"

Aerodactyl's eyes shot open, and Ash was able to instinctively detect the flash of life in the rock-type's Aura for just a moment. Instantly, he knew that the next few seconds wouldn't go well for him and Pikachu, but he had no time to call out to his partner. Pikachu had already launched itself into the air with Iron Tail at the ready. At that moment, Aerodactyl charged up Giga Impact, and hooked its body to beam forward at maximum power. Pikachu realized in a panic that it was in danger, and the brutal Giga Impact smashed Pikachu away at high force. The electric-type shrieked as it flew, and Ash cried out with the hope of somehow helping Pikachu.

"Aerodactyl, use Aerial Ace! Finish this!"

Aerodactyl beamed forward after the airborne Pikachu, hoping to land the finishing blow. In this moment, Ash saw that he had the perfect chance, right underneath Roark's nose.

"Pikachu, grab onto Aerodactyl!"

Pikachu managed to escape its airborne daze and spotted the rock-type flying at high speed toward it. Pikachu effortlessly reached out and corkscrewed its body, narrowly avoiding the Aerial Ace attack and then latching onto Aerodactyl's wing.

"Now! Thunderbolt, max power!"

The blast of lightning was explosive, sending high voltage through every vein in Aerodactyl's body. The Fossil Pokémon howled in agony and instantly curved toward the ground. The voltage quickly subsided, though the damage was plenty done. Aerodactyl angrily looked back behind it at Pikachu, and with a brutally fast move, flung Pikachu off of its body. Luckily, the electric-type was barreling directly toward Ash, and the Trainer braced himself as he absorbed Pikachu's landing and was thrown back just a little bit, landing on his rear. Pikachu cringed at the hard landing, but was otherwise unharmed.

Aerodactyl landed on its end of the field and screeched. The rock-type was not at all happy with being zapped by a Thunderbolt again. Pikachu bounded out of Ash's arms and accepted the challenge, yelling back a fierce _"Pika, Pika!"_ Ash stood back up and returned to his battle box.

"Aerodactyl, use AncientPower again!"

"Pikachu, dodge with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu effortlessly dodged each and every one of Aerodactyl's AncientPower boulders, and this only served to irritate the peeved Fossil Pokémon even more. Without command, Aerodactyl lurched forward with a readied Thunder Fang.

"Use Iron Tail to bat Aerodactyl back!"

Pikachu obeyed and somersaulted forward as Aerodactyl reached it, landing a clean Iron Tail to the Fossil Pokémon's head. Roark shouted at Aerodactyl, yelling for the Pokémon to hang back. Reluctantly, the rock-type flew upward into the sky, keeping itself airborne with the occasional beat of its wings.

"Pikachu, run around the field with Quick Attack to confuse Aerodactyl!"

Pikachu leapt forward and sped in laps around the battlefield, bounding to and from the rock formations and the ground to create a series of white blurs heading in all directions. The effect worked perfectly on Aerodactyl, as the Fossil Pokémon was shifting its head wildly in an effort to keep track of the little electric-type.

"AncientPower!" Roark shouted at Aerodactyl. The prehistoric Pokémon screeched and lifted half a dozen boulders from the ground, creating a ring of rock around its body. Aerodactyl glanced to the ground, tracking the series of speedy blurs, and then threw all six of the boulders down with great force. The boulders fell like meteors, smashing down in quick succession. Aerodactyl had timed the throw perfectly, too, as Pikachu had sped along at the perfect time to have his path cut off by a huge boulder. The mouse quickly adjusted and bounced over the boulder, but he was slowed down just enough to be clipped on the side by another one of the falling boulders. Pikachu hit the dirt, now at the full mercy of Aerodactyl.

"Aerodactyl, use Hyper Beam!"

Aerodactyl roared and threw its head backward, a bright light forming in its open maw. Ash panicked and looked to Pikachu, who was struggling to get up.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to get out of there!"

Aerodactyl fired the Hyper Beam and Pikachu scampered to his feet, bolting forward with a timely burst of speed and avoiding the blast that would've surely knocked him out. Ash saw the opening at the same time Pikachu did, and both Trainer and Pokémon grinned.

"Pikachu, get to that rock formation and bounce up with Quick Attack toward Aerodactyl!"

Pikachu zipped toward the vaunted rock just up in front of it, clenching its legs around the rock for an instant before launching up with a burst of speed. Aerodactyl was completely immobile thanks to the use of Hyper Beam, which drained all of the Pokémon's energy and forced it to recharge. As the distance between the two Pokémon shortened, Ash shouted.

" _Use Volt Tackle!"_

An aura of explosive electrical power roared to life around Pikachu's body as the electric-type soared. Aerodactyl simply watched the little electric-type close in, as if it had accepted its fate. With its energy expended from the Hyper Beam attack, it had no way to move out of the way.

Pikachu collided with Aerodactyl in a flash of light, tackling the airborne Pokémon and immediately hooking its body to head straight for the ground. Aerodactyl howled as Pikachu drove it downward, transferring all of its stored electrical energy into the rock/flying-type's body. Together, Pikachu and Aerodactyl crashed into the ground, kicking up an explosion of dirt and rock. Almost immediately, Pikachu bounded out of the dust cloud and landed cleanly on the ground, giving a confident grin as it took the inevitable recoil damage that Volt Tackle caused. The dust cloud cleared, and Aerodactyl sat mangled in a crater in the ground, its eyes showing only swirls as tendrils of electricity coursed around its body.

" _Aerodactyl is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu!"_

" _All right! Great job, Pikachu!"_ Dawn shouted. Piplup and Buneary enthusiastically agreed (especially Buneary) and danced to their heart's content while chirping their respective cries.

Roark pulled out Aerodactyl's Poké Ball and sapped the Fossil Pokémon back inside, speaking to the capsule for a moment before tucking it back into the flap of its jacket. The Oreburgh Gym Leader looked up toward Ash and smiled. "Good show, Ash. But I still have one more Pokémon. And I'm certain you can guess who it is."

Roark calmly pulled out his third and final Poké Ball and enlarged the capsule as Ash responded, "You bet I can, Roark! I'm ready for him!"

"We'll see about that." Roark said, before he reared back his arm and threw the capsule, _"Rampardos, go!"_

Roark's personal Pokémon burst free from its Poké Ball with an eager _"Ram-par-dos!"_ and the ground shook as the huge rock-type landed on the ground. Pikachu slinked into the ground readily with a battle-ready grin. Rampardos also recognized the electric mouse, and the tall Pokémon did its best to smile.

"Are you ready, Ash?" Roark shouted. Ash nodded, and then moved to call for the first attack.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu bounced forward and then gained speed instantly, racing toward Rampardos. Roark grunted, "Another normal-type attack? Rampardos, use Headbutt!"

Rampardos sneered and stamped its feet, lurching forward as Pikachu came close. "Now, Pikachu, spin and use Iron Tail!"

Roark blanked and Pikachu spun past Rampardos' attack, instantly somersaulting sideways and landing a perfect Iron Tail into the back of Rampardos' neck. The Headbutt Pokémon cried and tumbled to the ground. Pikachu landed squarely on its feet and turned to look back at the fallen Rampardos, only to see the Pokémon rising to its feet easily, shaking its body and grumbling at Pikachu.

"It barely did a thing!" Ash cried, astonished.

"Rampardos, use Headbutt again!"

Rampardos thundered forward this time, catching Ash and Pikachu completely off-guard. The electric mouse took the full brunt of the blow head-on, and was thrown backward into a nearby rock formation, which created a pattern of cracks on the rock.

Pikachu struggled to regain his footing, proving just how much damage the little mouse had taken between battling Aerodactyl and now Rampardos. But, determined as ever, Pikachu rose to his feet, discharging some electricity from his cheeks to show that he could take more.

"Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Use Zen Headbutt to block!"

Rampardos lowered its head as the Thunderbolt was launched in its direction, the battering ram atop its head glowing with otherworldly energy. The Thunderbolt struck the dome and sent some electricity into the rock-type, but the energy simply increased in power and successfully began blocking Pikachu's attack. The Thunderbolt died out as Pikachu struggled to stand, exhaustion overcoming the small Pokémon. He had plenty of power to spare, but that power was nothing without stamina, which had been knocked out of him along with the wind in his lungs after being struck by Rampardos' Headbutt. Roark spotted this weakness and immediately called out to Rampardos.

"Rampardos, use Flamethrower!"

Rampardos howled as it reared back its head. "Pikachu, get outta there!" Ash shouted, but Pikachu was unable to heed the command. Rampardos threw its head down and opened its maw, spitting a beam of fire toward the weak mouse. Pikachu cried out in unnerving pain as the flames wrapped around him and lapped at his body. Instinctively, the mouse leaped out of the ball of fire and began relentlessly rolling into the ground. Unfortunately, the Flamethrower attack had burned him, leaving a bright red rash across his belly.

"Pikachu's burned! Okay, Rampardos, use Head Smash!"

" _Wait!"_ Ash shouted, prompting Roark to put up his hand toward Rampardos, who stopped obediently, "I'm pulling Pikachu out of the battle. He's in no condition to fight right now."

"…Very well, Ash. Permission granted."

Ash wasted no time leaving the battle box that he stood in, racing toward his beaten partner. Rampardos graciously stepped out of the way and Ash slid down beside Pikachu, wrapping his arms tentatively around the wincing electric-type. "C'mon, buddy. You're going to get some rest."

"Poor Pikachu…" Dawn said to herself in the bleachers. Buneary agreed with a worried, _"Buuuun…"_

Ash carried Pikachu back to the battle box and gently laid his longtime partner down on the ground off to the side. "Get some rest, Pikachu. Once we win, we'll get you to the Pokémon Center." With that, Ash ran back to the battle box, already knowing who his next choice would be as he unclipped the chosen Poké Ball from his belt.

"You haven't let me down yet." Ash said to the capsule, "Let's add to that record. Sceptile, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball burst open and the speedy Forest Pokémon materialized, chewing on a reed as always. Sceptile turned its head and popped its neck, stretching nonchalantly as it identified the tall rock-type that could only be its opponent.

"You've got a confident Pokémon there, Ash." Roark commented. Rampardos huffed agreeably and then stamped its foot into the ground, somewhat catching Sceptile's attention. The grass-type snorted and then readied itself. Roark decided to attack first this time, calling out to Rampardos, "Rampardos, use Flamethrower!"

The glint in Rampardos' eye was evident as it reared its head back to spit another blast of piping hot flames. Ash showed a disturbing amount of calm in the face of the Flamethrower, and called to Sceptile, "Dodge and use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile disappeared as it dove out of the way of Rampardos' attack, and a few instants later a green slash raked horizontally across Rampardos' body and Sceptile skidded to a stop adjacent to the rock-type. Rampardos grunted with surprise and flashed a glare toward the grass-type.

"What…what just happened? That speed…" Roark said, dumbfounded.

"Let's just say there's a reason that Sceptile is so confident, Roark. We'll see if you can keep up. Sceptile, use Leaf Storm!"

Sceptile ran as a blur back to Ash's side of the field, and the spots on its back began to glow and generate leaves. Sceptile raised its arms and the leaves poured out in a pair of elliptical orbits around the grass-type's body, and with a swift flick of its arms, the storm of leaves advanced toward Rampardos and circled around the rock-type.

Rampardos grunted as the razor-sharp leaves sliced at its body. Roark, as calm as ever, called for Rampardos to counter. "Rampardos, spin and use Flamethrower!"

Rampardos stepped in circles and spat fire from its maw, torching the leaves around him and leaving the Leaf Storm ineffective. Molten fire dripped from Rampardos' mouth as the rock-type finished burning the leaves, and a wild glare formed in its red irises.

"Now, use Head Smash!"

Rampardos thundered forward, its body glowing. "Dodge with Quick Attack!"

Sceptile phased outward to the left, but Rampardos hooked its body to the right and followed Sceptile, who overconfidently had its back turned to the rock-type. As a result, Rampardos rammed right into Sceptile as the grass-type turned, knocking the wind from the Forest Pokémon's lungs and sending it tumbling away. Sceptile came to a stop as it bumped its head on one of the walls that blocked off the battlefield, and then whirled around to stand up.

Sceptile nodded, acknowledging Rampardos' success. After doing so, however, Sceptile opened its mouth and purposefully dropped the reed clenched in between its teeth. Almost immediately, the grass-type looked infinitely more serious and threatening, and even Rampardos registered this. The rock-type took a gentle step back.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!"

" _Flamethrower!"_

Sceptile rushed forward at blinding speed. Rampardos blasted more fire from its mouth, but a green blur tumbled _underneath_ the rock-type's body and then rose up, indicating that Sceptile had dodged the Flamethrower. A green slash across Rampardos' back confirmed this, and Sceptile reappeared close to Ash as Rampardos struggled. Grass-type moves did additional damage to rock-types; meaning Rampardos was in a real bind now.

"Sceptile, use Dragon Claw!"

Again, there was a vicious set of slashes that raked across Rampardos' body. Roark was beginning to panic, completely unsure how he was supposed to deal with a Pokémon that was almost too fast for him to see. Rampardos felt the same, and fell to one of its huge knees as it looked up at Sceptile, who stood unwaveringly several feet away. The Headbutt Pokémon turned its body to glance back toward Roark as bet as it could, watching its Trainer out of one eye.

"It's okay, Rampardos." Roark insisted, "I understand."

" _Ramp…"_ Rampardos grunted. The rock-type heaved heavily for a second, and then thumped to the ground, unmoving and defeated. Sceptile instantly relaxed its body, sagging its shoulders and breathing a sigh of relief. Ash likewise looked relieved, and with a congratulatory thanks to the grass-type, returned Sceptile to his Poké Ball. Ash walked over to pick up Pikachu, who was slowly recovering from his burn, and carried the electric-type as he walked toward Roark. The Oreburgh City Gym Leader was kneeled beside a conscious Rampardos, stroking the rock-type's dome head and whispering to the Pokémon.

Roark looked up as Ash arrived, and the Gym Leader stood on his feet. "That was…interesting, to say the least, Ash. You must tell me, how did you get Sceptile to be that fast?"

"…I was away for a long time, training in one of the harshest environments in the world. But Sceptile was already strong and fast. We just got better. I didn't bring him with me to Sinnoh…I'm trying a lot of new things lately." Ash half-explained, half-philosophized.

"I'll take that as a 'you can't teach that' kind of thing." Roark decided, "I had fun battling with you, Ash."

"I'd say that I had fun watching you as well, Ash!" said Byron. The middle-aged Gym Leader planted his feet as he reached Ash and Roark, sitting his shovel on his shoulders, "I'm looking forward to seeing you in Canalave City soon."

Dawn arrived as Byron said this, carrying the peculiarly dressed Piplup in her arms. She watched the three males converse and laugh, and it brought a smile to her face.

"Thanks, Byron. But I thought you said I should beat some more Gym Leaders' personal teams before I battle yours."

"Well, of course you should!" Byron insisted with a haughty laugh, "I won't just _let_ you win! You gotta show me what you're made of!" The three men laughed, and along with Dawn, they left the battling room behind. Soon, Ash and Dawn were right outside the Gym, drinking in the afternoon sunlight.

"So, Ash, I take it you'll be heading for Eterna City next, yes?" Roark asked.

"That's on the tab, yeah. First we have to hit Floaroma Town for Dawn's next Contest, and then we'll head up to Eterna."

"Well, good luck to you both." Byron said before turning to Roark, "I'm going to head back to Canalave City soon, son. I want you to keep a close eye on the town here."

Roark snickered, "Dad, you know I always do."

"No, I mean a _real_ close eye." Byron insisted, suddenly becoming very serious. The change in demeanor attracted both Ash and Dawn to the man's words. "Some unusual things have been happening in Sinnoh lately."

"Byron, forgive me for interrupting, but…what do you mean, unusual?" Ash asked.

Byron turned to the teenager, a stern look on his face. "I'm not entirely sure myself, m'boy. There have been some…issues in Canalave City…a rash of crime…same thing out in Snowpoint City and some of the smaller towns around Mt. Coronet. The police haven't been able to capture any of the crooks, but I know there's a pattern. There has to be. I'm concerned for our Region. With the amount of success Team Galactic had in the last two years, I'm worried it might entice some other global criminals into jumpstarting operations here."

"Global criminals, huh…that doesn't sound too good."

"Like Team Rocket." Dawn pointed out.

"Yeah…but it's been a really long time since we've seen anyone from that crew. Even Jessie and James have been missing for months."

"I beg your pardon? Just whom do you speak of?" Byron asked.

"Oh, Byron, maybe this could help." Ash said, "Probably not, though. Anyway, back in my home Region of Kanto, Team Rocket was an organized criminal group. They poached Pokémon, among other things. I had a pair of their crooks chasing me for years. I seriously doubt they could be behind this rash of crimes, but it might be worth looking into."

"Team…Rocket…I see, Ash. I'll let the police know what you've told me once I return to Canalave, I promise." Byron said, "Hopefully we can snuff this out soon. Anyway, I'm off. Take care, Ash and Dawn."

Byron shook Roark's hand next and then went on his merry way, dangling his shovel to and fro. Ash, Dawn, and Roark all watched him disappear over the hillside, headed out of Oreburgh City. Finally, Roark inhaled and then glanced to the two teenagers. "Well, I suppose this is it."

"Yeah…we need to get going soon." Ash agreed, "I gotta rest my Pokémon and then we'll probably start heading back to Jubilife after that."

"Well, take care, both of you. My dad is no liar, so I would keep my eyes and ears open. I don't want either of you getting hurt."

"We'll make a point to. Thanks, Roark." Ash agreed.

"Take care of Oreburgh City." Dawn chimed in. With that, the two teenagers were off. The Oreburgh Gym vanished from view, and soon they were in the main square of the mining town. The red roof of the Pokémon Center stood like a beacon of light to the travelers, and they both rushed inside. Ash handed over Pikachu, Sceptile, and Squirtle to be rested, and then sat on the other end of a table with Dawn, who was tending to Piplup.

Sometime later, Nurse Joy appeared at the table. "Ash Ketchum?" she asked.

"Hmm? Yeah, that's me."

"You two have a call waiting on the videophone." Joy said sweetly.

"A call?" Ash repeated, glancing over to Dawn, "Wonder who it could be?"

Ash and Dawn both got up from their seats and walked toward the videophone. The screen lit up and revealed a man with well-tanned skin and spiky brown hair. Both teenagers lit up excitably as they recognized the man immediately.

" _Brock!"_

"Hiya, Ash and Dawn!" Brock said, smiling happily, "How are you guys?"

"We're great, Brock!" Ash said.

"What brings you to call us?" Dawn asked.

"Well, I'll try to keep it short. I finished my intro classes in Fuchsia City last week, so I called Pallet Town hoping to meet up with you sometime, Ash. But your mother said you weren't there and that you had gone back to Sinnoh. So, I put two and two together and figured you'd be with Dawn. I called Professor Oak and he confirmed. He said you were challenging the Sinnoh League again and that you were on the road to Oreburgh City!"

"That'd be right!" Ash said, "And Dawn's taking on Contests again."

"I already got one Ribbon!"

"That's awesome. I'm happy for both of you. Anyway, the reason I called. It was quite a stroke of luck that you both headed back to Sinnoh. After I finished my classes I had to intern for six months at a Pokémon Center, and I could get extra credits if I went abroad. Well, I was assigned to the Eterna City Pokémon Center just yesterday!"

"Eterna City?" Ash and Dawn said with a mixture of shock and glee, "We'll be there in a few weeks!"

"Right? So I figured I'd call you guys and I could find some time to spend with my old traveling buddies." Brock explained.

"I love that idea! It'll be just like old times!" Ash hollered.

"Yeah, that sounds awesome, Brock!" Dawn agreed.

Brock chuckled, "Well, I have to go and finish getting packed. I'll be starting in three days, so call me when you're not too far from Eterna!"

"Will do, Brock!" the teenagers said together, "Bye!"

Brock waved goodbye and then the live feed cut out, returning to an empty black screen. Ash shivered, "Man, it's going to be great to see Brock again. What are the odds he'd end up back in Sinnoh?"

"It'll be really great. I can't wait to see him." Dawn agreed.

Sometime after the call, Ash picked up his rested Pokémon, and he and Dawn were on their way out of Oreburgh City. Green grass on the sides of the road signaled their arrival on Route 203, and the skyline of Jubilife City could be seen several miles away. After arriving in the metropolis, the pair would head north to Floaroma Town for Dawn's next Contest, and then to Eterna City to hopefully meet Brock. The anticipation of the coming journey made both Ash and Dawn giddy, and there was no telling just what awaited them.

* * *

 **So, Brock will be making a return very soon! I'd like to leave something up to those reading this, though. I am not a great writer of Contests, and am much more comfortable writing battling scenes. Since battling is, honestly, more interesting (and goes on longer than Contests), I'm going to be creating a poll for all of my readers to answer. The choices will be between whether or not to skip Dawn's upcoming Contest and move along to Eterna City (Brock will appear sooner), or write the Contest (Brock will appear later on). I want you to answer based on what you would rather see happen, because I'm writing this story for you! Please consider leaving a review at the bottom, I'd greatly appreciate it. Reviews help keep me going and I enjoy reading them.**

 **Stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	31. Rocket Rising

**Mountain of free time = early chapter update. This one turned out way longer than I thought it would, so I hope you all enjoy that. In this chapter, Dawn's going to be learning some secrets about Ash, and finally, after quite a bit of waiting, our favorite bad guys will start moving out of the shadows.**

 **Review replies:**

 **Guest: If you misunderstood, Brock is not going to be traveling with Ash and Dawn again. He's simply returning for a spell. As for the cheering thing, I'm historically bad at poetry and rhyming and such, so I couldn't dream up a good cheer routine. Creative writing and my large vocabulary are probably my sole skill points in the English department. There will be some more high-fives in the story, though, since we'll be diving into the thick of it all.**

 **JustAn0therGuy: Thanks for the praise. I can't disagree with Aura being a little overused in this community, I see it a lot when I skim through stories. I also hope that it doesn't seem like a lame plot point, and my reason for making it part of the story is twofold. My first-ever game was Diamond Version, and at the time my favorite Pokémon was Lucario. Riley was in that game and child me genuinely thought he was the coolest NPC ever because he had a Lucario. When he appeared in the TV show, I was thrilled, and liked his character. I added Riley and Ash's Aura abilities into this story because A) I like Riley, and B) it is technically canon that Ash can use Aura, and it's pretty moot to never revisit that again. Since this story is a deviation from the canonical timeline, I included it with the hope of making it worthwhile. Rest assured, Ash's abilities will not be the be all-end all of this story by any stretch of the imagination.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 31_

 _Rocket Rising_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 203**_

The fire crackled to life and grew as it consumed the tinder underneath it. Ash rubbed his fingers on the palms of his hands and then held his hands about a foot from the fire, drinking in as much warmth as he could while the flame reached full strength. The Trainer let out a sigh of relief as he rubbed his warm hands together. Just about everything from the waist down was hurting after a long afternoon of walking.

The crunching of branches behind him caught his attention. The Trainer flicked his head to the side and used his peripheral vision to find the source. As expected, Dawn appeared from the brush, with Piplup waddling beside her. The Penguin Pokémon chirped approvingly as it recognized the fire, and Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder to run around with Piplup.

"I see you got the fire going." Dawn pointed out as she sat down on a log opposite of Ash, "Ooh, that's warm."

Ash silently agreed, holding his hands back out against the flame. Pikachu and Piplup ran in circles around their small campsite, both Pokémon giggling as they went. The moon was in the last wedges of its waning crescent phase, and the sky was unusually dark thanks to the absence of artificial light in the area. Countless dots of stars littered the night sky, but afforded nothing more than a beautiful picture to gaze at. Ash was searching for constellations he recognized when Dawn spoke up, knocking him out of his trance.

"So, what are you thinking about?" the blue-haired Coordinator asked with a smile.

"Oh…a lot of things." Ash mused, glancing back up at the sky before turning his focus back to the fire. He glanced up at Dawn, meeting her eyes, and suddenly the pair burst out snickering. When he was finally able to calm down, Ash asked with a much cheerier voice, "So, where are we on Route 203?"

Dawn murmured, _"Hmmm…"_ and then began fiddling with her Pokétch, tapping a few buttons before a sudden holographic image burst up into life above the wristwatch. It was a semi-3D map of the Sinnoh Region, showing some of the details such as skylines and sections of trees on some of the Routes. Mt. Coronet split the hologram in two, just like it did the actual Region.

"Woah, what is that?" Ash yelped with a curious surprise.

"Oh, this? This is one of those new Pokétch apps. It's called the Holo-Map. It's actually for the new line of Pokémon Watches, so I had to get a new one to have this. But it shows a hologram map of the whole Region, and even shows you where you are. See?"

Indeed, a pulsing green dot in the middle of Route 203 showed an estimate of their current location. Ash never would've guessed that Dawn had been wearing a brand-new Pokétch. It looked the exact same as her previous one, but she had never mentioned it.

"Looking at this thing, we made pretty great time getting out of Oreburgh City today. If we get a full day of walking in tomorrow, I bet we could make it all the way to Jubilife and get to sleep at the Pokémon Center before heading up to Floaroma Town." Dawn guessed.

Ash actually tuned most of that part out. As he had thought for just a moment about Dawn's new Pokétch, it had occurred to him that he hadn't been one hundred percent honest with Dawn. The Trainer glanced at his hands, thinking about his Aura, and decided that now was as good a time as any to tell the truth. It couldn't hurt, right?

Dawn must've been saying something else, because Ash interrupted her. "Dawn, I need to tell you something." Ash said quickly, placing his focus on the fire rather than her. Dawn frowned and then shut off the Holo-Map, before slapping her arms down into her legs.

"Okay. What's up?"

Ash looked up from the fire now. His palms began to sweat, so he rubbed his hands together. The winter breeze that picked up made him shiver for a moment, but he put the cold out of his mind. "When I was training on Mt. Silver…I met someone."

"Met someone?" Dawn asked, before a pang of fear hit her in the heart. No, he didn't mean he had met a _lover_ , did he? The Coordinator kept up an amazing poker face, but deep inside she was burning with confusion and discomfort. "W-What do you mean?"

"I met an old friend." Ash furthered, rubbing his hands together, "You remember Riley, right?"

"Riley?" Dawn repeated, and her system instantly cooled down. He wasn't talking about a member of the opposite sex. He wasn't even talking about something romantic, "Yeah, I remember Riley. The Aura Guardian that we met on Iron Island."

"Right, the Aura Guardian. Anyway, I had spent several weeks climbing to the summit, and after a long time, I finally made it. I discovered Moltres, a Legendary Pokémon from the Kanto Region, and Charizard and me had to battle it. And then, out of nowhere, Moltres let us pass…so we did. And there, at the top of the mountain, we ran into Ho-Oh again."

"Ho-Oh? Why would Ho-Oh be at the top of Mt. Silver?"

"Well, I think I told you this before I…before I left…that I'd seen Ho-Oh several times in my journey. There's no way that it's just a coincidence. But anyway, after he flew away from Ecruteak City, he headed to Mt. Silver. The last time I'd seen Ho-Oh was years ago, when he led me to Hoenn. I traveled that Region and met May and Max…so I figured, with Ho-Oh showing up in Ecruteak for the first time in centuries, at the _exact_ time that I was there and then _looking_ at me, I had to go. I had to see what was so special about me…why Ho-Oh kept revealing himself and guiding me. And when I got to the summit, I think I finally did get it."

"Ash? I don't get it." Dawn said with a hint of concern. "What are you talking about?"

"…This." Ash said, before he opened his hand and held it parallel to the ground, but high enough so that Dawn could clearly see it. Without any effort, Ash formed a small blue sphere in the palm of his hand, and poured just enough energy into the sphere to make it pulse.

Dawn flinched, a million questions running through her head in an instant before she put two and two together. "You're an Aura Guardian…" Dawn realized with awe.

"Pretty much, yeah. Right after we got to the summit, Riley appeared, and he took me back to his cave on the mountain. He said he had been tracking me since I lost to Tobias in the Sinnoh League, following the trail that my Aura left."

"The trail that your Aura left? How does that work?"

Ash suddenly closed his palm, extinguishing the Aura Sphere. Thin tendrils of blue energy leaked out of his fist, but dissipated into thin air, "I don't really get it either, but it's basically an energy footprint that you leave behind. It's attached to your life force, which is called Aura. A trained Aura Guardian can sense these footprints and track a person pretty easily."

"Sounds like something out of a science-fiction book." Dawn remarked.

Ash chuckled, "Yep, that's a pretty good assumption. Anyway, Riley said that my Aura was stronger than anyone he'd ever met, but he didn't catch onto this until Tobias beat me in the Sinnoh League. Something about an explosion of emotions, which alerted him to the presence of my Aura. He told me Aura is closely connected to emotion. For example, since I'm relatively inexperienced, my Aura could activate if I lose my cool. I've gotten better at keeping it under control, but it can still happen if I'm pushed enough."

"So, Riley tracked you down so he could train you how to use your Aura? So that you could become an Aura Guardian?"

"That's the gist of it, yeah." Ash said, deciding mentally to leave out Riley's tragic past. Dawn didn't need to know about those things. In fact, if Ash could, he would've chosen to forget the knowledge of his Master's history as well.

"So, why are you telling me this?" Dawn asked.

"I figured that you deserve to know. If what Byron says is true—and I have no doubt that it is—it would be wise for us to watch our backs. I think we know better than anyone to expect the unexpected."

"That's an understatement." Dawn snorted. Ash cracked a smile and then went back to philosophy mode.

"And if worse comes to worst, it could be necessary for me to use my Aura to defend myself…and you too. What it would take for that to happen, I don't really know, but the more you know about this…ability…the better."

"That's…really cool." Dawn breathed, "Can you show me some more?"

Ash nodded with a smile. He conjured another Aura Sphere, calmly moving his left hand over his right hand, which cradled the ball of energy. The Trainer twisted his hands over each other for a split second and then tossed the small Aura Sphere into the air, where it stopped suspended in midair. Ash did some cryptic movements with his fingers, and a ray of energy pulsed out of the sphere like a firework. The energy itself was harmless, and vanished into thin air after reaching out for a few feet. After a few tricks with that, Ash extinguished the airborne sphere and then spilled Aura from his two hands so that the energy crawled up his forearms. This move caused his forearms to glow brilliantly and created a sort of bracer around his arms. Ash knew that this was more of a battle move, meant to create an impenetrable defense around the arms, and it could even be spread around the body to create a layer of energy that acted as armor. As Ash was still inexperienced, though, it was possible to break this shield of Aura with enough force. Riley had said it himself: experience was the best teacher.

Ash stood up from the log he sat on as the Aura made his arms glow. "Check this out." Ash remarked before trotting over to the nearest tree. The tree itself was pretty insignificant, with no defining features on its trunk. Its leaves had long since fallen off, and tendrils of frost wrapped around the base of the tree. Ash glanced at the tree, and then at his open, Aura-filled palm. Quickly, Ash shifted his back foot backward, and then closed his fist. The energy around his forearms wrapped around his closed fist and created a brilliant blue hue around it. Ash threw his fist forward and punched the tree trunk. There was a heavy crunching of wood and the tree splintered. Everything from the point of impact and up slouched forward and then began to fall, while everything below remained rooted in place, albeit a little disturbed. Ash used his Aura to catch the falling upper part of the tree, which was only about a story tall.

"Holy cow, Ash! You destroyed that tree!" Dawn shrieked.

"Nah, it's just a flesh wound." Ash insisted, "Riley showed me how to fix damage that's been done with Aura. Watch."

Ash turned back to the broken tree and gently placed the tall upper part of the trunk back where it had been torn apart. The young Aura Guardian held the trunk in place with one hand, and with the other, he discharged tendrils of his own Aura and traced the path of destruction left at the point of impact. The brilliant blue glow almost seemed to sow the tree back together, until the light made a perfect loop and essentially glued the tree back in place. Ash took a step back and the light of Aura glowed for a few seconds before going away.

"See? Good as new. I can even feel the tree beating again." Ash assured before he turned back and walked over to the campsite again.

"I'll take your word for it…" Dawn said nervously as Ash plopped back down on his log, "But I do have one question."

"And what's that?"

"Just how did you get to be so amazing, Ash Ketchum?"

Ash blanked for a second and then grinned like a child. "I'd like to think it's because I'm just a natural alpha male, but it's just an opinion."

Dawn rolled her eyes and the pair laughed heartily. Pikachu and Piplup had stopped playing when Ash began showing off his Aura, and the electric mouse happily hopped onto the log next to Ash and began chatting agreeably with a series of _Pika_ 's. Piplup waddled over to Dawn and raised his flippers, indicating that he wished to be held. Dawn obliged and reached down, grabbing onto the water-type and holding him close in her arms. Piplup chirped approvingly.

Suddenly, there was a massive _BOOM_ from somewhere deep in the forest. The noise only became louder in the nanoseconds it took to pass through Ash and Dawn's campsite, and the gale force wind that came with it was more than enough to knock the fire out completely, leaving the two travelers in total darkness. As the wind passed, a fiery light ascended into the sky, visible above the mass of trees from the ground that Ash and Dawn sat on.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu shouted, followed by an agreeing _"Piplup, pip!"_

Without warning, Pikachu and Piplup broke away from the two Trainers, bolting into the woods. "Ah! Pikachu, where you going?" Ash shouted.

"Piplup, come back!" Dawn shouted as well.

"We should go after 'em! We need to find out what that was!" Ash cried. Dawn nodded in agreement and the pair bolted after their Pokémon, wading through the mass of brush and trees. Unfortunately, it was completely black ahead of the two Trainers, and Ash even tripped on a log as he vaulted through the brush, though he was able to break his fall and continue running.

It wasn't long before Ash spotted Pikachu's silhouette, alongside Piplup. The two Pokémon were standing under some trees looking out into a clearing.

"Pikachu." Ash said with concern as he reached the two Pokémon. Dawn appeared only a moment's notice later, squatting down to examine Piplup. The two Pokémon, however, didn't acknowledge their Trainers at first. Pikachu looked up at Ash, pointing out into the clearing.

" _Pika. Pika-Pika, Pikachu."_

"What's that? What's the prob—oh…"

Several human silhouettes were moving about the clearing. Just outside the break in the trees was a tranquil lake, or at least what used to be a tranquil lake. A group of at least a dozen people were moving back and forth between the banks of the water. Upon a closer look, Ash could see that these people were dragging Pokémon out of the lake with the use of nets and other traps.

"We have to stop them. That must've been an explosion." Ash said quickly. Before Dawn could protest, Ash ran out from the cover and into the clearing. Pikachu bounded after his Trainer, intent on getting to the bottom of whatever was going on at this lake. Dawn grumbled to herself before running out after the pair, prompting Piplup to waddle along with her.

Ash ran until he could clearly see the silhouettes as people. They all wore identical outfits comprised of full-body uniforms, topped off with driver caps on their heads. Ash couldn't make out the color of the outfits, but the back of his mind screamed that there was some sort of significance to these people.

Dawn caught up to the pair and spotted the same thing that Ash was seeing, but before either of them could say anything, an eerily familiar voice called out with a girlish giggle.

"Ah-ha-ha, look what we have here!" the female voice giggled, "What are the odds? Our favorite twerps have come to say hello!"

"Oh, no, it can't be."

" _Listen, is that a voice I hear?"_

" _It's speaking to me loud and clear."_

Ash and Dawn whirled around to see three all-too-familiar silhouettes, hovering above the ground in some kind of vehicle; an irregular circle-like formation with tall handles sticking out on either side of where the drivers stood.

" _On the wind!"_

" _Past the stars!"_

" _In your ear!"_

" _Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace."_

" _Dashing hope, putting fear in its place."_

" _A rose by any other name is just as sweet!"_

" _When everything's worse, our work is complete!"_

Now, in perfect succession with the motto, the vehicles lit up. To Ash and Dawn's right, the floor of the hovering vehicle lit up with a magnificent white light, illuminating the form of Jessie.

" _Jessie!"_

Perfectly on cue, the vehicle to the teenagers' left lit up, revealing James and his lavender blue hair. _"And it's James!"_

Finally, the vehicle in the middle lit up, revealing a certain Cat Scratch Pokémon, whose vehicle was noticeably smaller than the two humans. _"And Meowth, now that's a name!"_

" _Putting the do-gooders in their place…"_

"… _We're Team Rocket!"_

" _And we're in your face!"_

The three loathsome Rockets possessed a whole new set of surprises, from the vehicles to the characteristic black uniforms branded with a red R across the torso. Ash gritted his teeth angrily, clenching his fists as he did so.

"Man, not you guys again! I thought we'd seen the last of ya!"

James chuckled heartily, "The last of _us,_ twerp? Sorry to burst your bubble."

"I guess we just can't stay away from you twoips!" Meowth teased, "Maybe we're just destined ta be togetha!"

"As if!" Dawn snapped, "Now what did you crooks do to the lake?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Jessie asked mockingly, "We only set off a bomb underneath the lake so we could drive the Pokémon living in it closer to the shore! That way, we can snatch 'em all up!"

"Still up to your old tricks, huh?" Ash grumbled loudly, "Guess it's the same old annoying Team Rocket, even with a few new toys!"

Jessie frowned spitefully. "Not at all, twerp. Lots is different from the last time we met. Maybe you hadn't noticed, but we've ditched our old white uniforms! And why? Well, that's because now we're Team Rocket Admins, in control of a whole new branch of Team Rocket right here in the Sinnoh Region!"

"A couple of screw-ups like you three, Team Rocket Admins?" Ash fired back with shrewd disbelief, "Maybe stick to the real world, huh?"

"But it's true, twoip!" Meowth chimed in, "Ya see, da boss promoted us and gave us our own branch in the Sinnoh Region. He's got some big plans for this place, I tell ya, and we get to drive the boat that gets us there! And no pesky twoips are gonna stand in our way!"

"So you're done trying to steal Pikachu? Off to greener pastures?" Ash asked incredulously, still keeping up his smug, disbelieving face.

"Well now that you mention it…" James answered, glancing to his comrades with a knowing grin. Meowth bounded in with a response next, wearing a wild grin.

"Ya see, one of the oth-a powers that comes with being an Admin: commanding a whole horde of Grunts! Get 'em!"

The silhouettes that had been on the banks of the lake came charging forward, stopping several feet away from the two Trainers and drawing their Poké Balls. About a dozen Golbat and Murkrow were released from the capsules, and each Pokémon looked more than ready to wreak some havoc.

"Maybe this is a little bit useless, but I guess old habits die hard!" Meowth shouted, laughing hysterically after finishing his sentence.

Ash groaned before turning to the Grunts. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Piplup, you use Whirlpool!"

Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and into the air as Piplup summoned a great vortex of water into reality. Pikachu sent a powerful Thunderbolt ripping forward, followed by Piplup's Whirlpool being released, and with staggering ease the pair of small Pokémon completely wiped out the dozen Pokémon facing them. The Rocket Grunts all looked to their fainted Pokémon, returning them one-by-one, and without any words the Grunts all looked amongst each other with fear. It didn't take a genius to understand that the Pikachu owned by the teenager packed a dangerously powerful punch.

The first Grunt bolted away into the woods, followed by several more boots running after the panicked crook. Ash and Dawn both watched the horde run away, leaving the lake-dwelling Pokémon that they'd captured completely unattended. The cowardice of lowly Rockets after the situation turned sour never ceased to amaze Ash.

Jessie groaned loudly, catching both teenagers' attentions. _"Ugh,_ you just can never find good help these days. Leave them to the wolves, I suppose."

"That was some Thunderbolt, twoip. Looks like our intel was good! You're not the only one who's made some improvements! I guess we'll have to do this ah-selves." Meowth grumbled, moving his paw to one of the hovering vehicle's handles.

Meowth clicked the trigger on the handle, and the hovercraft zoomed forward, heading directly for Ash and Dawn. Ash moved incredibly fast and dove to his right, bringing Dawn down with him. "Sorry, comin' through!" Meowth teased with a wild laugh. The noise of machine whirred over them at high-speed, and Meowth was immediately over by the pile of captured Pokémon.

Jessie and James whizzed past the two teenagers as they stood, albeit that they went around them rather than through them. All three Admins were quickly over to the pile of captured Pokémon. Among the caught species were Lumineon, Seaking, Staryu, and Krabby.

"As much as I'd love to put these twerps in their place, we have a more important job to do." Jessie pointed out to her comrades.

"Yes, I'll call our ride." James agreed. He clicked a button on the top of his hovercraft's driving handle, and a holographic tablet appeared, connecting between the two handles. James quickly tapped a few virtual buttons and then the image went away, "They should be here any minute now."

"Dawn, we have to help those Pokémon." Ash said.

"I know. Let's get 'em!"

Ash and Dawn ran forward toward the airborne Rocket Admins, immediately catching the attention of Jessie. "So, it looks like the twerps want to fight back. Shall we, James?"

"Of course." James agreed, immediately drawing a Poké Ball, _"Cacturne, go!"_

Jessie chimed in by throwing her own Poké Ball, _"Sneasel, you're up!"_

The pair's new Pokémon popped out of their capsules. The tall Cacturne flexed its arms for a moment while Sneasel raked its claws on the red feather adorned on its ear.

"Cacturne, use Dark Pulse!" James shouted.

Cacturne belched out a quick blast of blackened energy, aiming directly at the two Trainers. Ash and Dawn both stepped out of the way, avoiding the attack, but one look at their faces showed they weren't expecting to be attacked head-on by the grass-type.

"Pikachu, get out there!"

"Piplup, you too!"

The two small Pokémon bounded into the playing field, and the hovering Rockets commanded their two Pokémon from above.

"Sneasel, use Metal Claw!"

"Cacturne, use Needle Arm!"

Sneasel showed off its impressive speed by rushing forward, while Cacturne much more typically lumbered toward its opponents. Ash quickly called for a counter on the oncoming Sneasel. "Quick, Pikachu, use Iron Tail to counter!"

"Piplup, use Drill Peck on Cacturne!"

Pikachu and Piplup both rushed forward, the former's tail glowing silver. Sneasel raced into the mouse's range, and Pikachu somersaulted forward to deflect the ice-type's Metal Claw. Piplup bounded into the air, spinning at high speed. Cacturne, however, stalled until the small water-type got close, and then swiftly swung its huge, needle-covered arm. The attack connected perfectly with the water-type's side, sending Piplup tumbling off to the side.

"Piplup!" Dawn cried.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Sneasel again!"

Pikachu blocked one more Metal Claw and then skirted around the ice-type, using its superior speed to get behind Sneasel. The Sharp Claw Pokémon found itself trying to whirl around and catch Pikachu, but the electric-type was far too fast and dealt a brutal Iron Tail into the ice-type's face. Sneasel collapsed to the ground.

"Pikachu, go help Piplup! Use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu bounded away from Sneasel and immediately started racing toward Cacturne, who was lumbering over to the downed Piplup. "Cacturne, look out!" James cried as the powerful aura of Volt Tackle wrapped around Pikachu. The huge grass-type whirled around just as Pikachu arrived, and the mouse tackled Cacturne hard and drove it into the ground with explosive force, before rolling up and over the Scarecrow Pokémon and regaining its footing.

"Cacturne, use Needle Arm on Pikachu!"

Cacturne stomped forward with a readied arm, but Pikachu refused to back down. Ash called out, "Iron Tail!"

"Sneasel, use Metal Claw to hold Pikachu's tail down!"

Pikachu turned its tail to steel, but before he could leap forward to attack Cacturne, a set of claws grabbed onto his raised tail and pulled it down to the ground, holding it steady. Pikachu's head whirled back to find Sneasel grinning darkly as it rendered Iron Tail ineffective.

" _Pika!"_

"Piplup, use Drill Peck on Cacturne!"

Cacturne was tackled instantly by a spinning Piplup, and Jessie quickly decided on an alternate move, as Sneasel still held down Pikachu's tail. "Use Metal Claw on Pikachu!"

Sneasel let go of Pikachu's tail, but the ice-type was too close for the mouse to do anything. Powerful claws encased in steel raked across the electric-type's body, and Sneasel refused to let up, knocking Pikachu over and raking another set of claws across its body.

"Pikachu, quick! Use Thunderbolt!"

It was the perfect move for Pikachu's situation. The electric-type warned, _"Pika!"_ before discharging a powerful Thunderbolt from the ground, practically frying Sneasel and driving the ice-type off of the smaller mouse. Without missing a beat, Pikachu bounded away, skidding around to face Sneasel. Suddenly, a light appeared on its tail. Crackles of electricity generated a ball of light at the tail, and Pikachu looked particularly unhappy with Sneasel. In one swift move, Pikachu leaped into the air and somersaulted, slinging the sphere of electricity at Sneasel. The ice-type had staggered to its feet after taking the Thunderbolt, and upon looking up, was immediately sent back into the ground with a flash of lightning.

"What was that?" Dawn asked with a surprised shout.

"I think that was a new move!" Ash said back, "That's awesome, Pikachu!"

" _Pika!"_

Piplup bounded over to Pikachu and the two Pokémon high-fived, looking cheery as usual before putting on more serious faces as they looked back to the Rockets and their Pokémon.

"Just give up, Team Rocket! You're beaten!" Ash shouted.

Suddenly, a cacophonous noise raked the lakefront, screaming at deafening levels up in the sky. Ash and Dawn both covered their ears, as a huge airship appeared overhead, slugging to a stop above the banks of the lake.

"Too soon, twerp." James taunted, "Shall we be out of here, chums?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Meowth replied.

As if on cue, the airship deployed a huge green wave of light over the hordes of captured Pokémon flopping around on the shore. One by one, the nets full of Pokémon were sucked into the sky and then pulled into the ship, like a tractor beam. The three Admins remained on the ground as they watched their captures be lifted into the ship's payload.

Once all the Pokémon had been sucked into the ship, the three Admins moved to leave as well. "Come on, they'll be waiting for us." Jessie muttered, and all three of them started to press buttons on their hovercrafts.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ash shouted, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the hovercraft!"

Pikachu bounded forward and sent a quick blast of lightning toward Meowth's hovercraft. The Scratch Cat Pokémon paled as the blast came toward him and he instinctively leaped away, extending his claws and latching onto James' body. The lavender-haired Admin winced as Meowth's claws dug into him, whimpering for a brief moment.

The Thunderbolt struck the hovercraft that once held Meowth, knocking the craft to bits as it sent it flying into the lake. The destroyed vehicle tumbled into the lake some dozens of feet off, where it promptly exploded on contact with the water.

"Heh! Looks like my Hover-Pad is shot!" Meowth declared as he watched the craft explode. James groaned again in pain, and Meowth seemed to just realize that he had been digging his claws into the Admin's back, "Aw, shoot, sorry James. Do you mind if I hitch a ride on dis thing?"

"…No…" James groaned as he grabbed onto the controls again. Together, the two remaining Hover-Pads lifted into the air, far beyond the reach of Pikachu's Thunderbolt, and vanished into the open belly of the massive airship.

"No!" Ash shouted as the Rockets escaped. The airship's belly closed up and almost immediately, the huge craft employed its cloaking device and vanished from view. The noise of its engines disappeared as well.

Just then, the sound of a wailing siren sang loud and clear to Ash and Dawn's ears. The two teenagers turned to look behind them, and a police SUV followed by two regular cars, all lit up by their red-and-blue siren lights, skidded to a stop in the grass nearby. The door of the SUV opened and Officer Jenny popped out, scanning the scene in an instant.

"Ah! Witnesses!" Jenny declared, hopping completely out of the SUV and slamming the door shut, "We have reports of an explosion at the lake! Can you tell us what happened?"

Pikachu eagerly hopped onto Ash's shoulder, and Ash did his best to smile, though his overwhelming bad mood foiled this, "Of course, officer. But you're not going to like what you hear."

* * *

"So, the rumors are true. Team Rocket has come to Sinnoh." Jenny concluded, tapping the end of her pen along her jaw, "This isn't good."

"As I said, Officer Jenny. You wouldn't like what I had to say." Ash said again, sitting semi-comfortably in the chair that had been provided to him.

Ash's seat was on the other end of a table, which was surrounded by the four nondescript walls of the interrogation room. He was sitting in the Jubilife PD building, having volunteered to answer any questions they had about the incident at the lake. Ash had told them everything he knew about the organization, revealing the identities of the three crooks that had been chasing him for so many years. Unfortunately, Ash had zero information on anything the new Admins had spoken about during their unpleasant reunion, including the "big plans" that their boss had for the Region.

"In any case, the reputation of Team Rocket is not a favorable one. Word of their activities in Kanto has been common even all the way over here in Sinnoh. We've seen cells using the Team Rocket name in the past, but they were all quite easy to snuff out and as far as we could tell, were unconnected to the main branch in Kanto. We will have to open an investigation and get the word out." Jenny explained. The officer stood up out of her chair and began stacking up the files that she had brought into the room with her.

"I'll help in any way I can." Ash assured, standing up from his seat.

The teenager decided now was as good a time as any to take his leave. He walked over to the unlocked door of the interrogation room, placing his hand on the door handle before Officer Jenny called his name. "Ash."

"Yes, Officer Jenny?"

"Since you're going to be traveling Sinnoh, keep an eye out. Watch your back. If these friends of yours are smart enough, they'll most likely keep tabs on you. Now that you know they're active, it could become dangerous for you."

"I'm sure that I will be fine, Officer Jenny. I've spent a lot of time involved in dangerous situations." Ash said, before turning back to the door and turning the handle.

"I believe you, Ash. But you can never be sure. Take care of yourself."

Ash threw up his free arm in a farewell wave to Jenny, showing that he had heard her advice. With that, he shut the door to the room and began to walk down the hall to the lobby of the police station. Dawn was sitting comfortably in a chair, grooming Piplup with a brush. The Coordinator spotted Ash and stood up, lifting Piplup into her arms as she did so.

"How'd it go?" Dawn asked.

"About as well as it possibly could've. Officer Jenny wants us to watch our backs." Ash said, "She's worried Team Rocket could try something."

"I sure hope not. Jessie and James sure seemed dedicated out there."

"Yeah, I don't know what to make of it. And those new Pokémon, however they got them, are tough. Tougher than they usually are." Ash agreed. He opened his mouth wide to yawn.

Dawn yawned as well, realizing just now how tired she was. "Well, it's a good thing we met with the cops. We got a free ride to Jubilife out of it, which means we can sleep at the Pokémon Center."

"Man, a warm bed sounds great right now." Ash agreed.

"Well, let's head out then!" Dawn decided, immediately making a move to start walking out.

"Hey, Dawn." Ash interjected, holding a stern face.

Dawn turned back and frowned at Ash, "What is it?"

Ash raised his hand into the air, and Dawn knew just what he was after. Like a child on Christmas morning, Dawn rushed forward, reaching up and clapping her hand against Ash's in a crisp high-five. The two Trainers giggled, their spirits instantly raised. After the high-five, Ash grabbed his bags and headed out of the police department, happily walking toward the Pokémon Center with the intent of getting some much-needed rest.

What they failed to see was the shady man clad in a trench coat and driver cap just off the immediate premises of the building. His disguise attire was perfect for the frigid winter night, and allowed him to blend in with the handful of passersby walking up and down the city blocks of Jubilife City. The man followed the teenagers at a distance until they entered the Pokémon Center, and then walked away down an adjacent block where no one was walking around. Immediately, the man fiddled with a small flip phone, dialing the desired number and strolling into an alleyway as he brought the phone to his ear.

* * *

"I just spoke with one of our men stationed in Jubilife City. Your two friends are there now." Charon addressed the three Rocket Admins standing before him. Along with them, Charon served as the fourth Admin of the Sinnoh branch of Team Rocket, and he almost always stayed behind at the base to keep tabs on field missions. This was mostly because he was a wanted criminal in Sinnoh.

"Are we going to go after them?" Jessie asked.

"Not yet. I have decided that we will bide our time. While you were on your mission at the lake on Route 203, we had spies watching them all the way from Oreburgh City. Their report claims that the boy has the power to use Aura."

"Pardon me, Charon." James interrupted, "Aura, you say?"

"You heard me correctly." Charon nodded, "Obviously, this makes me cautious. An Aura Guardian could do significant damage to our operation all by himself, and we have no idea just how capable the boy is with his gifts. For now, it is safer to let him be."

"Understood, Charon. What will we do next, then?"

"I'm glad you asked. The field team from Stark Mountain returned shortly before you did. Thanks to everyone's efforts, we now have a sizeable collection of many different types of Pokémon." Charon turned to his desk, grabbing onto a tray carrying six Poké Balls, "Jessie, James, please take three. These particular specimen were identified as the strongest of the bunch."

Jessie and James stepped forward, each grabbing the three Poké Balls laid out directly in front of them on the tray. Charon continued as they attached the capsules to their belts. "Now, as for what we will be doing next, our most basic plans are now laid out. I have spoken with Giovanni, and he has authorized me to begin working toward his goals in the Sinnoh Region."

Charon walked around his desk and sat in the comfortable chair, gesturing to the three chairs on the other end of the desk. "Please, you three, sit…and finally, I will reveal to you just what Giovanni has kept under wraps for so long."

* * *

 **That's a wrap! A quick Author's Note here, if anyone is confused about Team Rocket's little hovercrafts, think of the ones used by the Pokémon Pinchers, who appear in Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs. It's a pretty good spin-off game, and the antagonists, the Pinchers, get around on hovercrafts. I didn't have the best descriptions for them, as they are never given a name or really explained, so it's kind of vague in this chapter. I decided to call them Hover-Pads.**

 **Anyway, I'll be getting Chapter 32 out on the weekend as scheduled. A reviewer, KakeruPB, made a good point that helped me make my final decision on the whole Contest thing. I do not have any plans to create a new rival for Dawn, as we already have Zach, a friendly rival. I kind of expended my original character energy on Jacen during the Johto arc. There will be a returning character in the Contest scene later on, but that will come later. As such, I will be skipping the Floaroma Town Contest entirely, and move on to the events in Eterna City, which should take up two chapters.**

 **As always, please consider leaving a review or shooting me a PM! Getting feedback from readers is my favorite part of writing this story, so I hope as many of you reading this as possible really take either of those two options into consideration. Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	32. Brock-o and the Old Chateau

**I'm back again with another early update. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy reading it. Brock is returning in this chapter, and along with his return we'll have a big battle with an interesting wild Pokémon, as well as an interesting discovery about Ash's powers.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 32_

 _Brock-o and the Old Chateau_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Eterna City**_

The shroud of trees that made up Eterna Forest finally cleared up, revealing a winding pathway that ended at the skyline of Eterna City. A shimmering body of water could also be seen from the exit of the forest, glinting to the side of the historical city.

"Well, that definitely went over smoother than the last time we were in Eterna Forest." Dawn remarked, giggling with Ash.

"No kidding…you ready to see Brock?"

"Aren't I?" Ash declared, "Let's get moving!"

The home stretch into Eterna City marked the end of just short of two weeks of traveling for Ash and Dawn. Dawn was coming off of her second Ribbon in as many Contests, and her confidence was higher than ever. Whether or not that was a good thing remained to be seen. And although Ash hoped to battle Gardenia soon, he fully intended to set aside some time for a break to visit with Brock. They'd spoken to the Pokémon Doctor-in-training before heading into Eterna Forest that morning, and it was fair to say that both parties were itching for the upcoming reunion.

Ash and Dawn barreled into Eterna City together, the former brightening even more as he spotted the Pokémon Center from the opposite end of the block. "You got some breath left in you, Dawn?" Ash whooped.

"Ugh, kind of…" Dawn groaned. The sprint from the edge of the forest into the city had been much longer than it looked. Regardless, Ash took this as something along the lines of 'sure, I'm feeling great', and broke into another mad dash for the doors of the Center. Dawn saw this and groaned, picking up the pace after the male Trainer. It simply never stopped for him. That being said, Dawn had a feeling Ash was finally distracted from the reality of the situation that had gone down on their way out of Oreburgh City. They hadn't seen any Team Rocket members since the incident at the lake, but Ash had been as tense as could be for the past two weeks, constantly looking over his shoulder and talking gruffly. If he could be distracted from this and enjoy the reunion with Brock, hopefully it would carry over to the rest of their journey and he would return to his old self again.

Ash disappeared into the Pokémon Center, and Dawn straggled a handful of seconds behind. When she finally reached the Center, the automatic doors slid open, allowing her to enter. Piplup chirped from above her head as they entered and Dawn instantly scanned the area for Ash. It wasn't hard to spot him, or the taller, tan young man with spiky brown hair who was embracing him.

"Brock!" Dawn hollered, catching the Doctor-in-training's attention.

"Dawn!" Brock called back, "Come over here!"

Dawn happily ran over and briefly hugged Brock. The former Pewter City Gym Leader hugged back before letting Dawn go. "It's been too long, you two. How are you?"

" _Pip-Pip-Piplup!"_ Piplup interjected, waving its flippers at Brock from atop Dawn's beanie-covered head.

"Hi there, Piplup. I completely forgot about you." Brock chuckled, "Are you happy to be traveling with Ash and Pikachu again?"

" _Pip-Piplup!"_

"I'm glad to hear that. So, whaddya say we sit down?" Brock offered, "Based on what I've seen on the news, we have a lot to talk about."

"I'd seen that Team Rocket was becoming active in Sinnoh," Brock mused, "But I never would've guessed that Jessie and James are running the show. Color me surprised, I figured they'd be chasing you till the day they died."

"I thought the same thing. But it does make some sense, considering we didn't see them—well, at all—after the Lake of Rage back in Johto." Ash replied, "The whole thing is weird."

"I agree with the police. Definitely watch your back on that one."

"So, Brock, what have you done since we split up in Kanto?" Dawn asked, wanting to change the subject to a lighter one.

"Well, like I said, I finished all of my basic courses in Fuchsia City in December. I was pretty down when my parents told me you stopped by the house in Pewter City." Brock explained, "Anyway, I'm going to be here for most of the year learning on the job before I head back to Kanto to get back into classes. Then I'll have another, more involved internship somewhere else, but they won't tell me where."

"Sounds like a lot of work. Thank goodness for Pokémon training." Ash remarked.

"It'll come for you at some point, Ash." Brock smiled.

"So, you've been interning for a couple of days now. What's the best part of it?" Dawn asked. She was genuinely interested in Brock's doings at the moment, plus it seemed to keep Ash's spirits up.

Brock answered with a fervent, excited voice, "You mean besides spending _every waking moment_ serving and helping beautiful women? Nothing could be better!"

Ash and Dawn both sweat dropped before laughing. "Some things never change, I guess."

"Anyway, Ash and Dawn, what about you two? I know you both are trying again at your dreams, but how far are you?"

Dawn perked up, immediately breaking out her Ribbon Case. "Well, don't freak out, but I've got two Ribbons already! And I've only been in two Contests!"

Brock raised his eyebrows as Dawn proved it, revealing the two neat Ribbons placed snugly inside the indentations in the case. "That's incredible, Dawn. You've really come a long way from the newbie we traveled with. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Brock." Dawn blushed, smiling sheepishly. Even with the fame she had garnered over the past few years of Coordinating, direct praise was never something she'd gotten used to. Ash was much more suited to those kinds of things.

"And you, Pokémon Master." Brock said, turning his focus to Ash. The teen from Pallet Town grinned with a wicked confidence, "I suspect you're itching to battle with Gardenia."

"You bet I am. But I decided it would be better to take the day off and spend it with you and Dawn." Ash replied, "You two are more important than an unofficial battle."

"Well, shucks, that warms my heart." Dawn joked, throwing in a phony country accent. Ash and Brock switched their gazes to the Coordinator, and then busted out laughing. Dawn giggled with her two friends for a few moments, before they all calmed down and Brock jumped back into his conversation with Ash.

"Anyway, Gardenia usually drops by the Center at the end of the day to rest her Pokémon." Brock explained, "We can try and catch her then to set up your battle."

As soon as Brock finished talking, the doors to the Pokémon Center slid open and a Trainer stumbled inside, carrying a fainted Roselia in his arms. "Help! My Pokémon needs help!" the young Trainer shouted. Brock instantly shot up, powerwalking over to the Trainer. Ash and Dawn stumbled out of their seats and followed the former Gym Leader. Brock reached the Trainer and reached toward him.

"Nurse Joy's out on a quick errand, but I'm her assistant. I can help you."

"Thank you!" the panicked Trainer said. He immediately handed the fainted Roselia to Brock, who whirled around and began heading to the front desk.

"Ash, Dawn, you can come with me." Brock said quickly as he passed. He then disappeared behind the swinging doors that led to the Emergency Room. Ash and Dawn exchanged looks and then went after Brock and the young Trainer, slipping into the medical room as well.

Inside the room, Brock had placed Roselia on one of the many operating tables, placing a stethoscope in his ears and checking the grass-type's vitals. Roselia managed to breathe a few times, and Brock began scanning the grass-type's body. Sure enough, there was an ugly purplish streak along the grass-type's left side.

"Just as I thought. Roselia's badly poisoned too." Brock said, setting the stethoscope down and reaching to a cabinet nearby. He swung open the door and grabbed a spray-type medicine bottle. Brock shook the bottle of Antidote and then placed the nozzle against the fainted grass-type.

Applying the Antidote only took a matter of seconds, and Brock placed the spray back inside the medicine cabinet, before grabbing the stethoscope and once again checking Roselia's heartbeat and ability to breathe. "Okay, that's good. I can already tell that the Antidote is working. But it won't fix Roselia up on its own. C'mon."

Brock gently picked Roselia up and then walked past the line of empty beds, and headed through another set of doors. Ash, Dawn, and the young, unnamed Trainer quickly followed him. Inside the next room was a line of healing machines, each of them also unoccupied. Brock reached the first machine and slid open the glass door that wrapped around the healing bed. He gently placed Roselia inside the machine and then attached a few of the miscellaneous wires to the grass-type's body. Without wasting any time, Brock slid the glass door shut and then activated the machine, which whirred to life instantly. Oxygen began to flow into the machine, allowing Roselia to breathe, while the machine beeped and sang as it went to work. Almost immediately, Roselia's breathing became much clearer.

"Roselia was badly poisoned, so it will take some time for the machine to work its magic." Brock told the young Trainer, who stood worriedly by the machine.

"Is it okay if I wait here? I'm worried about Roselia." The boy asked nervously. His hands were tightly clasped together, and he was doing his best not to bite his lip with worry.

"Of course you may, but I promise you Roselia will be fine. You got here at the right time."

"Yeah, no need to worry!" Dawn piped up, "My name's Dawn, and this is my partner Piplup. What's your name?"

"I-I'm Carson. I'm from Sandgem Town. I just started my journey." The boy said timidly.

"Forgive me for asking, but just how was Roselia poisoned?" Brock interrupted, "I haven't seen a mark like that in a long time."

"I—well—I was going through Eterna Forest hoping to get to Eterna City, and on my way in I'd heard about this house deeper in the woods called the Old Chateau." Carson explained, his voice still hitching.

"The Old Chateau? I thought that was outside of Canalave City." Ash said, confused.

"Actually, Ash, it turns out there are two houses known as the Old Chateaus. The same person built them, and while the first one is near Canalave City, the second Chateau is deep in Eterna Forest. The last time we were there, we were with Cheryl, and we never touched that part of the forest." Brock explained before turning back to Carson.

"Th-that's right. I heard that the house was full of ghost-types, and I thought that would be a really cool place to train and try to catch a Gastly, or maybe even a Haunter!" Carson explained, "But I never expected to be attacked by a Gengar!"

This made Ash, Dawn, and even Brock drop their jaws. "A Gengar? Why would a Gengar be in the Old Chateau?"

"Heck if I know!" Carson whimpered, "Before I knew what happened, Gengar used Poison Jab and Roselia was done! I've never seen a Pokémon so strong! I got out of there as fast as I could…"

"That sounds scary…" Dawn remarked.

"I'm glad that you headed straight for the Center. Roselia will be fine, I promise." Brock said.

" _Brock? Are you back here?"_ a familiar feminine voice called.

"Nurse Joy! I'm in the Healer Room! We have a situation!"

Nurse Joy came running, barreling through the door between the Healing Room and the Emergency Room, immediately spotting the Roselia. "What happened?"

"This Trainer came running in with his Roselia. He says he was attacked by a Gengar in the Old Chateau, and Roselia was badly poisoned." Brock explained.

Nurse Joy cursed under her breath. "Yes, that makes sense. I've known about the Gengar living there for a few months now. Every now and then we've gotten Trainers coming in with injured Pokémon, and even more Trainers pass by talking about it, and I overhear them. I've never been out to the Old Chateau to see it for myself, but the word is that the Gengar is rather strong. No one has been able to defeat it or catch it, and, apparently, it has a love for battle. They say it openly challenges people who visit the Chateau."

"That's strange. You wonder what its reason for doing all that could be. Is it simply defending its home?" Dawn inquired, looking to Ash and Brock for any potential answers.

"No idea, but I definitely know that I wanna check out the Old Chateau now." Ash said, "I'd like to see this Gengar for myself."

"I can't stop you, but I can warn you." Nurse Joy said, "If you choose to go to the Old Chateau, please promise me that you will be careful."

"I'll keep them in check, Nurse Joy, if you will let me go. These two are good friends of mine. We traveled the Sinnoh Region for some time before I enrolled in medical school." Brock offered, hinting that he wanted to go as well.

"Go, Brock…everything's under control here. If nothing else, it would be nice to get a report on the Gengar living there." Nurse Joy agreed, "But please, do be careful."

"Of course. Thank you, Nurse Joy." Brock said, "Ash, Dawn, shall we?"

Brock led Ash and Dawn out of the back rooms and back into the Center lobby as Nurse Joy began talking to Carson about Roselia. The trio of former traveling companions eagerly headed out, their course set for the deepest reaches of the Eterna Forest, where the Old Chateau lied in wait.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Deep Eterna Forest**_

It had never occurred to Ash just how _big_ Eterna Forest was. Sure, they had gone pretty far with Cheryl during their first stop here, but the wood just kept going and going in every direction. There must've been a million trees in all. The journey in the direction of the Old Chateau was further than Ash had initially expected, but the total distance wasn't much more than a mile from the city limits of Eterna.

Brock led the way, followed by Dawn, and then Ash bringing up the rear. The trek through the woods was very much reminiscent of Ash's long travels with Brock, Dawn, and his other former companions, and he was very pleased with the feeling. He wouldn't admit it to Dawn, but he had been very tense the last few weeks. He suspected that she picked up on it, but the Trainer's mind was almost wholly focused on Team Rocket, constantly checking over his shoulder and trying to feel out foreign Aura signatures to see if they were being watched. Jessie and James had chased him across four different Regions now, but the idea that they were now leading an official syndicate of their organization within Sinnoh was mind-boggling. Competence had never been their strong suit. The whole thing nearly drove Ash mad. There simply had to be more to the story, and the unending silence since that night outside Oreburgh City was deafening.

Ash had been so deep in his thoughts, that it took Brock's shout to jar him free.

"Hey, look! There's the Old Chateau! We're almost there!" Brock said, pointing forward. Indeed, a short ways down the dirt path, the eerie form of the Chateau could be seen at the end of the trees. The trio started down the path, eventually coming across the high, blackened brick walls and the rusted gates that led to the mansion. The gates had long since fallen into disrepair, and the gate to the right had been smashed in by _something,_ creating a large space between the two gates that a person could easily slip through.

"I've read that this Old Chateau isn't a tourist destination and hotel like the one in Canalave City. Instead, the owner lived in this one, almost entirely cut off from society." Brock explained, "When he died, he had no heirs, so the chateau fell into disrepair, and nobody ever bothered to go this deep into the woods and knock it down."

"I wonder why the gate is all messed up." Ash said, "That's a pretty big hole."

"I guess that's our way in." Dawn decided. The Coordinator immediately walked in front of the boys and grabbed onto the rusty gate, bending down easily shimmying through and getting to the other side. The two boys looked at Dawn with surprise as the Twinleaf native brushed off her mini-skirt. Dawn realized she was being watched and looked up, catching the boys' confused expressions.

"What? I've got some tomboy left in me." Dawn said with a shrug, "Now come on, we don't have all day."

Ash shook himself out and then stepped forward, sliding behind the gate in the same way Dawn had. Brock followed, and the three friends were now on the inside of the forgotten property. Stretching forward from the mangled, rusted gates was a dirt path, circling around a now-empty birdbath that stood in the center of the front yard. The grass that lined the dirt path was disgustingly overgrown, to the point that the vegetation became tangled up in itself. Just thirty feet or so past the birdbath, the Old Chateau stood tall and weary. The stone that made up the exterior walls was ages old, and the glass in the windowpanes was fogged and dirty after years of abandonment. The roof of the two-story Chateau, too, was in a horrific state of disrepair. The shingles on the roof were coming off, and many of them had already gone missing. All in all, it was a sad sight to see, but also served its purpose as being infinitely creepy.

"Looks like some place out of a horror movie." Dawn remarked.

"We're not gonna chicken out now, huh, Dawn?" Ash teased.

Dawn half-smiled. Ash's old self was beginning to shine through once again, and it strangely gave her a determined confidence. If Ash was going into the Old Chateau, then so was she.

"Of course not." Dawn agreed, "We walked all the way out here, didn't we? Time to find what we came for."

"Let's try the doors." Brock suggested, immediately walking forward and closing the gap between him and the front doors. The wood was a shade of mahogany, and was chipped and broken by its old age. There was a pair of doorknockers dangling from fixtures in the doors, but much like the house they were a part of, the items were tarnished and worn. Brock clasped his hand around the knocker for a moment, feeling the rough, muddied surface of the age-old metal, before moving his hand to the faded doorknob. Quickly, Brock turned the knob and pulled on the door, which opened with a prolonged creaking.

"Unlocked…well, we're in…" Brock muttered. He pulled the door completely open and gestured to Ash and Dawn, who followed eagerly into the Chateau. Once all three friends were inside the house, they all got a good look at the building's interior. The foyer was about what the group would've expected. Dust reigned supreme, and particles of the dust glowed in the shaft of sunlight that passed through the huge window mounted above the front doors. In the foyer, a pair of staircases on either side of the room went up, where they eventually connected further down the hall into a grand staircase leading to another set of doors. On the first floor, directly in front of the travelers, was a wide, empty doorframe.

"This isn't anything like the Old Chateau in Canalave." Ash muttered.

"No kidding." Dawn agreed.

"I don't see any sign of ghost-type Pokémon anywhere. Especially not a Gengar." Brock said.

"Do you think Carson could've been lying to us?" Dawn suggested, "Wait, what if this is—"

"No, it's definitely not a trap of some kind." Brock interrupted, "Nurse Joy confirmed that there was a Gengar here. Plus, the poison mark on Roselia didn't just come from some Gastly."

"But I don't get it." Ash complained, "There's nothing here!"

As soon Ash finished his sentence, the lamp in the corner of the foyer fell over all on its own. The lamp shaft clattered to the ground noisily, startling the trio.

"Okay, that wasn't just random." Brock immediately concluded.

The voice growled in Ash's head, making his head pound. The Trainer quietly winced and closed his eyes, hoping to dull out the pain by tightly holding his eyes closed. The mysterious voice, however, pulsed in Ash's head unmolested.

 _Grrr…no…something…here…_

Ash opened his eyes with a gasp, drawing looks from Dawn and Brock.

"Ash? What's wrong?" Brock said first, speaking out against the now-palpable tension.

"I-I-I heard something." Ash stammered, "We're not alone. Something's here!"

"Woah, woah, woah, slow down." Brock said, "What do you mean you heard something?"

Immediately in response, spiky formations started to lift up from the ground, until the point where they looked like ears. The shape continued to grow out of the floor, until it was clear to Ash just what this growing shape was. The form of Gengar oozed out of the old tile floor, in full view of the three travelers. Once the ghost-type was fully materialized, it opened its menacing red eyes and then cracked a devious smile. The ghost-type's voice then grumbled again, this time for all three travelers to hear.

 _Me! Me…here!_

"Woah…Gengar…" Dawn said with a hitch in her voice. Despite fully expecting the bipedal ghost-type to appear, seeing the Pokémon actually show its face was quite surprising.

" _Gen!"_ Gengar snapped, turning its body so that its left side faced the three visitors. Gengar brought up its arms and wiggled the three digits on its hands. The ghost-type moved its 'fingers' toward Brock, and then motioned tauntingly toward Brock.

" _Gen! Gen!"_

Brock paled and gave a nervous smile. "I…I think it wants to battle."

"That's what Nurse Joy said: that Gengar challenges anyone who visits the Old Chateau." Ash remembered.

Brock drew a Poké Ball. "I'm gonna battle it. Maybe I can capture it." Brock decided, _"Croagunk, go!"_

The Toxic Mouth Pokémon popped out of the ball, croaking and inflating the poison sacs near its mouth. Croagunk immediately zeroed in on Gengar, who grinned deviously at the sight of its opponent. Croagunk could immediately tell that Gengar intended to fight, and the poison-type shifted its stance in preparation for battle.

Gengar sank into the floor and vanished from view, surprising Croagunk and the three Trainers behind it. "Croagunk, stay alert! Gengar could be anywhere!"

Croagunk shifted its glance back and forth, scanning for the ghost-type. The shadows in the Chateau were relentless, and the second the poison-type looked past a particular shadow in the corner of the foyer, a pair of red eyes came into view. Brock saw the eyes and shouted out to Croagunk.

"Croagunk, over there!"

Gengar rushed out as Brock shouted to the poison-type, its fist clenched and exuding otherworldly energy. Croagunk flicked its attention toward where Gengar had appeared out of, but the ghost-type was already upon it, and dealt a devastating punch to Croagunk's head before vanishing back into the floor. Croagunk cried with pain as it was thrown back from the attack, and the poison-type managed to catch itself and break its fall.

"That was Shadow Punch!" Dawn shouted.

"Yeah, and Gengar totally blended in with the shadows! How'd it do that?"

"Gengar is the Shadow Pokémon." Brock explained, focusing his vision on the foyer as a whole while still talking to his friends, "It has natural abilities that allow it to blend in with shadows of any kind, including a person's shadow. If it does so, it can hide itself completely from view just because it wants to."

"Man, that'd be one useful ability in a battle." Ash remarked with awe in his tone.

Gengar reappeared back in its original place just then, grinning mischievously. Without missing a beat, Gengar again taunted Croagunk, motioning for the poison-type to come at it.

"Croagunk, use Sludge Bomb!"

Croagunk contorted its body as it reared its head back, and with a quick lunge, the poison-type spewed dozens of bullets of sludge in Gengar's direction. The ghost-type's eyes widened and it coiled itself up as the projectiles landed all around it, creating brief but powerful explosions. The smoke blocked Gengar from view, and Brock called for a Poison Jab attack.

Croagunk rushed forward with Poison Jab at the ready, ripping through the smoke and swinging wildly. But, to everyone's surprise, Gengar was nowhere to be seen as the smoke cleared. Croagunk frantically looked around for the Shadow Pokémon, flicking its head back and forth until the ghost-type rushed out of yet another shadow and landed another clean Shadow Punch. This hit knocked Croagunk onto its back, and one look was enough to tell that the poison-type was out cold.

"Croagunk!" Brock shouted, but the poison-type was unresponsive. The Doctor-in-training sighed and pulled out the poison-type's Poké Ball and returned it, "Sorry, Croagunk. Get some rest."

" _Gen-gar!"_ Gengar howled, slipping out from underneath the floor once again. The ghost-type grinned triumphantly and then turned its menacing gaze to Dawn, again motioning for the Trainer to battle it. Gengar then spotted Piplup, and spouted a stream of barks toward the water-type.

Piplup's eyes widened and the water-type forced its way out of Dawn's protective grasp. Piplup furiously chirped back at Gengar and stamped its feet while swinging its flippers.

" _Pip-Pip-Piplup! Piplup, Piplup, pip!"_

"Piplup, calm down!" Dawn shouted, but the Penguin Pokémon whipped its gaze back to the Coordinator and Piplup continued to chirp, pointing toward the wild Gengar and wearing a mask of fury. Dawn seemed to understand, and smirked with confidence, "Okay, Piplup, I get it. Let's battle Gengar!"

Gengar grinned deviously as it heard Dawn's challenge.

"Piplup, use Hydro Pump!"

Piplup parted its beak, revealing a powerful bluish light hidden inside. Piplup straightened its posture and then released the Hydro Pump, jettisoning high-pressure water at the ghost-type. Gengar stood still and then dashed to the side, evading the Hydro Pump and disappearing from view.

"Gengar vanished again!" Dawn cried, "Piplup, stay alert! Gengar must be hiding in the shadows again!"

Piplup carefully looked around, and its Trainers did the same. Dawn scanned the foyer of the Old Chateau, and she spotted the curtain along a nearby window suddenly puff out as if someone had dashed from behind it.

"Piplup, spin and use Bubblebeam!"

Piplup wasted no time, twirling on its feet. Sure enough, the form of Gengar became apparent as it closed the gap between it and Piplup, having dashed from the shadows in the curtains. This time, Gengar's hand was outstretched and enveloped by three terrible claws of darkness, indicating a Shadow Claw attack. Piplup spewed a perfect Bubblebeam as it spun; creating a vortex of speedy, powerful bubbles that arced around its body. Gengar noticed the counterattack and attempted to skid to a stop, but it was moving too fast to stop in time. The bubbles exploded and riddled the ghost-type's body, forcing Gengar to take a few steps back.

Dawn and Piplup both celebrated the hit. Gengar, however, was nowhere near as pleased. The ghost-type cringed from the surprisingly powerful hit, and then looked up at Piplup, reopening its red eyes and glaring at the water-type. Piplup stopped celebrating and chirped with concern as Gengar stared it down. And then, with shocking speed, Gengar rushed forward with its fists wrapped in the purplish glow of Poison Jab. Piplup and Dawn were both caught off-guard and Gengar dealt a few brutal pounds onto the Penguin Pokémon. Piplup fell backward and bounced a few feet away. Gengar then took a few steps back, and its eyes glowed a bright red. Sound waves suddenly bounced out of Gengar's forehead, the waves themselves glowing and releasing a pulsing tone. The sound waves wrapped themselves around Piplup, prompting the small water-type to look in surprise at them, before Piplup suddenly crashed into the ground, deeply asleep.

"That was Hypnosis!" Ash shouted with a gasp.

Without wasting any time, Gengar then executed another move. A faint apparition of itself suddenly separated from the real Gengar, floating in the air and appearing to act independently for a moment. The shadow of Gengar then rushed forward and phased inside Piplup, sinking inside the water-type. There was a brief flash of energy and Piplup suddenly started convulsing. The Penguin Pokémon whimpered and cried, though it was still asleep, and after a few seconds of this, the apparition of Gengar exited Piplup's body, floating around. The apparition turned to glance at the three Trainers, and then immediately dashed back into Gengar, joining the two once again. Gengar breathed and then smiled again, already looking refreshed.

"That had to be Dream Eater." Brock said, "It's a move that only works on confused and sleeping Pokémon, and it restores the user's energy!"

"Piplup can't battle like this." Dawn decided immediately. The Coordinator pulled out Piplup's Poké Ball, "Piplup, return!"

Gengar grinned and gave a snicker. It had won again with relative ease. But there was still one more Trainer in the house that Gengar had not battled.

The ghost-type locked eyes with Ash, and gestured for the Trainer to battle it, just like it had done to Brock and Dawn. Ash stepped forward, standing several feet away from Gengar, and held a stone poker face.

" _Gen!"_ Gengar barked. The ghost-type was feeling a very different vibe from this Trainer. The small Pokémon on the teen's shoulder, too, exuded sheer battle-ready confidence. If first impressions were any indication, this had the potential to be a very good battle.

"Pikachu, you wanna get in there?" Ash asked.

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu cried, leaping off of Ash's shoulder and landing cleanly on all fours. Pikachu discharged some electricity from its cheeks, glaring at Gengar. _"Pi-kaaaaaaa…"_

" _Gen-gar!"_ Gengar barked, spreading its feet and taking a battling stance.

The tension was ample enough to be grabbed at. Ash and Pikachu watched Gengar, while Gengar watched Ash and Pikachu. And then, without warning, Gengar rushed forward, its left hand spawning scythes of shadowy energy.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail!"

Gengar thundered forward and was upon Pikachu in seconds. Gengar brought up its heavy claws of darkness and threw them down directly toward Pikachu. Pikachu shifted to the side, avoiding the attack, and the Shadow Claw crashed into the old floor, leaving a sizeable crack in the aging wood floor. Pikachu then leaped from Gengar's side, somersaulting forward with a tail made of steel and slapping Gengar across the side of its head. Gengar stumbled back as it recoiled, but the ghost-type showed no sign of having taken any real effect.

Gengar activated its Shadow Punch attack, wrapping its fist in dark energy. The ghost-type lunged forward, prompting Ash to call out for a dodge. Pikachu bounded to the side, but Gengar simply homed in on the electric-type and landed the punch cleanly, sending Pikachu bounding backwards with a cry of _"Pi-ka!"_

"How did Gengar…" Ash said aloud, "Oh, wait…I remember when I battled Fantina. Shadow Punch doesn't miss."

Pikachu staggered to its feet, and Gengar confidently barked, _"Gen!"_ Pikachu grumbled and crackled some lightning around its cheeks, growling in response.

Gengar sank into the floor speedily, disappearing from view. Ash gritted his teeth and Pikachu looked around frantically. After a few seconds, Gengar popped out of the floor directly behind Pikachu and raked a Shadow Claw against its back, sending Pikachu tumbling forward. Pikachu stopped rolling and regained its footing as Gengar sniggered. Gengar then wrapped its fist in another Shadow Punch, and it lumbered forward, hoping to put this battle under wraps.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu smiled. The electric mouse stood up on its back legs and sent electricity all around its body. Gengar foolishly continued running, intent on landing the Shadow Punch. Pikachu jettisoned the Thunderbolt, striking Gengar clean in the chest. The ghost-type stopped cold and roared as it took the brunt of the electricity. Gengar took a few steps back and then fell forward as the electricity went away, catching itself with one of its arms and looking up at Pikachu. The ghost-type heaved, doing its best to recover from the blow.

"So, that's how you beat Gengar." Ash remarked.

Brock chimed in, "Draw it in and then counter."

Gengar huffed angrily at Pikachu. The Thunderbolt had been one powerful attack, but Gengar had energy left to spare. Standing once again, Gengar barked and then sank into the floor.

"Pikachu, stay alert!"

Pikachu wiggled its ears as it searched carefully. Gengar's abilities in the shadows would render it undetectable, but knowing where it was coming from would be half the response.

Instead, though, Gengar popped out from the floor, a handful of feet behind Pikachu.

"Dodge with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu wasn't entirely sure what it was dodging, but nevertheless bounded to the side with the speed boost of Quick Attack. Sure enough, Gengar appeared in the very spot Pikachu had just been, missing another Shadow Claw attack. Gengar combined a growl and a sneer as it realized that it had missed once again.

"Thunderbolt!"

The electrical discharge was twice as powerful as the one before had been. Pikachu poured all of its energy into the attack, and Gengar felt the full force of the blow. Countless volts of electricity zapped through its entire system, and the ghost-type staggered to all fours as the Thunderbolt died out. Both Pokémon heaved, their energy expended, although in different ways.

Gengar blinked and the familiar sound waves of Hypnosis pulsed out of Gengar's forehead.

"It's Hypnosis! Pikachu, quick, Counter-Shield!"

Pikachu coiled its body and dove into the ground, spinning on its back as it used Thunderbolt. The electrical blast was relatively weaker than the last two blasts had been, but it still worked to create a barrier around the mouse. The Hypnosis pulses bounced off of the electrical shield and harmlessly went away.

Gengar growled angrily as its attempt was thwarted, and Ash called for another attack without missing a beat. "Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu rushed forward immediately with the electrical aura around it, sprinting toward the downed Gengar. The ghost-type heaved, knowing that it could get away but peculiarly choosing not to. Pikachu collided cleanly with Gengar's side, driving the ghost-type into the ground and creating a blinding, electrical explosion. Ash, Dawn, and Brock all covered their eyes with their respective arms to guard themselves from the light. The light of the explosion quickly died down, and Pikachu sat on its rear, the recoil damage it had taken manifesting as a ring of electricity crackling around its body. Gengar, however, was nowhere to be seen. Electricity crackled all around the first floor of the house, flashing in static volts around various pieces of furniture.

The ghost-type rose out of the floor slowly, several feet away from Pikachu. Electricity surged all around it, and the ghost-type sat on its hands and knees, heaving slowly as it looked up at Ash.

Ash's head suddenly pounded. Ash sucked in a breath, attributing the sensation to being so into the battle with the wild ghost-type. But the pounding continued, and Ash's mind raced. Gengar continued to stare at Ash, and a new possibility opened itself up to Ash. When he had trained with Riley, the Guardian had mentioned the ability to speak to Pokémon through channels of Aura. During the few months he had spent training, Riley had explained that more in depth. Telepathy, he said, was an extension of this ability, but it was only limited to some Pokémon, typically psychic-types. Other Pokémon had the ability to push on the telepathic barrier, able to form some human words themselves, but not much. The "Aura Channel" as Riley had often called it, was the only way to communicate with Pokémon such as these, as well as the ones who were completely incapable of human speech.

Ash closed his eyes as he thought about this. He focused, and the familiar sensation of his Aura began to pump through him. The blackness produced by his shut eyelids turned blue, and soon the silhouette of Gengar formed in the background of the blue light.

Ash reopened his eyes. The first obvious difference he noticed was the various shades of blue inside the building. The light created a sort of boundary, as best as Ash could tell.

 _Aura Guardian…_

Ash jumped at the sound, immediately looking in front of him for the source. Gengar sat staggered on the other end of the room, watching Ash intently.

"G-Gengar?"

 _You are afraid…_

"I, well, I've never done this before. Where are we?" Ash said.

 _As far as I know, this place doesn't have a name. I thought it only existed in legends…most of us Pokémon thought all the Aura Guardians were dead._

Ash took a few steps forward. Immediately, the first thing he noticed that his form was translucent. Ash touched his translucent body and then looked behind him. The Trainer jumped as he registered what he was seeing. Just on the outside of the wall of blue light, Brock, Dawn, and him stood unmoving. Pikachu sat near his own two feet, also unmoving. They looked like statues.

 _Don't be afraid. Everything that happens in this place…happens in an instant, so the story goes. It's a place parallel to our own, but no time passes when people and Pokémon access it._

"Why am I here?" Ash said, watching his eerily still body on the other side of the boundary of light.

 _You are here because you brought yourself here._

"…Why do you live here…in the Old Chateau? Isn't it lonely?"

 _Yes, it is very lonely. But if you hadn't noticed, ghost-types like myself aren't the type to socialize. It is dark here…there are many shadows for me to sleep in, and there are many dreams nearby for me to eat. I find it to my liking._

"Have you always lived here?"

… _No. I've only lived here for about a year. Once, I had a Trainer. Because of my Trainer, I became strong. But one day, that all ended. My Trainer had just lost a League battle, and he wasn't happy about it. We had tried and tried again, but we never succeeded. So…he decided that there was no point in training anymore, and he sent all of his Pokémon away. I don't know where he went, but I do know that he left me to fend for myself. I became strong because of him, yes, but it wasn't enough for him. I stopped trusting humans after that. I wandered Sinnoh, and eventually, I found this chateau, and began living here permanently. Every so often, people would come visit, and they would bring their Pokémon with them. So I challenged them. Perhaps I thought I was proving something to my old Trainer by beating every Pokémon that I battled. Whatever the reason, the more Trainers that I defeated, the more that came to visit, and the more that I had to battle. Such became my life..._

"Gengar…I'm so sorry." Ash said, just a little bit choked up. "No Pokémon deserves to be rejected like that."

… _Did you know that you are the first Trainer to defeat me ever since I began living here? I haven't tasted defeat in a long time. It's…bittersweet._

"Gengar…I know you just said you don't trust humans, but…would you like to come with me? I think you're a really strong Pokémon, and no Pokémon deserves to be cast aside like you were. If you'd be willing, I would be honored to have you on my team."

Gengar brooded for a long moment, flicking its gaze between Ash and the ground. Finally, the ghost-type closed its eyes for a moment, before reopening them with its focus on Ash.

… _Yes, I think I'd like that. Maybe it's time to try again._

"Thank you, Gengar." Ash beamed, his entire body relaxing.

 _One more thing. Trainer, what is your name…?_

Ash smiled. "My name's Ash."

… _Ash._ Gengar looked down, and then he smiled. _Thank you, Ash._

Ash nodded with a smile, and then closed his eyes again. The blue glow persisted underneath his eyelids. The teen focused, willing himself out of the Aura Channel, and the blue glow ebbed away, leaving only darkness.

Ash opened his eyes again, and found that he was back in the real world. He glanced around to be sure. Pikachu was heaving as he breathed, and Brock and Dawn watched Gengar, almost as if they expected the ghost-type to make another move. The ghost-type calmly watched Ash, its breathing still heavy. Ash smiled at the ghost-type and pulled an empty Poké Ball out of his bag.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Brock asked.

"I'm going to capture Gengar." Ash explained. He then looked his two friends in the eye, "Look, I don't know how, but I just _talked_ to Gengar. I'll explain later."

Brock gave Ash an incredulous look, but he decided to put away his skepticism until the walk back. As ridiculous as it sounded, Ash was no liar, and there was usually an explanation for the things he did.

Ash slowly walked over toward Gengar, who still remained on its hands and knees. Pikachu padded over with its Trainer, quickly climbing up Ash's body mid-walk and settling on the teen's shoulder as they approached the ghost-type. Ash squatted down in front of Gengar so that he was only about a foot above its eye level. The ghost-type watched Ash almost hopefully, its devious smile missing from its face.

"I promise, Gengar. I promise that I'll do right by you." Ash said quietly to the ghost-type. Gengar heard these words and then nodded slowly, bowing its head. Gengar allowed the Poké Ball to bounce off of its head and then suck it inside the capsule. The Ball clattered to the ground, and the three humans plus Pikachu all watched intently as it wiggled before settling down and sounding the tone that signified a successful capture. Ash broke into a happy smile, closing his hand around the capsule. He stood back up, gazing at the capsule, and then looked at Pikachu, giggling briefly.

"All right! I just caught…a Gengar!"

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Eterna City**_

The sun was setting over Eterna City when the three friends finally returned to the historical city. Ash had explained everything to Dawn and Brock: the concept of the Aura Channel, how Telepathy was related to it, and his conversation with Gengar. The pair had had a fair amount of questions, and Brock had had to have the past six months relayed to him in greater detail than he had originally anticipated. In any case, Ash was convinced that Gengar would make a great addition to the team. He had never owned a ghost-type before, so capturing Gengar would open up a world of new experiences. The red roof of the Pokémon Center came into view, and the three Trainers headed over to the hospital, hoping to rest their Pokémon after a long journey.

The sliding doors opened to reveal the Eterna Pokémon Center was just as tranquil as it had been when Ash and Dawn had first arrived. Except, there was a new arrival in the Pokémon Center. The visitor wore a green top that exposed her flat belly, and long black sleeves went underneath all the way down to her wrists. Baggy traveling shorts covered her legs and green boots served as her shoes. Finally, her peculiar orange hair formed a unique shape on top of her head. There was no questioning who the visitor was, and the sight of her made Ash light up.

"Gardenia!"

The Eterna City Gym Leader turned around from the desk, where she had been talking to Nurse Joy. The Leader smiled as she recognized Ash, and she walked away from the desk to meet Ash and his two companions halfway.

"Hi there, Ash. You must be here for our battle." Gardenia greeted.

"You know it! I hope I haven't kept you waiting."

Gardenia laughed, "Waiting? Believe me, Ash, I've been training hard the last several weeks in order to beat you."

"I hope you're not counting on that. I've got more than a few surprises up my sleeves." Ash challenged.

"I'll be waiting to see them." Gardenia said, "How's about we get started first thing tomorrow morning? The Gym opens at 8."

"I'll be there!"

"Perfect. Well, I'd best be heading out. I'll need to have my wits tomorrow." Gardenia said. She walked past Ash and then stopped beside Brock, smiling at the breeder happily, "I was wondering where you were, Brock. I look forward to our dinner tomorrow night."

Brock smiled sheepishly, "As do I."

Gardenia brushed her hand against Brock's, leaving Ash and Dawn's jaws to drop as she sauntered out of the Pokémon Center. Brock watched her go, turning back to his friends and registering their shocked expressions.

"Uh…yeah, there…might be something there." Brock said uneasily.

The two teenagers continued to stare at Brock with a mixture of shock and surprise, and it made the former Gym Leader very uneasy. "What?" he demanded nervously, desperately wanting his friends to say something rather than stare.

"Nothing, I..." Ash started with a stumble, "Well, it's just a little surprising. I never would've expected you to have a date with Gardenia."

"Um, yeah. I wouldn't either." Brock agreed, "I was pretty amazed when she said yes."

Dawn jumped in, armed with a masterful quip, "I guess you'd better leave Croagunk at home!"

The three friends burst into hysterical laughter. After they calmed down, all three Trainers had their Pokémon rested. Ash had an important battle to win the next day, and he would need to form a strategy to combat Gardenia's diverse grass-types. He had plenty of Pokémon with type advantages that he could use, so hopefully that would give him an edge. However, Gardenia was a Gym Leader, which meant types weren't going to be everything. That night, Ash went to bed with all of his Pokémon already picked out, and he fell asleep with a hopeful smile on his face, hoping that tomorrow's early-morning battle would be a great one.

* * *

 **Please let me know what you thought of this chapter in a review or a PM. The next chapter will be Ash vs. Gardenia, and then we'll be moving forward. Also, I've decided that Ash will follow the Gyms in the order of Pokémon Platinum (Fantina was the 3rd Gym Leader in Platinum instead of the 5th). That should make this journey just a little bit different this far into the Sinnoh journey.**

 **Until then, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	33. Grassy Green With Envy! Ash v Gardenia!

**PRLSHPPR:** Yeah, but let's be honest, Haunter was hardly Ash's Pokémon, and Sabrina kept it.

 **ManleyTogekiss:** I explained in the chapter, that I'm making it so that there are two Old Chateaus. The Chateau in Canalave City was used as a hotel, that's why it had electricity and was still operational in the anime. This second Chateau takes from the games and the owner of the Canalave Chateau lived in this one. When he passed away, the Chateau fell into disrepair and ghost-types began living there.

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 33_

 _Grassy Green With Envy_ _! Ash v. Gardenia!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Eterna City**_

Despite being artificial, the battlefield of the Eterna Gym was a marvel to look at. Grass—not dirt—covered the ground, and a couple of tall trees sprang up from the ground to create the border of the field. Spectators had to watch from the second floor, looking over a balcony to see the action. Down on one end of the field of battle, Ash stood with a stoic calm. Gardenia stood on the other end of the field, one hand on her hip and a smile on her face. A referee stood off to the side, almost hidden from view by the brush.

" _The battle between Gardenia the Gym Leader and Ash the challenger will now begin! This will be a 3-on-3 battle, and because the challenger has already earned the Forest Badge, all standard Gym challenging rules are off the table! This will allow both Trainers to substitute Pokémon. Now, are both Trainers ready?"_

"You bet!" Ash howled.

"I'm ready." Gardenia said calmly, unclipping a Poké Ball from the belt that held her baggy shorts up.

" _All right! Battle, begin!"_

Gardenia pulled the Poké Ball from her pocket, enlarging the capsule before throwing it in a high arc. "Torterra, you're up first!"

The Continent Pokémon nearly blotted out the sun as it escaped from its Poké Ball in the air. As Torterra landed, the ground shook, attesting to the grass-type's sheer weight. Ash smiled as he pulled his chosen Poké Ball from his belt. He glanced at the capsule, whispering. "I hope you're ready to battle…"

" _Gengar, I choose you!"_

The capsule burst open midair, and the silvery white light that sprang out of it sang into the ground unceremoniously, causing a brief moment of confusion. As soon as that confusion came up, though, it was dashed as the dark purple form of Gengar slipped out from underneath the ground, stopping at the halfway point. Gengar glared at Torterra, who huffed and stamped its huge foot. The ghost-type then revealed its full body, smiling mischievously.

 _You challenge me early, Ash…_

Ash smiled as Gengar's voice pounded in his head. The ghost-type's capture had established a telepathic link of sorts between the two. Since Gengar was no longer wild, the Aura Channel phenomenon was no longer needed for Ash and Gengar to communicate.

"Gengar, let's start this off with a bang, you hear?"

Gengar huffed as he nodded, cracking his customary creepy smile.

"So, Ash's using Gengar first." Dawn remarked. Brock stood next to her, leaning on the balcony's railing. Pikachu and Piplup both stood on the balcony's railing and watched, the former because he had been asked to sit out against Gardenia in favor of some other Pokémon. Pikachu had happily agreed, as he had a disadvantage against grass-types. Brock stood next to Dawn, and nodded at Dawn's assertion.

"Yeah, he must be trying to get a good look at Gengar's true power. But Torterra isn't going to be an easy foe." Brock offered, "Luckily, Gengar's part poison-type, so that should offer an advantage."

Down on the field, Gardenia made the first move, "Torterra, use Leech Seed!"

Torterra took two steps forward as green energy formed in its open mouth. The huge grass-type ripped open its maw to blast the green energy, offering a loud, _"Torrr-terraaaaaa!"_ The blast of energy parted into several small spheres as the Leech Seed was fired at Gengar.

"Gengar, dodge!"

Gengar grinned and sank into the ground, disappearing from view. The Leech Seed blasts fell harmlessly to the earth, and Torterra was completely alone on the battlefield. Gardenia frowned and squinted, seemingly searching for Gengar.

Ash waited for several seconds, before shouting out his command for all to hear. "Gengar, use Poison Jab!"

Gengar suddenly tore its way out of the ground several feet from Torterra's side, leaping into the air with both of its fists wrapped in toxic energy. Gengar's arced path through the air sent the ghost-type hurtling toward Torterra, who tried to adjust its body in defense, but the Continent Pokémon was far too slow.

Gengar landed and pounded three Poison Jabs into Torterra's side, before whirling away from the grass-type's immediate range. The ghost-type sank into the ground and instantly reappeared on Ash's side, still wearing its confident smile on its face.

"Great job, Gengar!" Ash shouted. The ghost-type croaked, _"Gen."_ and flexed the digits on its hands. Torterra grumbled on its side of the field, feeling the sting of the poisonous attack. Gardenia, however, showed no sign of alarm.

"Torterra, use Curse."

Torterra growled as an otherworldly energy wrapped around its body. The move was very unceremonious, and the glow simply went away a few seconds later.

"Brock? What was that move?" Dawn asked with confusion.

"Curse is a move that works differently for ghost-types. When a non-ghost-type uses Curse, though, its speed drops, but in exchange, that Pokémon's attack and defense are boosted." Brock explained, "Gardenia wants to put Gengar out as soon as she can."

On the field of battle, Ash didn't seem to make this calculation. Ever the battler, he moved to attack again, hoping to take advantage of Torterra's idleness. "Gengar, use Shadow Punch!"

Gengar lurched forward, picking up speed so that it thundered toward the huge grass-type, its fist glowing with ghostly energy. Torterra simply waited, watching as the ghost-type raced forward.

"Torterra, use Crunch." Gardenia said calmly.

The Continent Pokémon opened its mouth as Gengar closed in. Once the ghost-type reached it, Torterra ducked its head to the side, taking the Shadow Punch attack into its side. The huge grass-type felt almost nothing as it brought its open maw back toward the ghost-type, surprising Gengar and Ash both. Torterra clamped its jaws around Gengar's body, closing its grip with a booming _crunch_. Gengar screeched as the grass-type's teeth dug into its body, and fruitlessly tried to pull out of the grasp of Torterra's jaws.

"Now, slam Gengar into the ground!"

Torterra lifted its head, a muffled _"Torrrrrr…"_ grumbling from its throat, and with a swift flick of its head, Gengar was freed from the grasp of Crunch and thumped awkwardly into the ground, its body bouncing uncontrollably back toward Ash. Gengar heaved as it finally stopped sliding, and then staggered to one knee. Gengar winced, glancing at Torterra out of one open eye.

"Gengar, are you all right?" Ash called.

 _Yes, Ash. I'm fine. Just a scratch,_ Gengar insisted telepathically. The ghost-type climbed to its feet and did its best to ignore the damage it had taken from Crunch.

"That can't have felt good." Dawn muttered.

"Yeah, Crunch is dark-type move, which means it's effective on Gengar as is." Brock agreed, "But with the boost Torterra got from Curse, there's no telling what kind of damage Gengar took right there."

Ash jumped back into the battle with his usual gusto. "Gengar, hide!"

Gengar grinned and its form suddenly broke apart, dissipating into thin air in a matter of seconds. Gardenia and Torterra both showed some surprise, and Gardenia called from across the field, "All right, Ash? What's your game?"

Ash smirked, "Can't reveal all my tricks right away, can I?"

"Torterra, keep an eye out. We don't know where Gengar could be hiding!"

Ash split his legs and threw out a commanding finger, "Gengar, use Poison Jab!"

Out of the shadows of one of the many trees covering the battlefield, Gengar materialized into reality, rushing forward at bewildering speed. Gengar's fists were again wrapped in toxic purple energy, and in a matter of seconds, Torterra took several hits from the ghost-type, and staggered for a moment as the poison sank in. Gengar dashed away and then glanced back at Torterra, snickering mischievously at its success.

Gardenia gritted her teeth before calling for her next attack, "Torterra, let's rock their world! Use Earthquake!"

Torterra immediately narrowed its eyes. The Continent Pokémon lifted itself up on its hind legs for just an instant, and slammed its two front feet into the ground with a concussive force that made even Ash's ears hurt. In response, the ground shook and rolled, contorting itself at every possible angle in a quickly widening radius.

As the shaking closed in on Gengar, the ghost-type shot up into the air, suspending itself and disregarding gravity entirely. The ground continued to shake beneath him, and Gengar cracked another mischievous grin.

"That's Levitate!" Brock said with a shock.

"That must be Gengar's special ability!" Dawn chimed in.

"Woah, Gengar! You can fly?" Ash cried from the ground, looking up at the newest addition to his team. The ghost-type sniggered as he looked down on Ash.

 _Well, of course! Like you just said, I can't reveal all of my tricks right away!_

Ash smiled, but Gardenia would have none of the pair's camaraderie. "Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!"

Torterra's body immediately became outlined in a green glow. The grass-type's eyes glittered green for an instant, and the Continent Pokémon quickly stamped its feet into the ground. In response, half a dozen massive roots tore their way out of the ground, aiming straight for Gengar.

Ash dropped his jaw and then quickly looked up to Gengar. "Gengar, look out!"

Gengar flipped around and spotted the Frenzy Plant attack coming straight for it, but the roots were moving far too fast for the ghost-type to do anything about it. The roots struck at full force and then quickly wrapped around Gengar, squeezing the ghost-type.

"Knock him around, Torterra!"

" _Torrrrr-terraaaaaaaa!"_

Torterra's roar prompted two of the roots to unwrap themselves from Gengar, but in an instant the roots swung horizontally to deal crushing damage to the ghost-type. Finally, all of the roots unwrapped Gengar in a way that sent the ghost-type tumbling higher up into the air. With a final move, Torterra controlled one last root to curve up and then slam into Gengar from behind, sending the ghost-type at high speed into the ground.

Ash covered his eyes to protect them from the dust cloud that shot into the air. The dirt cleared at a relatively fast pace, revealing Gengar's crumpled form on the ground. The ghost-type was still conscious, however, but his energy was fading fast.

"We need a boost. Gengar, use Hypnosis!"

Gengar flashed a glare toward Torterra and tried to generate the hypnotic pulse that would put Torterra to sleep, but the ghost-type ultimately failed. The brutal Frenzy Plant attacks had done calamitous damage, and Gengar fell face-first into the dirt again, unconscious as could be.

" _Gengar is unable to battle! The winner is Torterra!"_

Ash walked calmly toward Gengar's crumpled form, kneeling down beside the battered ghost-type. Gengar's eyes shot open as it sensed Ash's presence.

 _Sorry, Ash…_

"Don't be ashamed, Gengar. I let my confidence get the better of me."

 _But I failed to withstand the Frenzy Plant._

"You know how many Pokémon would've been able to take that and get back up?" Ash asked with a half-smile, "The answer is very, very few. This was a learning experience, Gengar. Now, get some rest, you've earned it."

Gengar seemed surprised as Ash pulled up his Poké Ball. As the red energy sapped the ghost-type inside the capsule, Gengar sent another mental message to his new Trainer.

 _Thank you, Ash._

Ash turned the Poké Ball so he could look at the center. "Anytime, Gengar," and then walked back to his box, turning to face Gardenia and Torterra. He thought only for a very brief moment on which Pokémon he was going to use next, and smiled with the utmost confidence.

" _Charizard, I choose you!"_

The fire-type's release was met with a powerful Flamethrower being shot into the sky. Charizard lowered its head to get a good look at its opponent, and the dragon shared its Trainer's confidence. There was no doubt that the Continent Pokémon was severely outclassed in speed, not to mention at a type disadvantage.

"I don't think I've gotten the chance to see Charizard in action." Dawn said.

Brock smiled, "I suggest you brace yourself. You're in for quite a show."

"A Charizard!" Gardenia said with surprise, "I've heard stories of their power."

"I promise you, Gardenia. My Charizard packs every bit of punch in the stories you've heard!" Ash boasted. Charizard huffed in response, sending some smoke out of its mouth as a testament to the heat it was capable of generating.

"We'll see about that." Gardenia decided, "Torterra, use Leaf Storm!"

The tree on Torterra's back glowed with power as pulsing leaves were generated around it. A sudden wind picked up, and Torterra blasted the tornado of leaves at Charizard. The dragon waited calmly, showing seemingly no concern for the barrage of powerful leaves headed toward it.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard briefly scratched the crook of its neck with his claws before opening its large mouth and blasting a stream of incredibly hot flames. The fire burst out with such power and such heat, in fact, that upon making contact with the Leaf Storm attack, the leaves were completely incinerated on the spot.

Gardenia's jaw dropped, and Torterra's eyes widened as its powerful Leaf Storm was destroyed on the spot. The Continent Pokémon didn't even think to react to the oncoming Flamethrower, and the stream of fire overwhelmed Torterra in an instant, covering its form in fire. Shortly after it had hit, the flames were snuffed out by the wind. Torterra had crumpled to the ground, smoldering embers littering its huge body while only swirls registered in its eyes.

" _Torterra is unable to battle! The winner is Charizard!"_

"That was some Flamethrower…" Dawn stammered, her jaw dropped, "Poor Torterra. It never stood a chance."

"To be fair, Torterra was already pretty weakened by Gengar's Poison Jab attacks. That would do a number on any grass-type. But Charizard has always taken pride in its strength." Brock explained, "I have a feeling he'll want to keep battling."

" _Torterra, return!"_ Gardenia called, sapping the Continent Pokémon back into its Poké Ball. Gardenia pocketed the capsule and then replaced it with another one, saying no words as she called upon her next Pokémon, _"Vileplume, go!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and Vileplume sprung onto the field. Vileplume tilted its head forward, covering most of its central mass with the huge flower that grew out of its head. One of the grass-type's beady red eyes glanced out from behind the flower, eyeing the proud dragon on the other side of the field.

Charizard narrowed its eyes at Vileplume, blowing smoke from its nostrils.

"Charizard, d'you wanna keep going?"

Charizard roared in response, flicking its huge tail. Ash smiled, "All right, let's get going!"

The referee raised both of his arms and called out for all to hear, _"Battle, begin!"_

"Charizard, use Wing Attack!"

Charizard beat its powerful wings to lift itself into the air. With a quick move, Charizard was off, speeding along toward the grass/poison-type.

"Vileplume, use Acid!"

Vileplume quickly secreted a thick purplish substance from the flower on its head, and the Flower Pokémon held the projectile in its rudimentary hand as Charizard quickly drew close. Vileplume reared back with surprising speed, launching the block of Acid.

"Charizard, dodge!"

Charizard barrel-rolled to the side, escaping the aim of the attack with relative ease, and then sped forward again, its left wing glowing brilliantly as it closed in on Vileplume. The dragon slashed its wing with great force across Vileplume's body as it sped past, leaving a gash of light in its wake. Vileplume stumbled aimlessly for a moment, but righted itself as it shook off the flying-type attack.

"Charizard, hook back around and use Flamethrower!"

Charizard flew over Gardenia and then turned so that it flew straight up into the sky. The Flame Pokémon sped past Dawn and Brock at close range before reaching the ceiling and turning over into a nosedive.

"Vileplume, defend with Solarbeam!"

The huge flower on Vileplume's head glittered with light as Charizard began its nosedive. Ash shouted at Charizard, "Quick, Charizard! Use Flamethrower now!"

Charizard dropped open its jaw and spat liquid-hot fire straight at Vileplume. The grass-type waited for a few terrible seconds before blasting the Solarbeam attack, colliding with the Flamethrower head-on. The two ultra-powerful attacks pushed against each other, but neither succeeded, and Charizard was forced to dive out of the way as it was flying directly into Vileplume's blast.

As Charizard corkscrewed out of the way, Ash shouted for another command. "Charizard, use Dragon Claw!" Charizard quickly flashed its gaze over to Vileplume and then dove forward again. An aura of various energies surrounded Charizard's clawed hands, pulsing with pure power as the fire-type flew at high speed toward Vileplume. Once again, the Flame Pokémon proved it was too fast, and two brutal slashes raked across the grass-type's body. Charizard rolled away in midair after the attack, landing quickly and calmly in front of Ash.

Vileplume was visibly dazed, as was Gardenia. The Gym Leader muttered to herself, "Charizard's fast. I'm not sure how to deal with an opponent like this." However, shortly after saying this to herself, Gardenia came up with an idea.

"Vileplume, use Sleep Powder!"

The opening on Vileplume's flower spread out, and the grass-type leaned itself forward so that the huge flower aimed directly at Charizard. Vileplume blasted a cloud of glowing green powder, prompting Ash to call out to Charizard.

"Charizard, get out of the way and then use Flamethrower!"

"Vileplume, use Petal Dance!"

Charizard dove out of the way of the Sleep Powder, and opened its mouth to blast another Flamethrower. Vileplume, however, was already executing its Petal Dance, blasting various petals at Charizard while dancing about. Charizard saw this move, and immediately tumbled to the ground. The dragon tried to stand, but only stumbled as it tried to move. Ash gritted his teeth as he realized the Sleep Powder had only been a smokescreen, and that Charizard was now confused.

"Vileplume, use Giga Drain!"

" _Viiiiii-ulllll-plume!"_ Vileplume chanted as it launched several small tendrils. The tendrils dug into Charizard's stumbling form and energy immediately left Charizard. The Flame Pokémon physically struggled as its energy was slowly sapped, and Ash immediately pulled out the fire-type's Poké Ball as the Giga Drain ended. _"Charizard, return!"_

The dragon was sapped back into the capsule and Ash glanced at it. "Thanks, Charizard. You're gonna get another shot, promise."

Ash clipped Charizard's Poké Ball to his belt and then picked his final Pokémon's capsule. It had been quite some time since the Pokémon inside had seen any battling time—in fact, the last time it had battled had been in the Sinnoh League.

" _Heracross, I choose you!"_

The Single Horn Pokémon glanced around as it was freed from its Poké Ball. Heracross chirped as it then recognized Vileplume on the other end of the field. "Heracross, it's been a long time since we've battled. You ready?"

" _Cross!"_

"Awesome." Ash praised, "Let's start this off with Horn Attack!"

Heracross thundered forward, lowering its horn as it quickly closed in on Vileplume. Gardenia, with a new confidence, called out to the Flower Pokémon. "Vileplume, dodge and use Acid!"

Vileplume bounded over to the side and Heracross ran through where the grass-type had been just an instant earlier. The bug/fighting-type skidded to a stop and turned to look at Vileplume, who sniggered confidently.

"Vileplume, use Sleep Powder!"

Vileplume moved quickly this time, spouting the glittery green powders at Heracross. The bug/fighting-type quickly fell to the ground, leaving a small crater as a result of its weight. Ash simply gritted his teeth as Heracross fell, and Gardenia smiled.

"Tough luck, Ash." Gardenia taunted.

"Gardenia's smart to knock Ash's Pokémon into sleep," Dawn said, "But we know something she doesn't."

Brock stifled a chuckle, "Yeah, let's see the look on her face when Heracross starts moving again."

Down on the field, Ash echoed the spectators' thoughts, and he wore a wide smile. "You shouldn't get too cocky, Gardenia. There are plenty of ways around a Pokémon being asleep."

Gardenia paled as she quickly connected Ash's meaning.

" _Heracross, use Sleep Talk!"_

Heracross immediately climbed to its feet, its eyes snapped shut. Vileplume took a step back out of surprise, and Heracross dropped to all fours before thundering forward. The powerful horn on its head glowed with a brilliant light.

"That's Megahorn!" Dawn said with a gleeful surprise.

"Vileplume, get out of there!"

Vileplume was paralyzed by shock, and Heracross slammed into the grass-type with all of its weight. Without missing a beat, Heracross hooked its horn under the downed Vileplume and then threw the grass-type into the air, sending Vileplume hurtling away.

"Heracross, use Sleep Talk again! Combine it with Focus Punch!"

Heracross's beetle wings popped open and the bug-type soared into the air, still fast asleep yet moving with a precision that truly took seeing to be believed. Vileplume somersaulted countless times as it flew through the air, and its aimless tumbling allowed Heracross to easily go after it. Heracross' fist glowed with sheer power and the bug-type latched onto Vileplume, sending another shock wave of surprise through the grass/poison-type. Heracross reared back its glowing arm and delivered a brutal downward punch to Vileplume, altering the grass-type's aimless course and sending it straight toward the ground.

Heracross fluttered to the ground as Vileplume made a crater, and the bug-type's eyes finally opened. Heracross shook its head wildly for a brief instant before glancing at its handiwork, and the bug-type grinned as well as it could before looking back to Ash.

"That was awesome, Heracross! Sleep Talk worked perfectly!" Ash praised, filling the bug-type with pride. Heracross then turned its attention back to Vileplume, who was slowly crawling back to its feet out of its personal crater. The grass-type was nothing short of dazed.

"Vileplume, are you all right?" Gardenia shouted.

" _Vi, vile…"_ Vileplume said half-heartedly. As bad as it actually did feel, the grass-type had zero intention of giving in, and did its best to ready itself for the next bout.

"Use Giga Drain!" Gardenia commanded desperately.

Vileplume moved to blast the energy-sapping tendrils, but Ash was prepared this time and on a roll. "Heracross, spin out of the way!" he commanded. Heracross did as told, and any tendrils that might've struck him either missed or were rejected by the thick armor around its body. Vileplume gaped as its attack failed, and Ash called for a finishing move, "Heracross, use Megahorn! Finish it!"

"Stop it with Solarbeam!"

Vileplume bent its body forward, sucking all nearby light into the large flower, and blasted a beam of powerful light at the advancing Heracross. The beam stopped Heracross in its tracks, but the bug-type held fast and didn't move.

"Heracross, push forward with your horn to block the Solarbeam!"

Heracross moved its head up just enough so that as much of the Solarbeam as possible was deflected away from it. The bug-type still took some damage, but it wasn't enough to put it down, and with a swift, powerful move, Heracross slammed its horn into Vileplume's flower, sending the blow through the rest of its body and sending the grass-type bounding away. When Vileplume stopped rolling, swirls blocked out its eyes, making the result clear.

" _Vileplume is unable to battle! The winner is Heracross!"_

Ash pumped his fist in the air as Heracross shot into the air and glided over to Ash. The huge bug-type latched onto Ash's head as it landed in front of the teenage Trainer, and Ash giggled uncontrollably as the bug-type showed its affection.

Gardenia returned Vileplume, sucking in an uneasy breath. She was now on the losing end of the battle, and both of Ash's remaining Pokémon had advantages in some way over her chosen type. Reluctantly, she unclipped her final Poké Ball from her belt. Heracross let go of Ash and watched the Eterna Gym Leader, giving a puzzled look to Ash.

"That was good, Ash. I wasn't expecting Heracross to know Sleep Talk." Gardenia praised, "I would imagine you can guess my next Pokémon."

"Of course I can: your trump card." Ash said back.

"That's right." Gardenia said with a wistful grin. The Gym Leader then reared back her arm and through the Poké Ball in her hand, _"Roserade, go!"_

The Bouquet Pokémon's appearance brought back memories of Ash's previous battle at the Eterna Gym, where he'd won the Forest Badge. Heracross chirped as it watched Roserade.

"Hey, Heracross." Ash said, getting the bug-type to look at him, "Why don't you take a rest? Our buddy Charizard had his chance to battle cut short. Are you okay with that?"

" _Cross."_

"Good." Ash said with a smile, pulling up Heracross' Poké Ball and sapping the bug-type back into the capsule. The teenager replaced the Poké Ball with another one that carried the fearsome Pokémon that had been his trump card in Kanto and the Orange Islands.

" _Charizard, I choose you!"_

The fire-type was refreshed as the Poké Ball released it onto the field. Its confusion had been cured, and the dragon was still at full strength, which Charizard attested to by stomping one of its feet into the ground and swishing its powerful tail.

"Back to Charizard." Gardenia muttered, "Roserade, let's start with Flash!"

Roserade's body glowed in an instant, and the grass-type cried, _"Rose-rade!"_ as the light brightened intensely. The light became so bright in those short seconds that even Charizard was blinded by the glare. As the fire-type reached the cover its eyes with its arm, Ash heard Gardenia call, _"Use Grass Knot!"_

The grass beneath Charizard's feet sprang up and tightly wound themselves around the dragon's large feet, and the fire-type instinctively moved forward. Unfortunately, the knot that the grass had tied itself into was as tight as could be, and the dragon toppled over and fell into the ground.

" _Magical Leaf!"_

Roserade threw up its arms and countless leaves sprang out of the bouquet of flowers that covered its hands, each of them glowing with a magical light. Roserade threw its arm forward and sent the glowing leaves flying toward Charizard. The dragon struggled to stand as the knots of grass untangled themselves, only for the sharpened leaves to strike all around its body. Charizard roared and scratched at the places that the leaves had raked across it, throwing its self-control out the window.

"Charizard, get a grip on yourself!" Ash shouted.

Charizard heard Ash's call and stopped, looking up from its body to Roserade. An almost unholy glare of fire burned in the dragon's eyes. The feminine grass-type had wasted no time in humiliating the proud dragon, and Charizard was determined to avenge its embarrassment.

"Use Wing Attack!"

Charizard launched itself forward with its powerful legs, flying low and at high speed.

"Use Magical Leaf again!"

Roserade through a volley of the sharpened, glowing leaves, but Charizard effortlessly dodged the attempt without any command from Ash. In another instant, Charizard left a glowing gash where its wing had slashed across Roserade's side. Roserade was thrown around in a 180 and then fell flat on its face. Charizard whirled around mid-flight and landed with a _thump._

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

"Roserade, dodge!"

Charizard spat a beam of hot flames, but Roserade simply rolled on the ground out of the way of the attack, narrowly escaping the blast's radius. The Bouquet Pokémon shot to its feet as Gardenia called for the next attack.

"Rain Dance!"

A dim blue glow lit up around Roserade's slender form, and almost immediately, dark clouds formed from thin air over the battlefield, spilling rainwater from the sky. The clouds simply covered the confines of the battlefield, conveniently leaving Dawn and Brock dry as could be. The whole sight created a rather funny picture from the two spectators' points of view.

" _Now, Roserade, use Weather Ball!"_

Roserade shifted its flower-covered hands around each other and formed a ball of energy. Rainwater was caught by the energy and wrapped around the sphere, creating a thin current of water that encircled the ball of energy. Charizard watched with narrowed eyes as Roserade reared back its two arms and then launched the ball of energy toward the fire-type.

"Not this time! Charizard, dodge!"

Charizard bounded out of the way, flapping its wings quickly as it crashed back down into the ground. "Now, Dragon Claw!" Ash called, prompting the dragon to lunge forward with glowing claws. The dragon's speed was something to marvel at, and Roserade was thrown to the ground after a pair of powerful slashes. The powerful fire-type stood hungrily over Roserade, glaring down at the grass-type.

"Use Wing Attack!"

"Roserade, Grass Knot!"

Roserade flicked its flowery hand upward, sending up a legion of grass blades to wrap around Charizard's ankle. The dragon lurched forward with glowing wings, only to be tripped up again by Grass Knot. Roserade rolled out of the way of the falling Charizard as Gardenia called for another Weather Ball. The Bouquet Pokémon was much quicker on the draw this time, landing a watery Weather Ball into Charizard's side as the dragon crashed into the ground.

Ash groaned as he gritted his teeth, and he called out to the stubborn fire-type, "Charizard, get outta there!"

"Use Weather Ball! Don't let Charizard get away without a scratch!" Gardenia countered.

Charizard raced out of the broken Grass Knot, but it could not escape a second Weather Ball to the back. Charizard took the hit and then landed by Ash, glaring back at the Bouquet Pokémon with an absolutely loathsome expression.

"Charizard, I need you to keep calm, all right?" Ash said to the dragon, "If you just trust me, and we move as one, we'll knock out Roserade, you hear?"

Charizard glanced back at Ash, and reluctantly accepted the Trainer's attempt at reason. He was right, after all. The dragon blew smoke from its nostrils, easily clouding Ash's immediate vision in the veil of hot air for a brief second. Ash chuckled as he quickly waved the smoke away, grinning at one of his oldest Pokémon. "Let's get 'em, bud," he insisted, turning his focus back to Gardenia and Roserade, who both waited patiently for the battle to continue.

Charizard turned to look back at Roserade again, but this time, its furious loathing was replaced by a stoic confidence. Determination glinted in the fire-type's eyes, but Roserade met the challenging glare with a readied raise of its flowered fists.

"Charizard, get in close and use Slash! Stay in the air!"

Charizard lifted itself into the air, eliminating the possibility of a Grass Knot counter entirely. The dragon lurched forward and flew, one of its clawed hands glowing with pure power. Roserade tensed its body in anticipation, as Gardenia called out for a counter.

"Roserade, use Magical Leaf!"

As Roserade readied the volley of glowing leaves, Ash shouted to the airborne Charizard, hoping to neutralize the oncoming attack, "Charizard, spin in the air and use Flamethrower!"

The glow of Slash vanished and Charizard tucked in its wings, spinning in a perfect spiral as it blasted a Flamethrower. The result created a blast not unlike Fire Spin, and the flames stretched out in all directions, intercepting and destroying each and every one of the Magical Leaves. Charizard then pulled its wings out from its body, continuing to fly forward, and initiated another Slash attack, finally close enough to strike at Roserade with its claws. Roserade took the hits and tumbled to the ground as Charizard swooped overhead, making a U-turn in the air and landing at midfield.

Roserade was visibly struggling now, attesting to Charizard's vastly superior power. The Bouquet Pokémon staggered up into a standing position, gritting its teeth as it winced.

"Roserade, use Weather Ball!"

Roserade put its struggle behind it and generated another ball of energy, infusing it with rainwater and spinning the sphere to create a spiraling current all around the energy. The Bouquet Pokémon reared its arms backward and threw the watery sphere, putting just enough spin on it so that the current of water spiraled out in an untraceable pattern.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw to cut the Weather Ball in half!"

Gardenia deadpanned as Charizard's claws grew and glowed with powerful energy. The Flame Pokémon lurched forward as Weather Ball closed in, and the dragon brought down its clawed hand, bisecting the attack in two and spraying rainwater everywhere, eliminating virtually any possibility of damage.

Just as Charizard destroyed the Weather Ball, the rain stopped, and the dark clouds slowly began to part, reintroducing sunlight to the battlefield. The light brought instant warmth along with it, which was very gratifying for the Trainer, as his clothes and body had become drenched during the artificial downpour.

"The rain's cleared up!" Dawn observed.

"That means Charizard's Flamethrower will be back at full strength." Brock added.

Ash's confident smirk showed that he already knew this, and the Trainer called out to Charizard with a booming voice, "Charizard, get up in the air! Let's finish this!"

Gardenia began visibly panicking as Charizard lifted itself up into the sky. Strategy went out the window, and the Eterna Gym Leader called out to Roserade with a near-hopeless, last-ditch attempt at a counter.

"Roserade, use Magical Leaf!"

Roserade spat more glowing leaves from its flowered hands, putting every last inch of its strength into the attack. The effect was a noticeably brighter glow in the light around the leaves. Charizard reached the peak of its ascent just as Roserade sent the leaves flying, and the dragon snorted at the oncoming attack as Ash shouted.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower! Full power!"

Charizard flicked its head upward and then back down, opening its powerful mouth as it put Roserade and the Magical Leaves in its crosshairs. Liquid hot fire blasted from Charizard's mouth, roasting the very air around it. The Flamethrower moved fast and incinerated the Magical Leaf volley, continuing on to the frozen Roserade on the ground.

A small explosion formed as the blast of fire made contact, producing a small half-sphere of light where the grass-type stood. The flames swamped Roserade and even torched some of the grass around the Bouquet Pokémon. Gardenia's face was a mix of shock and concern as the flames quickly died out, though the result was clear from the instant the attack had hit.

" _Roserade is unable to battle! That makes three Pokémon, which means the win goes to Ash and Charizard!"_

Charizard's triumphant roar shook the foundation of the building, and the dragon quickly swooped down toward Ash. The dragon landed with a bounce several feet away from Ash and lofted over closer to the Trainer, where Ash met the fire-type halfway. "You did it, Charizard!"

Charizard roared again, this time much quieter, and as Ash moved to hug the dragon, Charizard spat a weakened Flamethrower onto the Trainer: its trademark of affection. Ash briefly shouted as the flame went over him, but naturally shook off the scorching sensation and laughed with the fire-type.

Dawn and Brock then appeared on the field level, having made a mad dash for the stairs leading to the field as Charizard had defeated Roserade. The Coordinator in particular looked very pleased, showering Ash with congratulatory praise. Brock simply offered him a chaste high-five and thumbs up.

"Congrats on the win, Ash." Gardenia said from behind the cheerful group, "You and each of your Pokémon battled very well. You're a long way from the Trainer who defeated me when you came for your Gym challenge a few years ago."

"Thank you, Gardenia!" Ash answered, beaming at the praise from the Gym Leader. Her words were more fuel for the competitive fire that burned with him. Suddenly, Ash remembered something that he had hoped to ask Gardenia after the battle, "Hey, Gardenia, can I ask something?"

"Of course, Ash. What is it?" Gardenia answered with a puzzled look.

"Around two weeks ago—on our way here—we ran into the goons from Team Rocket. The last time you saw them, you took Cacnea from James in order to train it." Ash started.

Gardenia cut him off, "I think I can guess where this is going. If you're wondering whether or not I returned Cacnea to James, the answer is yes. He came by the Gym a couple of months ago, but he wasn't wearing a Team Rocket uniform. He said he had hoped to reclaim his Cacnea. I'll be honest…I was a little reluctant. That Cacnea had a unique fire to it."

"Did you train Cacnea to its full potential, like you said you would?"

"…I would say I did, at least to the best of my ability." Gardenia confirmed, "But Cacnea never did evolve under me. That is, until James returned. I brought out Cacnea, and asked if he wished to go with James. Cacnea said yes, and no sooner than that, Cacnea evolved into Cacturne. I got a little jealous, I'll admit, but after seeing how happy Cacnea—er, Cacturne—was with James, my jealousy went away. I couldn't help but be happy for them both."

Gardenia zoned out of her anecdote, and Ash had a rather less than thrilled look, "That's really sweet, Gardenia, but…the truth is, James is still with Team Rocket. In fact, he is one of the leaders of the new branch in Sinnoh."

Gardenia frowned sadly, "I had hoped that was not the case once I heard the reports of Team Rocket being in Sinnoh."

"I'm really sorry, Gardenia." Ash said, unsure how to console the Gym Leader.

"Good Pokémon…under the control of bad people…do bad things, I'm afraid." Gardenia said, "But I refuse to believe that James is truly bad. He's just…a lost soul. Ash…Dawn…if you see James again, try and make him understand that. If you can, try and help James find his way again. I would greatly appreciate that."

"We will do everything that we can, Gardenia." Dawn assured, "We promise."

"Thank you, you two. Be safe on your journey." Gardenia said with a smile.

Ash gave Gardenia a thumbs up, "Always."

* * *

"Well, I guess this is it." Ash said, glancing out at the road heading south out of Eterna City. The Pallet native turned around to Brock, who had accompanied them to the edge of the city. Ash extended his hand, "Thanks, Brock. It's been great seeing you again."

"Yeah, it really has!" Dawn agreed as Ash and Brock shook hands, "I'm so glad we got the chance to all be together again." Pikachu and Piplup both chimed in with their respective happy cries.

"As am I." Brock agreed, "You two are going to be safe on the way to Hearthome City, right?"

"We'll try to be, but with Ash, you never know what can happen." Dawn teased, grinning at Ash.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure you've had a hand in causing some of our troubles over the last few years!" Ash protested before all three friends burst out into laughter. As their collective laughter died down, Ash sighed, a part of him not wanting to leave. He had grown so accustomed to traveling with Brock, that even now, seven months since their first journey in Sinnoh had ended, he still wasn't used to being without the former Gym Leader, "Well, I guess we'd better get going. It's a long way to Hearthome."

"Yeah, you should probably get moving." Brock reluctantly agreed.

"You take care of Gardenia." Ash quipped, drawing a grin from Brock.

"Hmpf, yeah, I'll do my best, Ash. You guys take care of each other out there, okay?"

"Right." Ash and Dawn agreed at the same time, the former completely brushing off any possible undertone in Brock's words. The male Trainer then whirled around and started to march down the Route, completely unaware that Dawn wasn't following. Dawn watched Ash for a second and then turned back to look at Brock. Like Ash, she wasn't entirely used to being without Brock on their travels, and their time in Eterna City hadn't helped that sentiment.

"I know you haven't told him yet." Brock said, jarring Dawn from her thoughts.

Dawn groaned, "I know I haven't, Brock, but…it's just hard, okay?"

"I get it, Dawn. It isn't easy." Brock continued, "You don't have to try and make it work like that immediately, okay? Just wait until you're ready, however long that might need to take."

"I'll try, Brock, but…I don't know…"

"Ash is really dense, yes, but I have a feeling he will come around sooner rather than later. Listen, if you need anything, be it advice or whatever, you know where to call me."

Dawn half-smiled, "Thanks, Brock. Be safe."

"You too, Top Coordinator." Brock said with a grin. The friends shared a brief high-five (completely unlike Dawn and Ash's trademark high-five). Ash's familiar voice then called out from somewhere behind Dawn.

" _Hey, Dawn! You comin', or what?"_

"No need to worry, Ash! I'm coming!" Dawn shouted, waving at the Trainer down the road. Dawn then turned back to Brock with a happy smile, "Bye, Brock," she said, before turning on her heels and taking off, leaving the Doctor-in-training behind.

* * *

 **Aaaaand Ash and Dawn have now split from Brock once again, headed on their way to Hearthome City. The next update will most likely be an in-between chapter, we'll see how long I can make that, and then once our heroes make it to Hearthome we will have the Hearthome Contest and Ash's battle with Fantina. Please leave a review at the bottom if you'd be so kind, or if you have specific questions you'd like to ask, PM me! I'll be happy to answer any question you have, and you won't have to wait until the next update to get your answer in a review reply! I'm also open to discussing the story more in-depth with anyone who is interested.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	34. Rivals Reunite!

**We're going to be skipping ahead to Hearthome City now. I wrote about 2,500 words of my original Chapter 34, which was set in between Eterna and Hearthome, but quickly realized just how _bad_ it was. I'll spare you all the details, but the result of restarting this chapter isn't _great,_ but maybe you guys will like it. A certain character from the DP series is returning in this chapter. As always, please consider leaving a review at the bottom. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 34_

 _Rivals Reunite!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Hearthome City**_

Dawn ran into Hearthome City first, finally ahead of Ash for once. It had been a particularly long journey that had included traveling through the bowels of Mt. Coronet, and Dawn was eager to get back into Contests after several weeks on the road. The Hearthome City Contest, which was to be held in two days, was next on her list.

The city was just as she remembered it: countless blocks of suburban architecture and eye-catching flora. The whole look and feel of Hearthome City really sold the play-on of the city's name. Dawn bolted down Hearthome's main avenue, happy to be back in the city. Just like Jubilife City, Dawn had lost her previous Contest in Hearthome City as well, although in much more embarrassing fashion. But by now, failing to make the cut in the first round was a thing of the past.

"Hey, Dawn! Slow down for a minute!" Ash called from behind the Coordinator. Dawn whirled around on her heels, wearing a mocking smirk.

"What's that, Ash Ketchum? You want _me_ to slow down?" Dawn teased, "I never thought I'd hear you say such a thing!"

"Okay, fair enough, but you should still take it easy!"

"Dream on, Ash!"

At that moment, Dawn smacked into someone behind her. The Coordinator stumbled backwards and to the side, where she unceremoniously fell to the concrete for all to see. Ash became slightly panicked and sprinted over, passing by the fallen body of whomever Dawn had crashed into and squatting down as he reached Dawn.

"You okay?" Ash asked, showing genuine, heartwarming concern in his brown eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a scratch." Dawn assured, looking over toward the person she had run into, "Hey! I'm sorry I—"

" _You should really watch where you're going!"_ the person shouted as they stood up on their own. The voice indicated that Dawn had run into a girl. The female then turned around and shock waves of memory blasted through Dawn's mind. The pale red hair and purple ribbons, the traditional black-and-crimson Contest outfit that the girl had worn in every Contest she'd competed in, and even the brief memory of the Plusle and Minun duo from one of her Contests burned Dawn's brain in an instant, until the name of the girl finally bubbled up to the surface, escaping Dawn's lips with a distasteful drawl.

" _Ursula…"_ Dawn grumbled.

Ursula locked eyes with Dawn and squinted with disgust at the downed Coordinator who had been her rival in the previous Sinnoh Contest circuit.

"Dawn. Fancy seeing you here." Ursula growled, "Still as ditzy as ever."

That comment made Dawn shoot to her feet in a single move, and her ears burned with anger. "Ditzy? Since when am I ditzy? And what are you even doing in Hearthome anyway?"

"Is it not obvious? I'm competing in the Hearthome Contest in two days." Ursula said, "And I guess that means you are too."

"Er, yeah…I am."

"Then you must already have a Ribbon, no?" Ursula asked with a leer.

"Of course. I have two of them already." Dawn said, opening up her Ribbon Case to prove it. Ursula leered as she saw the two Ribbons, prompting Dawn to ask, "And how many do you have?"

"I just have one, but you've obviously competed in a lot more Contests than me so far, so that would explain why you're ahead." Ursula said, glancing at her fingernails for a moment, "I plan to make it two Ribbons, just so you're aware."

"Wow, I never would've guessed." Dawn snapped with a furious sarcasm in her voice, "I sure hope for your sake that you realize you'll have to go through me."

"Oh, I intend to. Well, I've got to go and prepare my Pokémon. Looks like we'll have an even bigger drive to win now." Ursula decided, starting to walk away, "Have fun with your boyfriend, Dawn. It hasn't been a pleasure."

Ursula stalked off, her shoes clicking as she went. Ash and Dawn watched her go, the latter with disgust and the former with confusion. As Ursula turned the nearest corner of the street, Ash spoke up with a klutzy confusion.

"Wait, boyfriend? What on earth is she talking about?" Ash asked, looking over at Dawn.

"Yeah, I don't know." Dawn said through clenched teeth, hoping that the heat in her cheeks was from her anger, "Ursula hasn't changed a bit. I haven't missed her at all."

"Yeah, you're not the only one." Ash agreed with a glance back to the street corner Ursula had been a moment earlier. He looked back over to Dawn, who was practically pumping steam out of her ears. Her rivalry with Ursula had never been a friendly one, with both parties sharing a mutual disdain for the other, though for very different reasons. If anything, Dawn's drive to win had now increased tenfold with Ursula turning up for the Contest. Her mind went on autopilot and Dawn quietly spoke to herself in a mocking tone, quietly enough that Ash couldn't hear her.

" _Oh, I plan to make it two Ribbons, just so you know. Have fun with your boyfriend, Dawn."_ Dawn growled under her breath, _"Honestly, the nerve of her…"_

" _Hey, Dawn!"_ Ash shouted, jarring Dawn from her thoughts.

"Hmm? What?" Dawn asked frantically, afraid she had missed something big. Ash, however, simply chuckled at her.

"You totally zoned out there." Ash said, "Anyway, I was asking if you wanted to go get some lunch. I'm starving! And you know; you look like you could use a glass of water."

"Er, yeah, sure. Let's go. I could eat something too." Dawn decided, more eager than ever to find something that would take her mind off of Ursula. The Coordinator started walking further down the block, her eyes scanning for a restaurant that looked appetizing. Ash watched her go, slowly walking behind her. The Trainer whistled to himself in a 'sheesh' kind of tone, and looked over to Pikachu, who sat calmly on Ash's shoulder with his little mouth opened just a little bit.

"Man, and I thought I had problems with my rivals." Ash grumbled to Pikachu.

" _Piii-ka…"_

* * *

" _Ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages! The annual Hearthome City Winter Farewell Contest is about to begin!"_

The cheering of the crowd circled around Contest Hall and the crowd began to do the wave. The whole scene was quite surprising to Ash. Hearthome City was famous for its Contests, and drew tourism from Contest enthusiasts all around the world. The experience that made a Hearthome Contest so much different was completely lost on Ash, as he failed to notice anything that was truly unlike every other Contest he'd witnessed. Nevertheless, he pounded his hands together in anticipation as the announcer—Marian—continued speaking on the microphone.

" _As you all know, the Winter Farewell Contest is to celebrate the coming of spring, and boy do we have a talent-packed house today! Thirty-two Coordinators are in attendance, each and every one of them worthy of their spot today! So, everyone, are you ready to get started with Appeal Round?"_

The crowd answered with another approving roar, and Marian grinned before speaking again, _"That's just what I wanted to hear! So, without further ado, let's get started! First up on the Performance Stage is…Ursula!"_

Marian quickly bolted off of center stage and Ursula stalked out from behind the curtains off to the side, making her way to the dirt battlefield. The maligned Coordinator carried two Poké Balls with her, as the Contest was slated as a Double Performance event.

Ursula reached her place on the stage and waved to the crowd with her free hand, before placing one capsule in each of her hands and enlarging them.

" _Flareon, Vaporeon, you're up!"_

The two evolved forms of Eevee popped out of the capsules, each surrounded by an explosion of fire and water created by Ball Seals. Ash briefly remembered back to the Grand Festival, where Ursula's Appeal had been about evolving her two Eevee for everyone to see, but Ash had never seen the two Pokémon together other than that time.

"Flareon, use Fire Spin into the sky!"

Flareon raised its head upward, opening its mouth slightly and spewing a spiral of flames into the air. The fire-type evolution didn't let up, and the Fire Spin attack circled round and round, forming a tornado of sorts.

"Now, Vaporeon, jump and use Aqua Tail!"

Vaporeon clutched its legs and then bounded into the air, falling straight into the path of the Fire Spin. The water-type's tail became infused with raging water and Vaporeon somersaulted repeatedly, crashing through the Fire Spin cyclone and spewing both water and flames outward in waves. The crowd let loose an, 'ooh,' as Vaporeon passed through the fire, before landing squarely on the ground as Flareon stopped spewing fire.

"Now, Aqua Ring!"

Vaporeon blinked and Aqua Ring came to life, generating a beautiful blue glow around the Bubble Jet Pokémon. Flareon trotted up toward its water-type brother, and Ursula called for Flareon to release a Flamethrower as it spun into the ground. Flareon did so, standing back up after creating an equally impressive fiery glow around its form. The two evolutions then looked around at the crowd as their performance finished, each of them glowing with an aura matching their colors.

The crowd applauded and Ursula called the two Pokémon back, disappearing backstage in a matter of seconds. After that, more than a dozen Coordinators conducted their Appeals before Dawn was called out, calling Ash's attention back to the field.

The blue-haired Coordinator stepped out into the limelight, drawing raucous applause from the crowd. Dawn put on a smile as she continued walking, each step she took resulting in louder applause. Ash remained respectfully calm, clapping his hands together and letting the fanatics do the screaming and cheering. Like every Coordinator before her, Dawn carried two Poké Balls, each of them enclosed in a Ball Capsule marked by a Seal.

" _Buneary, Quilava…spotlight!"_

Buneary exited her ball first, whirling around in a vortex of stars, while Quilava appeared in a ball of fire, powering up the flames on its back for a brief moment to make them larger as he landed.

"Buneary and Quilava, huh? I think I have an idea of what combination they'll show off here." Ash thought aloud to Pikachu. The electric-type agreed with a _"Pika!"_

"Buneary, use Bounce! Quilava, use Swift!"

Buneary powered itself off of the ground, rocketing into the sky and somersaulting on its way up. Quilava bounded over so that he was underneath Buneary, and spat a tidal wave of stars toward the normal-type. The Swift approached Buneary and the Rabbit Pokémon caught itself on one of the stars, bouncing from one to another on its way down.

"Great job, you two! Now, Quilava, Buneary, switch places!"

Quilava rocketed its way into the air as Buneary landed, and the normal-type took its place underneath the airborne Quilava, ready for the next command in the series.

"Quilava, use Flame Wheel! Buneary, follow Quilava with Ice Beam!"

Quilava surged forward as it became wrapped in a wheel of scorching flames. Buneary opened its little mouth and shot a forked beam of cold, trailing Quilava before quickly catching up. The Ice Beam wrapped around the Flame Wheel and froze it solid, trapping Quilava inside a glowing cuboid of ice. The fire-type quickly descended, and on its way down, the ice began to melt. Quilava landed powerfully and the ice smashed into a million pieces, sending both fire and ice in all directions as Quilava traveled a circular path several times in a matter of seconds, finishing the move with a bounce toward Buneary.

"Now, Quilava, use Flamethrower in the air! Buneary, do the same with Ice Beam!"

Quilava and Buneary both looked up and launched their respective moves into the sky, where the blasts collided on their way up and flashed as they created a brilliant explosion. Stars of fire and ice spewed out in a wave high up in the air for all to see, drawing approving applause from the crowd as the performance concluded. Dawn recalled Quilava and Buneary and waved to the crowd, running off and away from the stage so that the next competitor could start their Appeal.

* * *

" _The results from the Appeal Round are now in, and the judges have narrowed it down to sixteen Coordinators remaining!"_

Dawn sat on the bench, leaning forward with anticipation as the TV screen in the dressing room showed the backside of 16 cards, each hiding a portrait on them. The last time she'd competed in Hearthome City, she had been eliminated in the first round, so her wariness was justified.

The first card flipped over, showing a young male Coordinator. The second, third, and fourth cards all turned over, all showing the pictures of Coordinators that weren't Dawn. Five, six, seven, and eight cards were then flipped over. Ursula was named as the eighth contestant to make it through, bolstering Dawn's competitiveness.

Finally, the ninth card was turned over, revealing Dawn's portrait. Dawn launched out of her seat, barely avoiding jumping into the air with a celebratory shout. She steeled herself, for she had made the cut more times than she could count, and with four rounds of battling to go until she would be able to claim the Hearthome Ribbon, this was no time for celebration.

"Getting a little excited, aren't you, Dawn?" a familiar voice said, adding all the condescending tone that it could.

Dawn turned to Ursula, choosing to keep a straight face rather than stoop to her level. "Well the last time I competed here, I didn't make it out of the Appeal Round, so I think I have a reason to be happy."

Ursula snorted, walking away rather than saying anything further. The bracket for the Battle Rounds appeared next on the screen, and Dawn and Ursula were placed on opposite sides of the same bracket, meaning that they would meet in the semifinals if they both kept winning.

"We're gonna beat her, right, Piplup?" Dawn asked the Penguin Pokémon that stood on the bench next to the Coordinator.

" _Pip!"_

* * *

The round of 16 and quarterfinals breezed by, with Dawn and Ursula each defeating their respective opponents along the way. It wasn't long before the best of the best were the only ones left, and the semifinals were almost ready to go. Dawn would be facing Ursula, while Zach, the youngster from Jubilife City, had maneuvered his way into a matchup with a Coordinator called Tiffany.

Obviously, the match between the two known commodities, Dawn and Ursula, had much more hype attached to it, as their last match had been a spectacle in the semifinals of the Grand Festival last June. Dawn had nearly crumbled on that stage, but had used Ursula's own confidence against her to shockingly knock out Ursula's Gabite and punch her ticket into the final round.

Dawn and Ursula walked out to the field of battle to thunderous applause as usual. The matchup between bitter rivals would satiate any Contest fan's taste. Both Coordinators stuck to their customary outfits; Ursula in her black and crimson gown, and Dawn in her pink dress. Already, Ash could feel the animosity between the two. Dawn had become especially focused the previous day, thanks to the knowledge that Ursula was competing in the Contest as well. There was no doubt that she wanted to win and show Ursula up, while Ursula would likewise want to exact revenge for her sudden Grand Festival loss. Both Coordinators quickly took their place, each holding two Poké Balls. The jumbotron lit up with its usual Battle Round screen, filling the two contestant's circles with points and setting the 5-minute time limit. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the battle was on, and the Coordinators called out their Pokémon.

" _Mismagius, Mime Jr., go!"_

" _Froslass, Piplup, spotlight!"_

The four Pokémon exited their Poké Balls, each of them landing and seeming to feed off their respective Coordinators' aggression. Each was clearly rearing to go.

"Mime Jr., use Meditate! Mismagius, use Mean Look!"

Mime Jr. began hovering in the air, closing its eyes and folding its legs, while Mismagius started to glare at Froslass and Piplup. A pulse appeared from Mime Jr.'s head, touching Mismagius and suddenly enlarging the image of Mismagius' Mean Look into a larger-than-life illusion. The illusion of the ghost-type's glare was legitimately menacing, and Piplup and Froslass both quivered as the image of the Pokémon glared at them.

"That's strange. Is Mime Jr. maybe using its psychic powers to project Mismagius' Mean Look?" Ash wondered aloud. Pikachu answered with an unsure purr as a small amount of points was taken from Dawn, but the Coordinator called out to the two frightened Pokémon with no concern.

"Piplup, use Drill Peck! Froslass, use Shadow Ball on Piplup!"

Piplup bounded into the air and spun rapidly, pointing its enlarging beak forward as it spun like a top. Froslass quickly charged up a ghostly sphere and launched it as Piplup got moving. As a result, Piplup caught up to the blast with relative ease, and its sharpened beak penetrated the Shadow Ball, causing the attack to break apart into literally countless smaller versions of the attack, which spread out like a shotgun blast toward Mismagius and Mime Jr.

"Mime Jr., use Psychic to stop the blast!" Ursula called, but Piplup was already moving toward Mime Jr. The water-type crashed into the smaller psychic-type before it could do anything to manipulate the burst of Shadow Ball, which immediately bombarded both it and Mismagius. Piplup bounded away from the two enemy Pokémon as Ursula lost a good amount of her points to the combination.

"Mismagius, use Grudge on Froslass!" Ursula shouted. The Magical Pokémon growled and an eerie red light surrounded its form. The glow seeped into Mismagius' eyes and made them glow red as well, and the ghost-type glared at Froslass. The red light surrounding Mismagius then wrapped around Froslass. However, a premature Shadow Ball briefly appeared in Froslass' prototypical hand, and then died out of existence. Once again, Dawn only lost a miniscule amount of points, but Ursula called out for another round of attacks swiftly.

"Now, Mismagius, use Magical Leaf Tornado! Mime Jr., use Psybeam on Froslass!"

"What's Magical Leaf Tornado?" Ash asked himself aloud. The Trainer quickly got his answer as Mismagius generated a huge amount of glowing leaves, sending them flying toward Piplup. Instead of attacking Piplup, however, the leaves wrapped around Piplup in a vortex, keeping it from going anywhere. Mime Jr. then began to create an irregular wave that instantly made Ash's brain hurt just from looking at it.

"Piplup, hang in there! Froslass, block the incoming attack with Ice Beam!"

"Not so fast, Dawn. Mismagius, send Piplup up!"

" _Magi!"_ Mismagius purred, its eyes glowing again. A sudden whirlwind picked up inside the vortex of glowing leaves, and Piplup was rapidly sent upward, still enclosed by the twister. The water-type was violently jostled around, and the Magical Leaves slashed about its body. Froslass spat an Ice Beam at the oncoming Psybeam, creating a pretty light that took away a small notch of Ursula's points, but Dawn last far more points as Mismagius knocked Piplup around in the air.

"Froslass, hit Mismagius with Ice Beam!"

Froslass howled and sent a speedy Ice Beam directly at Mismagius, striking the Pokémon clean in its hovering body. The ghost-type was knocked back and its focus on levitating Piplup was completely lost. The water-type began freefalling to the ground, but Froslass levitated into the air and caught Piplup, returning the Penguin Pokémon safely to the ground.

Ursula wiped the look of disgust off of her face and replaced it with sheer confidence, calling out to her two Pokémon.

"Mime Jr., use Trick Room!"

Mime Jr. threw its arms out and a bright grid of pink energy suddenly wrapped around the battlefield, disappearing in an instant. "Now, Mismagius, use Payback!"

Mismagius suddenly disappeared from view and reappeared right next to Froslass, a ghostly sphere of energy hovering above its head. Froslass' focus shot toward Mismagius, but the ghost-type rammed the sphere of energy into the ice-type, disappearing just as fast as it had appeared. Dawn lost a handful of points, and the lead along with it.

" _And Ursula takes the lead with a smart use of Trick Room to swap the Pokémon's speed, delivering a swift Payback to Froslass! Now it's going to be up to Dawn to adapt until the Trick Room effect wears off!"_

"We're moving a little slower now, so we're gonna have to take it slow." Dawn decided, "Or, we can take back our speed our own way. Froslass, use Hail!"

Froslass sang as it moved its arms around and dangled its proto-fingers. The arena instantly became gloomier as clouds began blocking out the lighting on the field. Uncountable numbers of hailstones dropped to earth at high speed, and Froslass' body became briefly outlined in a crystalline blue glow, indicating to Dawn that Snow Cloak was now in effect.

"Mismagius, use Magical Leaf through the hailstorm!" Ursula shouted, "Mime Jr., use Psychic!"

Mismagius conjured another vortex of leaves, and Mime Jr. immediately began manipulating the leaves with a strange light. The result was a powered-up version of Magical Leaf, and a glow of magnificent power trailed behind the attack as it was sent through the hailstorm.

"Froslass, use your Snow Cloak!" Dawn called. The powered-up Magical Leaves were heading straight for the ice-type, but Froslass easily faded out of reality, allowing the attack to pass through her body unharmed, before returning to normal. Ursula's points fell, tying the two Coordinators once again as the clock hit 2 minutes.

"Froslass, grab Piplup and throw him toward Mismagius and Mime Jr.!" Dawn called, stumping Ursula. Froslass immediately reached over and grabbed Piplup with a telekinetic grip, thrusting the water-type forward, "Piplup, use Drill Peck! Froslass, use Ice Beam!"

Piplup spun like a top as he flew through the air. A cry from Froslass preceded a forked blast of cold energy surrounding the airborne Penguin Pokémon, creating a sort of icy armor around Piplup. The water-type's charged up Drill Peck and spun, reflecting light around it to create a shimmering rocket of ice.

"Mismagius, use Payback!"

Mismagius vanished and then quickly reappeared in Piplup's path, another glowing sphere of ghostly energy under its control. The speedy attack struck the spinning Pokémon head-on, knocking Piplup to the ground and shutting down the combination.

"Now, use Shadow Sneak on Froslass!"

Mismagius disappeared once again, and a black shadow ran across the ground in a matter of seconds, rushing around Froslass and then stretching out of the ground behind the ice-type, a menacing pair of eyes glowing from the unsettling blackness.

"Froslass, look out!" Dawn shouted, but Mismagius struck too quickly for Froslass to respond. The ice-type was thrown forward towards the ground, eating dirt as Mismagius sank back into the ground and retreated to its side of the field.

"Now, Mime Jr., knock Piplup away with Psychic!"

Piplup was only just getting back to its feet after the failed combination, but Mime Jr.'s telekinetic power shut down any chance of the water-type getting away. Piplup was lifted off of the ground, and then was violently thrown back, spiraling toward Froslass.

Dawn gasped, "Froslass, catch Piplup, quick!"

Froslass' head shot up and the ice-type hovered its way back above the ground, reaching its proto-hands out and catching Piplup with a telekinetic grip. Froslass gently set Piplup down, and as Dawn's points decreased even further and the clock dwindled close to a minute, the Coordinator quickly became on edge.

"Froslass, let's try Shadow Ball!"

Froslass pulled its digits close together and began formulating a Shadow Ball. The sphere grew in size before a sudden explosive spark killed the attempt and the energy left Froslass' grasp, vanishing into nothingness. The ice-type looked even more surprised than Dawn did, looking incredulously where the attack had been charging up.

"What—what happened?"

Ursula laughed out loud, drawing a scowl of attention from Dawn. "I shut down Shadow Ball a long time ago, Dawn. You see, Mismagius' Grudge seals the previous attack that was used on it, preventing it from being used again."

Dawn gritted her teeth, and then found herself at a loss. Piplup and Froslass turned to glance at their Trainer, who had no words to say.

"I-I-I don't know what to do now. Nothing is working." Dawn stammered to her Pokémon.

"Well then, let me help you, Dawn!" Ursula taunted, "Mismagius, use Shadow Sneak on Froslass!"

Mismagius sank into the floor and rushed forward, its black shadow visible to all.

"Froslass, stop it with Ice Punch!"

Froslass' digits started glowing with ice, and the Snow Land Pokémon moved to swing at the ghost-type once it leaped out of the ground. Mismagius surged upward as it closed in, and Froslass went in for the hit, but in a stunning move, the ghost-type dodged the attack perfectly, finding itself behind Froslass and striking from a black ray of eternal darkness. The ice-type hit the dirt and Mismagius sank back into the darkness, speeding over to the grounded Froslass and reappearing.

"Finish it with Magical Leaf!"

"No! Piplup, stop Mismagius!"

The Penguin Pokémon bounded into the air, deciding to use BubbleBeam, but Mismagius speedily dealt a brutal Magical Leaf into Froslass' back, causing an explosion that accompanied a cry of pain from Froslass. The ghost-type then faded out of reality, avoiding Piplup's desperate BubbleBeam with ease. As the smoke from the Magical Leaf explosion cleared, it was obvious that Froslass wouldn't be getting back up in the battle, and the referee recognized it, blowing his whistle to get the clock stopped.

" _Froslass is unable to battle! Battle Off!"_

Ursula's portrait burst onto the jumbotron, declaring her as the winner and Dawn the loser. The rival jumped into the air and brought her Pokémon in close for a celebration, giving a rude glance over to Dawn as she walked over to the downed, now-conscious Froslass.

" _Lass…"_ Froslass sang, looking down at the ground.

"Froslass, it's okay. You tried your best." Dawn soothed, pulling the weakened ice-type into a loose hug. Piplup chirped beside the ice-type, causing Froslass to give an unsure, yet accepting smile. Dawn returned the two Pokémon to their Poké Balls and quietly walked off of the field, heading backstage as Marian announced that Ursula would be headed to the finals.

* * *

Dawn quietly walked out of Contest Hall, noting that the sun was beginning to set. The fleeing ball of light painted the sky orange, casting a gloomy shadow that shielded Dawn from the bright sunlight and bathed the ground in shade. The Coordinator had changed back into her normal clothing, and Piplup remained inside his Poké Ball, acknowledging Dawn's wish to be relatively alone and process the loss.

Dawn barely had to walk anywhere before she spotted Ash. The older Trainer was leaning on a concrete wall that ran along the stairs leading up to the dome. Ash pushed off of the wall and began carefully walking toward Dawn, who stopped moving as she reached the bottom of the steps. The Trainer reached Dawn and quickly pulled her into a gentle hug, carefully caressing a few strands of her hair.

"I'm sorry, Dawn." Ash said lowly.

"Don't be, Ash. This is on me," Dawn said, "I've beaten Ursula plenty of times before so I figured it would be easy enough, considering how much I've grown since the last time we battled. But I fooled myself with that one…"

"Hey, Ursula's a tough opponent. She keeps up the pace, just like I do when I battle. It's not easy to break that trend."

"But I was still overconfident." Dawn protested, "And I ruined my Pokémon's chances because of it."

"Shh…" Ash said, "Just keep calm, all right? Let it go. You'll get the next one."

Dawn huffed and the pair fell silent, just Dawn leaning her head against Ash's chest, "Maybe I should lose more often…" Dawn muttered, biting her tongue as she did so.

"What do you mean?" Ash said.

Dawn mentally cursed, before her mind began to stall and she spoke with virtually no control over her words. "Well, I mean, this isn't so bad." She fumbled, "This…exact…moment…"

"Hmpf, all right Dawn, whatever. If you want me to hug you more you can just say so." Ash joked.

"Whatever, Ash." Dawn chuckled. She squirmed out of the hug and the two Trainers briefly giggled together, before a familiar voice called out from a distance away.

"I thought I'd find you two here!" the voice said, each word heavily distorted by a unique accent.

Dawn turned around to see Fantina trotting down the block toward them, her customary purple dress sparkling in the evening sunlight. The Gym Leader and former Coordinator reached the pair and greeted them, "Good evening, Ash, Dawn."

"Hi there, Fantina." Ash said.

"Dawn, I watched your Contest, you were much improved from your last outing here. And I watched your past two Contests! I'm so very impressed with how you've grown!" Fantina praised.

"Thank you, Fantina…" Dawn said nervously, "I'm sorry I couldn't pull through tonight.

"Oh, don't apologize! You battled a tough opponent in Ursula!" Fantina said, her accent sticking through, "A fast battler will always be hard to overcome! But I have faith in you, dear!"

Dawn briefly smiled, thanking the ex-Coordinator. Fantina then turned her focus to Ash, "So, Ash, now that Dawn's Contest will be over, what will you two be doing next?"

"Well, we've been traveling around the Region and I've been battling the Gyms again to practice for the Sinnoh League. We were thinking about heading for Veilstone City next."

"Well, that's certainly fine, but if you'd like, you can come to the Gym tomorrow and we can battle." Fantina offered, "It'd be a shame to have you two leaving Hearthome City so quickly without visiting _moi._ "

"You know what, that sounds like a great idea!" Ash agreed, "I actually recently caught a new Pokémon, so I think it would be great training for him to battle against some ghost-types."

" _Magnifique!"_ Fantina cried, "The Gym opens at 9:00, you two! Don't keep me waiting for too long!"

The accent-heavy Gym Leader sped away, disappearing around the block in mere moments.

"She's definitely peculiar sometimes." Ash said.

"That's for sure. Anyway, that works out for us. You can battle Fantina, and after that we won't have to hit Hearthome again."

"That is, _if_ I win!" Ash joked.

Dawn snorted, and the two walked away toward the Pokémon Center, where Ash hoped to get in some last-minute training for battling Fantina. The ghost-type Gym Leader was no pushover, and if he didn't pay the utmost attention at all times, he might find his Pokémon falling asleep from Hypnosis. All in all, the next day was already shaping up to be an exciting one for both of the teenage Trainers, as their journey continued on.


	35. Fantina-ing the Flames of Battle!

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 35_

 _Fantina-ing the Flames of Battle!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Hearthome City**_

"The battle between Ash the challenger and Fantina the Gym Leader is about to begin! Each Trainer will use 3 Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all of a single Trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue! Furthermore, since the challenger has already obtained the Relic Badge, _both_ Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon!"

Ash tweaked his cap as Dawn, Piplup, and Buneary all cheered from the terrace above the battlefield. Fantina stood in her battle box and twirled, laughing with her thick accent, "Ash! I am so glad you came! Are you ready for our battle?"

"I was born ready, Fantina!" Ash challenged, "Hit me with your best shot!"

"Be careful what you wish for, Ash!" Fantina fired back.

"It appears both contestants are ready!" the referee declared, "Battle, begin!"

Fantina pulled out her first Poké Ball, tossing it into the air, _"Mismagius, prepare for battle!"_

" _Buizel, I choose you!"_

Mismagius and Buizel materialized into reality, facing each other with battle-ready scowls. Buizel crossed his arms, releasing a confident growl from his throat. Ash jumped right in and called for the first attack.

"Buizel, use Aqua Jet!"

Buizel braced itself and then leaped into the air underneath a missile of water, aiming straight for the hovering ghost-type. Fantina shifted with a calm demeanor, speaking to Mismagius in a silky-smooth voice.

"Mismagius, use Magical Leaf."

Mismagius surrounded itself with a glowing shield of leaves, launching them in volleys toward the oncoming Buizel. The water-type dodged the first set of leaves, but Mismagius' second volley hit the weasel cleanly, knocking the water-type out of the air and neutralizing the Aqua Jet.

"Buizel, use SonicBoom on your way down!"

Buizel righted itself and then looked up toward the hovering Mismagius, quickly turning its body and firing off three powerful blasts from its tail. The weasel landed cleanly on its feet and then looked up as Mismagius took the SonicBoom hits, but shrugged off the attacks with barely any issue.

"Mismagius, use Psybeam!"

Mismagius released a trippy blast of psychic energy toward the grounded Buizel. Ash shouted without missing a beat, "Buizel, dodge that!" Buizel rolled away on the ground, looking back up at Mismagius as Ash called for an Aqua Jet. The Sea Weasel Pokémon rocketed upward with another jet of water, moving with even more impressive speed. Buizel closed in and struck home, hooking its body in a perfect curve and driving Mismagius down toward the ground after landing the hit.

"Mismagius, use Dark Pulse!"

Mismagius reopened its eyes; glaring at Buizel as the two Pokémon fell to the ground. The ghost-type released a quick blast of dark energy from all around its body, sending the attack out in a ring that threw Buizel off of it. The Sea Weasel tumbled away, eventually falling from the sky as gravity took control of it.

"Buizel, spin forward and use SonicBoom to cushion your fall!" Ash called.

Buizel focused and righted its body as it fell, looking toward the quickly advancing ground. The Sea Weasel somersaulted forward countless times, sending off a SonicBoom at the ground with each revolution. Just as Ash had planned, the sonic blast bounced back off of the ground, each wave of the attack slowing Buizel down significantly and allowing the water-type to land comfortably.

Fantina grumbled as Buizel avoided the majority of the damage that it should've taken, and chose this time to wait and see what Ash planned to do.

"Buizel, use Water Pulse!"

Buizel created a pulsing sphere of water, turning its arms over each other once and then spinning its body, putting all of its weight into throwing the Water Pulse at Mismagius, who now hovered slightly above the ground rather than high in the air like earlier. The ghost-type simply watched as the Water Pulse closed in. "Mismagius, dodge!" Fantina called, and the ghost-type quickly faded out of existence. The Water Pulse passed through where the ghost-type had once been, before breaking apart and failing. Mismagius reappeared back into reality in the same place as Fantina called for a counterattack, "Now, use Psywave!"

Mismagius' body began to glow a light blue, just as a wave of irregular energy extended from its body at high speed. The energy wave collided and latched onto Buizel, drawing a look of surprise from the Sea Weasel. Mismagius' body then glowed in countless different colors all over, and Buizel was suddenly dragged forward without so much as a move from Mismagius. It quickly became apparent that Mismagius was now in control of Buizel's body, and the water-type was thrown about aimlessly by Mismagius' telekinetic grip. Eventually, the ghost-type finally released its hold on the water-type, sending Buizel flying a great distance from it. The Sea Weasel Pokémon slammed into the ground and bounded away, skidding to a stop in the dirt and struggling to get up.

Fantina laughed, _"Oh-ho-ho!_ Mismagius, use Magical Leaf!"

Ash shouted, "Buizel, spin and use Water Gun!"

Buizel, still on the ground, growled with a new resolve, spinning like a top on the ground as he spewed high-pressured water from his mouth. The vortex of water knocked away each and every Magical Leaf, and the water-type seemed immediately refreshed and ready for battle after the fact. Buizel hopped back to his feet, smirking at Mismagius' thwarted attempt. Ash fed off of Buizel's energy, grinning and calling for a follow-up attack.

"Buizel, one more time! Use Aqua Jet!"

Buizel launched into the air once more, speeding toward Mismagius with renewed strength. The ghost-type hovered a few paces back until Fantina called for the inevitable counterattack, "Mismagius, use Psybeam to knock Buizel out of the sky!"

Mismagius tensed its body, charging up a wicked Psybeam. However, Ash saw the move coming, and immediately used the ghost-type's stalling to his advantage, "Buizel, abort!"

Buizel dropped and fell out of the missile of water as Mismagius released its Psybeam, surprising Fantina and Mismagius both as the Psybeam utterly destroyed what was left of the Aqua Jet. Buizel landed on the ground and rolled forward, fully prepared for Ash's next command.

"Now, use Water Pulse! Don't let up!"

Buizel charged up a Water Pulse with staggering speed, turning its body in a clean 360 and putting all of his muscle into the throw. Without missing a beat, Buizel repeated the action, sending a second Water Pulse at Mismagius. Buizel did this again and again, rattling off rapid-fire blasts without relenting. The first, second, and third Water Pulses struck Mismagius in its sides, knocking the ghost-type off of its balance. The fourth Water Pulse missed, but the fifth attempt struck home, hitting Mismagius with full power in its center. The blast sent Mismagius hurtling into the ground, crashing through the earth as the ball of water drove it to its doom. An explosion of rock and dust hid Mismagius' grounded form, but the result was hardly questionable, and was only proven when the dust settled and revealed the fainted ghost-type.

" _Mismagius is unable to battle! The winner is Buizel!"_

" _Bui-bui!"_ Buizel barked, crossing its arms and throwing a wicked smile. On the plaza above the battlefield, Dawn cheered with her Pokémon. Fantina returned Mismagius and laughed as she tucked the capsule away.

" _Oh-ho-ho! Magnifique,_ Ash!" Fantina applauded, "Your battling style with Buizel was perfect! And that speed when throwing the Water Pulses! Truly impressive!"

"Hey, thanks, Fantina!" Ash said graciously, "Buizel and I have been working on throwing multiple attacks at once for a few months now, but we just haven't been able to show off the technique!"

"Well, I applaud you. I can see how much you've improved since your last visit already!" Fantina declared with her accent, "But are you ready for my second Pokémon?"

"Bring it on, Fantina! Buizel and I have plenty of fight left to spare!" Ash challenged.

"We'll see about that…" Fantina offered. The Gym Leader twirled and lobbed the second Poké Ball into the air, shouting with pride, _"Gengar, the floor is yours!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and the white light fell to the ground, sinking into the ground for a few moments. Fantina's Gengar then rose out of the ground, wearing a wicked, battle-ready smile. Ash and Buizel exchanged glances before focusing their attention on the Gym Leader's second Pokémon, just as Fantina called for an attack.

"Gengar, use Night Shade!"

Gengar stuck out its arms and two balls of energy grew out of its hands. The ghost-type grinned and threw the balls forward, sniggering as the energy raced towards Buizel.

"Buizel, block with Water Pulse!"

Buizel channeled a single Water Pulse sphere as the two Night Shade blasts neared each other, joining into a single attack as they closed in on the Sea Weasel. Buizel launched the Water Pulse with perfect timing, and both Trainer and Pokémon knew that the blast would render the Night Shade attack ineffective.

"Use Shadow Punch!" Fantina's accent-heavy voice commanded. Gengar's form faded into darkness, and an instant later the ghost-type was racing forward. The Water Pulse smashed into the Night Shade attack, creating a solid smokescreen. Not a moment later, Gengar dove through the cloud of smoke, dealing a swift sucker punch to Buizel's gut. The water-type howled and was thrown backwards by the ghost-type's powerful punch. Gengar faded away and reappeared back on its side of the field as Buizel recovered from the attack.

"Gengar's fast, so we're gonna have to be careful." Ash muttered, "And Shadow Punch doesn't miss, either…"

Fantina broke Ash's brooding with another command, "Gengar, use Shadow Punch again!"

"I've got it!" Ash decided, "Buizel, block Gengar head-on with Ice Punch!"

Buizel pulled back its fist as Gengar rushed forward in a cover of shadows. Freezing energy roared to life around Buizel's arm as the ghost-type drew near in a handful of seconds. Once Gengar reached Buizel and attempted its attack, Buizel copied it, driving its fist with all of its might into Gengar's. The two attacks collided and an explosion of both energies threw the two Pokémon away from each other, repelling most of the damage that either attack would've dealt.

"Great job, Buizel!" Ash praised, "Now, quick, use Aqua Jet!"

Buizel shot forward as the smoke cleared, leaving Gengar out in the open. Buizel's cover of high-pressure water closed around the Sea Weasel and he headed forward at high speed.

"Gengar, dodge!"

Gengar sidestepped the attack, hovering just above the ground and allowing Buizel to pass by harmlessly. Buizel watched helplessly as Gengar dodged, and the Aqua Jet fell apart. The Sea Weasel tumbled to the ground and ate dirt, recovering as quickly as it could while Fantina called out for another move.

"Gengar, use Hypnosis!"

Gengar levitated higher into the air, reaching a point above Buizel with ease. The ghost-type's eyes lit up and a vision of the menacing eyes projected onto the water-type. Buizel whirled around and locked eyes with the impression, and the glow appeared in its eyes as well. The Sea Weasel Pokémon stumbled as the apparition disappeared, and with a glance in Ash's relative direction, it was clear that the water-type was now confused.

"Now, Gengar! Use Shadow Punch!"

Gengar rocketed forward and in an instant and dealt another brutal punch to the confused Buizel, driving the water-type into the ground and flying along. Ash gritted his teeth.

"Buizel's a sitting duck out there." Ash grunted, pulling out the water-type's Poké Ball as Fantina called for yet another Shadow Punch, _"Buizel, return!"_

The Poké Ball recalled Buizel to safety, and Gengar landed its next punch into the empty ground, looking around frantically before realizing Buizel had been recalled. Gengar interpreted this as a victory, and snickered for a moment.

"You battled so well, Buizel. All that training has really paid off. Now, get some rest…" Ash said to the silent Poké Ball before tucking it away onto his belt. The Pallet native unhooked his next Poké Ball, glancing over at Fantina's Gengar and then back at the capsule, "I guess it's time to fight fire with fire. Whaddya say, Pikachu?"

" _Pi-ka-chuuuu."_

"Good enough for me." Ash decided, _"Gengar, I choose you!"_

Fantina noticeably raised an eyebrow as Ash called out his own Gengar, leaving two of the Shadow Pokémon now on the field. Gengar locked eyes with its identical opponent, and its already eerie glare intensified. It was all too clear that the ghost-type's personal pride had ignited competitiveness in the Shadow Pokémon.

"A Gengar! So this must be the new Pokémon you spoke of!" Fantina called, "How exciting! I smell a _magnifique_ battle! Gengar, use Night Shade!"

Fantina's Gengar threw another Night Shade attack, joining the two spheres of energy into one as they sped toward Ash's Gengar. The teenaged Trainer kept a cool, collected expression, giving Gengar his orders with an unusual calm.

"Gengar, dodge."

Ash's Gengar sidestepped out of the way, allowing the Night Shade to pass by harmlessly. Ash followed up with another command, hoping to put Fantina on her toes, "Hide and use Shadow Punch when the time is right."

Gengar dissipated into shadows, hiding from the view of everyone present. Fantina and her Gengar both carefully looked around. Ash quietly felt around with Aura, locating his own Gengar with ease. The proud ghost-type hung invisibly from the chandelier high above the battlefield. After several seconds, Gengar jumped unceremoniously from the piece of furniture, still completely invisible.

More than halfway down the drop, Gengar allowed its form to reappear, both of its fists pulsing powerfully. Fantina gasped, and the Gym Leader's Gengar looked up with surprise. Ash's Gengar crashed down on its foe, putting all of its might into the sucker punch. The ghost-type then sank through the body of its adversary and reappeared on its side of the field, pleased with its success. Fantina's Gengar crawled to its feet, its characteristic grin now wiped from its face and replaced by a scowl.

" _Gengar, use Hypnosis!"_ Fantina called.

Gengar's eyes began to glow red, but Ash shouted in response, "No you don't! Gengar, get out of there!"

Ash's Gengar sank into the ground, and the other ghost-type's Hypnosis was rendered ineffective. As the menacing red glare vanished from Gengar's gaze, Ash shouted for all to hear.

"Now, use Poison Jab!"

Ash's Gengar leapt out of the ground from behind Fantina's Gengar, the toxic energy of Poison Jab lighting up the clenched digits on its hands. The ghost-type landed noisily behind its adversary and dealt a brutal jab to Gengar's back, sending the other ghost-type into the ground.

"Now, use Shadow Claw!"

Ash's Gengar grinned, raising one of its arms with speed and conjuring dark energy around the digits on its hand. Sharp, menacing claws of shadow grew from the ghost-type's hand, and with a powerful swing, Gengar raked its blades against its downed lookalike, hitting with such force that the Shadow Pokémon was physically moved on the ground.

Fantina's Gengar rolled to a stop, heaving as the sting from the successive attacks took hold on its body. The Shadow Pokémon was inches from its limit. Luckily, Fantina had one final trick in her cards, and it was one that Ash wouldn't see coming.

"Gengar, use Destiny Bond!"

" _What?"_ Ash deadpanned, aware of what the move's purpose was. Fantina's Gengar leaned its body up, glaring at the opposing ghost-type on the field, and its eyes glowed an eerie purple. A dark light wrapped around Gengar's body before fading out of sight, and an identical display of light appeared around the opposite Gengar's body.

Ash's Gengar locked eyes with its copy with horror, and Fantina's Gengar snickered just before its head dropped. Fantina's Gengar finally collapsed with a thud, registering only swirls in its eyes. Likewise, the knees of Ash's Gengar began to buckle. Gengar shot its gaze up to Ash, its red eyes showing fear as it clearly tried to battle the inevitable effects of Destiny Bond.

"It's okay, Gengar." Ash said, "You battled so well, and you've earned a nice, long rest."

Gengar seemed to genuinely smile, and its knees gave out underneath it, leaving both of the identical ghost-types out of commission.

" _Both Pokémon are unable to battle! The challenger leads, 2-1!"_

Ash and Fantina returned their Gengars at the same time, each Trainer complimenting the fainted Pokémon as they began their much-deserved rest. Fantina was now down to only a single Pokémon, while Ash had Buizel and one more unrevealed Pokémon left.

"You have battled well, Ash! I'm thoroughly impressed!" Fantina called, "But there is still one Pokémon on my roster."

Ash grinned, "Bring it, Fantina! I'm ready!"

Fantina revealed her final Poké Ball from her sparkling dress, twirling and then throwing the Poké Ball in an arc, _"Drifblim, prepare for battle!"_

The huge Blimp Pokémon bounded out of the capsule as it tore open, hovering in the air and giving a chilling cry. Pikachu bristled at the sight of the flying ghost-type. He hadn't been able to battle in quite some time, and to the electric mouse, now was as good a time as any. Ash noticed his partner, and after looking over to Drifblim, smiled and made his decision.

"Pikachu, get in there." Ash said calmly. The electric mouse gladly hopped off of Ash's shoulder, raising its bolt-shaped tail and crackling some electricity on the end of it.

"So Pikachu will be your final Pokémon! _Fantastique!"_ Fantina observed, "Let's begin! Drifblim, use Will-O-Wisp!"

Drifblim howled as an aura of blue fire circled around its large body. Small blue fireballs began to branch off of the eerie aura, and Drifblim spun, sending fireballs in every direction.

"Pikachu, block those with Iron Tail!"

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu barked as it bounded forward with a glowing steely tail. The mouse somersaulted as the first Will-O-Wisp came near, and with a swift swing of his tail, Pikachu batted the burning ball away. Another ball of fire closed in on Pikachu shortly after, but the mouse deflected it just the same, and the rest of the fireballs fell harmlessly around it.

"Now, quick, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu released a blast of electricity in record time, aiming straight for Drifblim's middle. The Blimp Pokémon almost appeared to gulp just before the bolt struck home, sending tons of electricity all around its body. Drifblim shook its huge body and the electricity seemed to bounce off, rendering the airborne Pokémon relatively unharmed.

Ash gritted his teeth, "Even with how much stronger we've gotten, Drifblim is still able to resist our attacks really well. This isn't going to be easy." He said to himself.

Fantina smirked as she noticed Ash's brooding, and loudly called out for another attack, "Drifblim, use Psychic!"

Drifblim's body once again became outlined in a glowing blue aura, though this time it was much less pronounced. An identical blue glow appeared around Pikachu, and the mouse was suddenly lifted into the ground at high speed. Pikachu cried as Drifblim manipulated it, before the Blimp Pokémon threw the electric-type downward at high speed. Ash had no time to try and limit the damage as Pikachu crashed down like a meteor, taking significant damage from the throw as he bounced away from where he landed. Pikachu groaned in pain, but stood up nevertheless, wearing a confident smirk that screamed his ability to take plenty more punishment.

Fantina frowned, "Drifblim, use Hypnosis."

The Blimp Pokémon's body began to glow and without missing a beat, a powerful yellow 'X' was fired from the figure on its body, heading toward Pikachu at high speed.

"Pikachu, spin on the ground and use Thunderbolt! Counter-Shield!"

Pikachu quickly dove to the ground, sending up huge amounts of lightning into the air. The yellow X was ripped apart by the voltage, rendering Hypnosis completely useless.

"Great job, Pikachu!"

"Drifblim, use Ominous Wind." Fantina said calmly.

A gale-force wind whipped up inside the stadium, becoming so strong in such a short time that Ash's vest was lifted up in the back by the gust. Pikachu steeled itself in an attempt to weather the storm, but it only took a few seconds for the wind to become too much. Pikachu was lifted off of the ground and thrown backwards, spiraling straight toward Ash. The Trainer instinctively reached out and caught Pikachu, absorbing the electric-type's force into his chest and stumbling back. As he lost his balance, the Ominous Wind knocked him off of his feet and onto his rear. The hurricane suddenly calmed and Ash stood back up, releasing his grip on Pikachu and allowing the mouse to bound back over to the battlefield.

"Sorry about that, Ash!" Fantina called.

"No worries, Fantina! Now let's get this show on the road! Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu bolted forward, speeding along on the ground with the intention of jumping up toward Drifblim later.

"A normal-type attack? _Ha-ha!"_ Fantina jeered.

Pikachu reached a space on the ground where it could bounce upward toward Drifblim, and with a powerful kick of its back legs, the mouse was rocketing into the air. Fantina made no move to counter the attack, so Drifblim simply waited in the air. As expected, Pikachu passed right through the ghost-type, moving through its body and reappearing up above it.

" _Now, use Electro Ball!"_

"Electro-wha?" Fantina gasped.

Pikachu corkscrewed in midair, soaring right above Drifblim as a sphere of wild electricity crackled to life in its tail. Lightning poured out of its cheeks and built into the ball of electrical energy, reaching full power in a mere split-second. The mouse sent the ball of lightning down into the top of Drifblim's head, instantly shocking Drifblim to the core. The Blimp Pokémon shook violently as the electricity coursed through its body, feeling the full brunt of Pikachu's massive power.

"That's the new move Pikachu learned back by the lake near Oreburgh City!" Dawn gasped to herself at the sidelines, "The slower the opponent, the more damage the attack does!"

"Quick, Pikachu, use Iron Tail on your way down!"

Pikachu landed haphazardly on the spot the Electro Ball had collided, bouncing back up and tilting toward the front of Drifblim's body. The mouse's tail lit up with light and Pikachu raked its tail down the side of the ghost-type's huge, airy face, adding even more damage as the effects of Electro Ball finally began to subside. The electric mouse bounded away from Drifblim and whirled around once it reached Ash, smirking smugly as Drifblim regained movement in its body.

"That was perfect, Pikachu! Electro Ball worked perfectly!"

Fantina gritted her teeth, "Drifblim, use Payback!"

Drifblim lurched forward in the air, spreading its four arms outward. A dark energy generated and connected in a ring around the Blimp Pokémon's lower body. Pikachu tensed as Drifblim howled, and Payback was launched just seconds later. The energy fanned out around Drifblim's body, reaching above the ghost-type's body and forming into a glowing ball. A laser blasted out at high speed from the energy sphere, heading straight for Pikachu. The mouse's face turned to panic and the blast struck the earth directly in front of Pikachu.

The earth tore apart in a concussive blast, breaking up the ground beneath Pikachu's feet and sending the mouse spiraling into the air, completely unprotected. Drifblim fired another Payback blast directly for the tumbling electric-type, scoring a direct hit that sent Pikachu flying backward. The mouse began falling to the ground, and Ash desperately called to his partner.

"Pikachu, quick! Use Iron Tail on your way down to protect yourself!"

Pikachu focused and turned his tail to solid steel, falling down toward the ground at high speed. The mouse began to spin its body forward, quickly creating a wheel of light around its body generated by the speedily moving Iron Tail. The electric-type soon landed, hitting the ground with full power in its tail and generating a shockwave that rippled all across the battlefield. Obviously, this had no effect on Drifblim, but the move protected Pikachu from taking a huge amount of damage on the way down. Fantina smirked, impressed, as Pikachu carefully stood back and heaved repeatedly, trying to get as much air back into its body as possible.

"That was a good move by Ash and Pikachu, but that attack couldn't have felt good…" Dawn mused, "Pikachu's looking really tired already."

Indeed, Pikachu was virtually exhausted. Luckily, Fantina was making no move to attack yet, allowing the mouse to somewhat regain its strength. After all, this was meant to be a practice battle for later, far greater challenges. Still, though, winning today was very important to Pikachu. Drifblim (and prior to its evolution, Drifloon) had been a real thorn in the side of Ash and his Pokémon during their first match against Fantina, and even though they had developed the Counter-Shield technique as a result and had come back with a vengeance later on, Pikachu couldn't help but feel extra competitive.

"Pikachu, can you keep going?" Ash asked, drawing the mouse's attention. Pikachu glanced back so that he could see Ash out of his peripheral vision, and quickly nodded, adding a gruff _"Pika."_

" _Drifblim, use Will-O-Wisp!"_

Drifblim started to generate another ring of scorching blue flames, tugging Ash and Pikachu back into battle mode with a single sudden move.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to get out of Will-O-Wisp's range!"

Drifblim blasted a more concentrated Will-O-Wisp this time, focusing the fire into a single stream of burning flame. Pikachu used this to his advantage with ease, dashing to the side and avoiding the radius of the attack entirely. Ash quickly jumped in with a follow-up command, reaching for the brim of his cap instinctively.

Ash's hand gripped the bill of the hat and swiftly whirled it around so that it was backwards, wearing a gleefully energetic smile, _"Pikachu, let's finish this with Volt Tackle!"_

Pikachu bounded forward with delight, feeding off of Ash's sudden energy and creating an electrical aura around its body in an instant. Fantina smiled and shouted, "Drifblim, use Ominous Wind!" The Blimp Pokémon conjured up another chilling gust of wind, which quickly increased in power as Pikachu ran forward. Almost immediately, the electric-type began slowing down significantly as the wind reached hurricane levels of force. Ash's vest blew about aimlessly in the powerful wind, turning into a cape for the time being. Back on the battlefield, Pikachu nearly stopped completely, and the mouse struggled mightily to continue as the energy of Volt Tackle started to weaken.

" _Pikachu, keep going!"_ Ash shouted, _"I know you can do it!"_

Ash's words immediately invoked a proud, almost angry resolve within Pikachu's body, spurring the mouse forward. The little electric-type turned its feet faster and faster, pushing against the brutal wind and getting going once again. Drifblim put more power into the Ominous Wind, but Pikachu continued forward, virtually ignoring the wind as he rocketed into the sky from just in front of Drifblim. If Drifblim was panicking, the Pokémon certainly wasn't showing it.

After what felt like an eternity, Pikachu finally crashed into Drifblim head-on; hitting the ghost-type with such force that Drifblim immediately began falling out of the sky, its ability to hover failing it right before its eyes.

Drifblim crashed to the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust as it skidded along the earth, tendrils of electricity circling all around its large body. Pikachu landed cleanly several feet away from the downed Blimp Pokémon, the recoil effects of Volt Tackle tickling its body. Drifblim finally stopped skidding just a handful of feet from Fantina, and the Blimp Pokémon failed to get back up. The referee blew his whistle and raised one of his arms.

"Drifblim is unable to battle! That's Fantina's final Pokémon, which means the victory goes to Ash and Pikachu!"

"We did it, buddy!" Ash howled. Pikachu whirled around and ran back to Ash with speed, leaping into the Trainer's arms and affectionately rubbing his head into Ash's chest. Trainer and Pokémon laughed together as Dawn came running down from the upper level and onto the ground floor. Piplup chirped something to Pikachu, who responded with a gracious _"Pika-Pi!"_ Ash and Dawn chatted briefly, the former beaming all the while.

" _Magnifique, Ash!"_

Ash and Dawn both looked over to the side. Fantina was walking across the battlefield toward them, and Drifblim hovered slightly above the ground alongside the former Top Coordinator.

"Thank you, Fantina. I've been training really hard lately, and it's really starting to show."

"I can certainly tell! All of your Pokémon are both faster and stronger, far more so than mine." Fantina praised, "I am pleased to be beaten by a Trainer of your caliber! And Dawn, you have become a _magnifique_ Coordinator in your own right! I'll make sure to keep an eye on the rest of your career!"

Dawn beamed, "Thank you, Fantina!"

"Oh, don't mention it, darling. Now, I presume you'll start making your way toward Veilstone City!" Fantina said, "May I escort you out of Hearthome?"

* * *

Ash and Dawn ended up eating an early lunch with Fantina, stopping at the one of the former Coordinator's favorite dining spots in the city. With the meal behind them, the accent-heavy Gym Leader led the pair of teenagers to the Hearthome city limits, which marked the start of Route 209.

"Please be careful on the road, you two." Fantina said, "I would never be able to forgive myself if the two of you were hurt."

"No need to worry, Fantina." Dawn insisted, "I've managed to survive one journey with Ash! So far, one more hasn't proved too dangerous!"

"Are you saying you want me to make it dangerous?" Ash chimed in, "Because _danger_ is my middle name!"

"I can tell." Dawn deadpanned, breaking out into giggles immediately after. Ash and Fantina both started to laugh with Dawn, before the teenagers began saying their goodbyes to Fantina and headed out on the road. The ex-Top Coordinator shouted words of praise to both Trainers as their steps carried them further and further away from the city, enthusiastically wishing both of them well on their goals and future.


	36. Ruin of the Unown

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 36_

 _Ruin of the Unown_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Solaceon Town**_

Ash and Dawn were finally arriving in Solaceon Town after a few weeks of traveling. Their arrival at the town meant they were about halfway to Veilstone City, where Ash's next Gym Battle was slated to take place, but after so much traveling, both teens were looking forward to some much-needed rest. The central Sinnoh town resembled Hearthome City in terms of architecture, but still managed to retain a country feel that Hearthome could not. One of the first landmarks outside the city limits of Solaceon was that of a Pokémon Ranch. Several acres of crops went up and down the fenced-in ranch, and Pokémon of all shapes and sizes worked alongside a small group of people in the fields.

The Trainers' first stop in Solaceon Town was nothing else but the Pokémon Center. Ash and Dawn alike had been training extremely hard on the road for the last few weeks, and after the last batch of exercises, rest was a must for their Pokémon. Most notably out of all the Pokémon that the pair owned, Ash's Gengar was getting better and better under Ash's tutelage. The ghost-type's raw power was being progressively refined into a combination of skills, something that Ash was visibly proud of. Gengar, too, seemed very proud of itself. At random times Ash would talk to Dawn about his link with the Shadow Pokémon. Why Ash would share a telepathic link to Gengar—but not Pikachu—was confusing to Dawn, and Ash had never been able to offer up a solid guess as to why, so both had eventually chalked up the ability to the mysteriousness of Aura and left it at that.

On Ash's to-do list after resting the Pokémon was consuming a hearty lunch, consisting of a turkey sub sandwich and spinach. The combination was obviously unusual, but Ash insisted that the spinach was necessary. The Pallet native had taken a liking to most vegetables more recently, as his diet had normally consisted of gourmet cuisines prepared by Brock and Delia that weren't the healthiest meals around. His diet had changed along with countless other things since the end of his first Sinnoh journey.

After downing their lunches, Ash and Dawn picked up their Pokémon from Nurse Joy and headed out of the Pokémon Center. Ash had a thousand and one ideas about what they might be able to do during their brief stay in Solaceon Town before heading on the road. Unfortunately, those plans were dashed as a boy who couldn't have been much older than 12 came bolting into town, shouting at the top of his lungs.

The boy nearly barreled into Ash, but the older Trainer easily reached out and stopped the boy in his tracks by putting his hands on his shoulders. The boy had light brown hair that was parted to the side, and he wore a light blue jacket and shorts. A belt carrying three miniaturized Poké Balls indicated that he was a Trainer, and the boy was visibly hyperventilating.

"Help! They took my Pokémon!" he stammered, his mouth ahead of his brain as Ash held him still.

"Slow down, now, slow down." Ash said with a stoically calm voice, "Who took your Pokémon?"

"M-m-my Eevee." The boy whimpered, "I was out by the Solaceon Ruins when these people showed up and told me to beat it. Then they saw my Eevee and told me to hand it over. I tried to stop them, but…but…"

"What did these people look like?"

"T-there were a lot of them!" the boy shouted, "Most of them were in these weird gray uniforms, but there were two that were wearing all-black instead of gray, and they had some weird-looking cat Pokémon with them, I think."

"I should've known." Ash growled, "Where did they go?"

"They should still be there. The ones in black went deeper into the Ruins with that Pokémon along with a bunch of people." The boy whimpered, "Please, is there any way you can save my Eevee? Eevee's my best friend—my partner."

"No need to worry, we'll go get your Pokémon back." Dawn interjected, "We won't just stand by and let someone's Pokémon get taken away, right Ash?"

"Of course not." The older Trainer grunted. A twinge of anger burned inside him. Team Rocket was still up to their nasty tricks, it seemed. "You wait here, kid. I don't want any more of your Pokémon to get stolen. Wait for us at the Pokémon Center, and if you can, notify the police and send them to the Ruins. We'll go on ahead."

"Thank you!" the boy said, rushing forward and hugging Ash for a brief second, "Please be careful! Find my Eevee!"

The boy then raced off further into Solaceon Town. Ash locked eyes with Dawn, "Let's go. We don't want them getting away." The two Trainers rushed off toward the outskirts of the city, where the Solaceon Ruins lied in wait.

* * *

 _ **Solaceon Ruins**_

The Ruins sat on a huge rectangular cut of land that was elevated above the surrounding area. Artificial staircases from a forgotten civilization connected the elevated land to the path leading to the town, and Ash and Dawn wasted no time racing up them. Giant plots of grass filled the huge square of land, and a large, familiar temple sat in the center of the landscape. Large statues depicting Dialga and Palkia stood tall at the front entrance of the ancient temple, and a group of six gray-clad Team Rocket Grunts patrolled the outside.

Since there was no cover to speak of, the group of Grunts spotted Ash and Dawn easily, but rather than be hostile, they immediately put on a charade. The nearest Grunt was a mountain of a man with long, orange hair flowing down past his shoulders. His head was thick, as was the rest of his body, and he had a wild pair of piercing blue eyes that seemed to vibrate as he spoke with a thundery accent.

" _Oi!_ The Solaceon Ruins are off-limits to the public for the time being! We have important business here, so I must ask you to leave!"

"C'mon, we're not dumb, Team Rocket!" Dawn spat back, "If you actually expect us to think you're supposed to be here, you're even crazier than we thought!"

Ash smirked as the Grunt chuckled. His demeanor changed instantly, and his voice began dripping with contempt, "Clever bunch, you two. But you've walked into something you can't handle. Grunts, attack them!"

The five Grunts ran in front of the huge man, shouting, "Yes, sir!" in perfect unison. The gesture made Ash raise an eyebrow, as it became clear that the orange-haired man wasn't a Grunt at all. The five Grunts each released a Golbat onto the field, prompting the two Trainers to defend themselves.

"Pikachu, get in there!"

"Piplup, you too!"

"Knock out their Pokémon, now!" the heavy-voiced Grunt commanded. Each Grunt responded with a 'yes, sir' and called out for an Air Cutter from their Golbats.

"Pikachu, dodge those with Quick Attack and use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu quickly dove forward with staggering speed and sharp blades of air sliced behind its body, each of them missing completely. The electric mouse looked up and generated a blast of electricity, striking each individual Golbat at the same time with a loud _'Chuuuuuuu!'_

The Golbats all fainted at the same time from the incredible Thunderbolt, and the five Grunts quickly returned them and looked around at each other. Then, promptly, they all ran in different directions, disappearing from the Ruins completely.

"Stop! Where do you think you're going?" the accent-heavy Rocket shouted, but the fleeing Grunts kept running, "Idiots! You'll be catching hell if you don't turn back up at the base!"

"You!" Ash snapped, "What is Team Rocket doing at the Ruins?"

"And what have you done with that Eevee that you stole?" Dawn added.

"You expect _me_ to tell you that?" the man asked incredulously, "You know, the two of you are quite the celebrities at Team Rocket. I don't see how none of our people are able to send you packing. So I'll have to do the honors." The man then revealed a single Poké Ball, tossing it in the air and roaring confidently, "Your meddling in our affairs is finished! _Magmortar, go!"_

The tall Blast Pokémon roared its way into reality, showing off its fiery cannons and leering at the two Trainers in front of it. The orange-haired man howled, "Magmortar, use Fire Blast!"

Magmortar lowered the cannon on its left arm, and the darkness inside of it instantly lit up with a brilliant orange glow. A second later, the Blast Pokémon launched the attack, sending out a five-armed explosion toward the two smaller Pokémon on the ground.

"Dodge it!" Ash and Dawn cried in unison. Pikachu and Piplup both dove to opposite sides, and the Fire Blast exploded on the grassy ground, sending up a ridiculous amount of heat that made Ash and Dawn's faces uncomfortably warm. The fire died out as quickly as it had come, and the two Trainers called for their own commands together.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam!"

"Pikachu, add to that with Thunderbolt!"

The two Pokémon launched their powerful attacks together, hitting Magmortar from both sides. The tall fire-type recoiled and clutched its arms against its body as it absorbed the attack, taking a handful of steps backward in the process. The smoke quickly cleared and the orange-haired man roared out another command.

"Magmortar, hit 'em with Fire Punch!"

Magmortar advanced with a speed that contradicted what one might've thought it was capable of. The Blast Pokémon enveloped its two cannon-fists in scorching flames as it reached Pikachu first. The fire-type delivered a punch downward, but Pikachu quickly hopped out of the way of the attack. Magmortar sneered and tried again, but once again Pikachu avoided the attack. Ash shouted for an Iron Tail, and Pikachu dealt a devastatingly fast uppercut with his tail, driving Magmortar a few steps back.

"Piplup, use Whirlpool!"

Piplup howled as it generated the powerful vortex of water from its beak. Magmortar whirled around just as Piplup threw the Whirlpool, and though Magmotar's Trainer shouted for the Pokémon to use another Fire Blast, the Whirlpool crashed into its heavy body and shoved the Blast Pokémon back.

"Wanna finish this with a little Hydro Tackle?" Ash asked with a confident smirk, alluding to the pair's special combination move.

"Of course!" Dawn agreed, "Piplup, use Hydro Pump!"

"Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu leapt forward in a vortex of lightning as Piplup parted its beak, charging up a powerful Hydro Pump. The orange-haired man shouted angrily at Magmortar, who was staggering to its feet as it recovered from the Whirlpool.

" _Move, Magmortar! Fight! Use Flamethrower, dammit!"_

Magmortar spotted the oncoming attack just as Hydro Pump merged with Volt Tackle, forming the ultra-powerful Hydro Tackle combination that Ash and Dawn had devised near the end of their first journey. Magmortar panicked, lowering its two cannons and letting loose a pair of Flamethrowers, but Pikachu charged right on through the fiery blast and crashed into Magmortar at full force, bowling the Blast Pokémon over and driving it into the ground. The mouse bounded away in a flurry of static and embers, but Magmortar failed to get back up.

The orange-haired man screeched angrily, barely showing enough self-control to not lash out on the fainted Pokémon. He locked eyes with the two Trainers who had bested him as he returned Magmortar, and a look of concern washed over his face as he took a step back.

"Th-they weren't kidding about you…" the man panted, "I have to warn them."

The man then whirled around and took off, thundering away toward the temple at the center of the ruins. Pikachu and Piplup both hopped back into their respective Trainers' arms, pleased with their victory.

"He's certainly a character." Dawn remarked.

Ash's face scrunched up and he frowned, "Yeah, he's a big talker. Now c'mon, we should go after him. Hopefully we can find out why Team Rocket's at the Ruins and rescue that kid's Eevee."

* * *

Ash and Dawn sprinted through the dark halls of the Solaceon Ruins' temple. Infernape led the way through the darkness, barreling down the hall alongside the two Trainers as the flame on its head lit the path. As they ran, Dawn swore she saw moving letters at random times, but she was so focused on keeping up with Ash and getting to the bottom of things that she never paid much attention to them.

Eventually, the dark hallways of the temple led to a single, square room at the center of everything. Artificial electric lighting lit the room, and it was all too easy to pick out the shapes of about six people and one Pokémon standing in the room. Even easier was recognizing the uniforms of Team Rocket on all but one of the intruders.

"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted, garnering the attention of each crook in the room. All six people turned around, revealing their faces to the two teenagers. The orange-haired man who had commanded the Magmortar registered a look of panic and he squeaked.

Meowth perked up first with his trademark lisp, "Whaddya know, it's the twoips!"

"Sir Charon, they're here." The man croaked.

"Yes, I can see that, Mercury. I'm quite disappointed that you couldn't keep them at bay for longer." A short, portly man grumbled. He had light purple hair that was twisted into a peculiar shape, and his wrinkled lips turned to a twisted smile.

A pang of realization hit Ash, and he fought to keep his jaw from dropping, "You're that scientist guy who was with Team Galactic!"

"The one who mysteriously disappeared from Spear Pillar…" Dawn added.

Charon smirked, stifling a chuckle, "I would say that I'm touched you remember me, but truthfully, I'm not." Charon sneered, "Your meddling has caused me no small amount of headaches."

"What are you doing in the Solaceon Ruins?" Dawn demanded.

An exaggerated feminine laugh caught Ash and Dawn's attention, and they turned their attention to Jessie and James, who stood just a few feet away against a rock wall. The wall was ages old and depicted a long inscription in the language of the Unown. Jessie spoke with her usual condescending tone.

"Well now, we can't just tell you everything, can we?" Jessie teased, "That would ruin the fun."

Charon interrupted, "If you must know, we plan to capture the Unown living here in order to use their psychic powers for our own gain." Charon offered, though the offering was scant.

"We won't let you do that." Ash challenged.

"We'll see about that." Charon said, "Grunts, take care of them while we complete our errand."

The two Grunts in gray uniforms stepped forward, each clutching a Poké Ball. Together, they reared back their arms and tossed the capsules, calling on their shared Pokémon, _"Stunky, go!"_

Two purple skunk-like Pokémon were released from the Poké Balls, each chirping with a displeased manner. Both Grunts followed up with the same command, "Stunky, use Sludge Bomb!"

The two poison-types clutched their bodies and then opened their mouths, spitting a large blast of toxic projectiles toward the two Trainers.

"Infernape, block that!"

Infernape leaped forward from Ash's side and spit a Flamethrower, decimating the Sludge Bomb attacks with ease. Both Grunts gritted their teeth, and the one on the right called for Stunky to use Feint Attack. The Grunt on the left called for a Toxic attack.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch on Stunky!" Ash called as the first Stunky came rushing forward. The fire-type surged forward and delivered a crushing blow to the Stunky, sending the poison-type back toward the Grunt that controlled it and knocking it out with a single move. The second Stunky, however, released a cry and a circle of purple light appeared around Infernape. The fire-type looked around at the shape for a brief second before several beams of energy struck it from all sides, forcing Infernape to its knees.

"Infernape, no!" Ash cried, stepping forward. The Flame Pokémon was now poisoned by the attack, and clutched its shoulder where the first beam of energy had struck it. A disgusting purple gash was left on its body in that place, and the Grunt with the remaining Stunky laughed as he called for another Sludge Bomb.

Infernape countered the Sludge Bomb attempt with another Flamethrower, destroying the attack. Ash followed up by calling for Close Combat, and Infernape rushed forward, delivering a brief series of punches and kicks that knocked the second Stunky out of commission.

"Weaklings!" Charon snapped as the two Grunts stepped back after returning the two fainted Pokémon. Infernape trudged over to Ash, gripping its shoulder once again, and sighed. The former head scientist of Team Galactic shoved the Grunts out of the way and stepped forward; turning his head to glance at Jessie and James, "Begin releasing the Unown. I will handle this."

James nodded and released his Mime Jr., quickly asking for the Pokémon to use Hidden Power. Mime Jr. complied, sending a strange energy into the wall marked with Unown. The letters on the wall glowed brilliantly, before the letters themselves _came to life_ , releasing Unown in the forms of every letter that had been present on the inscribed wall. Immediately, Jessie, James, Mercury, and the two beaten Grunts began throwing Poké Balls, capturing each of the Unown one by one as they circled the people that had released them.

"No!" Ash shouted, "Why are you taking the Unown?"

Charon ignored the question and growled, "Quit your crying. I'll have to handle you two myself, and once I'm through with you, you won't be concerned about the Unown anymore. I will _not_ let you get in the way of our plans yet again!"

"Bring it!" Ash snapped, "We'll make you eat those words."

The portly scientist leered and then pulled two Poké Balls from the inside of his lab coat, tossing both capsules into the air, _"Tangrowth, Bastiodon, to battle!"_

The two large Pokémon spawned from the Poké Balls and stamped about for a brief second, recognizing their opponents and readying themselves. Ash looked over to Dawn and the Coordinator stepped forward as well. Ash returned the poisoned Infernape and pocketed the capsule, sending Pikachu into the fray as Dawn sent Piplup out once more.

"I've heard great things about these two Pokémon." Charon acknowledged, "Perhaps they would be worth stealing, I would very much like to run some… _experiments_ …on them."

Dawn balked, "You're a monster!"

"Humph, not quite, my dear. I simply lend my talents to the monsters." Charon countered, _"Tangrowth, Bastiodon, use AncientPower!"_

The two Pokémon both combined their AncientPower attacks, churning up a massive collection of boulders. Charon's Pokémon sent the boulders flying, and Ash quickly called for a counter.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack and run on the boulders to get in close!"

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam after!"

Pikachu launched forward, bounding along the boulders with wild speed as they flew through the air. Piplup fired a Bubblebeam, destroying each boulder after another as the electric mouse leaped toward Bastiodon, waiting for Ash's command as he fell.

"Use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu somersaulted forward with its steely tail and drove Bastiodon's huge head into the ground with a single hit, quickly bounding away before Tangrowth could retaliate. Bastiodon was far from incapacitated by the hit, but the huge Shield Pokémon looked clearly surprised by the little mouse's power.

"Such strength!" Charon commented, "That Pikachu _would_ be worth studying!"

Ash glanced over to the Unown that were being helplessly captured, and then glanced back to Charon, and decided on a gamble, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt over Charon's head!"

The portly scientist's eyes widened as Pikachu launched a Thunderbolt, and he instinctively ducked. The blast of lightning cleared his head easily, and continued forward where it zapped a group of airborne Poké Balls, frying them and preventing a score of Unown from being captured. The ancient psychic-types glanced over to Pikachu and the teenage Trainers, and the handful who had avoided capture vanished from view. Charon saw the act and then threw his gaze back to Ash, blowing steam out of his ears.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash praised, "Let's try and save some more Unown!"

"Tangrowth, use Power Whip!" Charon shouted.

Tangrowth lumbered forward with the energy of the grass-type move covering up its entire arm. The large Vine Pokémon was on Pikachu in an instant, surprising the electric-type, and swung the Power Whip into the mouse, batting him away with ease. The force of the attack was so great that Pikachu went flying toward a rock wall on one of the adjacent walls of the temple room, far from Ash 's reach. Pikachu promptly slammed into the rock and slumped to the ground.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. Charon followed without missing a beat, ordering Bastiodon forward.

"Bastiodon, use Block on Pikachu!"

Bastiodon reared up on its heavy back feet and its eyes glowed red, tracing a red outline around Pikachu as the mouse tried to stand. The energy suddenly halted Pikachu's recovery and the electric-type half-stood, suspended from moving. As the mouse shivered uncontrollably in place, Charon smiled, ordering another attack from the steel-type.

"Now, use Iron Head! I want Pikachu incapacitated for the ride back to base." Charon commanded.

Dawn gasped and Ash realized Charon's intentions as she did so. Bastiodon lurched forward and an aura of energy similar to Volt Tackle (although a brilliant silver instead of yellow) formed around its body as it charged.

"No!" Ash shouted, "I won't let you do that, Charon!" The Trainer started futilely running after Bastiodon, as if he would magically outrun the Shield Pokémon.

"Tangrowth, stop him." Charon spat. The huge grass-type stepped into Ash's path, keeping the Trainer from going any further. Bastiodon closed in on Pikachu quickly, and the madman grinned evilly as he anticipated the electric-type being knocked out.

The Pallet native threw out his hands in a last-ditch effort; focusing his mind in the instant he did so. Immediately in response, blue energy appeared from thin air just outside the palm of his hands. Ash commanded the energy with speedy expertise, and a light identical in color to the glow of his Aura appeared around Bastiodon, neutralizing the Iron Head attack and stalling the Shield Pokémon. Bastiodon grunted and Ash held the huge Pokémon in place, his bodily muscles straining to hold the Pokémon still.

Closing his eyes, Ash entered the Aura Channel, projecting himself into Bastiodon's mind. All movement, including time, froze around him and Ash faced the steel-type in a room surrounded by fiery blue energy.

Bastiodon made a noise, as he looked around, confused by the situation he was in. Ash began speaking telepathically to the Pokémon, drawing its attention to him. Bastiodon showed no anger or fear of the human, and appeared to simply be listening.

" _Bastiodon, please. Do not attack Pikachu."_

Bastiodon slowly nodded, grunting but not replying. Ash assumed that the steel-type was incapable of speaking even in the Aura Channel, though that would seem to contradict what Riley had taught him.

" _I'm so sorry for everything Charon has done to you. I can feel your pain. Bastiodon, will you help us? I can free you from Team Rocket, but we'll have to work together._

Bastiodon slowly nodded again, grunting a second time.

" _Thank you, Bastiodon. I'm about to take us back to the real world. Are you ready?"_

Bastiodon grunted, and Ash closed his eyes again and exited the Aura Channel. Time began flowing again, and the blue glow around Bastiodon faded. The steel-type turned around and glared at Charon. The ex-Galactic scientist balked, turning his anger on Ash, "What have you done to my Bastiodon?"

"Bastiodon is not your Pokémon." Ash growled, looking back up to the portly scientist, "There's no connection between either of you. You ruled Bastiodon through fear, and now that I have resonated with it, it is free to choose for itself."

Charon watched Ash for a moment, and then began to chuckle. He pushed the red-lensed glasses up on his nose, his chuckle turning to borderline laughter.

"I'll admit it, I'm impressed." Charon chuckled, "The rumors were true: you _are_ an Aura Guardian."

One of the two Grunts from earlier suddenly ran over, saluting Charon before speaking, "Sir, we've captured the last of the Unown."

"Good, then our work here is done." Charon decided, "Set the charges. We're pulling out of here."

"Charges?" Ash gasped. Charon didn't acknowledge Ash as several blocks along the wall suddenly lit up with a red light, and Ash easily recognized the light as a timer counting down. Jessie and James looked over to Ash and Dawn, glancing between each other and then running out of sight down one of the halls. The Grunts and the man called Mercury followed, until Charon was the last one in the room.

"Goodbye, children! I'd say I look forward to our next meeting, but I'm afraid there won't be one!"

Charon laughed and then disappeared into the darkness, leaving the two Trainers in the temple room. Ash whirled around to Dawn, rambling, "Dawn, take the Pokémon and get out of here. I'm going to stop these bombs from going off."

"What?! Ash, that's too dangerous!"

"Dawn, there's no telling how big these bombs could be. But I have to do something. I'm going to try to do what Riley and Lucario did back on Iron Island. But I _need_ you to get out here."

Dawn stared at Ash for a few seconds, and then nodded. "Be careful," she murmured before running over to Pikachu, picking up the mouse (he was still being affected by Bastiodon's Block) and sprinting out of the room, making as fast as she could for the exit of the ruins. Bastiodon followed, its thunderous footsteps shaking the ground as it followed the Coordinator out of the temple.

Ash took a deep breath and glanced at the nearby timers. There were countless lights lining the wall of the temple room, but the nearest ones read 30 seconds until detonation. Ash focused, thinking back to the events on Iron Island. During their visit to Iron Island, Team Galactic had planted bombs to blow up the island, and the Guardian had nullified the explosions with a bubble of Aura. Unfortunately, he had also had Lucario, and Ash didn't have the luxury of a Pokémon's additional power.

Ash breathed in and then formed two bubbles of Aura in his hand. The bubbles expanded in size quickly, until Ash pushed them outward and covered the individual bombs with their very own Aura shield. After that was done, he poured more and more of his Aura into the temple room, quickly covering the entire room of the temple in a barrier of his own life energy.

The Trainer took another deep breath as the clocks hit 5 seconds. Then, at the last second, he focused every fiber of his being.

He really hoped this would work.

The bombs exploded all at once, immediately releasing a concussive force so great that the bubbles of Aura almost shattered instantaneously. Ash's mind reeled and he focused even harder, managing to stave off the first explosions and hold the energy bubbles steady. More explosions followed, testing his strength with every second that passed by. He began to sweat profusely as the explosions continued, thrashing against the azure bubble that trapped them. His muscles screamed and his brain pounded, but Ash continued to hold on. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the explosions weakened before disappearing altogether.

Ash collapsed the boundaries of Aura around the temple room and crumpled to his knees, falling forward some more and catching himself with his hands.

 _"Heh..."_ he muttered, breathing in as much as he possibly could. Once his head stopped spinning, Ash stood up. He glanced around the room, observing the blank wall that had once been inscribed by the Unown. After many more breaths, he turned and trudged out of the room, headed for the exit of the temple, following the dimly lit paths until he finally saw a shaft of light at the tunnel's end.

But as he ran to the exit, one thing held on his mind. Despite all the good he and Dawn had just done, they had failed to rescue the boy Trainer's Eevee, or even locate it for that matter. Ash knew what it was like to lose Pokémon, and he was immediately dreading having to face the boy and tell him the truth.

The ruins eventually opened up, and Ash found himself back in broad daylight on the square of the Solaceon Ruins. Dawn was only a handful of feet away, running toward Ash with a smile.

"Ash! You stopped the explosions!" she shouted. Dawn reached him and skidded to a stop, relief in her eyes. Pikachu was now sharing space with Piplup on her shoulder, having recovered from the Block move. Bastiodon also stood beside Dawn, only a handful of inches shorter than the Coordinator.

"Yeah…I…I think so…" Ash heaved, taking a knee once again, "But Dawn…we…"

"I know…" she sighed, "We couldn't find that boy's Eevee."

Just then, a peculiar cry rang out near Ash and Dawn. The teenagers looked to the source of the noise, and out of thin air, a dozen Unown materialized to life, hovering in the air. They were all different letters, and seeing them outside of somewhere as dark and secluded as the temple was unusual. The group of Unown chirped happily.

"Hey, could these be the Unown we rescued?" Dawn wondered aloud. The ancient Pokémon chirped together, and Dawn asked, "What would they be doing here?"

In response, the ancient Pokémon became bathed in a white light and their forms began changing into different letters.

"Woah! What are they doing?" Dawn gasped.

"I…I don't know…" Ash mumbled.

The Unown formed groups as they stopped transforming, and then arranged themselves into patterns. Immediately, Ash realized that they were forming words. First, three Unown formed a word, followed by groups of four and two creating more words. Ash and Dawn began to read the words aloud, which was a significant struggle thanks to the irregular shape of the Unown "letters".

"You…save…us…" Ash read after several seconds of deciphering.

The Unown began rearranging themselves and transforming into different letters as Ash spoke further, "But, we couldn't save all of your friends." The Unown rearranged themselves into more words, and Dawn read them this time.

"Not…your…fault…" she said.

"This is incredible…" Ash marveled, "The Unown are actually communicating the only way they can. Professor Oak would go bonkers if I told him they could do this."

The Unown rearranged themselves once again, forming some more words.

"We…will…"

"Repay…you…"

"The Unown want to repay us for saving them from Team Rocket." Dawn realized, "But, there's not much they could really do for us."

"Not necessarily." Ash said, "Unown are psychic-types, meaning they're capable of some incredible things. Unown, if you can understand us, we came to the Ruins to try and save a friend's Eevee. Team Rocket had taken the Eevee from him, and we think they got away."

Dawn picked up on what Ash was saying and started speaking, "Is there any way you could find Eevee and bring him back, so that we can return him to his Trainer?" Dawn finished. The Unown twirled around and seemed to glance at each other. Then, all together, the ancient psychic-types vanished from view, leaving the two teenagers alone, just as the wailing of sirens began echoing near the Ruins.

* * *

The seven members of Team Rocket rode away from Solaceon Town in the helicopter. Several cases full of Poké Balls were lined up along the door of the chopper, carrying each individual Unown that they had stolen from the temple.

"The bombs should've gone off by now! What's happening down there?" Charon snapped.

"This doesn't make any sense, Sir." Mercury said, looking at a scanner, "The scanner indicates that the bombs have detonated."

"How in the—" Charon started, before stopping himself. During his time with Team Galactic, they'd attempted to blow up Iron Island. Explosions had occurred, yet none surfaced on the island, and the place still remained on the face of the earth to this day, "No matter. We've accomplished our mission anyhow." Charon said, before stopping all discussion into the matter. He began to brood in his seat, his face scrunched up into a stone cold glare.

It had been quite some time since he had come face to face with the likes of Ash and Dawn, and they had once again surprised him. The boy was much more powerful than he had been during their last meeting, as was the girl. Their spies had been truthful about the boy's Aura abilities. To be honest, Charon wanted to learn the true extent of the boy's power, but there were more important things coming up for the organization.

Mercury flew the helicopter, while Charon sat in the co-pilot's chair. Their plotted course was for Coronet Base, where they would store the Unown they had stolen, as well as the handful of other nearby Pokémon they had taken. Pretty soon, Team Rocket's first major operation in the Sinnoh Region would be a go, and that would send them down the path to unlimited power. It was a road that Charon had tread before, previously under the banner of Team Galactic. But, he had been betrayed along with every other member of the group just when their great plans came to fruition. Luckily for him, he'd gotten away before anyone had noticed his disappearance, and found his way to Giovanni. As unique and persuasive as Cyrus had been in order to get Charon on board with his plans, Giovanni was ten times that. As much as his common sense told him it was foolish, he wholeheartedly believed that Giovanni was a far better man to call boss than Cyrus had ever been. Because of this, Charon carried out his commands with even greater loyalty than he had when he worked under Cyrus.

Charon reached down to the briefcase in the floorboard of the co-pilot seat. There were a total of seven briefcases in all, and Charon had taken care to count every single Poké Ball that held a stolen Pokémon. In all, there were 73 capsules shared between the seven cases. Charon opened the case and began counting.

There were 12 Poké Balls in this case. It was strange; Charon could've sworn that he had counted 13 in this very case during the mission, but it was possible that it had been a different case than the one he now held.

"Jessie. James. Grab the other cases. Count the Poké Balls inside them." Charon ordered. Jessie and James exchanged a confused glance, but did as they were told, counting each individual capsule until they had counted all six of the other cases. Charon recounted his own as they reported back how many total Poké Balls they had in their possession, and then he swallowed and grumbled. They only had 72 Poké Balls now.

One of the Poké Balls had gone missing.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Solaceon Town**_

Ash and Dawn stood on the outskirts of Solaceon Town, having reported everything they'd seen and done to the police. Their next stop was the Pokémon Center, where they hoped a young boy would become very happy.

On one of Ash's shoulders sat Pikachu. On the other, an Eevee balanced itself. The Unown had come through, somehow or another finding the boy's Eevee and returning it to them. However, there was another Pokémon that needed taking care of.

"Bastiodon." Ash murmured. The Shield Pokémon looked up at the Trainer that had freed it from Charon's control, "I know that you've been abused by Team Rocket, and you have every right to go free. But…the problem is, there are no wild Bastiodon in Sinnoh." Ash explained. Indeed, Bastiodon had been at the height of their numbers in the wild thousands of years ago. Now, only those resurrected from Fossils existed, usually owned by a Pokémon Trainer.

" _Bass…"_ Bastiodon sighed, rubbing its large feet in the dirt.

"But, if you would like, I know of a steel-type Trainer that would be great for you."

Bastiodon looked up at Ash, a small amount of apprehension in its demeanor. Under Charon, Bastiodon's life had been far from stellar. Ash continued however, doing his best to dissuade the Pokémon's fears.

"Don't be afraid. Byron is a Gym Leader, and he even has a Bastiodon of his own. He specializes in steel-type Pokémon, and I really think you would be happy with him." Ash offered, "What do you say, Bastiodon? Would you trust me with this?"

Bastiodon looked forward, staring off into space. Ash made a good point, there were no Bastiodon in the wild, not in this day and age. The Shield Pokémon pondered the Trainer's offer, and then decided. This Trainer called Byron seemed like one that understood Bastiodon's needs. Perhaps it wouldn't be the worst thing to give it a shot.

Bastiodon turned its gaze back to Ash and nodded with an affirmative huff. Ash smiled, and pulled out a Poké Ball from his bag.

"I'm going to capture you, Bastiodon, and then I'll send you over to Byron. Is that all right?"

Bastiodon responded by tapping its head on the exposed capsule. The Pokémon was promptly sucked inside the Ball, and a chipper tone from the capsule quickly indicated that Bastiodon had been caught.

"Thank you, Bastiodon. I promise, Byron will do right by you." Ash promised, tucking the capsule into the bag. Ash looked to Dawn, who smiled wistfully, and then he sighed, "Well, Eevee, I guess we should get you back to your Trainer, huh?"

The Trainers walked toward the Center with a skip in their step. Soon, they reached the Center, and as soon as the automatic doors slid open, a boy's voice cried, "You found him!"

The jacket-clad boy came sprinting to the two older Trainers, his arms outstretched. "Eevee!" he cried. The Evolution Pokémon bounded off of Ash's shoulder and into the boy's arms, drawing a delighted laugh from the boy, "You're okay!"

" _Eevee-ee-vee!"_

"Thank you so much!" the boy said to Ash and Dawn, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, don't mention it." Ash said, before he leaned forward so that he could look the boy in the eye, "Now, what's your name?"

"My name's Corey!" the boy answered happily, "And as you already know, this is my partner Eevee. We're on a journey to win the Sinnoh League!"

"What are the odds?" Ash said, "You and I are traveling for the same reason."

"Wait, you're trying to win the Sinnoh League? But you're a lot older than me!"

"That's right. I've traveled Sinnoh before, and I'm doing it again to have another go at the Sinnoh League." Ash said, "My name's Ash, and I'm from the Kanto Region."

"And my name is Dawn!" Dawn chimed in, "I'm competing to become a Top Coordinator!"

"Wow, you guys are so cool!" Corey said, giggling, "I'm on my way to Veilstone City to try and win my third Gym Badge. What about you two?"

"We're actually headed to Veilstone City as well. I have a battle set up with the Gym Leader there." Ash admitted.

"So we're going to the same place." Corey observed. He became nervous, "Since that's the case, can I ask you guys a favor? You two seem like really great Trainers. I can't thank you enough for saving Eevee. If you'd allow it, I'd like to travel with you two, just until we make it to Veilstone City. I don't feel very safe with crooks like the ones who took Eevee running around."

"I'm totally cool with that." Ash said, "Dawn?"

"I think that's a great idea!" Dawn agreed, "Ash can teach you all sorts of things too! He was my mentor when we started traveling Sinnoh a few years back."

"Really? That's great, isn't it Eevee?"

" _Eev!"_

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Corey said, "Let's get going!"

"Hold up a sec." Ash said, stopping Corey in his tracks as the boy had started to run around him, "It's mid-afternoon already, so unless you really want to sleep on the ground tonight, I suggest that we wait until tomorrow before heading out."

"Ooh, you're probably right, huh?" Corey said, "I should probably listen to you on this stuff."

"I mean, Dawn and I are fine with sleeping on the ground, we've been doing that for several weeks since we left Hearthome City, but this is our only chance to sleep at the Center for a while. There's a big desert north of here." Ash explained.

"Good point." Corey said, "I'll go book myself a room real quick."

Corey then took off for the front desk of the Center. Ash and Dawn collectively chuckled. "He's excitable." Dawn said.

"For sure. Reminds me of how I was when I first traveled Kanto." Ash agreed.

"Well, now that our day's worth of heroics are over with, what do you want to do now?" Dawn asked.

Ash's stomach growled in response, loudly enough so that a patron at a nearby table heard the noise and looked up at the teen with a surprised face.

"I'm down for eating." Ash said quickly, "But I need to call Byron on the videophone and explain the situation to him."

"Right, you should go do that." Dawn agreed, "I'll join you in a bit. I want to work on some of my combinations on the practice field."

"Cool! How about a practice battle later?" Ash offered.

"I'll take that bet, Ketchum." Dawn giggled. Ash raised his hand up and Dawn answered by completing the high-five. With a laugh, Ash turned and ran to the videophone, while Dawn calmly walked over to the practice field off to the side of the Pokémon Center. Tomorrow—as well as the several days following it—would be no easy task, as a sweltering desert stood between Solaceon Town and Route 215, which led straight into Veilstone City, where Ash and Corey had their own battles with Maylene set up. As she reached the dirt field beside the Center, Dawn called out two of her chosen Pokémon, quickly becoming lost in her Contest training.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is probably the most we've had Team Rocket involved since the start of the story. We're now about 10 chapters into the Sinnoh arc, which is the main part of the story. Please do consider leaving a review at the bottom. Maybe include what you like so far about this section of the story, what you don't like, what could be improved, or even some things you'd be interested in seeing (I'll do my best to consider any ideas, but for the most part I have a finished blueprint on where this is going).**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	37. Hip-Hoppin' Hippopotas!

**Ash will be catching another Pokémon in this chapter. I wrestled with this one for a while, but figured it would be a great way to bridge the gap between battling Fantina and Maylene. Also, two certain characters will be returning in this chapter.**

 **K2-Black-Panther: Um, it's actually spelled correctly. In every piece of Pokémon canon there is, it's spelled Unown. As for the Alamos Town thing, I'm not sure about doing anything of the sort as far as locations in the movies. For me, personally, it's going to distract me from what I already have planned out. Those locations could perhaps be mentioned in passing, but I'm not going to set an entire chapter or more in those places, because there's no real reason to. Although, I will say that I did really like the Rise of Darkrai.**

 **Pearl shipper: At this point, no sequel. My plans for this story are to make it long (if I had to guess, we're maybe 40-50% through it all). But there are tons of things that are subject to change, so we will see when the time comes.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 37_

 _Hip-Hoppin' Hippopotas!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 210**_

" _Ugh, it's so hot!"_

Corey groaned as he tried to wipe the sweat from his brow. The desert on Route 210 was scorching hot and the air was as dry as could be. All three Trainers carried canteens of water in their bags, but while Ash and Dawn were wisely conserving the water that they had, Corey was compulsively sipping from the canteen, doing everything he could to stave off the heat. Of course, this soon meant that he was almost out of water, while the two older Trainers still had a solid amount of it left in their canteens. Eventually, Ash was forced to give up some of his water when Corey ran out. The Trainer insisted that he didn't mind, even when Corey apologized profusely.

After a few more hours of walking, Ash suggested that the group stop. They had walked several miles north through the arid desert, and by that point the desert was getting cooler. Sinnoh's climate was particular colder than, say, Kanto or Johto, so the desert wasn't as insufferable for the two older Trainers. Corey, however, had barely been outside of his hometown of Eterna City before he had left to begin his journey, so he had never been remotely exposed to the likes of a desert. Corey approved wholeheartedly of stopping, and was the first to set down his pack in the sand.

Ash and Dawn worked together to set up the materials for cooking, and the latter used the lessons she'd learned from Ash to quickly whip up a small lunch for the group while Ash discussed Pokémon training with Corey. In addition to Eevee, Corey owned three other Pokémon: Bibarel, Shinx, and Staravia. After quickly wolfing down their food, Corey got up the courage to ask Ash for a battle. The older Trainer had already shown great interest in Corey's Pokémon, and the younger boy was incredibly eager to learn from a seasoned veteran such as Ash.

Ash happily accepted the challenge, but first, the group walked a few miles further north. Eventually, they reached a point where a comfortable breeze blew through the area, kicking up flakes of sand in various areas. With the use of the Holo-Map, Dawn estimated that they were just a little more than halfway through the arid terrain, and still had half a day of traveling left to cover more ground. The desert wasn't terribly long when it came to traveling time, but the real grind was the long Route 215, which led into Veilstone City. Ash chose this time to officially accept Corey's offer of a battle, and the two very different Trainers took their places on opposite ends of a plain of sand. Dawn assumed the position of referee for the brief 1-on-1 battle.

Corey unsurprisingly sent out Eevee, while Ash went with a much more unconventional choice. The teenaged Trainer called upon Gabite, sending the Cave Pokémon into the fray. Corey eagerly scanned the dragon-type with his Pokédex, becoming particularly excited at the prospect of battling against such a rare Pokémon. In his eagerness, Corey called out to Eevee to attack first, taking the offensive as soon as possible.

"Eevee, use Quick Attack!"

The Evolution Pokémon bounded forward with an adorable cry, zooming toward Gabite with impressive speed. Still, the normal-type seemed considerably slower than Ash was now used to, and the Trainer easily called out for a counter.

"Gabite, use your fins to catch Eevee and throw it back."

Gabite raised its bony arms and crossed them as Eevee closed in. The Evolution Pokémon lunged forward, but Gabite caught it in the fins on its arms, stopping the normal-type completely. Eevee squirmed as the dragon-type's fins dug uncomfortably into its fur, before Gabite promptly threw the normal-type away.

"Gabite, now use Rock Smash."

Gabite lumbered forward, its clawed appendage glowing with white energy. Corey switched to the defensive, calling for Eevee to dodge with a timely Quick Attack. Hoping to catch Gabite off-guard, the younger Trainer called for a Take Down attack next, and the Evolution Pokémon raced toward the dragon-type from its side. Ash remained very calm, warning Gabite and enabling the dragon-type to easily turn to the side and deliver another Rock Smash into the normal-type in midair. Eevee was reflected backward from the brutal punch, and Ash called for a follow-up attack.

"Great job, Gabite. Now, let's use Dig!" The Cave Pokémon screeched and swiftly dug its way underground, thrusting its arms about as it pushed itself underneath the earth. A moderately sized hole was left in the ground as Gabite went subterranean, and Corey and Eevee alike carefully searched around. The Evolution Pokémon twitched its ears, attempting to listen for Gabite's movements underground.

Suddenly, the earth began to shake. Eevee purred out a worried, _"Eev?"_ as Ash instantly paled.

"Gabite! You all right?" Ash shouted.

The dragon-type suddenly shot up out of the hole it had dug just a moment earlier, swinging its arms frantically as it scrambled above the ground and fled, ending up closer to Ash.

"Gabite, what's wrong?" Ash asked.

" _Gabi-Gabite!"_ the dragon-type complained, gesturing in the direction of the hole it had dug. The earth continued to shake, but the intensity of the quaking became stronger, until the middle of the stretch of sand erupted in a massive explosion of dirt. Sand went in every direction and the quaking suddenly stopped, leaving a dust cloud in the air. The dust quickly cleared, revealing a light brown Hippowdon that was now above the ground.

Hippowdon roared as the group of Trainers laid eyes upon it, its deep voice echoing through the barren desert. Gabite quickly became agitated, crossing its arms and baring its teeth.

"Hey, Gabite, calm down!" Ash commanded, but the dragon-type refused. Gabite gnashed its teeth at Hippowdon, and the Heavyweight Pokémon responded by opening its gargantuan mouth and crunching its jaws together, producing a heavy thumping sound. Sand poured extravagantly out of the holes in its body as the huge ground-type continued chattering at Gabite.

"Hippowdon must've gotten upset when Gabite dug underground! Maybe we entered its territory?" Dawn guessed.

"I don't know, but Gabite's really angry too!"

Corey spoke up, "Maybe we should try to fight it off! Eevee, use—"

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_

The cry made all three Trainers stop. Hippowdon quickly calmed down as well, and craned its neck to glance at its own back. Right then, to Ash and Dawn's surprise, a Hippopotas popped up into view from the Heavyweight Pokémon's back, crying out happily a second time.

"It's a Hippopotas." Dawn observed.

The smaller ground-type quickly slid down the Hippowdon's back, looking to Ash and calling out again. Dawn quickly made a connection, gasping with surprise and looking toward Ash, "Hey, Ash! I think this is the Hippopotas we rescued a while back!"

"Wait, what?" Ash said, glancing at Dawn and then gazing at the smaller ground-type again. The Hippo Pokémon cheerily chanted again, and Ash smiled, "Hey, maybe it is! The last time we saw Hippopotas, it was with a Hippowdon in this very desert!"

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_

"A Hippopotas!" Corey shouted, "That would be one heck of a catch! Eevee, let's try to catch Hippopotas!"

Eevee cried and hopped forward, barking at Hippopotas. Hippowdon groaned loudly and turned its body, glaring at Corey. The younger Trainer was completely oblivious to Hippowdon's displeased stare, and called for Eevee to use Take Down as Ash and Dawn both protested. The Evolution Pokémon charged forward, gaining Hippopotas' attention. The Hippo Pokémon simply chanted, digging underneath the ground with speed. Eevee slowed down as Hippopotas vanished under the ground, looking around quickly. The earth beside Ash's feet suddenly ripped up and Hippopotas calmly crawled out of a new hole in the ground, sitting on its rear and looking up at Ash from the ground.

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_

Hippowdon groaned loudly again, focusing on Ash again. The Heavyweight Pokémon then made several grunting noises in quick succession, seemingly directed at Ash. Hippopotas again chanted happily, leaving Ash confused.

"I wonder what they're trying to say." Dawn said.

" _Well, I'd say it doesn't quite matter."_ A feminine voice called from the sky.

Ash and Dawn paled as a Hover-Pad zoomed in close, hovering about in a circle around them. The driver was a tall slender woman with long magenta hair, a figure all too familiar to the teens. "Aw, c'mon…" Ash groaned.

" _Prepare for trouble!"_

Another Hover-Pad appeared, this time driven by a man with lavender hair. He wore a black uniform identical to his female counterpart, and wore a smirk almost as smug as she did, _"And make that double!"_

A third Hover-Pad then zipped in, and all three hovercrafts circled around the group of Trainers. The third hovercraft was smaller and driven by a bipedal cat. The normal-type howled, _"Here's our mission, twoips, so you'd better listen!"_

Surprisingly, a fourth hovercraft zoomed in after Meowth, lending some element of surprise. This hovercraft was driven by an attractive woman with gold-orange bangs of hair that fell down to just below her waist. A sly grin was plastered on her face as she added her part to the motto, one that the travelers on the ground weren't quite as used to.

" _To infest the world with devastation!"_

The girl's line was closely followed by a fifth hovercraft, this time being driven by a man with green hair parted in the middle. Ash began half-expecting another hovercraft to fly in as the man declared, _"To blight all peoples within our nation."_

" _To denounce the evils of truth and love!"_

" _To extend our wrath to the stars above!"_

" _Jessie!"_

" _And it's Cassidy!"_

" _James!"_

" _And it's Butch—remember that!"_

" _Meowth, that's right, brats!"_

" _Putting the do-gooders in their place…"_

" _We're Team Rocket!"_

" _And we're in your face!"_

"Team Rocket!" Ash groaned, "Why don't you just leave us alone?"

"After the stunt you pulled at the Solaceon Ruins?" James rebutted, "How did you not expect us to follow you?"

"Besides, it turned out to be a smart move! Now that Hippowdon's shown up, we have double the prizes ripe for the taking!" Jessie boasted.

"Yes, I think so as well." James agreed with a smug voice, "Footch, Cassidy, keep Hippowdon occupied, if you will."

"It's Butch!" the green-haired Rocket complained.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Jessie snapped, "Now do as you're told or your name being pronounced wrong will be the least of your worries!"

Butch mumbled something under his breath and he reached for the controls of his Hover-Pad. Cassidy remained silent and followed Butch, zipping toward the Heavyweight Pokémon. Hippowdon recognized the pair and growled defensively, stamping one of its front feet into the sand. The sandy earth cracked apart and a mixture of rocks and magma stabbed upward underneath the airborne Rockets. Butch and Cassidy quickly maneuvered their Hover-Pads out of the way, each taking position on either side of Hippowdon. The Heavyweight Pokémon quickly glanced at its two enemies and tried to use an attack.

Cassidy and Butch both pressed buttons on the controls of their Hover-Pad, readying a small blaster from the floor of the device. The cannons blasted webs of energy at Hippowdon, and the energy formed a net-like substance as it wrapped around the ground-type. Hippowdon roared and tried to break free, but the webbing held it in place, quickly expanding of its own accord and trapping the ground-type underneath it.

Hippopotas cried and quickly ran over to its parent, pawing at the netting and finding that it wouldn't simply fall off at will. The Hippo Pokémon wailed, and Cassidy laughed.

"Well now, your friend will be quite all right! In fact, you can stay with him, as long as you let us capture you too!" Cassidy threatened, pressing the button to launch another web of netting at Hippopotas. The Hippo Pokémon barreled sideways and avoided the blast, chomping its jaws in Cassidy's direction. The orange-haired Rocket scowled and fired another blast, but the ground-type dug its way underground in an instant and avoided it once again. A few seconds of silence passed before Hippopotas shot out of the ground underneath Cassidy's Hover-Pad and crashed into it. Cassidy shrieked as she lost control of the Hover-Pad and flew erratically for a moment before righting herself.

"Well don't just stand there, Butch!" Cassidy shouted angrily, "Help me out!"

"Oh! Um, right!" Butch said, blinking rapidly as if he were returning from a daydream, "Uh, energy net, go!"

"Gabite, get in there and protect Hippopotas!" Ash shouted. The dragon-type screeched and zipped forward with bewildering speed, arriving behind Hippopotas' unprotected back. Gabite charged up a Dragon Claw on both of its hands and slashed outward as the blast of energy reached it, cutting the energy apart with uncanny precision. The light surrounding the netlike substance disappeared as it fell to the ground, leaving a thin, stringy substance lying in the sand.

"Pikachu, get in there too!" Ash told the electric-type, who hopped off of Ash's shoulder with a confident _"Pika!"_

"Piplup, go!"

"Staravia, we need your help!" Corey added, sending out the flying-type. The Trainers now had four Pokémon on their side, plus Hippopotas.

"Hmm, shall we even the playing field here?" Jessie offered. James nodded and Meowth responded by eagerly hopping off of his Hover-Pad and landing in the sand. The Scratch Cat Pokémon grinned darkly as Jessie, James, Butch, and Cassidy each called upon a Pokémon of their own.

" _Seviper!"_

" _Cacturne!"_

" _Primeape!"_

" _Granbull!"_

Meowth stood with two Pokémon on each side, Primeape and Cacturne on his right, and Seviper and Granbull on his left, while Hippopotas did the same on the opposite end. Pikachu and Gabite stood to the ground-type's left, while Piplup was on Hippopotas' right (Staravia hovered above the ground to Piplup's right).

"Give it up, Team Rocket. We've beaten you plenty of times before." Ash offered, "Let Hippowdon go and leave us be!"

"Sorry, no can do!" Meowth rebuffed. The Scratch Cat Pokémon quickly unsheathed glowing claws from his paws and pointed one clawed hand at the opposing Pokémon, _"Get 'em!"_

Seviper, Cacturne, Primeape, and Granbull all thundered forward. In response, all five of the Trainers' Pokémon charged as well. Staravia circled around Primeape, Piplup crossed swords with Granbull, Hippopotas battled Seviper, and Gabite battled with Cacturne. Pikachu hopped over the entire group in a single leap, reaching Meowth and heeding Ash's command for an Iron Tail. The mouse swung its tail at Meowth, who expertly caught the attack between his readied claws.

"Heh!" Meowth snickered as he threw Pikachu away from him. The electric-type stumbled backward and Meowth chanted tauntingly, "Didn't expect that, did you? Now, feel my Fury Swipes!" Meowth raced at Pikachu, wildly swinging its claws. Ash shouted for Pikachu to counter with a series of Iron Tails, and the mouse obeyed, deflecting swing after swing from Meowth. The Scratch Cat Pokémon, though, found itself with the upper hand, pushing Pikachu a step back with each unsuccessful swipe.

"Staravia, use Aerial Ace on Primeape!" Corey called. Staravia dodged another one of Primeape's errant punches, and then raced forward with blinding speed from close range. Primeape took the blow and was thrown backward with great force, flying a short distance away from the group of battling Pokémon.

The battle between the various Pokémon continued on almost endlessly, with each fielded Pokémon proving themselves capable of dishing out as much as they could take. Piplup and Granbull were at a stalemate, as were Pikachu and Meowth. Meanwhile, Seviper was in the process of taking down Hippopotas, while Staravia handled Primeape. All the while, Hippowdon struggled against the net weighing it down, futilely trying to find a way to break free

"Cacturne, use Drain Punch!" James crowed. The grass-type raised a bulky fist and charged up as much energy as it could muster, slamming the fist into Gabite's side, throwing the dragon-type back. Ash was dealing with more trouble than the rest of the group, as he had to command two Pokémon that were in different areas. Cacturne had been holding its own very well with Gabite, a testament to its long-term training with Gardenia. The grass-type looked refreshed too, having sapped some of Gabite's energy with the attack.

"Gabite, you okay?" Ash shouted. The Cave Pokémon croaked affirmatively, standing back up and readying itself as Cacturne closed in. James hovered over closer to the grass-type and called for a Needle Arm attack. Ash countered with a Dig, sending Gabite underground and avoiding Cacturne entirely. An instant later, Gabite tore its way upward, upending Cacturne and sending the grass-type toppling to the ground. Just a ways over, Seviper knocked over Hippopotas with another Poison Tail.

Meowth finally connected a series of Fury Swipes attacks on Pikachu, and as a result, the normal-type's attacks sped up as he chained together several strikes. Pikachu sputtered and stumbled away to avoid a further barrage of attacks, and Meowth boasted triumphantly. The Scratch Cat Pokémon had a long history of failure, so even this small victory was enough to make it taunt.

"You've had that one a long time comin', Pika-brat!" Meowth taunted, "Just give up! We'd even give you a spot in Team Rocket! Just think of it! You'd be right at our side as we dominated the woyld!"

Pikachu staggered to its feet as Ash cried out to the electric mouse. Pikachu heaved, and then glared at the Scratch Cat Pokémon. _"Pi-ka-chu!"_ Pikachu spat, shaking its head.

"You refuse? Fine, I guess you'll come around eventually. The boss'll take great care of ya!" Meowth taunted, readying another attack. This time, Meowth's claws glowed silver, "Say hello to my Metal Claw! I spent a long time perfectin' this move, and I been waiting even longa just to use it on you!" The Scratch Cat Pokémon surged forward, his entire body seemingly glowing with confidence.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash howled. Pikachu put out all of its energy into the Thunderbolt, causing Meowth to panic and take a step back, bringing up his glinting claws to block. The Thunderbolt collided with Meowth's makeshift shield, sending some of the electricity into Meowth's body, but not all of it. A sizeable amount of the electricity bounced off of the normal-type's claws, shooting off at an errant angle away from the pair of Pokémon.

The blast of electricity just so happened to land on Hippopotas, zapping the Hippo Pokémon to the core and making it cower as it absorbed the blow. All motion stopped as the brilliant blast of lightning struck Hippopotas. An explosion ripped up the air around the Hippo Pokémon, shrouding it from view. Hippowdon grunted with shocked worry, vocalizing in an attempt to call out to its child.

Meowth gave a howl of laughter, "Nice job, Pikachu! You just made our job a little bit easier!"

A wail of anger suddenly went up from the cloud of smoke. The haze cleared as the smaller ground-type burst out of the wall of smoke, a magnificent charge of electricity looping around its body. Hippopotas sprinted straight for Seviper, the ground thumping as it charged. Seviper recoiled for a split-second, but before it could dodge out of the way, Hippopotas smashed into it, throwing the poison-type away in a blast of lightning. The electricity continued to course harmlessly around Hippopotas' body, and the ground-type howled triumphantly as Seviper fell unconscious.

"The electricity isn't hurting Hippopotas!" Dawn said with awe.

"That must be Hippopotas' ground typing. It makes it immune to electricity!" Ash observed, "Get 'em, Hippopotas!"

Hippopotas went running for Meowth next. The Scratch Cat Pokémon balked, as the ground-type got closer. On Ash's command, Pikachu sent out another Thunderbolt at Hippopotas, increasing the electrical charge around its body. Meowth turned tail and ran, hopping back up to his Hover-Pad. Hippopotas skidded to a stop underneath the hovercraft, and after bracing itself, blasted an eruption of sand out of the hole on its back. The sand shot up like a geyser, taking a solid amount of electricity from its body and shooting upward in an electrified Sand Tomb. The blast struck the belly of Meowth's Hover-Pad, briefly knocking the system out of whack. Meowth flew a short, erratic path as he tried to regain control of the craft, while Hippopotas' electric Sand Tomb spread out and damaged both the Team Rocket hovercrafts and the crooks' Pokémon.

"Well, chums, it looks like we're outta luck!" Meowth complained as he righted his craft and flew over to Jessie and James. Sand obstructed his sight and he clawed at his eyes in an attempt to get the dirt away, "I say we scram!"

"A shame, considering we trapped Hippowdon." James grunted, "But I agree."

Jessie silently concurred, returning her knocked out Seviper as James returned Cacturne, "Biff! Cathy! We're leaving!"

The Rocket Trio blazed away on their Hover-Pads, leaving Butch and Cassidy behind for a brief moment as they returned their respective Pokémon, "It's Butch!" Butch complained as he flew after them. Cassidy once again remained silent as she followed, scowling as she went.

The Sand Tomb began to fall apart as the intruders flew away. Hippopotas' legs wobbled, the ground-type exhausted by the fight. Pikachu bounded over to the Hippo Pokémon and chattered words of encouragement, earning a chipper thanks from the ground-type.

Hippopotas then turned around, seeing its parent still trapped under the glowing net. The Hippo Pokémon ran over and wailed, trying to bite a hole in the net, but the ground-type failed to make any dent in the material and whimpered.

"Hey, Hippopotas! Don't worry, we'll help you get Hippowdon out." Ash called. Pikachu and Gabite padded over and chattered agreeably, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail. Gabite, use Dragon Claw."

"Piplup, help them out with Drill Peck!"

"Staravia, you too!" Corey called, "Use Wing Attack!"

All four Pokémon joined in and use their respective attacks, gradually cutting apart the nets that held Hippowdon down. As the Heavyweight Pokémon was freed, it immediately surged upward onto its feet, spilling abundant amounts of sand from all around its body. Hippowdon grumbled lowly as Hippopotas ran toward it, vocalizing sadly.

"It's a good thing Hippopotas absorbed that electricity." Dawn said, "I don't know what would've happened without it."

"Yeah, me neither. Team Rocket's really starting to worry me." Ash agreed.

" _Po-tas!"_

Ash and Dawn looked over to Hippopotas, who padded toward the two Trainers. Ash kneeled down so that he was closer in height to the ground-type. "Hey there, Hippopotas!"

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_

"Hey, no need to thank us. All in a day's work." Ash chuckled, "It was great getting to see you again, little guy. Are you gonna go back home with Hippowdon?"

" _Hiiiip…"_

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Ash asked.

Hippopotas turned back to look at Hippowdon, and trotted over toward the larger ground-type. The two Pokémon chattered for a moment, and Hippowdon briefly glanced over to Ash before looking back down at Hippopotas. Then, the Heavyweight Pokémon nodded, and Hippopotas came bounding back over to Ash.

" _Hip!"_

"What's that? Would you like to come with us for a little while?" Ash noticed. Hippopotas chattered agreeably and Ash smiled giddily. He pulled out a Poké Ball, enlarging the capsule and briefly twirling it on his finger, "All right, then! Go, Poké Ball!"

Ash dropped the Poké Ball onto Hippopotas' large snout and the ground-type was sucked inside. The capsule plopped down in the sand and wiggled for a moment before chiming, signaling a successful capture. Ash grinned and reached down, clasping his hand around the Poké Ball.

" _All right! I caught a Hippopotas!"_

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

" _Ga-bite!"_

Ash pulled the Poké Ball down from the air to look at it for a second, but then the capsule burst open, startling the Trainer. The silvery white light hopped out and formed into Hippopotas. The Hippo Pokémon called out to Hippowdon, understandably as some sort of farewell. Ash glanced at the Heavyweight Pokémon, and began to smile uncontrollably.

"Hippowdon!" Ash called, "I promise, one day soon Hippopotas will be returned to you! You can count on me!"

Hippowdon grumbled loudly, nodding toward the Trainer. Then, without any sort of ceremonious farewell, the Heavyweight Pokémon rapidly dug its way underground, shaking the earth as it did so. Ash curiously felt out for the ground-type's Aura as it vanished, watching the glow of its life energy dig away from the group. Ash held his smile and he squatted down to Hippopotas, happily rubbing a hand on the ground-type's snout and giving the Hippo Pokémon words of praise. His promise to Hippowdon became etched into the back of his mind. Hippopotas had voluntarily decided to come along with him, and out of gratitude he intended to return the Hippo Pokémon once his journey was over.

"Well I'll admit, I'm kind of jealous right now." Corey said, knocking Ash out of his thoughts, "Hippopotas seems pretty attached to you."

"We have a…history." Ash said, "This little guy has popped up on more than one occasion during my travels here in Sinnoh."

Ash pulled out his Pokédex, quickly scanning Hippopotas and committing its known moves to memory. "Dig, Yawn, Take Down, and Sand Tomb. That's a solid set of moves! And that electric Sand Tomb was awesome, Hippopotas! You sent Team Rocket packing just like that!"

"Hey, Ash, about that Sand Tomb." Dawn started, "That was a pretty great combination. Do you think Hippopotas would want to try a Contest sometime? I bet he'd be able to absorb Pachirisu's electric attacks the same way."

"Well, I think that's up to Hippopotas." Ash said, glancing down at the ground-type. Dawn squatted down and scratched the ground-type's snout for a brief second, something that Hippopotas visibly enjoyed.

"Well, what do you say, Hippopotas? You're Ash's Pokémon now, but if you're interested, I'd love to compete in a Pokémon Contest with you sometime."

" _Po-tas!"_ Hippopotas chattered happily. Ash, Dawn, and Corey giggled, and Dawn scratched the ground-type's snout for a few more seconds before the group collectively decided that it was time to go. Ash chose to leave Hippopotas out of its Poké Ball for the time being, allowing the Hippo Pokémon to walk with the group. By the time the sun began to set, they were out of the desert completely, stopping at a roadside Pokémon Center that served as a rest area. Ash chose to briefly work on Hippopotas' moves at the Center's public training fields before calling it a day. The Hippo Pokémon agreeably returned to its Poké Ball for the night, dreaming about all the adventures it was bound to have alongside Ash.

* * *

 **So, Butch and Cassidy have returned as members of Team Rocket's Sinnoh branch. The motto that they all used is totally original, a mash-up of both group's original mottos while throwing in pieces of their Sinnoh mottos. If there's anybody out there who has an idea to make it rhyme better, or simply something that they think works better than mine, I'm open to hear it.**

 **The next chapter will be the next part of the bridge, and I have big plans for it. I hope you guys enjoy it. We're finally going to be picking up steam in this story in the next couple of weeks. Please consider leaving a review at the bottom and tell me what you like, don't like, etc., or if you'd like to reach out to me directly, feel free to shoot me a PM.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	38. Old Rivals, New Styles

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 38_

 _Old Rivals, New Styles_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Veilstone City**_

"We've finally made it! Veilstone City!"

Ash went running ahead into the Sinnoh metropolis. He was closely followed by Dawn, who was in turn closely followed by Corey. The visage of the giant city was something to behold, as it filled a valley and stretched across it until reaching the edge of a small mountain range by the northeastern coast of Sinnoh. It had been here that Team Galactic had made their first big reveal to the people of Sinnoh, when they'd attempted to steal the meteorites from the park at the center of the city. Their immediate plan had failed, but the power of the space rocks had activated the Spear Key, and the organization had made progress in their plot to create a new world.

The group's sprint through Veilstone City led them straight to the Pokémon Center. After making it out of the desert, it had taken nearly a month to make it to Veilstone City on foot. The month of May was coming to a close, and the whole of the Sinnoh Region was gradually warming up as summer crept closer. Along the way, Corey had taken several lessons from Ash, and the pair had held many battles against each other. Unsurprisingly, Ash defeated Corey every time, using a different Pokémon from his impressive arsenal each time. On the positive, though, it was clear that Corey was learning.

The cool AC of the Pokémon Center was indescribably refreshing as Ash, Dawn, and Corey each walked in one after the other. This particular Center was significantly larger than most of the other Centers around Sinnoh, thanks to Veilstone's massive year-round traffic. As such, Nurse Joy had multiple assistants that helped nearly a dozen people at that very moment, and many of the tables all around the Center were taken. The trio quickly scrambled to claim an empty table, while Ash took the liberty of taking everyone's Pokémon up to the desk himself. After turning over the horde of rest-needy Pokémon, Ash walked over to the videophone, hoping to call Delia.

Ash inserted the necessary change and placed the call, waiting an especially long time for his mother to pick up. Nevertheless, he beamed happily as he laid eyes on the face of his mom, a feeling that was reciprocated by Delia.

"Hi, Mom! I'm calling you from Veilstone City!"

"Oh, how wonderful! So you three finally did make it!" Delia said. Corey had been somewhat introduced to Delia through a videophone call sometime on the trek down Route 215, and the lively boy's energy had brought Delia back to the early days of Ash's own journey.

"Yeah! We're taking a break at the Center for a bit and then I was thinking of challenging Maylene."

"You don't remember do you?" Delia said quickly, silencing Ash for a moment.

"…What? Is something wrong, Mom?"

"No, of course not!" Delia stammered, "I didn't mean it like that! I mean, you don't remember what today is?"

"Today?" Ash said, rolling up his sleeve to glance at his watch, "No, what day is—holy cow!"

"Happy birthday, my sweet boy." Delia said with a sheepish smile.

"I'm fifteen! I've gotten so lost in traveling that I haven't even thought about my birthday!" Ash said.

"It's been fifteen wonderful years. And every day I've had you in my life has been better than the last." Delia said, meaning it with all her heart.

"Oh, Mom, stop it, stop it." Ash teased. Delia then became sad, her eyes shaking as water welled into them, "Hey, Mom, don't cry. I didn't mean it like that." Ash stammered, quickly running his last words and analyzing them for something that she could've taken the wrong way.

"No, it's not that, Ash." Delia forced herself to laugh. A tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it away, "You're just about all grown up now, that's all. These are tears of joy."

"Oh, that's good." Ash said, chuckling.

"Anyway, happy birthday darling, now go spend the day with your friends. I've got some errands to run in Viridian." Delia said.

"Okay, Mom. Thanks." Ash said, smiling warmly, "Love you."

"I love you too, Ash." Delia beamed. The videophone feed soon cut out and Ash headed back to the table housing his friends. He walked with a spring in his step. Another year had come and gone for him. His first run at the Sinnoh League had been nearly a year ago, and it seemed to have been far less time than that. Also, in only five months, Ash and Dawn had gone all across the Region from end to end, hiking from little Twinleaf Town to and from some of the most major cities in Sinnoh. Of course, with a victory over Maylene, he would only have beaten four Gym Leaders, and the journey to reach all eight Gym cities wasn't even halfway over.

Dawn's laugh brought his attention from the corners of his mind and back into reality. Ash looked straight ahead to the table, spotting Dawn and Corey laughing as they talked with a young man that stood beside the table. The man had fair skin and messy, midnight purple hair that was tied back in a ponytail, and he wore a faded orange shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

Ash gained an even bigger spring in his step as he completed the walk. His arrival gained the attention of all three people at the table, but the first words came from the newcomer.

"There's the man of the hour," Reggie grinned, "Dawn said you weren't in town."

"Reggie, I did not say that!" Dawn complained. The Pokémon Breeder grinned even wider as the whole group laughed.

"She hasn't been able to run me off completely yet." Ash chuckled, "Reggie, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, Ash." Reggie said, "Say, you look quite a bit leaner than the last time I saw you. And taller, too."

"This maniac ran off to Mt. Silver for a couple months to train." Dawn commented.

"Mt. Silver, eh? I haven't been there since I competed in the Silver Conference during my journey in Johto. It was _much_ too cold for me up there." Reggie answered, "So, what are you all doing in Veilstone City?"

"I'm challenging the Sinnoh League again!" Ash declared, "Dawn and I are traveling Sinnoh again, and I'm battling the Gym Leaders again so that I can practice, but only against their best teams."

Reggie raised an eyebrow, impressed, "So you must be in town to battle Maylene, then."

"That's right."

"And who's this little sprout with the Eevee?"" Reggie asked, focusing his attention on Corey.

"My name's Corey, sir!" Corey piped up, "My partner Eevee and I are on a mission to be the best Pokémon Trainers out there."

Reggie chuckled, "Just call me Reggie, kiddo. 'Sir' makes me feel like I'm getting old."

The group laughed again for a moment before Ash spoke up, "So Reggie, is Maylene at the Gym? I'd love to battle her."

Reggie frowned, "Actually, she's taking the weekend off. I saw her this morning as she left to do some training out in the forest, and she told me that she'd be hiking up one of the Veilstone Mountains this afternoon."

"Training just as hard as she was the last time we saw her, huh?" Dawn commented.

"If not even harder." Reggie said, "Hey, I've got an idea. You guys should come by the house for a little while and see the Pokémon. I've got some new charges at the moment that I've been training."

"That sounds like a great idea." Ash agreed. His mind wandered to Paul. Was he in Veilstone City? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity to battle him. Dawn and Corey followed Reggie's lead and grabbed their bags, following him on the way out of the Pokémon Center. Ash closely followed behind, walking beside his two companions as Reggie led the way to his house on the outskirts of the city.

The walk was only a handful of blocks, and the house was particularly quiet when they arrived. Reggie carried the small bag that he had brought with him into the kitchen. "You guys can just set your stuff in the living room. I've gotta mash up these Berries for the Pokémon food."

Ash, Dawn, and Corey followed suit, walking as a group to the kitchen where Reggie dumped his supplies onto the counter. The Breeder worked with silent efficiency, setting up some water to boil as he cut up the Berries.

" _Star-raptor!"_

Corey half-jumped and stepped back, while Dawn, Ash, and Reggie turned their attentions to the window that peered into the kitchen. A regal Staraptor was trying to poke its head in through the window screen. Reggie smiled and stepped over, pulling the screen up. The Predator Pokémon fully poked its head inside the house, squawking again.

"Hey, Staraptor. You enjoy your morning flight?" Reggie asked, stroking the flying-type's feathers underneath its beak. Staraptor briefly purred before replying with an affirmative _"Star-raptor!"_

Staraptor chattered some more and Reggie nodded, "Yeah, I've got some Oran Berries. I grabbed a couple extra just for you, big guy." The Breeder stepped back and grabbed a singular Oran Berry, handing it to the Predator Pokémon. Staraptor dove its head downward with sudden speed and snatched the delicious Berry, clamping it in between its beak and immediately making its escape from the open window, flying off into Reggie's large backyard with the Berry.

Reggie chuckled, "Yeah, Staraptor's a character. Back when I had just started Breeding and he was only a Starly, he would always steal Oran Berries from my pile. It took me forever to catch him, but it got easier once he evolved and couldn't sneak away. I've started grabbing extra Oran Berries when I'm out buying supplies, so now he's pretty tame about stealing food."

Reggie went back to boiling the water and began preparing to cook the Pokémon food. Ash surprisingly offered to help, an offer that Reggie graciously accepted, and the result was a large pool of Pokémon food that was ready to be served in significantly less time than normal. Reggie went out to feed the Pokémon that he kept watch over, pointing out the newcomers that had been left in his care to his three guests. Ash, Dawn, and Corey let each of their Pokémon out to play with those in the yard, and the Trainers retired indoors to have some lunch of their own.

After finishing their meals, Ash and Dawn swapped stories of the last year with Reggie. Ash conveniently left out any and all talk of his Aura abilities, but nevertheless Reggie was still regaled by his descriptions of his adventures on Mt. Silver. Throughout the talk, though, Ash found himself still wondering about one particular topic, and broke a calm silence to ask one thing of Reggie.

"Hey, Reggie?" Ash asked.

"Yes, Ash?"

"I've been kinda wondering since we got here…uh, what's Paul doing nowadays?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask that." Reggie admitted. The Breeder rubbed his chin, "Paul's out training right now, but he usually stops by to have some lunch and rest. He hasn't gone on another journey yet…wants to be sure that he'll win the Sinnoh League the next time around."

"Sounds like business as usual."

"Yeah, you'd think, but y'know Ash, you've left quite the impression on him." Reggie said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's doing things a lot differently nowadays. He's careful with his Pokémon, he's always thanking them after they battle whether they win or lose. He won't admit it, but it's right out of your playbook." Reggie explained, "I'm pretty proud of him. He's really starting to grow as a person, and as a Trainer as well."

"That's…really good to hear." Ash sighed with relief.

Just then, the back door of the house opened, ushering in a person with purplish-gray hair wearing a blue jacket. The teenage boy had his back to the visitors in the house as he walked inside, plopping a bag by the door as he talked out loud.

"Hey, Reggie, I'm back." Paul said as he dropped the bag. He started closing the door as he turned around, "What's with all the Pokémon in the back? You get a dozen clients just while I was out or some—"

Paul trailed off as he spotted Ash and Dawn in the house. The door shut noisily as pure silence held between Paul, Reggie, and the three visitors.

"…Ash." Paul uttered after a long silence.

"Paul." Ash said with a voice that was equally as foreboding.

"What are you doing here?"

"I've been traveling Sinnoh again." Ash said, "We got to Veilstone City this morning and ran into Reggie, and I was hoping that we could battle again. I've gotten way stronger since the Sinnoh League!"

"…Sure. Maybe tomorrow."

Paul started to walk through the living room to the entrance of a hallway, not saying anything else.

"Hey, wait. That's it?" Ash said, "You don't wanna battle at all?"

Paul stopped in his tracks, standing in the gateway to the hall. He looked back so that he could see Ash out of his peripheral vision. "I do want to battle, but my Pokémon need rest. We're going out for some more training in a few hours like normal. We can battle tomorrow morning."

Without any more words, Paul trudged down the hallway, opening the second or third door on the right and disappearing behind it. The door clattered closed and silence returned once more to the house.

"That was…unusual." Dawn finally said.

"Goes to show you just how much Paul has changed." Reggie offered, "He puts his Pokémon first a lot more now. He's been working both himself and his Pokémon tirelessly lately."

"Hmm…I see." Ash muttered, "Guess that's that."

"If you come back in the morning, you can battle with Paul, I promise."

* * *

" _Three-on-three?"_ Paul offered. Ash stood just a pace in front of him, with Reggie, Dawn, and Corey standing off to the side. Morning could not have come fast enough for Ash, and he had practically raced out of bed to get to Reggie's. As promised, Paul had been ready when Ash arrived at just a stroke past eight. Paul had even claimed that he'd been waiting for a few hours, a claim that was quickly debunked by Reggie.

"That works for me," Ash said, "I even know just who I'm going to use."

"As do I." Paul simply said, flashing a confident half-smile. The two Trainers turned and walked in opposite directions for several paces before turning back around to face each other from a distance. Ash and Paul both pulled their chosen Poké Balls, staring each other down for several seconds before calling on their chosen Pokémon at the same time.

" _Froslass, standby for battle!"_

" _Gengar, I choose you!"_

The pair of ghost-types appeared on opposite sides of the field, each feeling the impressively powerful energy radiating off of the other. Gengar broke a wide, sinister grin as Froslass held a stone-cold glare, the two Pokémon staring each other down.

"Froslass, use Ice Shard."

A thin coat of misty ice formed around Froslass' body, twinkling in the morning sunlight. The misty ice formed into a rough sphere and the Snow Land Pokémon sent the projectile flying toward Gengar.

"Gengar, dodge."

Gengar sank into the ground, avoiding the Ice Shard blast easily. Ash called out for all to hear, "Use Shadow Punch!" Gengar's form all the way down to its eyes appeared from the ground and sailed across the earth at blinding speed. The Shadow Pokémon eventually appeared back on its feet just as it reached Froslass, connecting the infallible punch directly into Froslass' chest. The ice/ghost-type was flung backwards from the blow, clutching its skinny chest to feel for any major damage. There was nothing that alarmed Froslass, and the ice-type fell back into a battle stance.

"It's going to be almost impossible to make that move miss." Paul muttered, "Froslass, use Hail."

Froslass howled and a dark cloud formed over Reggie's backyard. Hailstones the size of dimes began littering the yard, and an otherworldly glow appeared around Froslass; Snow Cloak was now in effect.

"Hmpf, I figured that would happen sooner or later." Ash said, "Hit us with your best shot, Paul."

"You don't want my best shot, Ash." Paul shot back, "Froslass, use Ice Punch."

Froslass faded in and out of reality as the fresh hailstorm started to obstruct Ash's view. A moment later, the Snow Land Pokémon was nowhere to be found. Gengar carefully looked around the hazy field, and soon enough Froslass' translucent form crept in on Gengar.

"Gengar, don't. It's a fake." Ash said quickly, noting his last experience versus Paul's Froslass. The illusion quickly faded away again, confirming Ash's assertion. Another false image appeared on the opposite side of Gengar, disappearing back into the storm with little fanfare. Finally, an image that Ash was certain was the real Froslass came rushing at Gengar from the ghost-type's right.

"Gengar, to your right! Shadow Punch!"

"Get back!" Paul snapped.

Gengar lunged forward, aiming to intercept Froslass just in time. Froslass, however, turned tail and ran, disappearing into thin air in the hazy glow of the hailstorm.

"…Now, hit 'em!"

Froslass rushed back into reality from behind Gengar, a perfect Ice Punch concentrated in its proto-fist. Ash reeled around, but was helpless to warn Gengar as Froslass slammed a freezing blow into the Shadow Pokémon's back, shocking Gengar as he staggered forward. Tendrils of ice formed on his back and the ghost-type stumbled to the ground, sucking in air quickly in an attempt to dull the sting in its back.

"Gengar, are you all right?"

 _I can walk it off, Ash,_ Gengar's voice grunted in his head. The ghost-type stood back up on its feet, evidence of minor freezing in its back staring Ash in the face. However, Gengar ignored the condition as if nothing were there, watching Froslass from across the way as the tricky ice-type reappeared in full view on its side of the field.

"We're gonna have to wait out this hailstorm. Froslass will be tough to beat like this." Ash contemplated aloud, "We might have to stick to defense."

"Ash is in a tough spot here." Reggie said, "Froslass is a distance attacker in just about every scenario. In this kind of weather, any special attacks that Gengar can fire off will have a lot of trouble hitting, not to mention Froslass' Snow Cloak lending a hand."

As if Ash could hear Reggie's analysis, he gritted his teeth as he thought for some kind of solution. He had nothing, though, and Paul soon called for another attack from his Pokémon. "Froslass, use Blizzard."

Froslass howled, rearing back its arms as it called on a malevolent wave of cold. "Gengar, use the energy from a Shadow Ball to create a shield, quick!" Gengar obeyed, forming a perfect Shadow Ball and dispersing the ghostly energy around its body. The energy then spiked up into a barrier field that held off the icy attack. The freezing wind was so powerful that Ash had to hold onto his hat, and his teeth chattered as he endured the unnatural cold when just a moment before he had been toasty warm. Gengar stepped back as the force behind the Blizzard became stronger, and projectiles of artificial ice and snow came flying about next. The shadowy shield around the front of its body began to falter, and after a few more seconds of hard-won endurance the energy broke, subjecting Gengar to the full—albeit brief—torment of Blizzard.

Ice formed around the spiky features on its body as Blizzard died down. The Shadow Ball shield had worked for the most part, but not entirely. The hailstorm suddenly weakened, indicating that its time was almost up.

"Gengar, just hold on for a little longer!" Ash yowled, "Use Shadow Claw!"

Gengar bounded forward into the hailstorm, the three digits on its hand forming into long, sharp blades of ghostly energy. Froslass remained still, hovering above the ground as the hailstones fell all around it. Paul called out as Gengar got closer, "Froslass, dodge and use Ice Beam!"

Froslass phased out of reality as Gengar reached striking distance, avoiding the swipe of its claws by a narrow margin. The ice-type reappeared to Gengar's side and spat a forked Ice Beam, prompting a call to block the attack. Gengar brought up its shadowy blades, deflecting the brunt of the freezing beam before advancing forward. Paul called for another Ice Punch and the two ghost-types began to physically battle. Shadow Claw and Ice Punch collided and bounced off of each other, but the two Pokémon continued to strike at each other. A handful of the blows traded between them connected, adding up taken damage for both creatures.

A final hailstone fell at Ash's feet, and a ray of sunlight ripped through the dark clouds, catching Ash's attention. The hailstorm was up. In a matter of seconds, Snow Cloak would no longer be viable.

"Froslass, use Ice Beam!"

Froslass shifted away from Gengar, spitting another freezing beam that connected with Gengar's torso. The Shadow Pokémon was visibly weary as Ash shouted as loud as he could, just as the hail clouds broke and sunlight smashed through them.

" _Gengar, get behind Froslass and use Shadow Claw!"_

With speed that belied its own exhaustion, Gengar zipped underneath the earth and popped back up just inches behind Froslass. Shadow Claw was at full strength on its hand as the ghost-type appeared, and with all of its might, Gengar raked the blades across Froslass' back. The ice-type howled with pain and fell forward, thumping to the ground and rolling a foot or two away from Gengar. Froslass ended up on its back, its eyes reading unconscious swirls.

"All right, Gengar! You did it!" Ash yowled. Gengar heaved heavily, exhausted from its battle with Froslass. The euphoria of victory was almost entirely lost on the weary Shadow Pokémon, but Gengar did its best to show its pleasure with its win. Paul pulled out the fallen ice-type's Poké Ball and returned Froslass.

"You battled well, Froslass…just didn't work out. Take a good rest." Paul said, tucking the capsule back into his jacket.

Dawn raised an eyebrow from the sideline, but decided not to comment. Paul really had seemed to turn over a new leaf.

"You were physical in that battle. I like that." Paul complimented, fixing a stony stare on Ash.

Ash smiled widely and nodded, oddly grateful for the approval. Paul picked his next Poké Ball, enlarging the capsule and cracking a thrilled smile, "Don't count on beating this next one the same way. Gallade, standby for battle!"

The final form of Ralts spawned from the capsule, readying its sword-like arms in a confident battle stance, _"Lade. Gallade, gall."_

"A Gallade!" Corey said with awe, "Paul sure has some really cool Pokémon!" The youngster appeared to be taking a shine to Paul, and watched the heated battle on the absolute edge of his seat.

"Hmm…" Ash mused, "Gengar, let's be careful. Gallade's part psychic-type."

Gengar thumped its chest, doing its best to play off how groggy it felt. Froslass had been more than a worthy opponent, and with Gallade's psychic typing; it had an advantage over Gengar, who despite being part ghost-type, had the unfortunate luck of also being a poison-type. In addition, Gallade was part fighting-type, moves that would have no effect on the Shadow Pokémon. Paul likely knew this too, and would avoid attacking Gengar with a fighting-type move.

"Gallade, use Bulk Up."

Gallade flexed its thin arms and its form appeared to pulse, growing bigger for a brief instant before shrinking back down to its usual size. The move would allow Gallade to deal out stronger attacks, which did not bode well for Gengar.

"Now, use Psycho Cut."

Gallade rushed forward with bewildering speed, one of its sword-like arms glowing with pink energy.

"Block it with Shadow Ball!"

Gengar spat out a Shadow Ball at Gallade, who had bounded into the air to deal out its attack from the sky. Gallade swiped diagonally, sending out a Psycho Cut that pulsed with power. The Shadow Ball made contact, but was easily ripped apart by the psychic attack. Gengar was left defenseless and was hit by the speedy blast, and was thrown into the ground. Gallade landed cleanly, somersaulting on the ground and launching back up onto its feet. Gengar scrambled back to its feet, finding Gallade an awful lot closer than it had started out.

"Use Psycho Cut again." Paul ordered calmly.

Gallade zoomed forward as Ash called for Gengar to block the attack with Shadow Claw. Gengar brought up a clawed appendage and deflected Gallade's initial head-on Psycho Cut. Paul simply called for Gallade to keep attacking until it hit. Gallade responded by twirling away from Gengar's Shadow Claw and moving to the ghost-type's side. Gengar narrowly responded in time, catching the next attempt in between its claws. This dance continued for a few more exchanges, with Gengar blocking each Psycho Cut attempt, until finally, Gallade pushed Gengar away with all of its might, spinning the ghost-type around so that its back was to it. Gallade fired off another Psycho Cut, connecting this one at point-blank range into Gengar's back. Gengar tumbled to the ground, and the result was inevitable as Gengar hit the dirt.

" _Ga-lade! Gall, gall!"_ Gallade chanted, tucking in its body and rocketing into the air. The Blade Pokémon soared over to Paul and landed with little difficulty close to its Trainer, earning praise from Paul for its execution. Ash brought out Gengar's Poké Ball and called the ghost-type back, grinning at the face of the capsule.

"You were awesome, Gengar." Ash praised to the silent Ball, "You earned this rest." Ash clipped the Ball back to his belt and choosily selected his second Pokémon, _"Squirtle, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball burst open in midair, releasing the Tiny Turtle Pokémon to the world. Squirtle chirped happily and landed squarely on its feet, getting a glimpse at its tall, lanky opponent. The water-type wore a mask of stoic calm, staring down the psychic-type Pokémon that absolutely dwarfed it.

Paul scoffed with disbelief, "A Squirtle? You've gotta be kidding me."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Paul," Ash warned, "Squirtle and I have been together for a long time now, and we've got more than enough ways to make up for our small stature!"

"Humph. We'll see about that." Paul said, "Gallade, use Slash."

Gallade's arm glowed, though this time it was white rather than the pulsing pink of Psycho Cut. The Blade Pokémon zipped forward on its nimble legs, rushing toward Squirtle at full speed.

"Dodge it!"

Squirtle dove out of the way, tumbling forward on the ground and whirling around to face Gallade. The Blade Pokémon slashed at thin air as Ash called out for Hydro Pump, and Squirtle parted its flat mouth to spit a high-pressure blast at Gallade's side. The attack connected easily, sending Gallade further away from Squirtle in a powerful tidal wave.

"Gallade, use Bulk Up!"

Gallade channeled another Bulk Up, its body inflating for an instant and then glowing with power.

"Rapid Spin!"

"Protect!"

Gallade crossed its thin arms and generated an impenetrable field of energy. Squirtle arrived and was easily deflected away, bouncing upward into the air. Squirtle reappeared from inside its shell and flailed helplessly for just an instant, but it was all that Paul needed to spur Gallade forward.

"Gallade, Close Combat!"

Gallade launched at an angle into the air, headed straight for Squirtle. Ash called for a panicked Rapid Spin, but Gallade was on the smaller water-type in an instant, grabbing onto the Tiny Turtle Pokémon with its arms. Then, with a speed that was virtually unrivaled, Gallade began battering Squirtle with a series of punches and kicks. After dealing out enough punishment, Gallade turned and threw Squirtle hard toward the ground with a speedy kick, sending the water-type into the dirt with no time to react.

" _Squirtle!"_ Ash yelped. The Tiny Turtle Pokémon staggered out of the dust cloud its fall had created, steadfastly refusing to show it was in pain. Gallade snorted at the small water-type's stubbornness, as did Paul. Ash, however, hollered for another attack.

"Use Skull Bash!"

Squirtle tucked in its head and ran at full speed, catching Gallade off-guard. Paul called for another Slash attack, but Squirtle adjusted its speed so as to trick Gallade into attacking too early. The ruse worked, and Gallade again swiped at thin air, and Squirtle lunged forward, putting all of its might into the headfirst blow. Gallade yelped as Squirtle battered it away, but regained its footing quickly.

"Squirtle, let's go with Rapid Spin one more time!"

Squirtle bounded into the air and withdrew inside its shell once again, spinning at a speed that created a slight humming noise. Paul scoffed and told Gallade to intercept Squirtle and use Close Combat, and the Blade Pokémon dutifully leaped to capture the water-type.

" _Hydro Pump!"_

Gallade paled, and no sooner did Squirtle jettison a power-packed Hydro Pump from inside its shell, spewing the water blast in all directions thanks to its Rapid Spin attack. The Hydro Pump packed enough of a punch to knock Gallade back, and the two Pokémon landed really close to each other, prompting another gridlock between the two Trainers.

"Psycho Cut!"

"Skull Bash!"

The two Pokémon met, with Squirtle pushing its way through the first Psycho Cut attempt. Gallade slashed again, sending out another tear of psychic energy before resorting to channeling the energy attacks into its sword-like arms as Squirtle reached striking distance. Squirtle lunged forward to ram its head into Gallade's lanky body, but the Blade Pokémon brought its arms forward and caught Squirtle by the head, absorbing the blow and holding the water-type still.

"Ack! Squirtle, get outta there!" Ash cried, but Squirtle could not. Gallade had the water-type subdued in its surprisingly strong grip.

"Close Combat!" Paul shouted. Ash and Squirtle's eyes both widened and Gallade proceeded to pound on the small water-type with another flurry of punches and kicks. One of the overhead kicks ricocheted Squirtle off of the dirt below and back into the air, opening a hole for Gallade to deal a devastating punch to Squirtle's abdomen, sending the water-type flying back at high speed and crashing into the ground. The water-type's chaotic landing kicked up dirt, mud, and grass, and the Tiny Turtle Pokémon was visibly cringing from the damage. Close Combat was a fast and uniquely powerful move, and taking two volleys of the attack was never good for a Pokémon's health.

Squirtle heaved in breaths of air, and Paul huffed on his side of the field. "How unfortunate." Paul muttered, "Gallade, let's finish this."

Just as Paul uttered those words, white light covered up Squirtle's body, briefly blinding all parties around it. Ash pulled his arm away to gaze at the light, a mixture of awe, relief, and wonder registering on his face. "After all this time, finally! Squirtle's evolving!"

Squirtle's body became slightly bigger, and various features on its body grew and morphed. When the evolution was complete, fluff covered the water-type's ears, its body had become bigger, and its skin had taken on a dark blue hue.

" _War-tortle!"_

* * *

"Squirtle evolved into Wartortle!" Dawn cried. She quickly pulled out her Pokédex, scanning the new Pokémon with the device. The Pokédex beeped and began reading the data entries on the Pokémon.

" _Wartortle, the Turtle Pokémon, and the evolved form of Squirtle. Wartortle cleverly use their furry ears and tail to maintain balance while swimming."_

"That's what I call good timing." Reggie commented, "I think it's fair to say Ash just got back into this battle."

* * *

"Wartortle, you evolved! That's awesome! Can you fight some more?"

" _Wartortle! War!"_

"All right! Let's show 'em some of that power! Use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle lumbered forward to Gallade, a churning spiral of water forming around its bushy tail. Gallade took a shallow step back and stood defensively, waiting for Paul's command, "Gallade, use Slash."

Gallade's arms glowed white and the Blade Pokémon took a step forward, rearing back its arms as Wartortle came flying toward it from just above the ground.

"Wartortle, spin!"

Wartortle grinned toothlessly and spun in midair, changing its trajectory to avoid the first of Gallade's swipes. The Turtle Pokémon whirled around from its new place on the ground and slammed its tail with great force into the psychic-type's leg. Gallade shrieked and staggered, bending its knee into the ground, but then struck out its second arm with a vengeance. The Slash attack raked across Wartortle's side, knocking the Turtle Pokémon away.

"Wartortle!" Ash howled. The Turtle Pokémon stood back up quickly and then glared up at the kneeling Gallade. The water-type lurched forward with its mouth wide open, closing the short distance between them with ease.

"Gallade, get up!" Paul shouted to no avail. Wartortle fell onto Gallade and clamped its jaw into the psychic-type's shoulder. Gallade roared and flailed about as Wartortle sank its teeth in as hard as it could.

"That's Crunch!" Reggie gasped.

"Gallade, throw Wartortle off of you, now!" Paul snapped, twitching with a minimal amount of fury. The Blade Pokémon brought up its left arm and grabbed at Wartortle, clenching a fist around one of its fluffy ears. Wartortle released its grip and complained, only to be thrown violently from Gallade's shoulder. The Turtle Pokémon hit the dirt, but easily clawed its way back to its feet, grinning triumphantly.

"Wartortle, that Crunch was awesome!" Ash praised. Paul bristled. The tables were suddenly turning now that Squirtle had evolved into Wartortle. He and Gallade would need to deal out some brutal hits in order to knock Wartortle out of commission and gain a lead.

"Gallade, use Bulk Up one more time!"

Gallade puffed up its body as Ash nervously gritted his teeth, "Gallade's getting really tough with all those Bulk Ups. Wartortle, we're gonna have to stay clear, ya hear?"

" _Wartortle-war!"_

"Oh, no you won't!" Paul snapped, "Gallade, use Close Combat!"

Gallade rushed forward with a vengeance, hitting a series of blows once again into Wartortle's torso. Gallade finished the move by throwing Wartortle over its shoulder, sending the Turtle Pokémon in Paul's relative direction.

"Wartortle, use Rapid Spin!"

Wartortle withdrew into its shell, spinning at such high speed that a gust of wind formed underneath it and slowed its fall. The shell clattered to the ground much more softly than it would have and Wartortle popped back out of the shell, visibly tired out from enduring yet another Close Combat. It didn't take a genius to see that Wartortle was going down soon.

"Wartortle, you good?" Ash shouted. Wartortle chattered affirmatively, and Ash called out for an Aqua Tail. Paul likewise commanded a Slash attack, and the two Pokémon collided at full force. The two proud Pokémon exchanged blows up until Wartortle jumped over a downward Slash from Gallade, ending up on the psychic-type's back. Wartortle rammed in with a Skull Bash, driving Gallade back, and the Blade Pokémon prepared a Psycho Cut. Wartortle made a final push with its head, thrusting Gallade away from it and readying an Aqua Tail. Gallade's Psycho Cut was ready, and the psychic-type threw the attack downward just as Wartortle exposed its belly as it somersaulted backward to land its Aqua Tail.

The two attacks collided with their targets at the same time, sending both Pokémon into the ground. The dust quickly cleared, and both Wartortle and Gallade were incapacitated. Silence held over the battlefield, and both Trainers returned their Pokémon, whispering words of thanks before engaging in a stare-down.

"…I think I can guess which Pokémon they'll be sending out next." Reggie muttered in the middle of the silence.

As if by some unseen resolution, Ash and Paul quickly grabbed their chosen Poké Balls at the same time, becoming mirror images of each other as they summoned their third and final Pokémon.

" _Electivire, standby for battle!"_

" _Infernape, I choose you!"_

Immediately, the blood pressure of every set of eyes watching the battle increased. The two Pokémon had last come face-to-face nearly a year ago in the Sinnoh League quarterfinals, when Infernape had finally prevailed after an epic battle that was truly for the ages. The fire-type had put all of its pent-up rage into the fight, channeling its disdain for Paul (and at the same time, its devotion to Ash) into its every blow against Electivire, yet despite their previous hostile meeting, there was an air of unspoken respect between the power-packed Pokémon that now stared each other down.

"So, it's come to this." Paul said, his voice steady, "Now the _real_ battle begins."

Ash nodded, his anticipation barely containable, "Let's make this a great one, Paul."

Paul nodded, before devoting all of his energy toward the battle, "Electivire, use Thunder!"

Electivire swished its tails and then supercharged them with crackling electricity. Infernape slightly bent its knees in anticipation, and the blast came at high speed.

"Infernape, dodge and use Dig!"

Infernape tumbled to the side, avoiding the Thunder blast and diving underground. Electivire leered and watched the ground before it. Ash randomly shouted for Infernape to go, and Paul quickly called for a Protect. Electivire formed a shield of energy and Infernape tore its way up, being rejected by the energy field easily. Infernape was thrown back by the field, but caught its footing and avoided falling.

"Flare Blitz!"

Infernape lunged forward, an aura of scorching hot fire and power mixing around its body. Electivire's Protect broke down and Infernape closed in, prompting Paul to demand a Brick Break. Electivire's fist glowed white as Infernape reached it, and the two attacks struck their targets together, delivering already brutal damage to both Pokémon. Electivire staggered back while Infernape crunched into the ground and was sent bouncing a few feet away. The Flame Pokémon stood back up and shrugged off the damage, while Electivire taunted the fire-type with a jolt of electricity around its tails.

"Electivire, use Thunder!"

"Infernape, Flamethrower!"

The two powerful attacks were thrown out at the same time, inevitably colliding and generating a huge explosion. The blasts cancelled each other out, leaving a thick cloud of smoke between the two Pokémon and clouding their sights on each other.

The smoke cloud cleared and Electivire stared at thin air. A hole in the ground was in Infernape's place, and both Paul and Electivire paled as they made the connection. Infernape tore its way out of the ground, smashing into the Thunderbolt Pokémon with all of its might. The heavy electric-type was briefly sent airborne, but Paul called out for the electric-type to attack on its way down.

"Electivire, use Thunder Punch on your way down!"

Electivire coated its fists in crackling electricity, landing on the ground with a powerful crash. Electricity went out in all directions, catching Infernape's feet and sending a brief jolt through the fire-type, successfully distracting its attention.

"Thunder Punch again!"

Electivire now shifted forward, readying the same attack again. Infernape shot its glance back up and leered, heeding Ash's command for a Mach Punch counter. The Flame Pokémon deflected Electivire's first fist with a successful Mach Punch, but the Thunderbolt Pokémon snickered and sent electricity into its other hand, throwing its fist like a piston into Infernape's chest. Infernape recoiled and flew backward, eating dirt as it hit the ground. Electricity crackled around its body for an instant before disappearing, and Infernape haphazardly stood up.

"Infernape, you all right?"

" _Fer-nape…"_ Infernape muttered, cracking its neck. Electivire curled its hand at Infernape, beckoning the fire-type to attack it.

" _Vire!"_ Electivire taunted.

"Infernape, whaddya say we crank it up?"

" _In-fer-nape."_

"Okay, Infernape, use Flare Blitz!"

Infernape rushed forward in a ball of fire, granting Electivire's wish. The electric-type brought up its tails just as Paul called for a Thunder attack, sending powerful lightning directly at Infernape.

"Infernape, spin!"

Infernape obeyed, spinning in midair and throwing scorching flames in every direction. The Flare Blitz spiral seemed to grow larger as the Thunder attack met it, but the electricity fanned out and spread around the flames, giving a brief Contest-like appearance to the attack before Infernape crashed into Electivire, sending the electric-type into the ground. Infernape grappled away and spat a Flamethrower on Ash's command, but Electivire blocked the attack with another Protect.

"Electivire, Brick Break!"

Electivire bounded forward, swishing its tails back and forth as its footfalls shook the ground. Infernape readied itself as the electric-type thundered closer, feeding off of Ash's energy.

"Infernape, dodge and use Mach Punch!"

Infernape moved to dodge, shifting its legs to the side to jump out of the way. Suddenly, though, the fire-type's muscles stalled and a ray of electricity jolted to life around Infernape's body, sending an uncomfortable electrical tickling through its body.

" _What the—?"_ Ash stammered.

Electivire arrived and dealt a sideways Brick Break that made Infernape's head spin. The Flame Pokémon was thrown backward at an angle and crashed painfully to the ground, kicking up grass and dirt. Infernape grunted from the fall and moved to stand up, a ring of electricity circling its body all the while.

* * *

"Infernape's paralyzed…" Dawn lamented.

"But how?" Corey asked, "Thunder Punch was the last electric-type attack to hit Infernape, and that was a while ago. Infernape's been fine since then."

"Maybe not…" Reggie said, holding his hand on his chin as he thought.

"Hmm? What's that, Reggie?" Dawn asked.

"When Infernape used Flare Blitz, Paul tried to counter with Thunder." Reggie explained, "We saw Infernape spin and negate that attack before Flare Blitz hit. But Thunder carries a possible secondary effect that causes paralysis."

"Oh, so you're saying Infernape still took the Thunder, even if it didn't show thanks to the spinning Flare Blitz." Dawn reasoned.

"Yes. In any case, Infernape has proved itself to be resilient, so I'm not too keen on handing the victory to Paul just yet."

* * *

" _Infernape, are you okay?"_ Ash hollered, "Can you still battle?"

The ring of paralysis around Infernape crackled for a moment before going away, and Infernape weakly chattered in response, _"In…in-fer-nape…"_

"Okay, use Flamethrower!"

Infernape breathed in and then expelled a hot stream of fire from its mouth. Paul remained calm, "Electivire, spin your arm and use Thunder."

Electivire chattered and generated another Thunder from its body, shifting its body and spinning its left arm repeatedly. Electricity rolled off the Thunderbolt Pokémon's arm in a spiraling pattern, catching the Flamethrower burst and circling around it until the flames died out. Electivire then slowed the spinning of its arm, and the voltage likewise decreased until dying out completely.

"What was that move?" Ash said to himself aloud.

"Just another version of your little Counter Shield technique." Paul boasted.

Ash gritted his teeth. Paul was smart, probably a little too much for his own good. It was one of the things that made Paul such a great rival to live up to, and had made defeating him in the Sinnoh League all the more sweeter. But this time, the tables were quickly turning against Ash. Infernape was suffering from paralysis, and Paul was having no trouble countering Ash's moves.

"Electivire, use Thunder again."

"Infernape, Dig!"

Electivire shot out a massive bolt of lightning, but Infernape easily dug under the ground to avoid the powerful attack. Paul huffed, "Electivire, stick your tails in the ground and use Thunder."

Electivire quickly stabbed its tails into the earth, and Ash began to panic, _"Infernape, use Flare Blitz!"_

Electivire began pumping voltage into the ground, but the ground began glowing orange as the electric-type did so.

"… _Vire?"_

Infernape ripped out of the ground in a cocoon of flames from right underneath Electivire. Electricity crackled around Infernape's shield of fire as he drove Electivire up into the sky, howling as he detached from the Thunderbolt Pokémon and rocketed to the ground. Infernape landed haphazardly and rolled forward, whirling around on its heels to look as Electivire crashed into the ground.

Electivire climbed out of its self-made hole with embers decorating its unruly fur. A rash of flame ripped up on its side, indicating that it had suffered a burn. Around Infernape, a ring of electricity crackled about, keeping it uncomfortably still. Without warning, a rash of fire appeared on the fire-type's body; the huge recoil damage produced by Flare Blitz taking effect. Infernape staggered to one knee, pain writhing about all over its body, but the fire-type looked up angrily at Electivire, resolve and determination burning in its eyes. The energy of its resolve, though, could only keep Infernape standing for so long, and the Flame Pokémon finally tumbled to the ground, its body still.

"Infernape…" Ash mumbled sadly. The fire-type had been through a lot of pain in the battle, and a good portion of it had been self-inflicted.

" _Vire."_ Electivire chattered, taking very little pride in its victory. It had avenged its loss in the Sinnoh League, but neither it nor Paul were reveling as Ash stepped out to the field to care for the downed Infernape.

"Electivire…good job…" Paul said, before walking out onto the field toward Ash. Electivire got the message and began walking too; meeting its own rival while its Trainer met his.

" _Nape…"_ Infernape whined to Ash. The fire-type had easily regained consciousness, but the shame of its failure was visible on its face.

"Infernape, don't get down on yourself." Ash said, "You were great out there. This just means we have some stuff to work on."

"He's right." Paul said, reaching Ash with Electivire at his side, "You were great out there, Infernape. I know that Electivire's proud to have a rival like you."

" _Vire! E-lec-ti-vire!"_ Electivire agreed.

"Just like I am proud to have a rival like Ash."

"…Wow, Paul…th-thanks." Ash fumbled with his words.

"Ah, don't mention it." Paul waved it off, "Listen, I'm sorry for the way I treated you whenever we met up while we were both traveling. I hope it's water under the bridge." The Trainer nervously pressed his fingers to the sides of his nose and looked away from Ash for a minute, as if he were embarrassed to utter the words.

"Sure thing, Paul… water under the bridge." Ash said with a smile.

"Good." Paul said, and then he extended a hand to his former rival, who sat on the ground next to Infernape. Electivire did the same to the fire-type, their identical gestures almost signifying a new era between the two pairs of rivals. Ash and Infernape, warmed beyond description, both moved to latch onto the hands of their respective rival, and Paul and Electivire lifted them both to their feet. And as the two Trainers and two Pokémon walked back toward Dawn, Corey, and Reggie, Ash had a feeling that he was going to like this new Paul.

* * *

" _Thish ish sho good!"_ Corey praised as she shoveled the noodles into his mouth. Reggie had invited Ash, Dawn, and the youngster to stay at the house for dinner, serving up delicious plates of spaghetti.

"Corey, maybe try chewing with your mouth closed?" Dawn offered as she stifled a chuckle.

" _Oh! Urm—"_ Corey said, swallowing his food, "Sorry. Ehehe…"

"Don't worry about it, Corey. I'm glad you like it." Reggie said, "What about you, Ash? Paul?"

"Good as always, Reg." Paul said. Ash concurred with a thumbs up and the two rival Trainers resumed talking about something or other. Dawn chose to sit with Corey and Reggie, though she kept a careful eye on Ash and Paul. The two were talking like old friends and…laughing? The Coordinator wistfully smiled at the thought. Paul really had changed for the better.

A knock at the door silenced all conversation. Reggie stood up almost too quickly, running a hand through his hair, "I got it." Reggie said, walking toward the door. Dawn curiously raised an eyebrow and watched Reggie as he opened the door, revealing none other than Maylene. The Veilstone Gym Leader rushed forward and hugged Reggie, whereupon the two started talking. Dawn and Ash's eyebrows both shot up at the sight.

"Woah, Reggie's looking pretty friendly with Maylene there." Ash noted.

Paul glanced over his shoulder, shrugging, "Yeah, they've been seeing each other for about a month now. It's…interesting, to say the least."

Reggie and Maylene walked into the dining room, holding hands as they went. Maylene noticeably no longer wore the fat piece of tape over her nose, which overall complimented her fair appearance.

"Hey, everyone." Maylene greeted.

"Maylene!" Ash said, shooting up out of his seat.

"Hi, Ash. I got the challenge notice a couple months ago, and Reggie's told me all about it for the last two days." Maylene said, smiling giddily.

"So you'll battle me?" Ash asked, giddy.

"Of course I will, but I've already got a training session set for tomorrow during the day, so we'll have to battle later in the afternoon." Maylene explained.

"That's totally fine with me!" Ash assured, "I'd battle at midnight if I had to."

"Reggie never told us you two were…er…" Dawn tried, struggling to outright say it.

"Dating?" Maylene said with a raised eyebrow. She turned to Reggie, running one of her hands through his messy purple hair, "Yes, Reggie's managed to steal my heart since the last time you were here."

Reggie nervously chuckled, drawing a jeer from Paul.

"Anyway, uh, Maylene, your plate of spaghetti's on the counter." Reggie said. The Veilstone Gym Leader detached her hand from Reggie's and disappeared inside the walled-off kitchen. As soon as Maylene was out of sight, Reggie smacked Paul on the back of the head. The teenaged Trainer stood up and the two brothers scuffled for about two seconds, only managing a shove between them before Paul became bored and sat back down to resume talking to Ash. Maylene walked back in at that moment, unaware anything had happened, and took a seat next to Reggie. With everyone assembled in the house, stories began to shuffle around between the friends, as the summer night waned on around them.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region - Undisclosed Location**_

"Have you located it?"

"Yes, Sir Charon. The Spear Key is in the Veilstone Museum, in the Hall of Natural History." The tall man ran a large hand through his long, unruly orange hair, his feet chilling as his portly superior responded with a gravely voice.

"Excellent work, Mercury. I want you to do the deed. Take the cube, and then plant the fake. From there we'll need to go to Meteorite Park to activate the Key and wait for extraction." Charon said, "We will have to move fast. Once we get to the park, people will know we're there, so I want the helicopters signaled as soon as you leave the museum. That will allow us to get out as soon as possible."

"Understood, sir." Mercury said, "But…you know that the boy is here. Don't you think we've picked a bad time to steal the Key?"

"This is not my operation to order, Mercury. We only just confirmed the location of the Key last week, and Giovanni is tired of waiting. We've had the capacity to steal it for months now, and he demanded that this be done tomorrow." Charon explained.

"I see. Forgive me, sir." Mercury apologized.

"But you are right as well." Charon conceded, "Ash Ketchum has come to Veilstone City. That is why it is even more important that this is done as quickly as possible. There's no doubt that he will catch wind of this, whether we like it or not, and if he gets to us before we can escape the city, there is no telling what will happen."

"I'll see to it that the team moves in haste, you have my word." Mercury assured.

"Thank you, Mercury." Charon said. The tall orange-haired brute walked out of the scientist's quarters, leaving the portly old man alone. The former Team Galactic scientist stroked his faded purple hair, sighing. He spoke to himself, his breath short and his voice dry, "Tomorrow, the world will know our name. No more will we cling to the shadows and settle for the late night headlines. Tomorrow we will move the world. Tomorrow is the day…when _no one_ in Sinnoh will be safe!"

* * *

 **We're making a habit of important chapters now! Ash vs. Maylene will go down in the next update, followed by Team Rocket's big operation in the next. We finally have some basic details about Team Rocket's plan! What do you think about the things that were revealed in the last little section of the chapter? Do you like/not like what you see? What's your opinion on this "new" Paul, and what did you think about Ash and Paul's first battle since the Sinnoh League? Please think about telling me all these things and more in a review at the bottom, or a PM if you'd prefer! I hope I'll get to hear from as many of you as possible, because you guys are the reason this story is what it is today!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	39. Punches Packed With Power!

**Note: As of 3/29, the first chapter of this story has been updated. The new chapter covers the whole episode of DP's finale, giving a little more context to how the story gets rolling in the first place. It still follows around 80-90% of the actual dialogue in the real episode, so it's not absolutely necessary to read it, but the chapter's length is now double what it was. Also, soon, I will be publishing a character guide for The Journey Continues on my profile. I'll cover the main characters in great detail, and the recurring characters in a little less detail. Characters like Kenny and Johanna though, will not be included. In this chapter, an old friend will return for a brief spell, Ash will face off with Maylene, and a snippet of Team Rocket's secretive operation will be shown.**

 **That's that, so happy reading!**

* * *

 _ **The Journey Continues**_

 _Chapter 39_

 _Punches Packed With Power!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Veilstone City**_

Dawn opened the back screen door that led into Reggie's backyard, carefully balancing four bowls of Pokémon food in her two arms. Reggie followed her out, carrying six bowls between his two arms. The Breeder was caring for a total of ten Pokémon, and their first meal of the day was at hand. The time was around 7:30, and each of the Pokémon charges had long since woken up and begun their day. Unsurprisingly, a great cheer went up in the group of Pokémon as they recognized that food was being brought to them.

Dawn had woken up earlier than normal and had offered to help Reggie out with anything he needed. Paul and Ash had both departed nearly an hour earlier to train in separate places, while Corey was still dozing off on a pallet in the guest bedroom. The group had spent several hours up the previous night talking, sharing stories of the last year and eating to their heart's content. Even so, Ash and Paul had managed to get up long before the sun and head out on their own for the morning, and Dawn had only woken up thanks to the commotion of Ash, Paul, and Reggie moving around the house earlier that morning.

"Come and get it, everyone!" Dawn called as the Pokémon rushed to where the bowls of food were being placed down. As the smaller Pokémon ate, there was a distant screech from the sky. A silhouette came rushing in from the air into Reggie's backyard. The Breeder snickered.

"Here comes Staraptor." Reggie warned, "Hey, Dawn, watch this." The Breeder grabbed four Oran Berries from the pocket of his apron, clutching two in each hand, "Staraptor, catch!"

Reggie lowered his arms and then tossed the Berries high into the sky. Staraptor flew like the wind and raced above the two humans, capturing one Berry in its beak and the other three Berries between its talons before flying off to its usual perch in the tree and crunching up the Berries for food.

"Cool, right?" Reggie asked rhetorically. Dawn nodded and then looked down at the eating Pokémon, who downed their meals in a matter of moments. One by one, the meals were finished and the Pokémon ran out to play in the yard. Dawn called out Pachirisu, Buneary, and Piplup, freeing them to go play with the other Pokémon. Reggie walked back inside to start making the people's breakfast, leaving Dawn outside to watch the Pokémon. The view from Reggie's back porch was impressive, allowing one to look out at the nearby Veilstone Mountains and the forests that littered their foothills. Reggie had said he'd made his home in this spot for that exact reason. He had never liked living in the bustling city, and instead had built his home on the outskirts of the city where he could still get a glimpse of nature whenever he wanted. The house was so far out, in fact, that only dirt and gravel roads led to and from his home, eventually merging with asphalt upon crossing into the main part of the city.

Down one of these dirt roads, a shape came into view. It was unmistakably human, but as the shape got closer and closer to Reggie's house Dawn was able to pick out the outlines of three small Pokémon. The shape was running at a constant, moderately fast pace, closely followed by the three Pokémon. Eventually, Dawn was able to pick out details, noting the human's unruly raven hair. The three Pokémon at his feet were Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Wartortle, the former two running on all fours while the latter lumbered along on its hind legs.

Ash turned onto the gravel driveway of Reggie's house, slowing his pace to a mere jog. Dawn's eyes lowered and her ears burned as she noticed an obvious detail on his body.

Ash wasn't wearing a shirt.

The Trainer crossed into Reggie's backyard, headed for the singular tree at a leisurely jog. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Wartortle followed him to the tree, coming to a stop once they got underneath the shade of the tree's leaves.

"Okay, everyone, we're done." Ash said as he breathed in the fresh air.

Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Wartortle all collapsed to the ground as one, collectively groaning and rolling around in the grass. Ash laughed, "C'mon, guys, that wasn't so bad. I took it easy today, we only ran 6 miles."

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu complained, _"Pika-chu-pi-Pika, Pika-chu…"_

" _Saur! Bul-ba…saur!"_

"All right, I'll warn you guys how far we're going next time." Ash conceded. He glanced up at the tree branch above him, seemed to think for a second, and then leaped into the air, clasping his hands around the tough branch of the tree. The branch didn't waver, supporting his weight well enough that he could pull himself up into a chin-up. Reggie's Staraptor watched from a nearby branch with silent curiosity as the Trainer repeated the chin-up reps over and over.

Dawn watched too, but with a much more different emotion. Her eyes wandered aimlessly around Ash's body, picking out every detail of his raw muscles. Muscles all over his body churned with his every move. It was, surprisingly, the first time she'd ever seen Ash without a shirt, and it was a wonder to behold. To her, Ash was—for lack of a better word—hot.

Ash finished his set of pull-ups, crunching the grass beneath his feet as he dropped from the tree branch. The three Pokémon he'd brought along with him had reluctantly crawled back onto their feet and walked with the Trainer back to Reggie's back porch. Dawn hardly even registered that he was moving toward her, continuing to explore the sight of him from afar. As he reached conversational distance, her mind's eye went into overdrive, creating her own little world.

 _Ash stepped up the steps onto the porch, grinning devilishly at Dawn. His torso was gleaming with sweat, but his hair was relentlessly perfect. A shock of static tickled her as Ash surged closer to her, a sensual smirk on his face. He brought out a hand, placing it on her hip and then snaking it along the small of her back. His touch sent another wave of static through her, tingling her entire body. Yet she remained still._

 _Without hesitation, Ash took his other hand and raised it to the side of Dawn's head, pushing some of the long blue hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. His hand lightly clutched in that spot and Dawn's breath silently hitched. And then, finally, he moved to make her wildest dream come true. Their heads turned at a small angle and their lips gently touched together, the hunger of desire building up in Dawn's stomach._

 _Despite the overwhelming sensuality of the scene, they never went any further, gently moving their lips in perfect sync. She took in the taste of his lips, as did he. Dawn's left hand found its way to his abs, lightly feeling the raw muscle of his flat stomach._

 _After what felt like an eternity, they pulled apart, still remaining breathtakingly close. Dawn was frozen in what had just happened for a moment as he held his devilishly handsome smirk, until she finally squeaked out words._

" _Ash…"_

"Dawn. Dawn!"

Dawn's head reeled as the dream brought about by her mind's eye collapsed, destroying that ultra-desirable moment forever and whisking her back to the real world. Instead of right in front of her, warmly embracing her, Ash was standing in the yard, at the bottom of the concrete steps that led up to the perch.

"What? What?" Dawn stammered, completely unsure of where she really was. Her vision blurred for a moment and she recognized that what had just happened had only been a cruel trick from her own mind, and she silently cursed it.

"You zoned out for a second there." Ash said, gesturing to her eyes, "You okay?"

"Oh, um…yeah." Dawn lied, "Just uh…tired. It's early."

"Yeah, it is. You usually aren't up at this time." Ash said.

"I woke up a little earlier. You and Paul weren't as quiet leaving as you thought you were."

"Oh. My bad."

"No, no, it's fine. I should be waking up earlier anyway, y'know? Grab the day by the horns." Dawn joked, "You're back early too though, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I had a short day today, wanna have some energy left for Maylene. I'm not using any of these guys for the battle so I let them tag along." Ash explained, "After breakfast I'm gonna get in some last-minute training. Is Reggie here?"

"Yeah. He's actually making breakfast right now."

"Oh, okay. I'm going to go get a shower then, and maybe I'll help him out." Ash decided, "See ya, Dawn."

Ash walked up the steps onto the porch, as shirtless as he was in Dawn's little daydream. Except, he didn't move over towards her. Instead, Ash silently opened the screen door and walked inside, closely followed by Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Wartortle, leaving Dawn alone on the porch once again.

Dawn whistled to herself, exhaling a copious amount of air as she sighed with relief. It wasn't the first "dream" she'd had of Ash, and she was certain it wasn't going to be the last.

"Crushes suck." She muttered, before walking out into the yard to check on her Pokémon.

* * *

"So, Ash, have you decided which Pokémon you'll be using against Maylene?" Corey asked with anticipation.

Ash, Dawn, and Corey were waiting in line at a lunch buffet in the early afternoon. The youngster stood in between his two older traveling companions, and Eevee sat squarely on top of his head, comfortably dozing off.

"Actually I have. I'm hoping it's a good battle."

"Really? Can you tell me which ones?" Corey piped up hopefully.

"Eh, sorry, Corey. That would ruin the fun." Ash smiled, "You'll find out soon enough."

Ash reached forward and grabbed three pristinely buttered rolls of bread, slapping them onto his plate and then moving to grab some choice meats and vegetables. Lunch had turned into his biggest meal of the day, and he went all-out as often as he could. Today, he'd grabbed a steak, a clean cut of ham, green beans, and corn to go with his bread rolls; a hearty meal without a doubt.

Ash left the line to claim a table as Corey and Dawn filled their plates. The restaurant was only at about half capacity, giving Ash plenty of options. He quickly settled on a semicircular booth that would fit four people, wanting the elbowroom that the booth would provide.

Ash plopped into the booth, with Dawn and Corey showing up not a minute later. The two teenagers sat on the ends of the booth, while Corey was sandwiched in between them but had enough room to compensate his entire wingspan. The companions talked as they ate for a few minutes, but the conversations were mostly just noise. Ash had virtually torn apart his steak and was munching on green beans when he saw a certain passerby walking through the restaurant.

Ash immediately dropped everything and shot out of the booth, running over to the figure. Dawn and Corey zipped their heads to see where he was going.

"Ash?" Dawn asked, but she silenced as soon as she recognized the person Ash was running after. Ash reached the person and tapped him on the shoulder. The young man had spiky auburn hair, and as he turned around his dark viridian eyes widened. The Pokémon researcher and former rival of Ash Ketchum immediately set down his tray of food on the corner of an empty table and quickly engaged in an enthusiastic man-hug, adding a slap on the Pokémon Trainer's back.

"Uh, Dawn? Who is that?" Corey asked.

"That's Gary. He's one of Ash's oldest friends." Dawn said quickly. Her heart warmed at the sight of the two friends. They talked enthusiastically until Ash brought Gary over to their booth. Dawn got out of her seat and briefly hugged Gary in greeting.

"Hiya, Dawn. Good to see you again," Gary said, "Who's the tyke?"

Corey frowned, but replaced the look with his usual kiddy smile, "I'm Corey! I'm twelve years old!"

"Twelve, huh? I tell ya, you sure don't look it!" Gary said, "Remember when we were that age, Ashy-boy?"

"Feels like a long time ago, doesn't it? You're getting old, Gary." Ash teased.

"Now you listen here, just 'cause I retired from trainin' doesn't make me old!" Gary complained, giving Ash a playful shove.

The two friends laughed heartily and Dawn gave a cough, "So, Gary, what are you doing here in Veilstone City? Professor Rowan said you were in the Battle Zone."

"Ah, I've been in the Battle Zone for several months now, but the Professor asked me to come down here for a bit. He's a little worried about some stuff." Gary explained.

"Worried? What about?" Ash asked.

"Well, there have been some incidents up there recently. I hung around the Survival Area most of the time, but I made a lot of trips up to Stark Mountain to study the unusual Mega Signatures in the area. On more than one occasion, I spotted some goons with Team Rocket up there."

"Team Rocket? What would they be doing in the Battle Zone?"

"I don't know, I steered clear of 'em, but one time I was up there I saw them lugging off some Mega Stones, of all things. Rowan asked me to come to Veilstone City and ah…keep an eye out, if you will." Gary said. Immediately, Ash got the notion that Gary wasn't telling 100% of the truth, but he shrugged it off.

"Well, Ash has a battle against the Veilstone Gym Leader today." Dawn said.

"Yeah, I'm challenging all the Gym Leaders again before I enter the Sinnoh League." Ash concurred, "Hey, Gary, you should come watch!"

"You mean, watch your battle? Well, I don't know…" Gary started, thinking for a moment, "Well, maybe I can take a break and watch. You better make it a good one, though, ya hear?"

"I'll try not to disappoint." Ash smiled. He sat back down in the booth, shifting over so that Gary could join them, and they resumed eating once again.

* * *

The bleachers of the Veilstone Gym were probably more packed than they'd ever been, and there wasn't even a large crowd; only five people in all. On the lower row sat Dawn, Corey, and Gary, while Paul and Reggie occupied the row above them. Dawn was tinkering with a tablet, which Gary had lent to her for the time being.

"This thing is really cool, Gary! What's it called?"

"They call that thing a PokéPad." Gary explained, "I got it for free when I started working for Rowan, but you can get one at the Department Store. You won't find them in regular Poké Marts."

Dawn tapped the touch screen of the tablet a few more times and then Brock's face appeared on the screen, giving a live camera feed.

"Hi, Brock!" Dawn said gleefully, "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Dawn! Where's Gary?"

"He's right here!" Dawn said, turning the tablet so that Gary was now on the camera feed.

"Hey there, Brock-o. How you been? I hear you're in Sinnoh too."

"That's right. Interning at the Eterna City Pokémon Center for a few months." Brock said.

"That's what Dawn told me. I'll have to drop by there soon. I could get some of my research done too, since Celestic Town's right over the mountain. I'll have to ask Rowan."

Dawn had aimlessly mentioned just a few moments earlier that she wished Brock were present to watch the battle. Gary had responded by pulling out the PokéPad and showing off the built-in videophone feature, allowing Dawn to call Brock. Brock had finished his day interning at the Center (it was now 5:00 in the evening) and had eagerly agreed to the idea upon picking up, making Ash's audience six. Dawn took a quick glance around the present group, and smiled gleefully. It felt much better than watching the battles from the sideline alone, like she had done in Oreburgh and Hearthome. With a total of six people watching his battle, Ash effectively had the beginnings of his own fan club in the stands.

Down on the field, Ash and Maylene took their places in the battle boxes.

"I've been waiting all day for this, Ash." Maylene said.

"You and me both, Maylene! I promise, I won't be taking it easy."

"I wouldn't expect you to. You can expect the same from me!"

" _The battle between Maylene the Gym Leader and Ash the challenger is about to begin! Each Trainer will use three Pokémon and the battle will be over when all of a single Trainer's Pokémon are defeated! Furthermore, both Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon! Now, are both competitors ready?"_ the referee called, and after he got an affirmative response from both, he shouted at the top of his lungs, _"Battle begin!"_

" _Machamp, I need your help!"_

" _Swellow, I choose you!"_

Machamp and Swellow broke free from their airborne capsules, the former shaking the ground with its landing while the latter hovered above the dirt. Swellow crowed a battle cry, the only noise immediately thereafter being the light thumping of its wings.

"Swellow, use Quick Attack!"

Swellow raced forward at high speed, folding its wings back to protect them. Machamp waited still, as did Maylene, as the flying-type closed the gap between them at a breakneck pace. The Swallow Pokémon curved upward and nicked Machamp in the shoulder, moving to fly over the fighting-type and escape.

"Machamp, grab!"

Machamp quickly rotated its body and grabbed onto Swellow's wings with two of its four hands, stopping the bird in mid-air. Swellow squawked with surprise and Maylene called out enthusiastically, "Now, use Vital Throw!"

Machamp tightened its grip on Swellow's wings, spinning its body the opposite direction and bringing the flying-type with it. The Superpower Pokémon turned in a full 360 and then launched Swellow with a powerful throw, sending the Swallow Pokémon into the ground. Swellow quickly recovered and leapt back into the air, screeching discontentedly.

"That's okay, Swellow! Let's use Aerial Ace!"

Swellow advanced with another burst of speed, this time forming a cone of energy around its front side as it raced toward Machamp. The four-armed fighting-type waited still again, and Maylene quickly called out for a counter.

"Machamp, use Cross Chop!"

The fighting-type brought its two lower arms together in an 'X' and quickly threw them out, sending out an energy toward the oncoming Swellow. Ash called, "Swellow, dodge!" and the flying-type barrel rolled out of the way. "Now use Wing Attack!" Swellow whirled around to Machamp's back and unleashed two glowing wings, hitting with a force strong enough to send the bulky Pokémon stumbling forward.

"Now, Aerial Ace!"

Swellow sped forward with a second Aerial Ace attack, hitting Machamp in the back while it was mid-stumble. The fighting-type tumbled to the ground with a heavy _thud_ and Swellow emitted a piercing screech. Machamp pushed itself up with two of its arms and then turned around to glare at Swellow, punching its two upper fists together in a show of force.

"Machamp, use Revenge!"

Machamp thundered forward toward the Swallow Pokémon. Ash quickly called out to Swellow and the flying-type dodged out of Machamp's path. The Superpower Pokémon skidded to a stop with remarkable speed, turning its body and leaping after the fleeing Swellow. Machamp just managed to grab at Swellow's short, bony legs, and with a swift move the fighting-type dragged Swellow into the ground, beating it against the dirt without any regard for mercy.

Machamp climbed atop the downed flying-type and dealt a brutal slug to the side of its head, throwing Swellow for a loop. Desperately, Ash howled as loud as he could, reaching Swellow's ears as he called for their most powerful attack.

" _Swellow, use Brave Bird!"_

Swellow's head shot up off of the ground and a fire burned in the Swallow Pokémon's eyes. That fire spread around its body in an instant and Swellow fought back against Machamp, knocking the Superpower Pokémon off of its balance and freeing a window for it to fly up into the air. Swellow escaped with ease, speeding toward the ceiling and flying away from Machamp before hooking around and heading at a slanted angle back toward its foe. Swellow flew forward and a flaming aura of power formed around its body, glowing a brilliant blue as Swellow spread out its impressive wings.

" _Swelllllllllllll…"_ Swellow screeched as it closed the gap in record time, sealing Machamp's fate, _"Low!"_

Swellow crashed into Machamp at full speed, generating a powerful explosion that sent Machamp flying backward like a sack of potatoes. Swellow thrust upward and flew out of the pillar of smoke that its attack had formed, its wings glittering with the blue sparks of Brave Bird's recoil damage.

Machamp was slumped into the ground, its four arms splayed out aimlessly and its eyes marked by swirls. Swellow looped around and landed in front of Ash, squawking victoriously.

" _Machamp is unable to battle! The winner is Swellow!"_

"Yeah! Great job, Swellow!" Ash praised. Swellow spread open its wings and acknowledged the praise with another squawk.

"Machamp, return!" Maylene called, sucking the Superpower Pokémon back into its Poké Ball, "You were great, Machamp. There was nothing else we could do." Maylene tucked the Poké Ball onto her belt as she called out to Ash from across the field, "I'm impressed, Ash! Your Swellow is strong!"

"Thanks, Maylene! Swellow and I have been through a lot together, and there's no challenge we can't tackle!"

Maylene snorted, "'Course, Machamp is a pure fighting-type, so it's tough to get a level field against a flying-type. But my next Pokémon is more than just a pure fighter, as you'll soon find out the hard way."

Ash grinned wickedly, "Bring it on, Maylene. Right, Swellow?"

" _Low!"_

Maylene smirked, unhooking her second Poké Ball and quickly calling out the Pokémon, _"Medicham, you're up!"_

The Meditate Pokémon spawned from the capsule, chattering as it fell to the ground and readied itself. The fighting/psychic-type moved to balance on one of its legs, standing perfectly still and demonstrating absurd balance.

"Going with a part psychic-type, huh? We can take this!" Ash boasted, "Swellow, use Aerial Ace!"

Swellow lunged into the air, flying in a circle before speeding toward Medicham. The Meditate Pokémon remained steadily balanced, watching its advancing opponent its round eyes.

"Medicham, use High Jump Kick." Maylene said quietly, her tone low enough to escape the ears of Ash or his advancing flying-type.

Medicham set down its hovering foot and sauntered forward, almost dancing as it went. Swellow focused as Medicham walked closer and then sped up, walking right into the trap. Medicham suddenly leaped at an upward angle, bringing up one of its knees. The plate on its knee struck Swellow perfectly under the chin, stopping the Aerial Ace cold and sending unspeakable pain through the flying-type's head. Swellow shrieked and drifted upward, falling back quickly and thumping onto the ground. Medicham quickly balanced on one leg again and Swellow dutifully climbed back to its feet, nursing its chin with concern.

"Swellow, are you all right?" Ash shouted with concern.

" _Wellow…"_

" _That can't have felt good."_ Brock commented from the PokéPad screen.

"Ash is as headstrong as ever." Gary concurred, "Medicham's a whole different animal than Machamp, and it has a completely different battling style. My bet is that Swellow won't be able to take another attack like that, no matter how resilient it may be. Type advantages aren't everything."

Dawn frowned, and the rest of the group remained dreadfully silent. It was too early to call any shots, but Gary's analysis was right. Swellow was visibly in quite a bit of pain, but after gently rubbing its chin, the flying-type fell back into a battle stance, the adrenaline pumping through it dulling the severity of the pain.

"Medicham, use Calm Mind." Maylene ordered. Medicham purred and closed its eyes, its body glowing for an instant as it balanced. The glow quickly disappeared and Medicham opened its eyes, seemingly gaining nothing from the attack. Ash, though, was smarter than that.

"Medicham's special attack and special defense levels just got a boost. Maylene's gotta be planning to use some distance attacks." Ash mused, "Swellow, let's get in close and try to bait her."

Swellow obeyed, flying at a steady pace and stopping once it had roughly halved the distance between it and the Meditate Pokémon. Medicham squinted at Swellow and the two Pokémon waited, the former balancing on one foot and the latter keeping itself airborne with the repeated flapping of its wings.

Finally, Maylene broke, taking the offensive. "Medicham, Ice Punch!"

Medicham surged forward with remarkable speed. Ash quickly shouted for Swellow to dodge the attack, and the flying-type narrowly rolled out of the way. Medicham and a significantly cold aura whizzed by Swellow's body, and the Meditate Pokémon stumbled as its target escaped it.

"Peck!"

Swellow attached to Medicham's back as the Pokémon stumbled, and its beak became longer as it glowed white. Swellow reared back its head and delivered five powerful pecks to the fighting-type's back, quickly disengaging and flying away as Medicham fell to the ground. Medicham beat its fist into the dirt once and then stood back up, glaring up at Swellow. The half-psychic-type was visibly upset that it had lost its rhythmic balance, and Swellow rudely taunted Medicham from the safety of the air.

"Medicham, use High Jump Kick!"

Medicham launched itself into the air, bringing up its plated knee as it soared. Swellow easily dodged out of the way and Medicham fell at the mercy of gravity, tumbling straight into the ground and landing awkwardly. The Meditate Pokémon looked visibly hurt, and Ash called for Swellow to use Aerial Ace.

"Medicham, Confusion!"

Medicham whirled around and threw out its hand toward the quickly advancing Swellow. The Meditate Pokémon's eyes glowed red and with a swift throw of its hand Swellow was knocked out of the air by an unseen force, driving it into the ground unceremoniously.

"Now quick, use Ice Punch!"

"Ack! Swellow, get outta there!"

Medicham had already lunged toward Swellow when the flying-type looked up to see just what was the matter. The flying-type was virtually defenseless, and as Medicham got too close to be dodged, Swellow brought up its wings in an attempt to shield itself. Medicham buried a frozen fist into the flying-type's wings, hitting with enough force to hurt the rest of Swellow's body. The freezing aura spread around the immediate area of Swellow's wings and the flying-type stumbled backward, shaking from the attack. The flying-type looked back toward Medicham, opening its beak to squawk, and tried its best to stand its ground. Unfortunately, its legs wavered, and the Swallow Pokémon crumpled to the ground, defeated.

" _Swellow is unable to battle! The winner is Medicham!"_

"Darn…" Ash grumbled, pulling out Swellow's Poké Ball, "Swellow, return!"

Ash glanced at the Poké Ball, smiling, "Swellow, you were awesome out there, really!" he said to the silent capsule, "I'm real proud of you. Now, have a nice rest." The Trainer tucked the capsule onto his belt and grabbed his second Pokémon.

" _Butterfree, I choose you!"_

Butterfree buzzed happily as it was freed from the Poké Ball. The bug-type eagerly flapped its beautiful wings, stretching its body as it took in the surroundings of the Gym. After a few seconds, Butterfree's big red eyes zeroed in on Medicham, and the Butterfly Pokémon tensed its body in anticipation.

"It's been awhile since we've battled a Gym Leader, huh, buddy?" Ash called to Butterfree, "You ready for this?"

" _Free!"_

"All right! Butterfree, use Aerial Ace!"

Butterfree tucked its head and zoomed forward, a speedy aura forming around its body. Medicham readied its legs as Maylene called out for the inevitable counter.

"I don't think they've learned. Medicham, use High Jump Kick!"

Medicham vaulted into the air, bringing up its heavy knee to meet Butterfree. Ash, however, had other plans.

"Dodge it!"

Butterfree barrel rolled out of the way, corkscrewing around so that it was right at Medicham's back. Ash and Butterfree had worked on this particular dodge move for months now, and seeing it in person felt like a stroke of pure genius.

"Bug Bite!"

Butterfree crunched its small jaws down on the back of Medicham's neck, holding on like a crocodile as Medicham flailed about in reaction, _"Chammmm!"_ Medicham fell out of the air flailing about, and Butterfree eagerly let go of the fighting-type's neck and allowed Medicham to fall the rest of the distance and into the ground. A great dust cloud went up and surrounded the fighting-type as it recovered from its painful landing, shielding the Meditate Pokémon from view.

"Medicham, use Confusion!"

A sudden telekinetic force went over Butterfree and threw the bug-type to the side of the battlefield. The Butterfly Pokémon lost control of its wings and tumbled to the ground, only narrowly regaining control in time to avoid smacking into the ground. If nothing else, Medicham had an impressive grip on its psychokinetic powers.

Butterfree hovered above the ground at about eye-level with Ash, fluttering about as Medicham stepped forward. The cloud of dust had settled and Medicham balanced once again on one leg. Maylene called for a Calm Mind, and the Meditate Pokémon eagerly began focusing its mind to boost its attacks. When Medicham reopened its eyes, Maylene called for another psychic attack.

"Confusion!"

"Butterfree, use Confusion as well!"

The two blasts of psychic power were almost concussive, colliding and releasing a shock wave of mental power that made Ash's ears pound. Both Pokémon focused with brutal determination, pumping as much as they could into their own respective psychic blasts. What made it even more impressive, though, was that Butterfree was holding its own against Medicham's boosted psychic powers.

Finally, there was another shock wave and the pressure on Ash's head was relieved, indicating that the psychic blasts had cancelled each other out. "Butterfree, quick, use Aerial Ace!"

Butterfree sped ahead and Medicham readied itself. Maylene immediately was unwilling to try and counter with a High Jump Kick, so instead she called for Ice Punch. Medicham froze its fist in gleaming ice as Butterfree quickly closed the gap, and the punch was swiftly thrown forward. Butterfree tucked in its wings as a meager defense and collided with Medicham, taking the Ice Punch attack but pressing forward regardless. Medicham was barreled over and Butterfree hooked back through the air, returning to Ash's side. On the way, Butterfree suddenly seemed weighed down, and the bug-type fell from the sky with little control. Butterfree thumped down on the ground, but sustained little injury as it stood back up on its feet. The real damage, though, was elsewhere.

" _Free!"_ Butterfree complained, trying to flap its wings. Crystals of ice littered the bug-type's wings, the partial freezing making it difficult to fly.

"Oh no, your wings are frozen…" Ash bemoaned, "Do you think you can still battle?"

" _Free! Butter-free!"_

"All right, we'll keep going, but you tell me if it's hurting you, okay?"

" _Free…"_

"Medicham, use Confusion!"

"Butterfree, you too!"

Butterfree remained in place and fired off a concussive psychic blast of its own, once again crashing its attack with Medicham's. The effects of the colliding blasts were almost psychedelic on the audience of people watching the battle, and neither Pokémon showed signs of letting up. Butterfree focused, its brain pounding heavily.

"Butterfree, I know you can do it!" Ash howled, "I believe in you, buddy!"

Butterfree heard the words and was immediately inspired to put even more effort into the attack. The bug-type amped up the force on the psychic blast, forcing Medicham to do the same. The Meditate Pokémon was visibly struggling, though, as its injuries from fighting two Pokémon and more than one failed High Jump Kick had begun to add up. Its mind became worn out and little by little, the Confusion attack that it had been projecting began to falter, until the whole attack suddenly shattered and exposed it.

Butterfree felt Medicham's focus break, and with no roadblock preventing it from attacking, the bug-type put all of its power into the blast, overwhelming Medicham and manipulating its body. Medicham was unwillingly lifted up, and Butterfree threw the fighting-type back with as much mental force as it could muster.

" _Chaaaaam!"_ Medicham howled as it was thrown back without any control of its body. The fighting-type flailed as it flew and eventually slammed into a wall beyond the battlefield. The thud was bone crunching, and Medicham slumped off of the concrete wall and to the dirt, as fainted as could be.

" _Medicham is unable to battle! The winner is Butterfree!"_

"All right, Butterfree! You did it!" Ash cried. Butterfree smiled thinly; exhausted from the mental strength it had taken to battle Medicham's Confusion attacks. It had been a combination of type advantage and speed that had bested the Meditate Pokémon, and Maylene was now left with one Pokémon.

Butterfree cooed sadly as it glanced at its frozen wings, trying to flap them repeatedly and lift itself into the air, but to no avail. Ash noticed this, and pulled out Butterfree's Poké Ball without hesitation.

"Butterfree, return!"

Butterfree was sapped back into the capsule. Ash smiled at the Ball, whispering, "You really battled hard, Butterfree. You've earned this rest." Ash tucked the Ball back onto his belt and met Maylene's gaze. The two Trainers now had only one unrevealed Pokémon left, though Maylene's choice was virtually inevitable. The Gym Leader unhooked the Poké Ball and tossed it into the air.

" _Lucario, battle stance!"_ Maylene called. A white light was ejected from the capsule, and Lucario stood tall and proud in the dirt an instant later. Ash thought for a moment, wondering if Buizel would want to have another go with Lucario. But, his mind quickly shifted to type advantages. If Buizel were to faint against Lucario, Ash would be stuck calling on Butterfree, who would still be suffering from the ice in its wings. With this in mind, Ash selected a particular Poké Ball, calling on a Pokémon that hadn't gotten the chance to see much action since his arrival in Sinnoh.

" _Quilava, I choose you!"_

Quilava materialized from the Poké Ball on all fours, barking proudly and flaring up the flames on its head and backside. The Volcano Pokémon zeroed in on Lucario, growling at the bipedal Aura Pokémon and powering up its flames again, this time as a challenge.

"Quilava, let's start with Flamethrower!"

Quilava readied itself and then sprayed a jet stream of hot flames at Lucario. The Aura Pokémon stood still until Maylene called for a dodge. From there, Lucario zipped to the side, avoiding the scorching Flamethrower and getting a clear shot at Quilava.

"Aura Sphere!"

Lucario made quick work of charging up the Aura Sphere and sending it flying. Quilava turned its head to see its opponent, but was quickly met with the powerful ball of energy and knocked back. The Volcano Pokémon shook off the hit and growled. The chase was on!

"Quilava, get close with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava barked and dove forward, creating a wheel of sparking flames around its body and sprinting toward Lucario. The Aura Pokémon clenched its fists and readied itself for the battle.

"Lucario, dodge and use Bone Rush!"

Lucario shifted out of Flame Wheel's immediate path and immediately conjured a rod of energy, sweeping it into the ground as Quilava sped through. The move succeeded in tripping up the fire-type, and the Flame Wheel collapsed as Quilava briefly flew before hitting the ground hard.

"Now, Lucario, attack!"

Lucario rushed forward, still carrying the rod of energy that was Bone Rush in one hand. Quilava staggered to its feet and spotted Lucario charging toward it, and Ash called out loudly, "Use Eruption!" Quilava quickly lowered its head so that its head flames pointed toward Lucario. Without warning, a plume of fire and lava shot out directly at the fighting/steel-type, crashing with brute force into its body and driving the Pokémon away and into the ground.

"Awesome job, Quilava!" Ash called, "Now, use Aerial Ace!"

Quilava jumped into the air and the flames on its body flared up. White streaks of light wrapped around the fire-type's body and kept it in the air as it tore its way forward.

"What the—? Quilava's flying?" Paul said. It was the first time he'd spoken up since the battle began, and his face was unsurprisingly marked by a stunned expression, "Just how is it able to learn Aerial Ace?"

"Beats me." Gary offered with a shrug, "Ash is a special Pokémon Trainer."

" _In any case, it's not going to do much."_ Brock said from the live feed on the PokéPad, _"Lucario is both fighting_ and _steel-type, giving him a huge resistance to flying-type moves."_

"Then, just what is Ash doing even going with that move?" Dawn wondered aloud.

Just as Brock had predicted, Quilava's Aerial Ace had virtually no effect. Lucario stood his ground, the only motion in its body as it took the Aerial Ace attack being the shifting of its feet to absorb the blow.

"Perfect, now, use Force Palm!"

" _Flamethrower!"_

Just as Lucario threw forth its right hand and delivered a powerful Force Palm, Quilava spat a stream of fire at point-blank range. The fire-type's attack was short-lived, and Quilava was thrown away as the Force Palm buried into its chest. The flames from the Flamethrower attack, though, circled around Lucario's body in the form of embers.

A red-orange flame shot up from the ground around Lucario's form for an instant, indicating that it was burned. _"Car!"_ the Aura Pokémon cried before collapsing to one knee. Lucario glanced at its upper left arm, finding a searing red gash branding its fur. Lucario then glared at the recovering Quilava. The pesky fire-type had taken a gamble, and it had paid off quite well, even if the Force Palm it had endured hadn't been the kindest of blows.

"So, Ash wanted to get close and try to inflict Lucario with a burn." Dawn observed.

"A dangerous move." Reggie said, "Lucario's burned, but that Force Palm was no joke, and Ash won't want to bank on lucky moves like that."

Back on the field, Maylene called out to Lucario, "Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" The fighting-type summoned a sphere of energy, barely managing to ignore the searing pain its arm. Lucario sent the sphere flying out toward Quilava, but the Volcano Pokémon easily dodged it and heeded Ash's command for a Flame Wheel.

"Lucario, Metal Claw!"

Lucario sidestepped Quilava's Flame Wheel a second time, this time directly attacking the wheel of fire in a narrow, split-second window. The fighting-type brandished hidden claws of steel and tore into Quilava's side, instantly disintegrating the Flame Wheel as he buried the claws into the fire-type.

" _Lav!"_ Quilava howled as Lucario went in for a second attack. The steel claws ripped into Quilava's fur and skin, doing well to injure him and send the fire-type rolling away. Quilava heaved while laying on his side, spitting in the dirt and huffing. In the stands, Dawn frowned worriedly. Reggie had been right; Ash had taken a big risk, and even though Lucario was suffering from a burn, Quilava wasn't looking too good. The Aura Pokémon had plenty of power to spare.

"Lucario, let's put this one in the books!" Maylene called, "Use Force Palm!"

Lucario hopped toward to the wounded Quilava, power-packed energy forming in its outstretched palm. Quilava still lay on the ground, swallowing as Lucario came near.

" _Quilava, Counter-Shield!"_

Quilava chattered and then spun its body on the ground, kicking up dirt. An instant later, scorching hot flames came flying from its mouth, spinning in a dangerous vortex. Lucario recoiled from the blast, bringing up its usable arm and managing to escape the reach of the spinning flames. Quilava stopped spewing fire and scrambled to its feet, a new energy filling its body. The Volcano Pokémon barked and thundered forward. A blinding white light ripped out into existence behind Quilava's footfalls, powering the fire-type forward.

"Quick Attack?" Dawn cocked her head.

A cone of volatile energy formed in front of Quilava, almost like a shield of light. _"No, not Quick Attack…"_ Brock started.

"That's Double-Edge!" Gary gasped.

Quilava rammed into Lucario at full force, hitting with such strength that the taller fighting-type Pokémon flew in the air and crashed into the dirt, rolling over itself several times before finally coming to a stop.

"Hmpf, classic Ash." Paul remarked, "Always gets the luck of the draw." The group could only silently agree, as the battle below reached a fever pitch.

" _Quil!"_ Quilava boasted, before an aura of damaging energy crackled to life around its body: the side effect of Double-Edge.

"Quilava, awesome! You learned Double-Edge!" Ash praised.

" _Lav!"_

Maylene gritted her teeth. The battle had just begun to go her way, too. "Lucario, use Bone Rush!"

"Flame Wheel!"

Lucario and Quilava quickly advanced on each other, the former with a rod of glowing energy and the latter in a circle of fire. Lucario suddenly skidded to a stop and reared back the Bone Rush rod, swinging it forward at full force.

"Jump!" Ash howled. The Flame Wheel hopped into the air, and the Bone Rush collided only with the bottom of the wheel. Quilava sped on past and tore its way out of the Flame Wheel, turning to face Lucario's back. Quilava spat a Flamethrower on Ash's command, but Maylene shouted to Lucario to block the attack. The fighting-type whirled around and skillfully spun the Bone Rush rod, creating a cone of wind in front of it that just managed to fight off the Flamethrower.

Unfortunately, Ash called for a Double-Edge next, and the instant the flames went away the Volcano Pokémon smashed into Lucario, sending the fighting-type into the dirt. Quilava landed and sped along to Ash's side of the field, enduring the damaging aura of Double-Edge's aftereffects. The Volcano Pokémon whirled around as it came to a stop, seeing Lucario staggering up from the ground.

Lucario crawled up to one knee, glancing up at the shifty fire-type at the end of the battlefield. The Aura Pokémon heaved, gritting its teeth and trying to muster the energy to stand back up. A flash of flame ripped up along its body, taking away the fighting-type's breath when it had just regained it. The searing in its arm became more and more painful, until finally, Lucario understood that it had no more energy left to fight, and collapsed to the ground.

" _Lucario is unable to battle. The winner is Quilava, which means the victory goes to Ash the challenger!"_

" _Qui-lava!"_

"You did it, Quilava!" Ash cried. Quilava turned and ran toward Ash, standing up on its hind legs when it reached the Trainer. Ash squatted down and met Quilava at eye-level, scratching the fire-type's cream-colored chin. "You learned Double-Edge at the perfect time, too! I don't know what would've happened without it."

" _Lav!"_

Down at the center of the field, Maylene consoled Lucario, moving quickly to bind the burn on his arm with a bandage. "You were great, Lucario." Maylene said, "We'll get you to a Pokémon Center real soon, okay?"

" _Luc."_ The Aura Pokémon grumbled. Maylene smiled and stroked the fighting-type's head before sapping him back into the Poké Ball.

Maylene trotted over to the bleachers, where Ash celebrated his win with his friends. Paul seemed to isolate himself from the group, standing silently a row above the rest while Ash chatted proudly with Dawn, Gary, and Brock. Reggie stepped down from the bleachers to greet Maylene with a hug, and the Gym Leader formally congratulated Ash.

"Thanks, Maylene." Ash said, "But it wasn't me. My Pokémon did all of the work."

"Not true, Ash! Both you and your Pokémon have grown beyond measure since the last time you were here. I'm proud to say that I was defeated by such a worthy challenger." Maylene said.

Ash nervously scratched the back of his head with a chuckle. Brock soon said his goodbyes from the PokéPad's videophone and the feed cut out. Reggie spoke up next.

"So, how about we all go grab some grub? I don't really feel like cooking for this big of a group again." Reggie offered, chuckling at the end.

"Food sounds great!" Ash declared, immediately beginning to run up the stairs of the bleachers. Paul watched him run and snorted, saying nothing.

"As much as he's changed, he also hasn't really changed, y'know?" Dawn said with a laugh.

"…We should go after him, before he gets lost in the city." Gary decided, "He still hasn't realized that we're still standing here." Indeed, Ash was running away from the battlefield completely, blissfully unaware that he was by himself.

"Good idea." Paul suddenly said, before turning around and walking up the steps. The others exchanged a glance, before heading up after Paul to catch up to Ash.

* * *

Night had fallen on Veilstone City. There were still some people moving around the city blocks on this weekday night, but the real action was happening deep within the huge Veilstone Museum.

Mercury stood watch while his underlings worked on extracting the Spear Key _without_ setting off the alarms. He ran through the plan in his head dozens of times as he waited: steal the Spear Key, plant the fake, get out of the museum, call the helicopters, and get to Meteorite Park to rendezvous with Jessie, James, and Meowth. The helicopters would arrive above the park and drop rope ladders for the crooks to climb up and escape. If everything went according to plan, no one would even know that they were there until the helicopters arrived, and by then, it would be too late to interfere.

"Psst! What's taking so long?" Mercury hissed quietly, "You should be done by now!"

"Sorry, sir! We're almost done unscrewing the case." A nameless Grunt hissed back, "We'll be out in a jiffy!"

"You'd better be! If we get caught, I'll have all of your skins!"

" _Hey! What are you doing?"_

Mercury paled and looked back down the hall he'd been watching an instant earlier. A guard clothed in a light brown uniform walked toward him, pointing a blinding flashlight at him. Mercury brought up one of his large hands to block out the light, and he squinted to see the guard, who quickly cleared the distance and stood face-to-face with Mercury.

Or, more precisely, face-to-chest. The Rocket dwarfed the security guard, holding more than half a foot and an untold number of pounds over him. Regardless, the security guard glowered at the stranger.

"Just doing a checkup on the Hall of Natural History. I've a colleague doing a sweep." Mercury lied.

"I already checked the Hall of Natural History, it's fine." The security guard rebutted. He squinted a little more hostilely at Mercury, "Where's your card, man? I don't recognize you. Is this your first night?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, first night on the job. Let me find my card." Mercury continued, pulling out his wallet and pretending to fish for a museum ID card, _"No, that's not it."_ He mumbled, before finally settling on his actual ID card. "I haven't gotten a museum card yet, they told me I'd get one tomorrow morning after I made it through the night."

The security guard took the ID card and looked over it, holding the card up next to the huge man's face to match the two faces up. "I see. And your name is—"

"Mercury, sir! We've got it!" called the Grunt. He and two fellow Grunts popped out of the Hall of Natural History. The Grunt who had called out held the golden cube in his hand, smiling and waving it at Mercury. Then, he noticed the guard.

"What the—" the guard stammered, taking a step back and shining the bright light on the Grunts. He spotted the golden cube and howled, _"Thieves!"_

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Mercury groaned. Then, with stunning speed and no warning, Mercury whirled and threw a fist into the security's guard stomach. The punch knocked the wind out of the guard, and without any holdup Mercury then socked the guard in the face with his other fist. The guard thumped to the ground, and his flashlight hit the tile with a deafening clatter. Mercury whirled around with a face redder than a rose.

"Damn you, man! Could you not see there was a guard?" Mercury shouted, "I should strangle you to death right now!"

" _Hey! You hear that? Something's up!"_

"Fuck, now the other guards are coming." Mercury grumbled. Right on cue, three guards, each armed with their own blinding flashlight, whirled around the corner down the hall. They each aimed their lights at the crooks, and panic went over their faces.

"Thieves!" one of the guards howled, "Get them!"

" _Go!"_ Mercury roared at the three Grunts. They booked it down an adjacent hall, and the mountainous Mercury stooped down to snatch his normal ID card from the unconscious guard's hand. He couldn't afford to have his real identity get out. With the card reclaimed, Mercury booked it after the three Grunts as two of the security guards came after them. The huge man sprinted off, and the guards came to a stop. One of them quickly pulled out his walkie-talkie.

" _We've got thieves coming out of the Hall of Natural History!"_ he barked into the radio, _"Sound the alarms, and block the exits! We_ will not _let them get away!"_


	40. The Spear Key

**This is the 40th chapter, guys. Seriously. I can't believe it either. Thanks so much to everybody who's made this story worth writing. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Anyway, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 40_

 _The Spear Key_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Veilstone City**_

"There's no way that happened."

"Sure did, Paul." Ash insisted, "You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth."

"You battled _Moltres_ at the top of Mt. Silver." Paul stated.

"Yes. Well, really in a cave underneath the summit."

"And then spotted Ho-Oh at the summit." Paul continued.

"Yep."

Paul snickered and shook his head, "All right, Ash, I'll let you have this one."

The group sat at a large table in the Pokémon Center, happily munching away at assorted meals. Ash, Dawn, and Corey sat in the booth part of the table, while Paul, Reggie, and Maylene sat in the regular chairs across the table. Gary stood leaning against the booth with his plate held in one hand.

"Gary, y'know I can move over if you want to sit down." Ash said.

Gary shook his head and put up a hand, "I'm good, Ash, really. I like standing and eating."

The claim puzzled Ash, but he shrugged and let the topic drop. The group had spent the last hour in the Pokémon Center; most of it spent eating the delicious buffet dinner. This would be the last time they all spent a large amount of time together. Ash and Dawn would be soon headed for Lake Valor once Corey won his Gym Battle with Maylene, while Paul and Reggie remained behind in Veilstone City. As for Gary, there was no telling what he would be doing. He had talked about heading to Celestic Town and Canalave City to study Sinnoh myths, but his plans could always change.

Sometime later, Nurse Joy walked over with Chansey by her side, carrying a tray with six Poké Balls. She said with a bright smile, "Here you are, your Pokémon have rested." Chansey chirped happily and Nurse Joy set down the tray, allowing Ash and Maylene to claim their Pokémon before taking the tray back to the main desk with her.

"So, Gary," Reggie said, "I haven't gotten the chance to ask you this yet. Just what have you been researching for Professor Rowan in the Battle Zone? It's been awhile since I last saw the old man, so I've been wondering what he's up to."

Gary set down his plate on the table, sighing as he took a sip from his soda. "Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any. Professor Rowan has been studying evolution for many years now, right? Well, about a year ago, he met a Pokémon Professor called Sycamore."

"Professor Rowan told us all about this." Dawn added.

"Then you already know about Mega Evolution." Gary asserted. He had a stone-like stare on his face, one that immediately concerned Ash.

"Mega Evolution? Did I hear that right? Just what does that mean?" Paul interrupted, suddenly becoming very interested in the conversation. The teenaged Trainer leaned in as hard as he could on the table, holding Gary's stare for several seconds.

"…Mega Evolution is a phenomenon allowing Pokémon to evolve _past_ their known final forms." Gary explained, "It's a mysterious process, but we've made incredible leaps and bounds recently."

"A Pokémon…evolving further? How?" Paul asked immediately.

"It takes a certain type of natural energy, the origins of which we do not know." Gary said, "All we know is that in ancient times, there was a great war between nations that led to the creation of an…'ultimate weapon', if you will. We don't know who created this weapon, but we do know that just before the end of the war, the weapon was used and discharged a massive energy wave over the entire world."

"Rowan didn't tell us that part…" Ash muttered to Dawn.

"The best we can tell is that the ultimate weapon's energy irradiated natural stones both in the soil and under the sea, infusing them with this Mega Energy. It wasn't until centuries later, though, that the first of these stones was discovered in a faraway Region. The energy inside the stones invokes a power within Pokémon that allows them to temporarily change form, which we call Mega Evolution," Gary explained, "Pokémon that have Mega Evolved have immensely increased powers, but the change can only last for so long before the Pokémon tires out. Not only that, but an exceptionally strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon is required to trigger the evolution."

"So, one would have to find these Mega Stones to cause Mega Evolution." Paul concluded.

"In short, yes." Gary said, "But these stones are exceedingly rare. In the Battle Zone, there is an exceptional amount of Mega Energy that we have detected with satellites. This doesn't lead us directly to Mega Stones, but it implies that they can be found in a certain area. I was sent to the Battle Zone to study this energy, and if possible, obtain Mega Stones to be brought back for research."

"Did you find any?" Maylene asked curiously.

"No, unfortunately. But…there were others who did."

"Others? What do you mean, 'others'?" Paul asked urgently.

"I'm talking about Team Rocket." Gary said, a sharp, almost angry look in his eye, "Somehow or another, they were in the Battle Zone too, particularly on Stark Mountain, where the concentration of Mega Energy is the highest. I never confronted them, but somehow they were able to find Mega Stones while I was not. I reported what I saw to Professor Rowan, and after a few more days, he asked me to come to Veilstone City."

"For what, exactly?" Reggie asked, his face manipulated into a hard stare.

"I…I can't—but the point is we're both worried about it. Team Rocket doesn't exactly have a reputation for being nice people."

"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Ash suddenly said, standing up from his seat in the booth. Immediately, flashing blue and red lights went rushing by the front of the Pokémon Center, blaring sirens accompanying the speeding police cars.

The rest of the group all stood up as the police vanished out of sight. "What was that all about?" Dawn asked.

Suddenly, the TVs hung from the ceiling flickered on, registering an emergency report. A news anchor appeared on the live feed of the TV, holding a stack of papers in his hands and then setting them down on the desk before he started to speak.

" _Hi, I'm Rick Bell with Veilstone City News, and this is an emergency alert. Just moments ago, alarms went off at the Veilstone Museum. Law enforcement has rushed to the scene. All civilians are advised to remain indoors and clear of the scene until the situation has been resolved."_

"Oh no. This is bad." Gary said quickly, "I need to get to the Museum." Gary began to run for the door of the Center.

"What? Why?" Ash shouted.

"No time to explain!" Gary yelled as he threw the door open and bolted down the sidewalk after the police cars.

"Gary!" Ash yelled, but the Pokémon Researcher didn't turn around. Immediately, Ash started going for the door, closely followed by Dawn.

"Dawn, stay here."

"No way, Ash! I go where you go!"

Ash didn't protest, and as the two companions started to leave the Center, the rest of their group followed. "Us too, Ash." Maylene insisted.

"Whatever's up, you and Gary aren't facing it alone." Reggie agreed. Paul and Corey remained silent, giving nothing more than fierce nods.

"Wait!" Nurse Joy called, "You can't go out there! They just asked for everyone to stay inside!"

"Don't worry about us, Nurse Joy, we'll be fine!" Ash said, "We've dealt with things like this before! If people are in danger, they'll need our help!"

Nurse Joy tried to call the group of Trainers back as they each ran out of the Center, but in an instant, they were gone, running down the block for the Veilstone Museum.

* * *

Mercury thundered through the halls of the Veilstone Museum, the Grunts that had come along with him close at heel. The alarms in the expansive museum lit the dark hallways red at quick intervals. In Mercury's hand was a glowing golden cube: the dormant form of the Spear Key.

"If it weren't for your bone-headed ass, we'd have been in and out of here without a sweat!" Mercury snapped at the Grunt who had blown their cover, "Now the place is crawling with guards!"

" _Stop!"_

A security guard came sprinting into the hallway behind the group of Rockets, his torch sending light in every possible direction as it tumbled around in his hand.

"Stop him!" Mercury shouted. One of the three Grunts skidded to a stop and whirled around, calling on a Pokémon in a split second.

"Golbat, use Confuse Ray!"

The wide-mouthed Bat Pokémon burst out of the exploding Poké Ball and immediately emitted a ray of spooky energy. The ray reached the security guard and the man's eyes immediately blanked, the wildest hallucinations stopping his hot pursuit and causing him to stumble like a drunk. The guard quickly slumped to the ground, not moving at all, and the crooks kept up their running.

"Look! The exit's this way!" Mercury shouted, pointing to an overhead sign labeled 'EXIT' with an arrow pointing to the left. The crooks hugged the corner and ended up in the large main hallway of the museum. Half a dozen doors were at the far end of the corridor, a kaleidoscope of lights seeping in through the glass. Unfortunately, the colorful lights pouring in were a characteristic red and blue, and at least a dozen bodies stood up against the doors.

" _Freeze!"_ cried a female voice, "Stay where you are! You're under arrest!"

"Ugh, the cops." Mercury muttered under his breath. He then raised his voice, playing coy, "Hullo, officer! Might I inquire what the charges are?"

The woman was none other than Veilstone City's resident Officer Jenny, closely accompanied by several other officers and several Pokémon. Each of the present Pokémon were either a Growlithe or an Arcanine, the Pokémon of choice for police departments around the world.

"Trespassing and theft!" Jenny shouted into a megaphone, "Now, drop what you've stolen, put your hands up, and _slowly_ make your way to us! We don't want any more trouble than you do!"

"Ah, I figured you'd say that." Mercury droned, "But I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm only seeing a job done, and you're in my way." Mercury reached into the front of his coat and pulled out two miniaturized Poké Balls.

"Stand down now, or we will attack!" Jenny threatened.

"Come on, then!" Mercury taunted, _"Rhyperior, Magmortar! Go!"_

Mercury lobbed the pair of capsules in the air and the two powerful Pokémon materialized in all of their glory. Mercury quickly followed up by calling for two powerful attacks, raising his voice to a deafening boom.

" _Rhyperior, use Rock Wrecker! Magmortar, Flamethrower!"_

Rhyperior pounded its misshapen fists together, spreading them apart and forming a gigantic, jagged boulder. As the rock-type lifted the boulder over its head, Magmortar threw out its two cannon-like arms, generating a bright orange glow deep inside them. Then, together, the two Pokémon launched their attacks. The Rock Wrecker boulder flew directly toward the police as Magmortar showered it with white-hot fire, setting the boulder ablaze. Meanwhile, sheer panic registered on Officer Jenny's face, as she cried out the only words she could muster.

" _Take cover!"_

* * *

"Gary! Wait up!"

Ash, Dawn, and the rest of the group sprinted after the auburn-haired Researcher. Gary turned to look back mid-stride and gritted his teeth, "Ash! Go back to the Center, the rest of you! This isn't your responsibility!"

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm not letting you go out there alone!" Ash said. He picked up the pace and nearly caught up to Gary, putting some distance between him and the rest of the group as he closed in on his old friend.

"Why are you so stubborn, Ash?" Gary complained as the raven-haired Trainer caught up to him.

"Call it intuition," Ash said quickly, "We'll do this together, all of us!"

"Fine!" Gary snapped. It was no use trying to convince him otherwise, and he had a job to do, "Look, there's the museum!"

Gary and Ash slowed to a stop, followed by the rest of their group. They stood on the end of the block, the Veilstone Museum towering above them. In front of the mass of entry doors, countless police cars clogged up the road, their red and blue lights flashing wildly.

" _Look out!"_ shouted a police officer. The glass on the entry doors began to glow orange, and the squad of officers standing outside of the museum bolted away in all directions. Barely a moment later, the glass doors exploded in a ball of fire, sending flames and smashed material into Veilstone's sky. A body went flying from the area, and flaming rocks rained down on some of the police cars, taking no time at all to light the automobiles on fire. An Arcanine limped out of the museum, its jaws tightly clamped around the uniform of a downed officer. The unconscious man's body was covered in soot, and the fire-type whined sadly as it reached a clean area of the sidewalk.

"What—what could that be?" Dawn gasped as she looked to the museum. Just then, four men calmly stepped out of the museum as if nothing had happened, their clothes almost completely clean. Two Pokémon, a Magmortar and a Rhyperior, walked behind the group of crooks. One man was taller than the rest, and his flamboyant orange hair gave him away.

"Mercury!" Ash shouted, "What did you do?!"

The man called Mercury snapped his head to his left, focusing his scornful vision on Ash. His lips parted and he gritted his teeth, "Ketchum. I had a hunch that you would come."

Corey then gasped, pointing at Mercury, "Look! What's that in his hand?"

Mercury focused next on the youth, snorting. "What? This? Just a souvenir, kid. Shouldn't be none of your concern." He then pulled the front of his coat open and tucked the glowing golden cube in a pocket on the inside.

"You stole the Spear Key!" Gary yelled, "Give it back, now!"

"And what are you going to do if I don't, hmm, boy?" Mercury growled, "You gonna try and stop me? I'd be glad to take you on, but not here. We have somewhere to be." Mercury then began stepping back, but he pointed at the group at the end of the block, "Magmortar, use Flamethrower!"

Magmortar thumped into the group's line of sight, lowering one of its wide cannon arms. The Blast Pokémon huffed angrily and then spat a tidal wave of molten fire. Ash quickly grabbed a Poké Ball, slinging the capsule into the air. Dawn stepped up beside Ash and pointed forward, both Trainers calling on water-type Pokémon.

"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!"

"Piplup, use Whirlpool!"

The two water-types sprang into action, using their respective moves on the oncoming wave of fire and just barely creating a shield of water that protected their Trainers from the flames. A huge cloud of hot steam clouded the area as the water met the fire, forming a thick smokescreen that choked the Trainers' eyes. When the steam cleared, Mercury and the other Rocket Grunts were nowhere to be found.

"They're gone!" Dawn cried.

"We have to go after them!" Gary decided immediately.

"You guys go on ahead." Reggie stepped in. The Breeder pointed to the Arcanine, who was pawing the police officer that it had dragged out of the burning museum, "Maylene and I will stay behind and do what we can to help the police. The rest of you get going."

The group ran to the destroyed entrance of the Veilstone Museum. Maylene quickly kneeled by the unconscious, soot-covered officer. Arcanine whimpered and stepped out of the way as the Veilstone Gym Leader began checking for the officer's vitals. After a few seconds, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes. He'll live."

Officer Jenny stumbled out of the museum next, looking disoriented and on the brink of passing out. The head of the Veilstone PD wobbled down the steps, noticing the newcomers to the scene before falling forward. Reggie quickly reached out and caught Jenny, who returned to normal upon having her fall broken.

"Thank you, Reggie." Jenny said, before noticing the pink-haired Gym Leader by the downed officer, "Maylene!"

"Officer Jenny!" Maylene gasped, shooting up from the ground and meeting the police officer, "Reggie and I are here to help."

"Thank you. The man with the orange hair brought out those powerful Pokémon and blew up the entrance. I could use some help getting my men out of there."

"You can count on us, Jenny." Reggie immediately volunteered.

"We're going after Team Rocket." Ash decided. Gary and Dawn quickly stood next to him and nodded. A moment later, Paul stepped over to them, turning to face his brother and nodding.

"I'd prefer that you didn't, but considering my predicament I can't say that I will stop you." Officer Jenny said, "But please, do be careful."

"How are we going to figure out where Team Rocket went?" Dawn butted in, "They got away in the smokescreen."

"Not necessarily." Reggie said, "If they stole the Spear Key, odds are they'll want to activate it before getting out of the city. That leaves us with one place."

"Meteorite Park!" Paul realized, "We need to get a move on!"

Paul whirled around and began running down the block. Gary quickly followed, leaving Ash and Dawn. "Corey, stay with Reggie and Maylene. Help them in any way you can." Ash ordered.

"Okay, Ash! Be careful!" Corey answered agreeably. With that, Ash and Dawn turned around and sprinted after Gary and Paul, their sights set on Meteorite Park.

* * *

" _Charon, sir!"_

The elderly scientist turned around, putting his back to the meteorites to look at the entrance of Meteorite Park. Right on schedule, Mercury and the three Grunts aiding him topped the steps and ran onto the grassy field of Meteorite Park.

"Right on time, Mercury." Charon droned, "You have the Key, yes?"

"Affirmative, sir." Mercury said, pulling the flap of his coat open and taking the golden cube out of the inside pocket. He handed the cube to the former Team Galactic scientist, and Charon chuckled as he examined the ancient cube.

"It's been too long." Charon muttered to the inanimate cube, "The people of Sinnoh have tried their best to keep you asleep, but they have failed."

"Er, Charon, sir." Mercury butted in, "Though we succeeded in stealing the Spear Key, we do have a problem."

"Yes, yes, Mercury, I heard the alarms even from here. I'm disappointed in your inability to steal this covertly." Charon chastised, not grasping Mercury's true meaning.

"Um, no, sir. That's not it." Mercury said, nervously running a hand through his orange hair, "It's Ketchum. He's here, and he turned up right as we were making our escape. We managed to escape with a smokescreen, but I imagine that he is on his way here right now."

Charon stalled, looking up from the ancient golden cube and seeming to drift his glance off into the night sky, "…Unfortunate, but not unexpected. No matter. All this means is that we don't have the luxury of time. Jessie, James!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth stopped muttering between themselves and stood at attention, "Yes, sir!" they all shouted in unison.

"Check on the helicopters. I want to know their ETA." Charon commanded. Without question, Jessie grabbed her communicator and began speaking into it. A moment later, she called out to Charon.

"Four minutes, Charon!"

"We'll be cutting it close." Charon grumbled, "Mercury! Take your men and keep your eyes on the perimeter! We're activating the Spear Key!"

* * *

"The park is right up those stairs!" Paul yelled above the wind, "Come on!"

Paul ran ahead of Gary, Ash, and Dawn, guiding them through the city blocks. A metallic staircase was a block ahead, going up from the dead end of the street up a huge rocky hill. From their distance, they could only see a few trees, but there was almost no doubt that at the top of the hill they would find Team Rocket's goons.

The teens cleared the city block just as quickly as the last one, and Paul hit the metal staircase first. He ran up the stairs two steps at a time, followed by Gary, Ash, and Dawn.

Paul reached the top first, leaping onto the grass field and scanning the scene in front of him. He stalled as Gary, Ash, and Dawn joined him, putting the teenagers face-to-face with the crooks of Team Rocket. Among them were at least a dozen grunts, Jessie, James, Meowth, Mercury, and Charon. Mercury's face contorted into a mask of surprise.

"Ah, Charon, sir, they're here."

"What? Already? Dammit, Mercury, keep them at bay! I must activate the Spear Key!"

Mercury stepped forward with half of the present Grunts, grabbing a Poké Ball from the belt on his waist. The half dozen Grunts called on Golbats, while Mercury tightly clutched his chosen capsule and slung it into the air.

" _Magnezone, to battle!"_

The Magnet Area Pokémon spawned from the capsule as it opened, hovering above the ground and releasing a series of scrambled beeps. Static electricity came to life underneath its smooth belly, disappearing just as quickly as it had come and keeping it airborne.

"We have to stop them." Ash said, "You guys ready for this?"

"Am _I_ ready?" Paul asked, almost condescendingly, "I'm always ready."

"I'm ready too." Gary chimed in.

"No need to worry, I'm good to go!"

"Okay, let's go! Pikachu, get in there!"

" _Electivire, standby for battle!"_

" _Mamoswine, spotlight!"_

" _Blastoise, go!"_

It was safe to say that the group of teenagers was packing their own powerful punch to match Mercury's. Mercury gritted his teeth, calling on Magnezone to attack.

"Magnezone, use Magnet Bomb!"

Magnezone let loose a series of beeps and then generated dozens of glowing spheres, before launching them in volleys at the Pokémon that it was facing. The explosives were soon accompanied by sharp gusts of wind, generated by the groups of Golbat commanded by the Grunts.

"Electivire, use Thunder." Paul said quickly and sternly. Electivire chattered and let loose a multi-pronged bolt of lightning from its body, destroying several of the incoming Magnet Bombs. The Air Cutters survived the electrical blast, but did little to damage the teenagers' Pokémon.

Some distance behind Mercury and the Grunts, Charon whispered to the golden cube that was the Spear Key, as if speaking to his own child, "Once again, we find ourselves at this place, unlocking the Spear Key. It serves a single purpose, and the closed-minded people of Sinnoh would see that purpose never fulfilled without a second thought! Spear Key, the time has come! Harmonize with the meteorites, attain your true form!"

Charon thrust his hand holding the cube into the air, and the Spear Key immediately began to glow a brilliant golden light, and the meteorites all around the park lit up with beautiful multicolored lights. The cube levitated into the air of its own accord, bathed in yellow light as it began to rotate. One by one, the cube unfolded, lengthening and reshaping itself into its active form. As the transformation completed, a small shock wave of energy was sent out, and the Spear Key gently lowered back into Charon's arms.

"The Spear Key…an artifact lost to time, once held in the hands of Team Galactic. Since then, the disgusting hands of ignorant humans have locked it away, but its power is now ours to wield! Its power belongs to Team Rocket!" Charon howled.

Jessie, James, and Meowth walked over carrying an empty briefcase, and James promptly opened it, revealing a cutout in the soft foam inside that perfectly fit the activated form of the Spear Key. Charon gently placed the Spear Key inside the briefcase, before quickly snapping it shut and taking the case from Jessie and James. The former Team Galactic scientist turned to look at the raging battle behind him.

"Jessie, James. Give Mercury some help, would you?" Charon asked, "The helicopters will be here any minute, and we still have some work to do."

"Yes, sir." Jessie and James answered robotically. They quickly made their way beside Mercury, where Magnezone and the Golbat were taking a beating at the hands of the four powerful Pokémon commanded by Ash and his friends.

"Need some help, chap?" James asked with a smirk.

"We're happy to provide." Jessie chimed in.

"Let's send these twoips back where they belong!" Meowth yowled.

" _Pinsir, go! Use Fury Cutter!"_ James called, sending out his new bug-type.

" _Yanmega, use Steel Wing!"_ Jessie added.

Pinsir came thundering across the field into the fray, the huge blades on its head glowing with power. Yanmega took to the air, speeding toward Pikachu with a hearty, _"Ya-yam!"_

"Blastoise, use Skull Bash on Pinsir!" Gary called.

"Pikachu, dodge that Steel Wing with Quick Attack!"

Blastoise lowered its head and stormed toward Pinsir. Panic registered on the bug-type's large face and the massive water-type rammed into it at full speed, nearly crushing Pinsir with its weight and throwing the bug-type away. Meanwhile, Pikachu sped under Yanmega, ending up behind the aerial Pokémon as Ash called for a follow-up attack.

"Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu discharged a bolt of lightning from behind Yanmega, striking the diving Ogre Darner Pokémon clean in its back. Yanmega howled in pain and crashed into the ground.

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu celebrated. A sudden weight then crashed into Pikachu's side, as a certain Scratch Cat Pokémon swiped steely claws at the electric-type. Pikachu cried and tumbled to the ground with Meowth holding the little electric mouse down, standing victoriously over Pikachu.

"Ha-ha!" Meowth cackled hoarsely, "You's gonna hafta get better at watchin' ya surroundings, Pika-brat! Da boss is real hurt that you turned down our offer from last time. Even gave me a Technical Machine for somethin' special! Tell me, Pikachu, you ever felt a Night Slash up close?"

" _Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"_

Meowth reared back his clawed paws as a dark energy surrounded them. Electricity crackled out of Pikachu's cheeks and he fired off a point-blank Thunderbolt. High voltage zapped through Meowth's body and sent the normal-type straight up into the sky, shrieking as he went. Gravity quickly took over and Meowth hurtled down from the sky, landing with a painful _thud_. The Scratch Cat Pokémon stood up and rubbed his head with a groan before regaining his steely glare.

"So, that's how we're gonna play!" Meowth snickered, "Don't say I didn't warn ya!"

Meowth rushed forward with a Metal Claw at the ready, engaging in close-up combat with Pikachu. The rest of the Grunts at the scene joined in, adding to the group of Golbat circling around the intruding teenagers. It was a bit déjà vu-y, considering Team Galactic had used a horde of Golbat to distract them over two years before while they completed their business at the park. Now, the situation seemed to be repeating itself.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Shard on the Golbat!"

Mamoswine howled and formed ball after ball of ice in between its tusks, lobbing the crooked spheres of ice at the horde of Golbat one after the other. Most of the projectiles made contact, but the Bat Pokémon flew back up into formation and continued to attack. As Mamoswine did battle with the flying Pokémon, Dawn took a brief look around. Paul and Electivire were busy with Jessie's Yanmega, Pikachu was being held up by Meowth's savage attacks, and Gary was juggling both Magnezone and Pinsir with only Blastoise. The ex-Trainer was beginning to struggle, and Dawn moved to support him with Mamoswine.

Instead, though, a great noise ripped up the sky, closely followed by the speedy whirring of blades. Virtually all motion stopped and every party looked up into the sky. Three huge cargo helicopters hovered over Meteorite Park, and a haughty laugh from Charon supplanted the aircraft's arrival.

"Ah, perfect timing!" Charon boasted. He pulled a walkie-talkie from the pocket of his lab coat, speaking into it quickly, "Now! Lower the cables!"

Immediately, the helicopters dispatched long, thick cables with huge mechanical hands on the ends of them. The cables attached to the meteorites in the ground and the mechanical hands closed around them, slowly lifting the large space rocks out of the ground.

"They're trying to take the meteorites!" Dawn cried.

"We have to stop them!" Gary concurred, "Let's get these Pokémon out of the way!"

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

"Electivire, Thunder."

"Mamoswine, use Blizzard!"

All four Pokémon readied their attacks and quickly discharged them across the field. Pikachu's Thunderbolt succeeded in zapping Meowth and Yanmega, Electivire's Thunder struck Pinsir and spread through the horde of circling Golbat, Blastoise's Hydro Pump collided with Magnezone, and Mamoswine's Blizzard covered every inch of land in their immediate radius. The Golbat spontaneously fell out of the sky, crystals of ice and tendrils of lightning covering their awkward bodies. Meowth fled Pikachu's Thunderbolt, though Yanmega didn't fare as well and found itself enduring a great deal of voltage. Pinsir was shocked to the core, fainting on the spot, and Magnezone was having all the trouble in the world with defending itself. The Magnet Area Pokémon sent out a series of electronic screeches that could only mean it was faltering, and instants later the wide-bodied steel-type clattered to the earth.

"Charon…!" Mercury gasped.

The portly scientist turned around from the meteorites, scowling. "No matter. Everyone, to the helicopters! Our work here is nearly finished!"

The cables on the helicopters started to retract, stalling for a moment as they ripped the large meteorites out of the holes in the ground. Rope ladders dropped from the doors of the hovering copters, and the dozen Grunts quickly sped up the ladders. Mercury went next, taking a glance down at the teens before climbing the ladder and safely entering one of the helicopters. Jessie, James, and Meowth eagerly clawed their way up into the second helicopter, while Charon climbed upward to the helicopter in the middle. The portly scientist stopped climbing about a third of the way up and turned his attention to the Trainers on the ground.

"We've got to stop them from taking the meteorites!" Gary shouted, "Blastoise, use Rapid Spin!"

The Shellfish Pokémon leaped forward and slipped inside his shell, spinning at impressive speed. The gigantic shell succeeded in slashing the cable underneath the helicopter on the left, and Blastoise smashed into the ground before crawling back out of his shell. The huge water-type roared triumphantly and smacked its powerful hand against the belly of its shell as the meteorite fell with a crash back into its place on the field.

"Pitiful." Charon muttered, climbing his way back up the ladder, "Double time! Let's get moving!"

The two helicopters still lugging meteorites with them began to throttle forward, accompanied by the third helicopter. Charon climbed inside the middle helicopter and the door slid shut, locking the crooks safely in the aircraft.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Electivire, grab Pikachu and use Thunder!" Paul shouted.

Ash shot his glance over to Paul with a smile, remembering the combination Reggie had devised when Team Galactic tried to steal the meteorites a few years before. As if reading Ash's mind, Paul spoke, "Reggie told me about this one, let's make it work!"

Electivire trotted over to Pikachu as the smaller electric-type charged up a Volt Tackle in his body. The tall electric-type pulled Pikachu close and discharged a Thunder, and the Volt Tackle absorbed the electricity to become even more powerful. Electivire then launched Pikachu forward, who easily landed in the grass and then continued speeding ahead, the combined Volt Tackle and Thunder causing electricity to fly around in wild patterns. Pikachu jumped forward as he neared one of the cables, charging right through the wire and freeing the second meteorite. The space rock fell and crashed into the flat grass, rolling a short distance away as the hole it had been pulled from was no longer underneath it.

"One more!" Gary yelled above the noise.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Fang!"

Mamoswine thundered forward after the low-hanging meteor, reaching the cable with surprising speed as it slowly retracted inside the helicopter. Mamoswine encased its tusks in glittering ice and reared back its head, moving to slash the cable apart before it slipped out of his range.

There was a loud crackling noise and blue lightning surged around the retracting cable. Mamoswine's tusks met the cable and the electricity easily coursed through Mamoswine's body.

" _Swiiiiiiiiiiine!"_ Mamoswine howled, recoiling from the cable as electricity surged around its body.

"Oh no, Mamoswine!" Dawn cried, "What happened?"

"There's an electrical charge going through the cable." Gary observed, "It must be some kind of defense mechanism!"

The cable retracted high enough that none of the Pokémon would be able to reach it, and seconds later the cable completely retracted. The mechanical hand grasping the meteor was attached to the belly of the helicopter. With that, the chopper started to fly forward "They're going to get away!" Paul gasped.

"No they won't!" Ash rebuffed. He ran forward so that he was somewhat underneath the fleeing helicopter, and he thrust his hands up into the sky. He focused his mind and in an instant he felt the surge of Aura pump through his body. He manipulated the energy and telekinetically gripped the helicopter, pumping his own life energy around the aircraft and holding it down in a barrier. The helicopter quickly slowed until it was barely pushing against the wall of energy, failing to make any progress in its escape.

"What the hell is that? What's Ash doing?" Paul shouted.

"He's using Aura to try and stop the helicopter!" Dawn realized.

"Aura? What?" Paul snapped, before looking back at his former rival, "How is that even possible?"

The helicopter was heavy, no doubt. Ash's muscles screamed as he tugged on the multi-ton aircraft, putting forth all of his might to keep the helicopter stopped. He staggered to one knee, steadying his body and focusing further to put more energy into the feat.

" _Come…on…"_ he groaned, slowly beginning to tug his arms down and guide the helicopter back toward the ground.

Up in the sky, inside the chambers of the cargo helicopter, a Team Rocket Grunt piloted the helicopter, pushing the sticks all the way forward in an effort to push his way out of the barrier holding them back.

"Sir! There's some sort of energy field holding us back!" the Grunt yelled, "I don't know what to do!"

As the aircraft began to descend, seemingly of its own free will, Charon peeked out of one of the many windows, looking down toward the ground. He spotted the kneeled Ash, and snorted. "No, not an energy field. It's the Guardian!" Charon spat.

"What should we do, sir?"

"Engage emergency thrusters! Punch the throttle as far as it will go! We're not going to be thwarted after coming this far!" Charon ordered, looking back out the window as the pilot began following orders. The Grunt flipped a few switches and then pressed a large red button, and immediately the helicopter began to shake.

On the ground, Ash felt the helicopter suddenly put forth resistance that he hadn't been expecting. Openings in the helicopter suddenly spat fire, and the aircraft pushed forward against Ash's Aura barrier. Sweat poured down his body, staining his clothes as he pumped out more Aura in an attempt to hold the helicopter back. The helicopter's thrust continued to increase, though, and the push against his limits became stronger.

Surprisingly, what alarmed him most about the worsening situation was the sticky feeling oozing from his nose.

 _Nosebleed,_ Ash thought, _but I can't stop now!_

Ash continued to expel more Aura from his body, strengthening the barrier and slowing the helicopter some, but not much. The blood trickling from his nose increased and immediately a woozy feeling scratched at his consciousness.

 _I'm getting weaker…over…exerting…_

As he thought those words, the barrier fighting against the thrusting helicopter weakened, and the aircraft's speed steadily increased. Ash cramped and hunched over, losing control over his arms. Blood now leaked freely from his nose, and the wall of Aura collapsed entirely. The helicopter sped along through the night sky, lugging the meteorite with it as the cable attached to the aircraft's belly.

"Ash!" Dawn cried, immediately running over to him. Paul and Gary followed as the Trainer collapsed on both knees and hit the grass, the blood coming from his nose dabbing the grass crimson.

"Ash!" Dawn shouted again. She dropped and slid across the grass, coming to a stop right over her friend. She swiftly rolled him over so that he was on his back, but it was no use. On Ash's end, his vision was quickly darkening, and his eyes seemed to glass over as he lost consciousness. The last thing he registered was the sight of Dawn's face up above him before the blackness began to swallow him whole.

" _Ash! Can you hear me? C'mon, Ash, talk to me!"_ Dawn yelled, though her cries fell on deaf ears, _"Ash!"_

* * *

Ash's eyes hurt, almost like he'd gotten into a fight and taken an eye gouge on both sides. Air passed into his lungs, exiting through his nose, and he could've sworn that he heard a muffled voice.

When Ash opened his eyes, Dawn was looking down on him, standing at the side of the bed that he was laying on. Her eyes quivered and she smiled ridiculously, choking a sob and then cracking another smile. The daylight leaking through the windows illuminated her face, casting light on her fair features.

"Hey." Dawn said.

Ash groaned groggily, blinking several times. "…Hey…"

"You okay?" Dawn asked calmly.

"Well…I feel like I lost a fight." Ash groaned, "My whole body hurts."

"It wasn't looking good for a while there. The doctors managed to stabilize you pretty easily, but this is the first time you've woken up."

"…What happened?" Ash sighed, remembering what he had been doing to get himself in the hospital. He instinctively reached for his nose, finding no blood seeping from his nostrils.

"Team Rocket managed to get away with one of the meteorites." Dawn said. She immediately noticed his shoulders sag, but she kept going, "Right after you passed out, Officer Jenny arrived with Corey, Reggie, and Maylene. They got an ambulance and rushed you off before they did anything else."

"I guess Paul and Gary don't really get what they saw, huh?"

Dawn frowned, thinking about her next words before she said them, "Yeah, uh…they didn't, but…they haven't asked me any questions. I don't know what they told Reggie and them, though. Everyone's waiting outside."

"Might as well go get them. After seeing all of that unfold, they deserve to know the truth." Ash suggested.

"Yeah." Dawn agreed, "I'll…be right back."

Dawn walked over to the door of the hospital room and disappeared into the hallway, leaving Ash by himself on the hospital bed. The Trainer brought his right hand to his face, generating just a few tendrils of Aura in between his fingers. He bounced the vibrant spheres of his living energy; still amazed at the power he held nearly a year after discovering it.

The door began to open again and Ash extinguished the glow of Aura, looking at the enlarging doorway expectantly. Dawn walked in first, closely followed by Gary and Paul. Dawn stepped out of their way and sat down in the single chair against the wall, while Gary and Paul came to a stop at the end of the bed, total silence holding amongst them. Reggie, Maylene, and Corey stood near Dawn.

"…I guess I have some explaining to do." Ash suggested nervously.

"Yeah, that would be nice." Gary said bluntly.

"Well…strap in."

* * *

"Mr. Ketchum, your hospital bill has already been paid. Officer Jenny insisted that the department would cover the costs."

"Thank you. Send Officer Jenny my thanks, please." Ash said before walking away from the counter with his friends. It had only been about an hour since Ash had woken up, and after telling Gary and Paul the complete truth of his excursions in Johto he had climbed out of the hospital bed and been released by the doctors. The rest of the group had taken their time to process the knowledge of Ash's Aura abilities, but they never showed him any malice or distrust upon learning that he was descended from the Aura Guardians of old.

Everyone walked straight to Reggie's house, where Reggie and Maylene cooked up grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Afterward, Ash challenged Gary to a battle, the pair's first since their brief one-on-one after Ash had parted ways with May, Max, and Brock. Their 3-on-3 battle ended in a victory for Ash, and afterwards, Dawn formally battled Reggie to a tie.

After their battling festivities, the friends spent some final time together before Ash, Dawn, Gary, and Corey had to go. Reggie shook Ash's hand before Paul said his goodbyes, clapping Ash on the shoulder in a show of friendship.

"Don't get yourself killed out there." Paul said bluntly.

"I'll do my best." Ash cracked a smile, "It's been good seeing you again, Paul. I can't wait for our next battle."

"Likewise." Paul agreed with a nod before moving over to Dawn, "And you, take care of him. I want him in one piece when I defeat him next."

Paul stepped back, and after some final goodbyes with the others, the group of Ash, Dawn, Gary, and Corey turned and left, trotting down the gravel road toward the lights of Veilstone City. Reggie, Paul, and Maylene watched them go, until their shapes disappeared from view. Paul turned away first, nonchalantly walking up the steps of the front porch to the house's front door.

"Paul? You okay?" Reggie asked, stopping the teen in his tracks.

"…Yeah." Paul said, catching his brother in the corner of his eye, "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"…That it might be time to take a little visit to the Battle Zone."

* * *

Gary joined Ash, Dawn, and Corey in the Pokémon Center, where each of them were going to room for the night. Corey's Gym Battle with Maylene was slated for tomorrow, so the young boy was the first to run off to his assigned room and get as much rest as he could.

"I think I'm going to hit the sack too." Ash decided with a yawn.

"I'm not far behind you." Gary said, "But I think before I do I'm gonna go walk around with Umbreon. See y'all tomorrow."

"Hey, Gary. Wait." Ash said suddenly. Gary half-turned around and looked at Ash from the corner of his eye.

"What is it?"

"I have to know…back there, when you rushed out of the Pokémon Center, you said there was no time to explain." Ash said, "What was that about?"

Gary's shoulders sagged and he sighed. The Researcher walked back toward Ash and Dawn, "All right. I guess it's my turn to be honest with you. Professor Rowan was getting increasingly worried about the growing Team Rocket presence in Sinnoh. When I told him about them lugging off Mega Stones, it only made him worry more. Eventually, he asked me to come to Veilstone City."

"What for?"

"Rowan was concerned about the similarities between Team Rocket's doings and the early doings of Team Galactic." Gary said, "With so much related to Team Galactic in Veilstone City, he thought it would be helpful in putting the pieces together. I started working with the Veilstone PD on the matter, and had access to a lot of Team Galactic's old files. When the news alert came on that the Veilstone Museum had been broken into, suddenly it began to click."

"What do you mean, it began to click?" Dawn asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet. There is still a lot of investigating to do, but now that they have the Spear Key, it only draws more parallels to Team Galactic." Gary said. He seemed to mull over something for a bit before speaking again, "Hey, you two, I want you to come with me tomorrow."

"What? Come with you where?" Ash asked.

"Tomorrow I'm…going somewhere in the city. I'm meeting a friend that has been a source of information. He can help each of us." Gary said.

"A friend? Who are they?" Ash asked further.

"Just…come with me tomorrow. You'll get your answers there, I promise."

Ash glanced over at Dawn and then back to Gary. "All right, we'll do it." he said.

"Excellent. I'll meet you two here tomorrow." Gary smiled before walking out of the Center. Ash and Dawn watched him go, before the latter glanced over at her friend.

"That was weird. Who do you think he wants us to meet?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know. It's strange. But I'd trust Gary with my life, so I say we see what he wants us to see." Ash said, "Gary says this person can help, so who knows, maybe this will be worth it."

"Yeah, maybe…" Dawn trailed off, "Well, I'm going to bed. G'night, Ash."

Dawn turned around and walked off toward the hall leading to the Pokémon Center's boarding rooms. Ash smiled as she left, calling out to her in response.

"G'night, Dawn."

* * *

 **Please remember to leave a review, guys! I'm eager to hear what you think! What do you think is next for Team Rocket? Who do you think Gary's being super dodgy about? What do you want to see in the future? Leave all that and more at the bottom, or PM me if you have questions you'd like me to answer or want to talk about the story. Thanks again to everyone for reading!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	41. The Forgotten Commander

**Welcome back to another chapter of The Journey Continues! This is a pretty big filler episode, but I had the idea and enjoyed it enough to write it down. Chapter 42 has also been released alongside it, as a rush of free time allowed me to pen the two chapters together. I figured it was the least I could do. I hope that a certain reveal or two has as much shock value as I wanted it to. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, I don't know.**

 **KakeruPB: Yeah, I don't have a legitimate answer to that other than a plot armor kind of thing, if that makes any sense. Ash and his friends have never really sent out several of their own Pokémon to combat a situation (except for the last DP episode, and that was really just so viewers could see a bunch of those Pokémon one last time, because we haven't seen the likes of Torterra, Buizel, Sudowoodo, Staraptor, and others since then). I have not read On Brave Mountains We Conquer, but I have been toying with some ideas for the future that could lead up to Ash reacting in such a way, but those are all simply ideas rather than plans, so I can't promise you anything. Sorry.**

 **magic135: Dude, thanks. I really wasn't stoked on the writing I did there, so seeing your review really made me smile.**

 **Guest: I can promise that it won't quite be the same. There will be many parallels, but when you look at the big picture, what Team Rocket has planned will be quite a bit different from Cyrus' visions.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 41_

 _The Forgotten Commander_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Veilstone City**_

The Pokémon Center was a hub of activity that morning. People came in and out of the Center at high speed. There was no visible panic over the incident from two days ago, and everyone seemed to be going about his or her normal routines unaffected. As for one Ash Ketchum, this was not so. He looked troubled, yet said nothing as he sipped from a cup of coffee at the table he sat at. It wasn't like him to drink coffee in the mornings; he almost always had plenty of energy to make him last through a day with no problem.

Last night, his sleep had been interrupted by a nightmare. In the dream, the first thing he had noticed was that he was floating, kind of like a specter. The next detail was that he was floating through what looked like an old prison. He had moved through the prison, finding empty cell after empty cell, until finally, that pattern changed. He passed a few people wearing Team Rocket uniforms, before reaching a cell whose door was wide open, and as soon as he got there, two men in identical uniforms walked out of the cell carrying a black bag. The sight drew him toward the two men, and as he reached them, he quickly noticed the small red R pinned onto the collar of their plain beige uniforms. And then, Ash took a quick glance at the unopened black bag, recognizing the face of the person instantly.

The face had been his, and the eyes were snapped shut. All along the body ran grievous, scar-like wounds. The shock had been enough to wake him from his sleep, and he hadn't been able to get back to sleep. He had even skipped his workout that morning, a first for him. Instead, Ash had lain in his bed for more than two hours, trying to forget about the dream while also trying to understand what it could mean.

His earliest conclusion was that he would die. But why? Team Rocket had never outright threatened him physically, much less tried to kill him. And why was his body being dragged out of a prison cell? In the end, Ash had chalked up the dream to the experience of two nights before, and his nerves immediately calmed down once he reached this realization. Oddly enough, it wasn't the _strangest_ dream he had ever had. One time several years ago he had experienced a freakish dream in which he had been sent out from a Poké Ball into battle with Pikachu as his Trainer. That experience had left him looking strangely at his partner for a day or two.

Ash's brooding thoughts dispersed when Dawn and Corey arrived at the table, each carrying a tray of food for themselves. Ash had eaten early in the absence of his workout, so he had no food to speak of in front of him. Finally, after his companions finished eating, Ash broke the news to Corey.

"So, Corey. Listen…" Ash started, "Dawn and I aren't going to be able to watch your Gym Battle with Maylene today."

"What? W-why?" Corey asked, setting down the cup of water he had been drinking from. The youth looked worried, as if something horrible had happened.

"Gary asked us last night to help him with something. He said it was important." Ash explained, "So you're going to have to go to the Gym yourself, if that's okay."

Corey sat idly for a moment, before shrugging, "Sure, Ash. I'll be fine."

Ash cracked a grin, "Good. You know we'll be rooting for you anyway."

"I promise, Ash, I'm gonna try my best to win Veilstone City's badge! When you guys get back, you'll be real proud of me!" Corey howled, standing up from the table and pumping a fist in the air. Some of the people nearby looked at the excited youth and chuckled, and the boy quickly sat down with a look of embarrassment plastered on his face.

After breakfast, Ash and Corey went to the public battlefield behind the Pokémon Center to hold a quick practice battle, while Dawn spent her time grooming the knots out of Buneary and Pachirisu's fur, making the two peppy Pokémon cheerier than normal. Soon after, Ash and Corey concluded their practice round and then it was off towards the Gym.

Gary was waiting on a street corner on the way to the Gym. Ash and Dawn split from Corey then, but the boy cheerfully continued on toward Maylene's Gym. Gary looked apprehensive as they walked toward the outskirts of the city. Soon, they left the skyscrapers behind and were walking through a field. It wasn't long until a dark gray barbed wire fence came into view, with a huge gate in between two long stretches of fencing.

"Um, Gary, are you sure we're in the right place?" Dawn asked nervously as she noted the fences.

"Yep." Gary said quickly and nonchalantly, as if they were in an everyday place. He continued to lead them to the large gate, where two guards in navy blue uniforms stood watch. Both men looked almost identical, their skin as tan as could be and their brown-colored crew cuts looking like freshly cut lawns. The teens reached the gate as one of the guards stepped forward.

"Halt." The guard to the right said, "State your business."

"Gary Oak." Gary said, fetching his ID from the pocket of his gym shorts and handing it to the guard, "Here to see a prisoner."

"And them?" the guard said, handing the ID back to the Pokémon Researcher.

"Guests. I asked them to come along." Gary said.

"…Very well, Mr. Oak. You can go." the guard said. He turned his back to the three teens and shouted loudly, waving his arm rapidly. Almost immediately, the gate's locks disengaged and it began to open up mechanically. Gary walked through the open gate, closely followed by Ash and Dawn. The two armed guards, however, stopped them and briskly patted them down, checking their pockets and bags thoroughly in a matter of seconds. The guard on Ash's side even ran a comb through Pikachu's fur, disgruntling the electric mouse. The two guards then returned to their positions. "All right. You can go," the guard on the right said, and Ash and Dawn were sent on their way inside the grounds of the fenced yard.

Ash and Dawn rejoined Gary and the Kanto native spoke, "Welcome to the Veilstone Correctional Facility, home to Sinnoh's most renowned criminals. Sorry about the pat-downs."

"W-wait, we're going to a _jail?_ " Dawn stammered, "You said we were meeting a friend!"

"We are." Gary said, "This friend happens to be an inmate."

"So you're bringing us to meet a criminal." Ash reasoned.

"In a way, yes. But I assure you, he's not dangerous." Gary answered, "The prison is built into one of the Veilstone Mountains. Because of this, there's only one way in and one way out." Gary explained, "No inmate has ever escaped from this facility, and the men take great pride in their perfect record. This friend that we're meeting hasn't been here for very long, and he's been very helpful with my investigations."

"Just who are we meeting?" Ash asked.

"It would be better for me to show you." Gary said, "C'mon, we're almost there."

Indeed, they almost were. The face of the prison was the only part sticking out of the base of the mountain, and there were three floors of it. The building was made of depressing, gray bricks of stone, with thick, tinted glass windows numbering in the dozens lining each floor. Two guard towers, one on each side of the path, stabbed at the sky, housing two guards apiece, each of them armed with scary-looking rifles. On the ground, four more guards stood watch at the unassuming front door of the facility, and like the guards at the front they stopped the newcomers and approached them.

"You're on private property. State your business." Said a guard. He was armed to the nines and clad in a thick bulletproof vest and work pants. He had auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail, but he was strangely handsome.

"C'mon, you know who I am, Maddox." Gary complained.

"I do, Oak, but this is standard procedure." Maddox said with a smile. He had a chipped tooth on the lower row, and he ground his teeth together as he examined Gary's ID card. "Who're the strangers?"

"Friends of mine. I brought them along." Gary said.

"Visiting your inmate pal again?" Maddox inquired as he handed the ID card back to Gary.

"That's right."

"Righty-o. Go on in." Maddox said. He then raised his voice and waved at the towers, "Lower your weapons! They're friendlies!" He then chuckled, "Whew. Nothing like havin' the snipers take their sights off ya, huh?"

Ash and Dawn's eyes both widened, but neither glanced back to the guard towers behind them. Gary patted Maddox on the shoulder, "Thanks, Maddox," he said, and then he led Ash and Dawn inside the prison. The lobby was extremely unorthodox, looking half-finished as it was built into the side of a mountain. After the measly furnishings ended, it was nothing but old rock, mining lights, and wooden support beams for a good fifty yards. At the end of the hall was a mining elevator, which Gary nonchalantly opened and invited Ash and Dawn inside.

The mining elevator creaked ominously as the three people stood inside it, instantly making Ash and Dawn both equally nervous. Gary chuckled as he tapped some buttons, "It sounds rickety, I know, but I promise, this thing's completely stable."

The elevator rumbled and began to descend, taking them down an old mining shaft at an agonizingly slow pace, generating a mess of noise as it moved down the old shaft. Along the way, Gary started to recount the story of the facility with a raised voice.

"Back in the olden days, this place was a coal mine, back before Veilstone City blew up." Gary explained, "The towns near Mt. Coronet ended up taking over the mining business, and Veilstone became your average big city, so there was no longer any need for these mining shafts. The city turned it into a maximum-security prison, meant to house Sinnoh's worst lawbreakers. This mine cart we're in right now is the only way in or out. Like I said, no one has ever escaped!"

"How far down does this thing go?" Dawn shouted above the noise.

"Not too far, there are only seven floors of cells. They lock the worst of the bunch at the very bottom. We're just going to the third basement floor." Gary answered. Just as he said so, the mining elevator began to slow and then came to a complete stop. The door of the elevator opened and Gary led Ash and Dawn into the B3 floor, guiding them past dozens of guards to the cellblocks.

"This is Block C." Gary said as they reached a locked door, "We'll find our friend in here."

The guard standing by the door to Block C silently swiped his card in the machine at the door, unlocking the heavy door and allowing the trio of teens inside. Once they were inside the cellblock, another guard joined them, acting as their guide. As they walked, Dawn glanced at many of the inmates in their cells, noting how gloomy they looked.

"Here you are." The guard said with a low voice.

"Thank you." Gary said with a nod. The guard began unlocking the door into the cell, opening a series of barred gates that led into the singular cell. There were three gates in all, and Ash wondered what kind of horrible criminal must have been living behind three sets of bars. Even more disturbing, Gary made it seem like he treated with this apparent crook like an old friend.

Finally, the third gate opened, revealing the criminal that they were there to see. Ash and Dawn's jaws nearly hit the floor as they instantly recognized the face, but the inmate didn't address them.

"Mr. Oak." The inmate said in a dry yet silky voice, "How glad I am to see you again. Our chats are always the highlight of my day."

"No…" Ash choked.

"…Way…" Dawn added.

The inmate then looked to the two newcomers, his eyebrows rising. A smug smile found its way to his lips, and he ran a hand through his blue hair, combing through one of the upward-pointing locks.

"Hello again, you two." Commander Saturn said, "It's been awhile."

* * *

The Veilstone City Gym's bleachers were empty today, but it wasn't because there were no challengers. It was a quite different change of pace from two days ago, when the bleachers had housed five bodies in all. Today, though, there were only three people present at the Gym: the referee, the Gym Leader, and the challenger.

Corey flexed his hands, rolling his fingers back and forth to form a never-ending series of balled fists and outstretched palms. As he calmed himself, he grabbed the first of his chosen Poké Balls.

" _The Gym Battle between Maylene the Gym Leader and Corey the challenger is about to begin! Each Trainer will use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all of a single Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. Furthermore, in accordance with standard Gym rules, only the challenger may substitute Pokémon!"_ the referee said robotically, _"Now, are both corners ready?"_

"I am." Maylene said calmly.

"I'm ready too!" Corey said with abundantly more cheer.

"All right! Battle, begin!"

" _Meditite, you're up!"_

" _Shinx, come on out and get ready to battle!"_

* * *

"You brought us here to meet a _Team Galactic commander?"_ Ash asked spitefully.

"Ash, just calm down now. Saturn is a friend, and he's really turned over a new leaf." Gary said.

Ash's face contorted angrily. He wanted to call bullshit, but he had no real way of knowing whether the former commander was still a bad person.

"Personally I wouldn't call Mr. Oak and I friends." Saturn half-agreed, "More like… _circumstantial acquaintances_. But he speaks the truth. My time as a Team Galactic commander is over, and I am glad for it."

Ash stared at the ex-Team Galactic commander with disgust. His eyeballs burned as they trembled with the energy of his disgust, but the 15-year-old Trainer sighed and his blood cooled. "All right, I'll hear what he has to say."

Dawn remained silent as Gary turned his focus back to Saturn. "Anyway, hello again, Saturn. I need some more favors."

"More favors, Mr. Oak? You ask much of me." Saturn said, "I've told you everything I know."

"Yes, but they don't know what I know. And…now there is more to the story. I suspect you can help us out at least a little." Gary said, gesturing to Ash and Dawn, "For starters, tell them what you told me about Mega Evolution."

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but Saturn beat him to the punch. "All right, Mr. Oak. You two, did you ever see a Team Galactic commercial on TV, before we became a big name when we tried stealing the meteorites?"

"No, I can't say I have." Ash said.

"I thought not. They didn't attract too much noise, but it was the first step in recruiting as many subordinates as we had." Saturn explained, "The commercials were all about how we were studying the energy that Pokémon released when they underwent evolution, and how our goal was to turn this energy into a renewable power source."

"All lies." Dawn butted in with a squint and a frown.

"Not a total one." Saturn corrected, "I imagine Mr. Oak has told you about Mega Evolution, yes? About the energy that is required to trigger the process?"

"Yeah, we've heard of it." Ash answered.

Saturn continued, "Well, Team Galactic was the first party in Sinnoh to discover the existence of this energy. At the time, Team Galactic was a fledgling group, and Cyrus' visions hadn't even begun to unfold. We were also working with Charon then, and when we learned of this Mega Energy, Master Cyrus had a plan. It was his idea to make these commercials, to draw more people into Team Galactic. We even afforded some time into actually studying the energy in the Battle Zone, where we would attract as little attention as possible. But Cyrus had no interest in this phenomenon. He was hell-bent on creating a new world, which he promised would be for everyone in Team Galactic."

"A sweet lie." Gary said.

"Precisely. I feel quite foolish now, following him like I did. But rough as he was, Cyrus was quite charismatic. He inspired everyone he spoke to." Saturn claimed, "Although I have long since understood that he was nothing more than a liar, there are others who do not feel the same way. Commanders Mars and Jupiter, for instance. In fact, if you're interested, you can find them a few floors lower, but they'll be far less helpful than I. Both of them still contend that Cyrus was a good man who cared about us…how unfortunate."

"Thank you, Saturn, but as I said, now there is more to the story. I don't know how gossip works in the prison, so maybe you've heard. The Spear Key was stolen again, as was a meteorite from the park."

" _What?"_ Saturn snapped, his voice filled with venom and his eyes going wild for an instant, "Who could possibly…"

Saturn trailed off, putting two and two together. His next words were venomous.

" _Charon."_

"I'm afraid so, Saturn. Charon has thrown in with Team Rocket."

"Team Rocket? You mean those incompetent fools that occasionally got in our way?" Saturn asked with disbelief.

"They're not so incompetent anymore." Gary explained, "But for whatever reason, they have taken the Spear Key. I'm sure you can understand why I worry."

"Of course." Saturn said, "It makes sense, really, that Charon would be so bold. He was one of the few to escape the incident at Spear Pillar. Although I would've expected him to go into hiding."

"We don't know why he's resurfaced under the banner of Team Rocket. But most of the region is alarmed now. You once worked with Team Galactic and Charon, so I want to know what we can expect next."

Saturn watched Gary closely, his eyes unmoving. The ex-Team Galactic commander then sighed, "If Charon has taken the Spear Key, then he means to enter Spear Pillar, obviously. But I wouldn't expect him to go there right away. Odds are that this goes much deeper than it would seem on the surface. It is reasonable to guess that next he will be looking for the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs. There is simply no reason to go to Spear Pillar for sightseeing. Nothing extraordinary can be done with only the Spear Key. But Charon is cautious. He will take his time waiting for the buzz to die down. Wherever the Orbs are now, it's likely that there will be a lot of eyes on them for some time."

"So we should expect that Team Rocket will lie low." Dawn reasoned.

"Perhaps. I could always be wrong, though." Saturn admitted, "But based on what I knew of Charon, this seems to be the most likely course that he will take."

"Thank you, Saturn." Gary said, "We'll be going now."

Gary walked back to the exit of the cell, followed by Dawn. Ash stayed behind for a few more seconds, staring at Saturn emotionlessly. Then, he turned and followed his friends out.

"Mr. Oak!" Saturn called, "One more thing."

Ash, Dawn, and Gary all turned their heads as they stood in the exit of the cell, staring at the ex-commander.

"If this is the last time we see each other, I implore you: find out what Charon and Team Rocket are up to, and stop them. Cyrus hated the very idea of spirit, yet he used that very thing to enthrall and deceive those who followed him, to convince them that this world was disgusting and useless and in need of remaking. I see now that there are many wonderful things about this world, and we would do well to preserve it. If I were not in this place, I would devote my every resource to keeping what happened on the Spear Pillar from ever happening again. At least grant me that."

The teenagers stood still, each of them silently impressed by Saturn's wise declaration. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Gary nodded. "You have my word, Saturn."

Then, Gary led Ash and Dawn out of the cell. The three thick gates closed behind them, securing Saturn's cell once more as the visitors headed down the hall back to the elevator that would take them to the surface.

"That's definitely not the Saturn I remember." Ash muttered as they walked.

"He has changed for the better. But he must still serve his prison sentence before he can make good on his personal changes." Gary agreed.

"How long will he be in here?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, the sentence was ten years, I think, but he has the potential to be released on parole in a couple of years." Gary said.

"…Man, that's no way to live…being in prison, I mean." Ash sighed.

"Believe me, I agree. They taught us enough in grade school that I knew not to screw up and get myself thrown in jail." Gary agreed with a chuckle.

The walk wasn't too long and they reached the elevator that would take them up. "You know, we can always go a little further down and visit the other two Galactic commanders." Gary offered with a smirk.

"No thanks. If I never see them again, it'll be too soon." Ash refused.

Gary chuckled, "I agree. I've visited all three of them, and Saturn's the good apple of the three." Gary opened the door of the elevator and ushered Ash and Dawn inside before joining them. With the push of a button, the mining elevator then started to go upwards at a slow pace, leaving the floors of cells behind and returning to the surface. They disembarked from the mining elevator and headed out of the facility. The late spring sun was beating down on the field outside of the prison, but it was significantly warmer than the cold, unwelcoming prison.

"Welcome back, Oak." The guard called Maddox said as they exited the doors.

"Good to be back, Maddox. This is probably the last time I'm coming here." Gary answered.

"That's too bad. Tell your gramps hello for me." Maddox said.

"Heh, heh, will do, Maddox." Gary promised, before leaving for the exit gates with Ash and Dawn. As they walked toward the barbed wire gate that they had come in through, Gary explained, "Maddox is from Kanto. He was a Trainer back in his day, challenged the Indigo and Johto Leagues before coming to Sinnoh. He challenged the Sinnoh League a couple of times but never got anywhere, so he retired and enrolled in the police academy. Ended up becoming a corrections officer."

Ash and Dawn took in the information but said nothing; staring straight ahead as the barbed wire gate opened and let them back out into the city. The trio walked in uncomfortable silence until they reached the literal crossroads of their separate paths. It was early afternoon, and the Veilstone Gym was to the left of the T-intersection, while the way going out east of Veilstone City was a ways to the right.

Ash and Dawn turned to face Gary. "Guess this is it." Ash said.

"Yeah, but this won't be the last time we meet." Gary said, "I'm sure of it."

"Where are you going to go now, Gary?" Dawn asked.

"I've decided to head to Celestic Town and do some research. There's no more work for me here in Veilstone. Hopefully I'll get my next clues while I'm there. And, Eterna City is right over the mountain from there, so I'll probably drop in on Brock before he goes back to Kanto."

"Sounds like a good plan." Ash said, "Brock'll be happy to see you."

Gary nodded, "…You should go check on the tyke soon. I'm betting his Gym Battle is over by now."

"Good idea." Ash said, "…Bye, Gary."

"Bye, Ash. Bye, Dawn."

Gary shook hands with each of the two teenaged Trainers and then went on his way, his hands shoved in his pockets as he headed down the street. Ash and Dawn didn't stay long to watch him leave, heading straight for the Veilstone Gym with haste.

The sidewalk led them to the dojo-like Gym, and it just so happened that as soon as they walked through the gates into the Gym, the wooden doors burst open. Corey came running out, closely followed by Maylene. A little metallic piece was clenched in between the youngster's fingers. Corey looked up, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he recognized Ash and Dawn.

"Hey, Ash! And Dawn! Look what I got!" Corey shouted, throwing out his hand and revealing the metallic piece in his hand. It was a tilted square painted orange, and was easily recognizable as a Gym Badge.

"Hey, you got the Cobble Badge!" Ash beamed.

"Yep." Maylene said, "Corey battled real well."

"And the Badge isn't the only thing that's new!" Corey declared, "Check this out!"

Corey pointed to his feet, where Ash and Dawn finally spotted the unfamiliar Pokémon, a catlike quadruped with pale purple fur and large ears. The Pokémon's tail branched apart into two at the end, and the little psychic-type brushed up against Corey's legs.

"Is that…?" Dawn started.

"Yep! Eevee evolved into Espeon, and with perfect timing, too!" Corey answered happily.

" _Es-pe-on!"_

"Lucario was fixing to put the battle away when Eevee evolved." Maylene explained, "Pretty lucky break, I'll say. But I can sense the bond between Corey and Espeon, and it's a strong one. Luck or no, you two earned the Cobble Badge."

"Thanks, Maylene!" Corey beamed.

"So, where are you all headed to next?" Maylene asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"I've got a Contest in about a month at Lake Valor, so that's going to be our next stop." Dawn said, "And then it'll be off to Pastoria City so Ash can battle Crasher Wake!"

"Well, great. Lake Valor would be a good spot to relax, too. It's been quite a while since I last took a trip down there."

"Maybe Reggie will take you soon." Dawn said with a wink.

Maylene's cheeks turned bright red. "Dawn, stop that…" she groaned, trailing off and hiding her face with her hand. Ash and Dawn then burst out laughing. Maylene chuckled too before saying, "Well, I've got to head to the Pokémon Center and rest up my Pokémon, then it's off to some more training."

"Gotcha." Ash said, "Take care, Maylene."

"You as well, Ash, Dawn, Corey." Maylene said, before walking past the group and disappearing around the corner on her way to the Pokémon Center.

"Well, I guess that's it for our time in Veilstone City." Ash declared, "What do you two say we start heading toward Lake Valor?"

"Good idea, Ash. I'm getting a little tired of the city." Dawn concurred.

"Yeah, me too." Ash agreed, "Corey? Espeon?"

"We're all down for that, right, Espeon?"

" _Esp-ee!"_

The psychic-type slinked its feline body around Corey's legs, nuzzling its cheeks as it went. Corey giggled, "He-he, thanks for your help today, Espeon. You were awesome."

Espeon purred again and then snaked around to Corey's feet, opting to walk alongside Corey now, as it was too big to ride on the youngster's shoulder like Pikachu did with Ash. With nothing left to do in the metropolis, the trio of Trainers headed straight for the terminal that would spit them out on Route 214, a dirt road that went all the way down to the Lake Valor Resort. Dawn's next Contest awaited them on the lakefront, where the Coordinator hoped to earn her third Ribbon.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Undisclosed Location**_

Charon watched the electronic panels as countless machines scanned the meteorite. They had only been able to get away with one of the meteorites from Veilstone City, but it was certainly better than the last attempt that had been made on the space rocks. During his time with Team Galactic, Charon had requested that the meteorites be stolen after the Spear Key's activation in order to study them.

Ever since the focus of Team Galactic shifted from the study of evolution to the creation of a new world, Charon had resented the group. Sure, world domination was an alluring prospect for the old man, but the discovery of Mega Energy had been all the more intriguing. It also didn't help that he saw right through Cyrus' lies about the new world being for everyone in Team Galactic, when in fact he meant to cast the group aside once he achieved his goal. When the lost leader of Team Galactic so calmly rejected his subordinates and dived headfirst into his doomed universe, Charon hadn't even been remotely surprised. Now, under the lead of Giovanni, Charon's freelance studies were both successful and encouraged by the businessman, and he was confident in the boon these studies would be to Team Rocket's ultimate goals.

The electronic screen began to beep, drawing Charon's attention. Some of the Grunts looked over as the old man frantically focused on the screen. A diagram of the meteorite came to life on the screen, and energy resembling an aurora began to circle the schematic of the space rock.

Charon chuckled darkly. He had been right!

"Just as I thought. The meteorite radiates Mega Energy!" Charon declared, "You there! Bring me a stone!"

One of the Grunts bolted away from his post, disappearing from view for a few moments before quickly returning with a Dusk Stone clutched in his hand. The Grunt appeared to tremble as he handed the evolutionary stone to Charon.

"If our research is correct, Mega Stones are irradiated evolutionary stones, affected by Mega Energy. They are a natural occurrence, but now that we have our own source of Mega Energy…" Charon muttered to himself. The portly scientist walked out of the observation deck and down to the floor of the laboratory. The meteorite taken from Veilstone's Meteorite Park was held in a container three times as tall and ten times as wide as Charon himself. Without a word, Charon unsealed the container and placed the Dusk Stone inside, setting the evolutionary stone off to the side of the space rock and then resealing it.

Charon took a few steps back from the container and then raised his hand for everyone in the observation deck to see. "Now! Begin fusion!"

The Grunts on the deck pressed several buttons on their screens, and a few moments later the meteorite gave off a dim glow. Scientific instruments of the highest order went to work, activating the meteorite with ease. The dim light on the space rock brightened, and the Dusk Stone on the floor of the container pulsed with light in perfect unison.

Suddenly, the light shared by the meteorite and the Dusk Stone intensified into a blinding light that forced Charon and the Grunts upstairs to block their eyes. Charon grunted and covered his eyes with both hands, until the light finally vanished after what felt like an eternity.

It took a moment for Charon's eyes to readjust to the normal light level of the lab, but as soon as he did, he walked over to the huge container holding the meteorite. He unsealed the container and tapped a nearby touch screen a few times. A long mechanical arm descended from the ceiling and dipped into the container, grabbing at the Dusk Stone.

Or at least…what _was_ the Dusk Stone.

The claw pulled the stone out of the container and then lowered over to Charon, gently placing the stone into the old man's wrinkled hands. Charon laughed and then looked up at the meteorite, before refocusing on the stone. The stone was now no longer a dark oval, but instead a perfect sphere, and had a light purple glow. In the middle of the stone was a purple and gray pattern that somewhat resembled a helix.

"Heh, heh, heh." Charon chuckled some more, "It worked. It actually worked."

A Grunt exited the observation deck, arriving at the floor of the laboratory.

"Sir?" the Grunt asked, standing at attention.

Charon turned to look at the Grunt. "Put this stone in my personal storage. And radio all units in the Battle Zone, I want them back at base as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir!"

The Grunt ran off, clutching the spherical stone with as he went. Charon was still surprised that the experiment had been successful. They had found a handful of Mega Stones on their own in and around Stark Mountain and the rest of the Battle Zone, but sending excavation teams simply cost too much, especially when adding the necessity that the teams must stay undetected. Now, however, it would no longer be necessary to send out such teams. Of course, simply creating the Mega Stone wasn't enough. They would still have to work on augmenting the Mega Stones in order to _force_ Mega Evolution to occur. The Pokémon they held here wouldn't simply do it on their own, thanks to the pesky roadblock of Mega Evolution requiring a strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon. Once they were able to consistently force the process at will, though, there would be little that stood in the way of Team Rocket.

* * *

 **So, Team Rocket now has the power to artificially create their own Mega Stones, and there's a hint that they're finding a way to bypass the strong bond requirement by augmenting the stones. Just what could this mean for Sinnoh if the project works? What did you think of Commander Saturn's brief appearance in this chapter? Surprising? Expected? Tell me all about these things and more in a review, if you'd be so kind! In the next chapter, another new Pokémon will be joining Ash's roster. Which Pokémon it will be, though, is something you'll have to see for yourself.**


	42. A Bond to Last a Lifetime

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 42_

 _A Bond to Last a Lifetime_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 214**_

"I win again, Corey." Ash said with a playful smirk.

"Aw, man!" Corey groaned. The youth walked over to his fainted Shinx, petting the electric-type after a job well done and then returning it to its Poké Ball. Across the way, Ash congratulated Buizel, who posed triumphantly before being returned to his Poké Ball. The pair of Trainers stood on the Pokémon Center's public battlefield, having spent the previous night there. It had been two weeks since they'd left Veilstone City, and they'd covered more than half of the distance to Lake Valor in that time. June was in full swing, and the early summer heat was out in full force today. Ash had ditched his heavy outer clothes, stuffing his vest and jeans into his backpack and wearing his black undershirt and a pair of gray gym shorts.

Dawn sat with Piplup in a chair under the awning of the Pokémon Center's patio, fiddling with her new PokéPad while Piplup wandered around the area. Like Ash, she too had gone with a change of clothes to combat the summer heat. Now, Dawn wore an open, sleeveless pink vest over a black undershirt, with denim shorts replacing her mini-skirt. She'd replaced her pink boots with more comfortable sneakers, and her customary yellow hair clips and beanie had been kept from her new look. As a result, her dark blue hair had been let down, with a few strands falling over her shoulders.

The Coordinator looked up from her new gadget as Ash and Corey began walking back to the patio, shooting up out of the chair in response. Ash lingered his gaze on the Coordinator for just a moment. He wasn't used to her new outfit, but Dawn pulled it off pretty well. He couldn't really complain about it, either, considering that the new ensemble showed off a little more skin. As the thought crossed his mind, Ash's ears began to burn. He'd noticed Dawn in that way before, and a lot of times he thought he cared about her in that way, but plenty of other times he thought of Dawn as nothing more than a close platonic friend. Besides, what if she didn't feel the same way?

Ash banished the idea from his mind and followed Dawn and Corey into the Center. Nurse Joy happily took Shinx's Poké Ball to give the Pokémon a quick rest, and then the travelers were off, headed further south towards Lake Valor. Along the way, Corey started asking Dawn questions about the upcoming Contest.

"So, Dawn, what exactly is a Pokémon Contest like?" Corey asked, "I've never been to one."

"Well, it's a lot different from Gym Battling. There are two rounds, the Appeals and the Battles. In the Appeals, Pokémon Coordinators work with their Pokémon to show off their attributes, whether it be beauty, strength, or even smarts!" Dawn explained, "Contest Battling is a little different, you have a limited number of points and you have to outperform the opponent and take away as many of their points as you can within the time limit to move on."

"Sounds kinda…girly…" Corey said bluntly. Ash burst out laughing, and Dawn was surprisingly amused.

"Well, Corey, you know there are plenty of boys who do Coordinating too. And, in Contests you can often see moves done in ways that are impossible in battling!"

Corey didn't respond to that, taking a minute before asking his next question, "So, what are move combinations like?"

"They're awesome!" Dawn declared in answer, "But you'll just have to see them for yourself to really know what it's like in battle."

The trio continued walking for a while longer, covering a good amount of ground in that time. The Lake Valor Resort was getting closer and closer. Around noon, though, a great rumbling from Corey's stomach stopped the two older Trainers cold.

"Ash? Hungry already?" Dawn groaned teasingly.

"Hey, that wasn't me!" Ash protested, "Although…I could totally eat right now."

"That was me, Dawn. I'm kinda hungry." Corey lamented.

"Well, we've got plenty of time, right?" Ash butted in, "Let's find a good spot to rest and we'll break out the stuff for lunch."

Ash, Dawn, and Corey walked just a little more before finding a beautiful hill off to the side of the Route. A single huge tree overshadowed the crest of the hill, creating an abundance of shade. The three Trainers ran to the shady spot like it was a light at the end of the tunnel, and each of them claimed a spot against the oak's thick trunk.

"Hey, we should let the Pokémon out for a little while!" Dawn said happily.

"That's a great idea!" Ash agreed. He quickly grabbed the five Poké Balls attached to his belt, slinging them into the air with a single lob, "Come on out, everybody!"

Buizel, Bulbasaur, Staraptor, Hippopotas, and Quilava spawned from the capsules, each quickly running off to do their own thing. Buizel leaned against the huge oak tree, watching the tranquil field like a hawk. Staraptor flew up into the tree's branches and perched high up, presumably looking for food. Bulbasaur, Hippopotas, and Quilava, meanwhile, ran off to go play on the hill.

"Pikachu, go have fun." Ash offered. The mouse eagerly bounced off of Ash's shoulder, calling out to the three Pokémon and joining them. Dawn called on her Pokémon next. Buneary, Pachirisu, Piplup, and Quilava joined Ash's group of Pokémon, while Togekiss went flying off into the sky to stretch its wings. Mamoswine simply exited his Poké Ball and then crashed into the ground for a nap. The huge ice/ground-type thumped into the ground so hard that Corey was lifted off of the ground for a short instant. Finally, Corey called on his Pokémon, releasing Staravia, Shinx, and Bibarel to go do their own thing with Espeon.

Next, Ash unzipped his backpack and grabbed at the packaged meals stored inside. Unlike Brock, Ash didn't carry a huge bag on his back when he traveled, so cooking every single day was simply not viable. Instead, Ash burned through all of his cooking supplies at each Pokémon Center that he visited and then restocked for later. Normally, he and Dawn would come across a Center every few days, meaning he didn't have to use too much space inside his bag for the cooked food and supplies. He settled on a package holding a turkey sandwich and apple slices, handing two more random packages to his two companions. Naturally, Ash scarfed down the sandwich and was munching away at the apple slices before either Dawn or Corey had even done much damage to their own meals.

Once Ash was finished with his food well in advance, he found himself leaning against the oak tree's large trunk and watching the Pokémon play. It looked like they were playing freeze tag in the field at the bottom of the hill. From what Ash could tell, Piplup was "it" and was chasing after the other Pokémon, though his stubby feet kept him from having much success at catching and "freezing" the others.

The sight made Ash reminisce to his days as a young child, when he played games like freeze tag with the local kids of Pallet Town. At the same time, though, he had always been a fan of climbing trees and scaring the wits out of his mother with how high he dared to climb. As he pulled out of memory lane, the Pride of Pallet glanced up at the tree above him. There were an uncountable number of branches that went dozens of feet into the air, and the higher levels of the tree were gradually more covered up by leaves as they went. Ash then glanced at Dawn, an idea taking shape in his mind.

"Hey, Dawn, Corey." Ash said, getting their attention, "How much do you want to bet that I can climb to the top of this tree, but only going up branch by branch?"

Corey answered with lightning speed, "Ha! There's no way you can do that!"

"Sure can, Corey! Like a Mankey!" Ash boasted.

"Ash, c'mon…" Dawn tried, trailing off.

"Hmm, you're right, Dawn. I look a lot more like a Primeape." Ash quipped, hiding his grin behind a determined face. Dawn stifled a laugh and moved to tell Ash not to get himself hurt, but the boy was dead-set on climbing the oak.

Ash ran forward and put a foot into the trunk as he reached it, pushing off acrobatically and then reaching up to grab onto the low-hanging branch. He closed his hands around the branch and he steadied himself, shaking back and forth for a moment as if he were on a swing. After steadying his body, Ash tugged himself up and ended up standing on the branch, grabbing onto the next-highest branch and repeating the process.

"Ash! Be careful!" Dawn called.

" _There's no need to worry, Dee Dee!"_ Ash yelled from the tree.

Rage combined with embarrassment flooded Dawn's face, turning it a shade of red, _"Call me that name again, and I'll make you need to worry!"_ Dawn hissed, but it only succeeded in making Ash laugh as he climbed further up.

Pretty soon, Ash had climbed into the upper echelons of the oak tree. Unfortunately for him, that was as high as he was going to get. By now, he was pushing his way through the shroud of leaves in the upper branches, his every move being into the unknown. He shoved a set of leaves out of the way, taking a short step onto the next branch, and then pushed his whole body through the next set of leaves.

On the other end of the shroud of leaves was none other than Staraptor, still searching the upper levels of the tree for food. The Predator Pokémon instantly sensed that its immediate space was being intruded on, and the flying-type reacted by giving a piercing shriek and flapping its wings wildly. The reaction was enough to scare Ash into missing the nearby branch, and not an instant later he started falling at full speed, hitting just about every branch of the tree on his way down. He crashed into the ground a few seconds later, and Staraptor flew out of the tree and into the open air.

"Ash! Are you all right?" Dawn shouted, running over to her fallen companion. Buizel came running from the side of the tree, equally concerned for the wellbeing of his Trainer. Ash pushed himself up with his arms and spit some grass out of his mouth and then coughed.

"Believe it or not, there's no need to worry." Ash groaned, spitting into the grass one more time. Suddenly, he felt a pulse in his head, and it drew every ounce of his attention. His head cocked upward and he scanned the area. There was no mistaking that he'd just felt a foreign Aura signature.

" _What…what was that?"_ Ash whispered to himself.

"Sorry about that, Staraptor!" Dawn called to the sky. Staraptor screeched from the sky acceptingly, but he didn't return to the tree's branches, opting instead to go for some free flying.

Corey was still laughing from his spot on the ground, and he even slapped his knee for good measure. Dawn, meanwhile, reached down to help Ash up, grasping his hand and tugging the muscular teen with surprising strength

"Thanks." Ash said quickly, his ears burning with embarrassment.

"Don't mention it." Dawn said, "You sure you're all right? That was a nasty fall."

Ash shrugged, "I'm all right, Dawn. Believe it or not I've taken worse."

His head vibrated again, and this time Ash saw everything around him in a navy blue glow. Dawn and Corey's bodies were bathed in a light blue hue, and a Pokémon's cry pounded in his mind.

 _~Waaaa?~_

The Aura pulse went away just as quickly as it had come, and the glowing blue colors vanished as well. Ash turned around, looking in the direction that he'd heard the cry from.

"Ash? What's wrong?" Dawn asked.

"I…I heard something. I heard a Pokémon cry." Ash said, almost somberly.

"A Pokémon cry? I didn't hear anything…" Dawn answered, trailing off.

"And I felt an Aura pulse…" Ash muttered. He put two and two together, and suddenly it made sense, "I…I think I know what Pokémon it was."

" _Bui, bui!"_ Buizel barked.

Ash heard it too, somehow. A pair of little feet was racing up the hill toward them. Not a moment later, a blue, bipedal Pokémon came rushing over the crest of the hill, soaring through the air as it bounced into view.

" _Rio!"_

Ash, Dawn, and Corey all gasped. "It's a Riolu!" Dawn yelped.

"Not just any Riolu…" Ash said, trailing off. He stepped down to one knee, holding out his hand to the short fighting-type. Riolu padded closer and started sniffing Ash's hand, "Dawn, remember?"

"I do…" Dawn said, "This must be the Riolu that Hunter J took." Suddenly, Dawn thought of something and accessed her Pokétch, pulling up the Holo-Map app. The 3-dimensional map glittered to life and zoomed in on Dawn's current location, and by touching the screen of the Pokétch, Dawn scrolled away from the Route and through the nearby woods, stopping when the forest cleared and revealed a settlement.

"Just what I thought! Ash, it all makes sense! We're close to the Lucario Kingdom!"

"But…what's Riolu doing out here?" Ash wondered aloud.

In answer, there was a screech from the sky. Ash, Dawn, Corey, and Riolu ran out from underneath the tree to see Staraptor flapping about, visibly upset. Before anyone could call out to the flying-type, two more Staraptor appeared in the sky, heading straight for the hill.

"Look out!" Corey shouted.

"Wait! Ash, can you see that? I think people are riding those Staraptor!" Dawn yelled.

Ash didn't have time to respond before the pair of Staraptor hooked underneath the tree. Two people hopped off of the flying-type's backs, one male and one female.

"Riolu!" the boy called, before stopping in his tracks.

Both people were dressed peculiarly. The boy wore a red, opened jacket over a dark gray shirt and a pair of dark gray shorts with yellow ends. His hair was brown, and a section of it stuck up in the back corner of his head. Lastly, he wore fingerless gloves. The girl had teal hair and wore a red half-jacket with yellow and white trim. A pair of short shorts and black thigh-high socks was on her legs, as well as a pair of red-and-white sneakers. Just like the boy, she wore fingerless gloves. Both of them wore peculiar devices on their wrists. It took no time at all for Ash and Dawn to recognize the newcomers, and their faces lit up with joy as they did so.

"Hey, it's Kellyn and Solana!" Ash said.

"Ash!" Solana said with surprise.

"And Dawn too!" said Kellyn.

The four friends rushed up to each other, smiles on their faces. "What are you two doing here?" Solana asked in the middle of their reunion.

"We were headed for Lake Valor and stopped for lunch under the tree. Riolu showed up right after that." Ash explained.

"Ah, it makes sense now." Kellyn said, "Ash, Dawn, I'm sure you remember our mission to protect Riolu from Hunter J and her goons. Riolu must've sensed Ash's nearby Aura from the Lucario Kingdom, and ran off to find him."

"You think so?" Ash asked with wonder. He glanced down at Riolu, who stood close to his leg.

"What about you two? We haven't seen either of you since the whole Hunter J problem." Dawn asked.

Kellyn and Solana exchanged glances. The two Pokémon Rangers then looked back at the teenagers, and Kellyn spoke up, "Why don't we head somewhere more private? It's a bit of a long story."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lucario Kingdom**_

The group stood right at the clearing of the forest, arriving at the location of the Lucario Kingdom. The Kingdom was similar to Twinleaf Town and Pallet Town, in the sense that the houses were far apart from each other and were extremely basic in their design. Most of the buildings reached no higher than a single story, save for a few specific buildings. At the center of the Kingdom was a rectangular castle with cylindrical corners, looking similar to the stereotypical princess's castle from fairy tales. A crystal-clear river ran through the town as well, effectively bisecting the settlement and even closing off the castle from being entered by land.

"This place is so…beautiful…" Dawn remarked.

"It definitely lives up to its name." Kellyn agreed, "You wouldn't think that a small settlement far from any city would be so nice to look at."

" _Rio!"_ Riolu barked agreeably.

"So, Kellyn and Solana, what are you doing back in Sinnoh?" Ash asked.

"Follow us into the castle, and we'll explain on the way. We need to return Riolu." Solana said. She turned and led the group across the river and to the gates of the castle, where the guards quickly let them in. Soon, the Rangers were guiding the three Trainers and Riolu through the hallways of the castle, and Kellyn started to speak.

"I'm sure you've noticed the spike in criminal activity in the last few months." Kellyn started.

"Yeah, we've experienced it firsthand. They're a group called Team Rocket." Ash said.

"Yes, well, normally Pokémon Rangers aren't dispatched to deal with criminal threats, since that's the job of the police." Kellyn said.

"But Team Rocket has been actively violating natural habitats and poaching the Pokémon that live there." Solana explained, "The Ranger Union has asked a large number of Rangers to investigate and do what we can to stop it from continuing."

"A large number of Rangers, huh? So there are more Rangers patrolling Sinnoh?" Dawn reasoned.

"Yes, we're just two of the many that they've sent. In fact, we don't know how many of our colleagues are out there. Kellyn and I have been assigned to the general area stretching from Veilstone City all the way south to Pastoria City, since we've been here before and know our way around." Solana explained.

"We got here about a week ago, in response to the incident in Veilstone City." Kellyn added, "But it's been quiet. No activity at all."

"We actually got involved in the Veilstone incident…" Ash said with a gulp, "But we couldn't do anything to stop them."

"Don't get down on yourself, Ash." Kellyn offered, "Anyway, here we are, Riolu."

The group stopped in front of a regal-looking door, which Solana calmly pushed open. An old man was pacing about inside, and he quickly noticed the door being opened.

"Ah, Riolu! You've returned!" the man said happily. The Emanation Pokémon barked and ran to the old man, hopping into his arms and chattering happily.

"You mustn't run away like that, Riolu…you know how I worry about you." The old man chastised, a sad look on his face. Then, he noticed the visitors packed in at the door, and his face brightened, "Oh! Come in, come in! Rangers, thank you so much for finding Riolu so quickly! I can't tell you how much your continued help means to our Kingdom!"

Kellyn smiled, "No need to thank us, sir. We also brought along some visitors. I'm sure you'll remember them."

Kellyn and Solana stepped aside and the old man examined Ash and Dawn. He pondered the teenagers for just a moment before recognition flooded his face.

"My goodness! You're the lot who helped rescue Riolu from those awful Pokémon hunters from so long ago!" the old man declared, "Just how did you run into Kellyn and Solana?"

"We were headed to Lake Valor when Riolu popped up." Dawn explained, "We think he sensed Ash was nearby and came looking for him."

The caretaker glanced down at Riolu, cradling the fighting-type for a moment. "I suppose it is possible, yes. I've found Riolu staring at the windows every now and then, looking off into the distance. Riolu, did you run off to go looking for these nice young people?"

" _Wa-wa!"_ Riolu chattered. The fighting-type squirmed out of the caregiver's hands and scrambled into another room, quickly reappearing with something in its hand. Riolu padded up to Ash and held up the wooden figurine, chattering again.

"Hey, it's that little wooden Riolu figure that you had." Ash said as he stooped down to examine the toy.

"Oh, I was wondering if this day would come." The old man mumbled.

"What?" Ash asked, standing back up and gazing at the old man with confusion.

"Forgive me." The old man said, "Riolu has always had a sense of adventure. In fact, he was first taken from us while on his own little excursion in the forest. He went out into the woods one day and then didn't come back. When Kellyn and Solana returned little Riolu along with your help, I wondered about the apparent bond you had formed with Riolu."

"I don't understand." Ash admitted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"What I'm trying to say is, I wonder if Riolu wants to go with you."

"W-with me?" Ash stammered, glancing down at the short fighting-type, "Riolu, do you wanna go with me?"

" _Rio! Rio-lu!"_

"But, Riolu is your Pokémon, sir. I can't just take him from you, even if he wants to travel with us." Ash said.

"Riolu has been raised to be the guardian of our Kingdom, that much is true." The old man said, "But it is also true that our home is safer than it has ever been before. We are no longer a fledgling society with a single Pokémon to protect us, and every Pokémon deserves the chance to decide their path in life. If it is Riolu's wish to become your Pokémon, then I will gladly grant it."

Ash looked back down at Riolu, noting the fighting-type's hopeful puppy eyes. "Well then, d'ya hear that, Riolu? Sounds like it's all up to you."

Riolu barked happily and hopped onto Ash, quickly latching its claws into his clothes to grab hold before climbing up to his head. The Emanation Pokémon reached the top of Ash's head and then yipped triumphantly; drawing laughs from each present member in the room.

"I guess that's settled!" Ash giggled. He slung his bag around from his back and pulled out a Poké Ball as Riolu hopped back down to the ground. Ash glanced at the fighting-type for an instant and then enlarged the capsule, "O-kay! Go, Poké Ball!"

Ash tossed the Poké Ball in an arc above Riolu, and the capsule quickly spiraled downward. As the capsule neared, though, Riolu stepped back and avoided it entirely, and the Poké Ball clattered uselessly to the ground.

"What the-?" Ash said, "Riolu?"

Riolu yipped and brought up its paws in a fighting stance, squeaking a few times as he did so.

"Well, I'll be! Seems Riolu wants you to earn its respect before letting you capture him." The old man said.

"So, that's how we're gonna play it, eh?" Ash asked Riolu with smirk, "All right, Riolu, you've got yourself a deal!"

* * *

The audience stood quietly on the luscious green grass as Ash and Riolu stood a short distance from each other. The Emanation Pokémon yipped and brought its small paws into fists, showing that it was ready to battle.

"All right! Hippopotas, I choose you!"

The airborne Poké Ball broke open and silvery white light spilled out of the capsule, touching the ground and shaping into the form of Hippopotas. The light vanished and the ground-type crunched its jaws together with a cry, _"Po-tas!"_

"Okay, Hippopotas, use Dig!" Ash called. Hippopotas chattered and swiftly dug underneath the ground, leaving a hole where it had once stood. Riolu gave a light gasp and then closed its eyes, putting out a paw into the air. The small fighting-type inhaled deeply and the little appendages on the back of its head began levitating in the air.

"What's Riolu doing?" Dawn asked Kellyn.

"Riolu is using its special Aura powers to try and detect Hippopotas under the ground." Kellyn explained.

Despite having its eyes closed, Riolu could see everything around it. The land and sky were a dark blue, with lighter blue auroras in humanoid shapes appearing as signs of life. Suddenly, a smaller, rounder shape in a light blue hue came rushing up from the ground. Riolu exited its Aura-infused state and leaped into the air, just in the nick of time as Hippopotas tore up the ground below it. The Dig attack missed and Riolu dropped down to the grass a few feet away, giving a pleased yip.

"How about that?" Ash laughed happily, "Hippopotas, let's try Take Down!"

Hippopotas stormed forward on its little legs, moving with impressive speed. The Hippo Pokémon ducked its head and a thin aura of power formed in front of its charge. As Hippopotas reached striking distance, Riolu's body lit up in a multicolored light and the canine Pokémon sidestepped the attack before landing a swift punch to Hippopotas' side, knocking the ground-type over. Riolu quickly bounded away, once again pleased with its success.

"So Riolu knows Counter!" Ash gasped, "We'll have to play this smart. Hippopotas, use Sand Tomb!"

Hippopotas crunched its jaws together and chattered, before stamping one of its small feet into the ground. The Hippo Pokémon then opened its mouth wide and cried, _"Hiiiiiiiiip!"_

The opening on Hippopotas' back erupted in a gust of thick sand, shooting the light material directly at Riolu. Riolu took a step back, but the Sand Tomb was on it in an instant and surrounded its body in a damaging vortex.

"There we go! Now, Hippopotas, use Dig again!"

Hippopotas buried itself under the earth as the Sand Tomb blocked Riolu's vision, so that when the vortex disappeared, the Hippo Pokémon was nowhere to be seen. Riolu quickly put two and two together and started trying to feel out for the ground-type's Aura, but Ash moved quicker.

"Hippopotas, now!"

Hippopotas shot up from under the ground and tackled Riolu from below, dealing solid damage and sending Riolu several feet away. The Emanation Pokémon wasn't fazed much, though, and once it regained its footing, Riolu brought its two paws together and started charging up a ball of brilliant blue energy.

"Riolu's Aura Sphere!" Ash gasped, "Hippopotas, quick, dodge it!"

Hippopotas did its best to step out of the way of the incoming Aura Sphere, but the attempt was rather futile. Riolu wasted no time in sending out the attack and nailed Hippopotas on its side mid-dodge.

Riolu yipped happily, clenching its right paw into a fist and pumping its arm.

The faint sound of a machine going off was closely followed by the arrival of a large net from the sky. The net swamped over Riolu, automatically closing itself up underneath the fighting-type Pokémon. Riolu yipped with confusion, and then an aerial vehicle suddenly dragged up the closed net at high speed. All six present people followed the ascending net with their eyes, until they all settled on one very familiar hot air balloon.

"It's been a while since we've seen that balloon…" Dawn said anxiously.

Ash gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement, "Team Rocket!"

" _Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?"_

" _It's shrieking to me loud and clear."_

" _On the wind!"_

" _Past the stars!"_

" _In your ear!"_

" _Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace…"_

" _Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"_

" _A rose by any other name is just as sweet!"_

" _When everything's worse, our work is complete!"_

" _Jessie!"_

" _And it's James!"_

" _Meowth, now that's a name!"_

The three members of the Team Rocket Trio joined hands, reciting their next lines, _"Putting the do-gooders in their place."_

" _We're Team Rocket!"_

" _And we're in your face!"_

" _Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"_ the crooks laughed from the Meowth-themed hot air balloon. Jessie looked down on the grounded Trainers and laughed snootily, "Thanks for the Riolu, twerps! This one'll make the boss _very_ happy!"

"Yes, a Riolu that can learn Aura Sphere would be quite useful." James agreed.

"Well, looks like it's time for us to go!" Meowth jeered. The hot air balloon immediately started to shift away from the Lucario Kingdom.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ash howled, grabbing another Poké Ball, "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace and free Riolu!" Staraptor quickly emerged from its Ball and zipped forward toward the cable holding onto Riolu's prison.

" _Staaaarrrrrrrrrrrrr!"_ Staraptor screeched.

"That won't do!" Jessie rebuffed sarcastically, "Yanmega, use Steel Wing!"

Yanmega burst out from its Poké Ball and raced to meet Staraptor head-on. The bug-type vocalized, _"Ya-yum!"_ and its wings glowed white. Staraptor saw its oncoming opponent and made to dodge, but Yanmega zipped along with the bird's path and slashed the wings on its right into Staraptor's side, knocking the flying-type out of the air. Staraptor cried as it tumbled from the sky, and Jessie quickly called out to her Yanmega, "Yanmega, dear, use Silver Wind!"

Yanmega chanted and hovered above the falling Staraptor, flapping its wings and sending slashes of glowing energy down below.

"Staraptor, recover with Quick Attack and dodge that!"

Staraptor regained control of itself and then fired up a Quick Attack, easily arcing its body away from the ground and getting back up into the air as the Silver Wind attacks drew close. The Predator Pokémon rolled to the side and dodged the flurry of attacks, heeding Ash's next command for an Aerial Ace and striking Yanmega cleanly in its belly. The Ogre Darner Pokémon was thrown far away but easily controlled itself and went back to hovering near Jessie.

"Hippopotas, get under that balloon and use Sand Tomb!"

Hippopotas sprinted so that it was just underneath Team Rocket's balloon, but Riolu's caretaker quickly objected.

"Wait!" the old man shouted, "Riolu, use Detect!"

Riolu yipped and a field of otherworldly green energy. Ash understood what was happening and then repeated his command, and Hippopotas spat an eruption of thick sand high into the sky at full force. The Sand Tomb wrapped around Team Rocket's balloon and the crooks yelled as they covered their eyes. The flakes of sand slashed around and managed to cut Riolu's net loose. The fighting-type went falling to the ground, but the caretaker ran underneath the falling Pokémon and easily caught him, easing Riolu's fear and bringing a smile to the canine Pokémon's face.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket's balloon was doubtlessly damaged, and now that their prize had been stolen, each of the crooks were in a less than stellar mood. Ash called for Staraptor to use Brave Bird and cut through the balloon, but Jessie, James, and Meowth abandoned their airship without hesitation. Staraptor tore through the balloon and sent the ruined aircraft tumbling to the ground. Jessie, James, and Meowth each landed comfortably with the use of their Hover-Pads. Once on the ground, they disembarked from the hovercrafts and stepped away from them, walking closer to their targets.

"Not so good with that balloon, huh?" Ash boasted, "Y'know for all your tricks and improvements over the last year, you're still not good enough to win against _us._ "

Dawn looked nervously at Ash, recognizing his overconfidence, and his remarks had the exact effect she'd expected on the three Rockets.

"How dare you, twerp!" Jessie snapped, "We'll make you eat those words, and _then_ we'll take that Riolu!"

James agreed wholeheartedly by grabbing a Poké Ball from his belt and tossing it, "Cacturne, use Needle Arm!"

"Pikachu, quick, use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu gladly leaped off of Ash's shoulders, aiming straight for the quickly advancing grass-type and charging up a powerful Volt Tackle. The electric mouse collided with Cacturne at full force and knocked the Scarecrow Pokémon away and into the ground.

"Yanmega, use Sonic Boom!" Jessie called.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" Dawn countered. Piplup leapt into the air from the ground and shot a series of power-packed bubbles, hitting each and every one of Yanmega's Sonic Boom attacks and neutralizing them.

"Time ta take the gloves off!" Meowth yowled, "Metal Claw!"

Meowth raced forward toward Riolu this time, six claws of steel between its two paws stretched out and ready for action. Riolu barked and sidestepped the first attack, but Meowth's second swipe caught the fighting-type in the chin and disoriented it, opening up another chance for Meowth to attack the Pokémon.

"Hippopotas, use Take Down!" Ash called, and the command landed on deaf ears for Meowth. Riolu tried futilely to defend itself as Meowth stood above it, and Hippopotas arrived with perfect timing, landing a brutal head-butt that made Meowth see stars. The Scratch Cat Pokémon flew back toward his cohorts and Riolu pushed itself back up, glancing at Ash and Hippopotas and giving a thankful yip.

Meowth scrambled back to its feet and yowled unhappily. "So, we're gonna fight dirty, eh? Fine, let's—"

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"—Eh?" Meowth's jaw dropped as he was interrupted by Pikachu's charging of his primary electric attack. Out of sheer fear (and the experience of being hit by the mouse's Thunderbolts literally hundreds of times), Meowth ducked into the grass, and his comrades dove to opposite sides as Pikachu let loose a Thunderbolt. Luckily, the electric blast flew right above Meowth and kept going. Unluckily, of course, the blast struck Meowth's personal Hover-Pad, completely destroying it in an explosion. Meowth hooked his head back and saw the mangled hovercraft in the grass, and he lost his head, _"Oh come on!_ Dat thing was custom made!" The Scratch Cat Pokémon then looked back to Ash and Dawn, "Y'know you's two oughta show a teensy bit of respect every now and then! Those things ain't cheap!"

Rather than reply to Meowth's complaint, Ash boasted some more, "So, how's about we have another throwback and send you three blasting off? Dawn?"

"You got it, Ash! Piplup, use Hydro Pump!"

"Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"

"Well! Methinks it's time to scram!" Meowth decided. Jessie and James agreed without hesitation, and they returned their Pokémon before sprinting back to the two remaining Hover-Pads. Meowth hopped onto James' ride as they fired up the vehicles, just as Pikachu came racing toward them with a Hydro Tackle combination.

" _Go, go, go, go, go!"_ Meowth shrieked repeatedly as Pikachu closed the gap quickly. Jessie and James barely managed to get the hovercrafts in the air before Pikachu could reach them, and in barely a second they were flying away empty-handed.

Pikachu skidded to a stop and the Hydro Tackle fell apart, but Ash didn't feel like calling it quits. "Pikachu, give 'em a little scare and use Thunderbolt, will ya?" Pikachu happily agreed and fired off another furious Thunderbolt, intentionally missing the fleeing Rockets by a few narrow inches and scaring them witless. Jessie and James both punched their throttles and were well out of range seconds after that, and just a few moments later they were out of sight.

"Well that definitely wasn't something I expected to see today." Dawn remarked, "They haven't used that balloon since…since…"

"Since that last day in Twinleaf Town…" Ash said, "Makes you realize just how much is changed in the past year."

"Yeah, but it's not all bad change." Dawn agreed, giving a warm smile to Ash that _almost_ gave him butterflies.

"It would seem that once again I owe you my thanks for saving Riolu!" the caretaker boomed, "Without you here, there is no telling what might've happened!"

"There's no need to thank us, sir, really. We were just doing what had to be done." Ash insisted.

"But he does have a point, Ash. Time and time again you've come through." Kellyn remarked, "I guess there's the activity we've been looking for from Team Rocket."

"Those three have actually followed me for several years now." Ash explained, "But…they've changed quite a bit."

"We urge you to exercise caution, then." Solana said, "The future is unpredictable, now more than ever." Solana reached into her pocket and pulled out a card, "Ash, Dawn, if you ever need to get in touch with Kellyn and I, you can reach us at this number."

Dawn gratefully took the card and examined it, spying the odd phone number on the card. "How will you know when we called, though, with all of your Ranger duties going on?" Dawn asked.

Solana brought up her wrist and tapped the Styler strapped onto it. "The Styler has its own videophone built in. Us Rangers use it to keep in contact, and the numbers are different from your standard videophone numbers. But rest assured, we'll always be prepared to answer."

"Thank you, guys!" Dawn said happily.

" _Rio!"_

Ash and Dawn looked down at Riolu, who stood tall at Ash's feet. The Emanation Pokémon was looking up at Ash hopefully, an almost childish twinkle in its eyes.

"I believe Riolu has made its choice." The caretaker remarked. Despite the surefire sadness that he was feeling, he stooped down to pet Riolu. The fighting-type came close to the man who had taken care of since its infancy, and held out one of its paws in recognition. The caretaker took the paw and held it for a moment, before gently letting go.

"I want you to be the very best Pokémon you can be, Riolu. I want you to learn and see and experience everything there is in the world. But if one day you grow tired of it all…remember, there will always be a place for you here. But if not, then that is perfectly fine too, okay?"

Riolu yipped and hugged the caretaker's leg, accepting another affectionate pet from the old man. After letting go of his leg, Riolu padded over back to Ash, looking back up with steely determination in its eyes. Ash smiled and grabbed an empty Poké Ball from his bag, enlarging the capsule.

"All right…go, Poké Ball!"

Ash dropped the capsule onto Riolu's head, and the Emanation Pokémon was sucked inside the Ball on contact. The Poké Ball clattered to the ground and wiggled for a few moments, before stilling and chiming a tone that signaled successful capture.

"Yeah!" Ash crowed as he grabbed the Poké Ball from the ground. He posed, raising the capsule high into the air, "I caught a Riolu!"

After officially capturing Riolu, Ash, Dawn, and Corey bid farewell to Kellyn, Solana, and the caretaker before heading back to the main road. Lake Valor, Pastoria City and beyond were in their sight, as well as a world of adventure still to be experienced!

* * *

 **I'm sure that there are plenty of you wondering, when is Dawn going to catch a Pokémon? I know, I know, it needs to happen soon. So, I have an offer to each and every person reading this. I invite each and every one of you to suggest a Pokémon you would like to see Dawn capture in the near future. I will gladly take any and all suggestions, but do keep in mind that I may go my own route in this, it is simply a matter of finding the right time and place to make this happen. Other than that, I have nothing else to say besides please leave a review at the bottom and tell me your thoughts! Did you like the sort of nostalgic appearance of Team Rocket, with the balloon and Pokémon-stealing plot? I don't know about you guys, but I liked it. It's a little taste of the old days, even with all of the changes those three have gone through in the past year.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	43. The Ping-Pong Prodigy's Choice!

**We're back with a nice, long chapter. We're still on the filler road here, but the Contest is going to happen in the next chapter. I got to thinking about Dawn's Pokémon and decided to write this chapter for a very specific reason, which I'm sure you guys can figure out based on the title. Anyway, I hope you guys all enjoy, and please do consider leaving a review at the bottom, or shoot me a PM if you'd like an earlier response! Happy reading!**

 **corahaale: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy it. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected to be at this point now, considering the robustness of my first chapter. I'll take all those suggestions into consideration, and I hope you have a great rest of your day also!**

 **KakeruPB: Forgive me for asking, but what exactly do you mean in your Chapter 41 review? The way it is worded makes it sound like if Ash behaved more cautiously because of the strange dream, the story would plummet. As for the date thing, I'm getting there, my aim is to build the romance up as a backdrop to everything else that is happening. It is a secondary element of the story at this point, but that will change. I'm sorry that I can't offer up more.**

 **DistinctStoryteller: That might be tough, considering Unova Pokémon are not found in the other regions (and for the most part the opposite is true as well). Thank you for the suggestion, though, and I hope you'll continue reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 43_

 _The Ping-Pong Prodigy's Choice!_

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lake Valor**_

The Lake Valor Resort was a year-round hub of activity, and the upcoming weekend was no exception. There wasn't a cloud in the sky today, and the sun was shining brightly on the lake, making the water shimmer as it reflected its light. That relative peace was disturbed only by Dawn, who began running through the streets like a child running down the stairs on Christmas morning.

"Isn't it beautiful here?" Dawn asked rhetorically. She turned to giggling happily as she continued running through the streets of the resort. Meanwhile, Ash and Corey instead went down Dawn's general path at a simple walk.

"I don't think I've ever seen Dawn so happy." Corey remarked.

"Dawn tends to get that way when there's a Contest coming up, and she hasn't been able to compete since the winter." Ash explained as he walked alongside Corey.

Ash and Corey rounded the corner, and Dawn was standing a ways down the block, waving at her two companions. _"Hey! You guys are moving too slow!"_ Dawn called.

Ash snorted and then picked up the pace, dragging Corey along with him. They met Dawn in the middle of the block, and the Coordinator seemed to have simmered down. She smiled brilliantly, "Just look at this place! I can't wait to compete in the Contest!"

"Let's head to the Pokémon Center, eh?" Ash said.

"Yeah, totally!" Dawn agreed, "I need to work on some last minute combinations!"

The trio headed for the Center with skips in their steps, finding the big red building with ease and walking inside. The Center was packed with people, but the line at the front desk was very short. Once they dropped off the Pokémon that needed resting, Ash, Dawn, and Corey stepped outside to the patio, hoping to find empty seats in the shade. Lake Valor's Pokémon Center had three battlefields for public use, but each field was occupied and had short lines of people waiting to use them next.

"Busy day." Ash commented.

A hollow clap of wood coming from the side of the public patio caught their attention next. The teens followed the sound and found a Ping-Pong table, where a group of people was closely huddled together Dawn raised an eyebrow and walked in the direction of the table, closely followed by Ash and Corey. The wall of people observing the apparent Ping-Pong match had no interest in moving out of the way for newcomers, so Dawn tried her best to peek over their shoulders.

"Ugh, I can't see anything clearly." Dawn groaned. The crowd suddenly roared approvingly, startling Dawn and Corey and simply making Ash chuckle.

"Here, lemme take a look." Ash said. He walked up behind the people and then stood on his toes, managing to get his line of sight above the shoulder of a spectator, where he took in the details of the match. A man in a bright yellow-green jacket stood on one end, twirling the Ping-Pong paddle between his fingers expertly, while the person on the other end looked much less confident. Ash guessed that this was an amateur challenging a skilled player, and he focused back on the player in the jacket. The experienced player pulled off his bright green jacket, exposing a normal green T-shirt underneath, and then he stretched his neck and shoulders out. His hair was an unusual color, looking somewhat like black and purple mixed together, and it was parted to one side so that a bundle of the hair fell down his forehead.

"Ten-love. Match point." The man said, twirling the paddle in between his fingers again. The amateur on the other side of the table shook and went to serve the ball, tapping it across the table. The man in the green shirt simply reared back and smashed the ball back to the other side. The amateur challenger didn't stand a chance, and the Ping-Pong ball blazed by him easily.

"Eleven-love. That's the match." The man said. The crowd clapped approvingly and spoke amongst themselves.

" _He sure isn't the Ping-Pong champ for nothing."_

" _And he's sooooo handsome."_

" _Ya think there's anyone that can stand up to him in a real match?"_

The gears in Ash's head turned as the crowd of people broke apart. They'd met a Ping-Pong champion on their travels some time ago. The man set the paddle on the table and then turned to his left, exposing the rest of his face. Ash's eyebrows shot up. Of course!

"Dawn, that's—"

"Dawn?" the expert Ping-Pong player asked with surprise.

Dawn met the man's eyes and she too fell victim to surprise. "O?" she gasped.

"And Ash, too!" O said with delight, "What a surprise!"

"Y-you too, O." Dawn choked out, "What are you doing at Lake Valor?"

"The Pokémon Ping-Pong World Championships are tomorrow, right here on the lake." O explained, "Let me guess, you're here for the Pokémon Contest the day after, right?"

"Y-yeah, that's right! Ash and I are traveling Sinnoh for a second time." Dawn said.

"How fun. Ash, I managed to catch a few of your battles in last year's Sinnoh League. You were very impressive. It's a real shame they let a Trainer use multiple Legendary Pokémon in an official tournament. It completely ruins the competition." O complimented.

"Thanks, O. I've been training really hard and I think I have a real shot to win the Sinnoh League next time." Ash said.

"Wonderful. I'll have to try and check it out."

"Hey, guys? Who…who is this dude?" Corey asked sheepishly.

"Oh, Corey, this is O, a Pokémon Ping-Pong player." Ash explained, "We met him on our way to Snowpoint City a while back."

"Your name's Corey, huh? Pleased to meet you." O greeted.

"Um, O?" Dawn squeaked nervously.

"Yes, Dawn? You okay?" O asked with concern, noting how nervous she looked.

"I-I'm fine, it's just…how's Ambipom?" Dawn managed.

O relaxed and smiled, "Ambipom is doing great, Dawn. She's turned into an amazing Ping-Pong player in her own right. She'll be playing in the tournament tomorrow." O's smile then disappeared and he thought for a moment, "Hey, what do you say I take you all back to my hotel? Ambipom is there now, probably getting in some last minute practice. Would you like that, Dawn?"

Dawn brightened immediately. It was barely even a question.

"Of course, O! Show us the way!"

* * *

O led the teenagers (and Corey) through the streets of the resort, all the while hugging the edge of the crystal clear lake. While Dawn was completely absorbed in her own thoughts about Ambipom, Ash was paying extra special attention to the surface of the lake. He almost expected the form of Azelf to slip out from underneath the surface, but with the amount of people in the streets, it was quite unlikely. Corey, meanwhile, had no real idea what was going on. Out of nowhere they'd met this tall Ping-Pong player whose name was only a letter, and the youth was simply along for the ride.

It wasn't long until the Hotel Grand Lake came into view, and O eagerly led his new companions inside. From the outside looking in, the Hotel Grand Lake lived up to its name and five-star rating. The lobby was furnished with the finest of materials and decorations, probably costing millions of dollars all told. The group cut straight through the lobby to the activities room

The activities room was packed with Ping-Pong tables, and groups of people and Pokémon alike were occupying the tables and playing various matches on them. The nearest table to the right, though, was where the real intrigue was. Two Pokémon, one on each side, were going at full steam in a Singles Match, the traditional Ping-Pong paddles absent as they hit the little sphere back and forth with their own appendages. O's Shiftry was on one end, and faced the newcomers, while another particular Pokémon had its back to the Trainers on the other end of the table. Shiftry's opponent was a tall, purple simian with two long tails. Each tail had a large, three-fingered hand on the end, which the Pokémon used to bat the Ping-Pong ball back towards Shiftry.

Shiftry and Ambipom both exchanged hits at impressive speed, but neither showed any signs of tiring out. Dawn watched her former Pokémon with awe, her eyes quivering with tears of prideful joy. Her hand found her heart and she clutched it as she watched the match continue. Finally, after dozens of back and forth hits, Ambipom hit the ball in such a way that curved the little sphere past Shiftry's prying eyes, winning the rally for the normal-type. Ambipom chattered happily and connected the hands on its tails, giving a brilliant smile and dancing around for a moment.

"Did Ambipom win the match?" Dawn asked quietly.

"It looks that way to me. Ambipom and Shiftry go head-to-head a lot. They tend to split the matches pretty evenly." O answered, "I'm really amazed with the ability Ambipom's shown in building off of her natural talent. It's fair to say that Ambipom is my best student."

Shiftry shrugged, tired of Ambipom's celebrating, and then noticed O. The grass-type padded away from its end of the table and walked over, noticing the newcomers then. Ambipom noticed Shiftry had walked away, but before she could turn, O called out to the normal-type.

"Hey, Ambipom." O said slowly, fighting back a smile, "I brought someone who wanted to see you."

Ambipom finally turned around, squeaking, _"Oh-oh?"_

Dawn stepped forward next to O, and Ash eagerly stepped up to her side. Overwhelming pride was the only emotion registering on their faces, though Dawn seemed to be struggling to not break down into joyful tears.

"Hi, Ambipom…" Dawn managed.

Ambipom stood still, a silent, confused expression on its face. Then, with a happy cry, Ambipom broke a wide grin and bounded over. It was Ash and Dawn! Dawn choked up and matched Ambipom's grin—albeit with a few stray tears—and stepped forward to meet Ambipom halfway. Ambipom wrapped its tails around Dawn in an affectionate hug, quickly switching around and doing the same to Ash. The Long Tail Pokémon chattered noisily until Dawn stooped down to meet Ambipom's eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, Ambipom." Dawn said, holding a bright smile. Ambipom chattered cheerily and then clasped the hands on its tails onto Dawn's hands, repeatedly shaking her hands and making happy noises.

"That goes for me too, Ambipom." Ash agreed with a grin, "You've turned into an awesome Ping-Pong player!"

" _Ambi-pom!"_

"You know, Ambipom will need a human partner for the tournament tomorrow." O stepped in, pulling the attention from the joyful reunion, "I was going to have one of my more experienced students play alongside her, but…now I'm not so sure that does Ambipom justice. Dawn, you made it all the way to the semifinals when you played in Sandalstraw Town, where you faced Shiftry and I."

"Um, yeah, that's right. What are you saying, O?" Dawn asked.

"Well, how would you like to have another go at the tournament with Ambipom?" O offered.

Dawn's face brightened, and she turned to look at Ambipom, "I'm supposed to be preparing for the Contest, but…Ambipom, would you like that? Would you want me to be your partner for the tournament tomorrow?"

Ambipom locked eyes with Dawn, before briefly reminiscing to their farewell in Sandalstraw Town over a year earlier. Ash and Dawn had been incredibly supportive of her decision to pursue Pokémon Ping-Pong, and every day she'd thought of their kindness. Dawn hadn't even been remotely upset with her for abandoning the Contest trail. Thinking back, Ambipom felt it was time to repay Dawn for her kindness. They had always made a fantastic team in everything they did, so the offer was barely even a question.

" _Pom! Oh-ho-oh!"_

O nodded, "I guess it's settled."

Dawn giggled as Ambipom chattered happily some more. "All right then, Ambipom! I'll do it! We're gonna compete tomorrow at the Ping-Pong World Championships!"

* * *

The Pokémon Ping-Pong World Championships were being held in the Contest Hall, which would be the venue of the Lake Valor Contest the following day. The field had been converted into the perfect Ping-Pong arena, with four total tables set equidistant from each other. Cheap walls bordered each table, covering the lower halves of each competitor for matches.

The World Championships were split into two different tournaments: The standard Ping-Pong World Championships and the Junior World Championships, the latter being for players 13 and under. After learning this, Corey had decided to give it a go, picking Staravia as his partner. Not one to be left out, Ash had also entered his name in the regular tournament. The standard tournament had ended up being capped with 64 total entries, and as a result, the top level of the tournament had been split into two groups based on experience: the A and B pools. The two pools would be comprised of thirty-two players (and their Pokémon) each, and would proceed as normal. Although the A pool was the "real" World Championship bracket, a match was slated between the victors of the two pools at the end.

Dawn and Ash were unsurprisingly placed in the B pool, while O and Shiftry were seeded at the top of the A pool as the defending champions. Dawn and Ash were placed at opposite ends of the B pool bracket, meaning they would have quite a ways to go and several players to beat before they could play each other.

"Good luck, Dawn." Ash said, "You and Ambipom are gonna be a great combination."

"You too, Ash!" Dawn answered, "If we're lucky, we just might get to face-off."

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Ash said with a confident smirk.

" _If we may please have your undivided attention. The first match of the Pokémon Ping-Pong World Championships is about to begin. Please direct your attention to Table #1."_

The lights in the Hall went out and a single bright spotlight highlighted Table #1, which sat to the upper left of where Ash and Dawn currently stood. Dozens of lights flickered about for a moment before settling on the form of a nervous-looking blonde-haired teen.

" _For the first match, in the red corner, please welcome Carter from Sunyshore City!"_

Sparse applause welcomed the boy up to his end of the table. He stepped up to the table with an Electabuzz by his side. Next, the shuffling lights highlighted the opposite end of the table, and an artificial silence went over the crowd as a familiar portrait appeared on the jumbotron.

" _And, facing off against Carter, in the blue corner, from Vermillion City…please welcome the two-time defending World Champion, O!"_

The applause for O was, by comparison to Carter's, thunderous. Carter visibly gulped as O and Shiftry walked underneath the light on his corner of the table, and the lights came back to life in the facility. The crowd quieted down as the announcer began announcing more matchups at the other three tables, albeit with far less grandeur than was shown for O and his doomed opponent. Two more tables housed matches for the standard age tournament, while the fourth and final table was to be used for the Junior Championship matches. Corey was called up for the first Juniors match, up against a youth named Jerry.

A few minutes later, the man on the loudspeaker came back on, _"Attention! Defending champion O has defeated his opponent by a stranglehold 3-0 margin. The set counts were 11-1, 11-2, and 11-0. Please give a round of applause to our first victor of the day!"_

Approving applause circled around the crowd and the loudspeaker crackled back to life again, _"For the next match, may we please see…Dawn and Ambipom, and…Ricky and Mr. Mime. Will Dawn and Ricky please report to Table #1 with their Pokémon so that their match can begin? Dawn and Ricky."_

"That's my cue." Dawn said.

"I'll come with you and watch until they call me up." Ash decided. He walked alongside Dawn and Ambipom, noting the Pokémon's eager twitching. When they reached the table, the referee opened a door in the blocker to allow Dawn and Ambipom through, leaving Ash and Buizel on the outside. "Knock 'em dead, Dawn!" Ash hollered as she and Ambipom took her place. A teen with spiky brown hair stood on the other end, a Mr. Mime at his side.

"Both players understand the rules, yes?" the referee asked. Dawn and Ricky both nodded sternly and the referee continued, "Good. This will be a best of 5 match, and the first serve will go to Dawn. Good luck to you both."

* * *

"That's the eleventh point! Corey wins the set!" the referee declared.

"Yes! We got it!" Corey whooped. The flying-type crowed approvingly as the referee pulled another ball from her pocket. "All right! Staravia, let's get outta here." Corey said, making to walk away from the table with the flying-type.

"Do you wish to forfeit?" the referee interrupted.

"What?" Corey asked as he turned to look at the ref. The boy on the other end of the table looked appalled, and the referee addressed Corey again.

"Do you wish to forfeit the match?"

"N-No. You just said we won, didn't you?" Corey asked with shock.

"You won _the set._ This is a best of 3 match." The referee said, "You will have to win a second set to win this round."

Corey's eyes widened as he realized. How had he been so dumb? "Aw, man!" he complained.

"Do you still wish to forfeit?"

" _No!"_ Corey snapped, "We're going to keep playing. C'mon, Staravia."

Staravia flapped its wings discontentedly and followed Corey back to the Ping-Pong table and the referee rolled her eyes as she stood back on the sidelines of the table. "This is the second set. The first serve will go to Jerry. You may begin when ready." The referee said, bouncing the small sphere to the other youth. Corey clenched his fist tighter around the paddle, and Staravia readied itself to hit the ball back with its wings if need be. The Trainer called Jerry tossed the ball up and served, kicking off the next set.

* * *

"There we go, Ambipom!" Ash cheered.

Ambipom stepped back from the table and twirled around, doing a brief little dance next to Dawn. Ambipom had just returned a strike from Mr. Mime with a swift hit of her own, sending the ball flying past Ricky, Mr. Mime's Trainer. The score of the first set was now 6-1, placing Dawn and Ambipom in a comfortable early lead.

Ricky tossed the Ping-Pong ball into the air and slapped it toward Dawn. The Coordinator easily shifted her posture and returned the strike, whereupon Mr. Mime batted the ball toward Ambipom with its hand. Ambipom and Mr. Mime exchanged several hits between each other before the ball came to Dawn, and she expertly slapped it past Ricky.

"Seven-one." The referee said.

Ambipom squeaked approvingly and high-fived Dawn with the hand on its left tail before the ball was bounced over to Dawn for the serve.

" _Attention, it is time for another match. Will Ash and Buizel, and Jonas and Prinplup please report to Table #3. Thank you."_

"Guess that's us, Buizel." Ash said, "You ready?"

" _Bui, bui!"_

Dawn briefly glanced over to Ash, and then turned her focus back to her match with a smile. Ash and Buizel trotted away from their spectator's spot and over to the designated table, where another Trainer and his Prinplup soon arrived. Each pair took one end of the table and the ball was bounced over to Ash for the opening serve. He lightly tossed the ball up and then slapped it across the table, getting a quick return from the Trainer named Jonas. Ash slapped the ball back toward Prinplup, who exchanged a couple of turns with Buizel before the ball passed back over to Jonas. Jonas was sloppy in his return of Buizel's hit, and Ash quickly readied himself before delivering a smashing hit that blazed between Jonas and Prinplup.

"One-love." The referee said.

" _Bui!"_

"There we go." Ash said. The referee bounced the ball back to him for his second serve. The second rally didn't last as long, but once again went in Ash and Buizel's favor. The match began to fly by after that, eventually landing Ash and Buizel at a 9-7 lead in the fourth set. Ash and Buizel had taken the first and third sets, while Jonas and Prinplup had won the second set dominatingly. They'd found their stride by then, keeping close at Ash and Buizel's heels from that point forward.

Jonas served toward Buizel, who quickly batted the ball back with his arm. Prinplup brought up its flipper and tapped the ball back to Ash, and the four players exchanged several hits for about a minute before Buizel whirled around and slapped the ball back with one of his tails, blazing the ball over Jonas' paddle on the second bounce.

"Ten-seven. Match point."

The referee bounced the ball to Ash, who caught it in one hand and wasted no time in serving. The ball bounced over to Jonas, and then to Ash, and then between Prinplup and Buizel for a few turns, and then back to Ash. Ash reared back the paddle and slammed it across the table, forcing Jonas to react quickly. Jonas paddled the ball back, but at such an errant angle that the ball simply flew out of bounds without any bounce.

"Eleven-seven. That's the match."

Jonas noisily slapped the paddle down on the table while Ash and Buizel celebrated their victory. After just a few seconds of celebrating, Ash walked over to Jonas and Prinplup, who were both promptly walking away after their elimination.

"Hey, Jonas!" Ash called. The Trainer and Prinplup turned around as Ash reached them. Ash outstretched his hand, "You did a great job out there, thanks. I had fun."

Jonas looked at Ash's hand like it was a foreign gesture, but reluctantly shook it. Without any words, he and Prinplup abandoned the area, while Ash and Buizel headed back to the center of the field. Just as they got there, Corey was walking aimlessly, sulking as he went.

"Corey!" Ash called. The youth looked up and half-waved, returning to his brooding immediately, "Hey, what's wrong?" Ash asked as he reached the youngster.

"I-I lost!" Corey cried, "Staravia and me got to the second round, but we got crushed!"

"Hey now, don't feel down." Ash said, "The kids in the junior leagues are going to be kids that have played the game for their whole lives. Besides, it's just Ping-Pong. Now you can focus on your Gym Battle in Pastoria City."

"…You're right." Corey admitted, "For what it's worth, Staravia played really hard. It wasn't easy for him, either, hitting the ball with his wings."

"See? You should be real proud of Staravia, competing in something different for the first time and trying its hardest." Ash said, "Now, c'mon, we should go check on Dawn and Ambipom. I bet they're crushing it."

* * *

" _The final match of the Pokémon Ping-Pong World Championships A and B-Pools are about to begin!"_

There were only three total matches remaining in the entire tournament. As such, two of the tables had been removed from the arena and only two tables remained, sitting a decent distance from each other and being walled off by knee-high blockers. At the A-Pool's table, O and a player named Terry were about to face off for the de-facto World Championship. In the B-Pool, the finalists were none other than Dawn and Ash.

Ash and Buizel took their place at one end of the table, while Dawn and Ambipom did the same at the other. Both Trainers grinned at each other. Ash and Buizel had managed to ride a wave of lucky breaks and skilled calculations to the pool finals, while Dawn and Ambipom had dominated everyone in their way, tearing a path of victorious destruction through the bracket. Ambipom's prowess at the game had really come out during their winning streak. She really was ten times the player she had been during the tournament in Sandalstraw Town.

As the man on the PA system droned on about the two upcoming matches, Ash mouthed _'good luck'_ , prompting Dawn to mouth, _'you too'_. Soon, the referee bounced the first Ping-Pong ball to Dawn, who quickly served it to start the match. The ball bounced directly toward Buizel, who quickly batted the ball back toward Ambipom. Ambipom chattered excitedly and slapped the ball at an errant angle, just barely getting the ball to bounce on the table inches from Buizel. The Sea Weasel Pokémon narrowly managed to bat the ball back before it could bounce off of the table, but Ambipom easily knocked the ball back again with a swift hit, sending the ball past Ash and a disoriented Buizel.

"One-love." The referee said. Ash stepped back and grabbed the Ping-Pong ball, bouncing it back to Dawn by hand so that she could execute her serve. She gently batted the ball over the net to Ash, and the four players started up a rally that lasted for well over two-dozen turns before Buizel hit a ball between Ambipom's tails to tie the set.

"One-one."

"One-two."

"Two-two."

"Three-two."

"Four-two."

The match blazed by as Corey cheered for both sides. Ash and Dawn kept themselves neck and neck for relatively the entire match. Ash and Buizel managed to steal the first set by an 11-9 margin, but Dawn and Ambipom took the next two by margins of 11-7 and 11-6. In the fourth set, though Ash and Buizel came roaring back to tie the match after winning the set 11-8. The fifth and final set went on until the two friends were locked in a brutal tie.

"Nine-nine." The referee said. O was watching the match from a distance, having long since claimed the World Championship after defeating his opponent by a score of 3-0. Shiftry stood beside his partner, watching Dawn and Ambipom play with great interest.

"Dawn and Ambipom make an incredible team." O remarked.

" _Shif."_

"Yeah, it could be tough for us if she wins. I'm certain we could handle Ash, but Dawn and Ambipom are really a different beast, even if they're all tied up now." O said, "Ash knows how Dawn works, but we don't. The way she and Ambipom work together in a match is unlike anything I've ever seen from another team in Pokémon Ping-Pong. I guess that just shows you what kind of bond they have."

" _Shif-tree."_

"Of course I think we will win. But often times, that kind of mentality is what brings people down."

" _Bui!"_

"Ten-nine! This is the match point!"

" _Bui…"_

"It's okay, Buizel. As long as you're trying your best, that's all I care about. We're not out of this one yet." Ash told the proud water-type.

Ash clutched the Ping-Pong ball that could well decide his fate in the tournament, locking eyes with Dawn, and then Ambipom. After what seemed like an eternity, Ash served the ball across the net. Dawn quickly batted the ball back across the table to Buizel, who effortlessly padded it back to Ambipom. The speed of the rally increased as each player batted the ball back and forth.

" _Oh-ho!"_ Ambipom chattered as she batted the ball towards Buizel. Buizel gritted his teeth and slapped the ball toward Dawn. Dawn and Ash batted the ball between each other nearly a dozen times before Ash finally curved the ball towards Ambipom. Ambipom brought up her left tail and whacked the ball in a short upward curve, getting the ball to bounce especially high after hitting the table the first time.

Dawn saw Ambipom's strategy as Buizel was forced to take a step back to knock the ball back before its second bounce. The Sea Weasel Pokémon just managed to hit it back, but was tremendously off-balance in its life-saving attempt. The ball was haphazardly sent to Dawn, who reared back her paddle with the winning move already calculated in her head.

Ash made the connection as Dawn started to swing, and he immediately panicked as her hollow paddle met the ball, sending it straight for the empty space that had been occupied by Buizel just a second earlier. Ash reached out to try and send the ball back, just barely managing to meet the ball with his paddle. Unfortunately, the ball hooked at an errant angle to the left, flying out of bounds without bouncing on the table beforehand.

" _That's it! Eleven-nine! The winners are Dawn and Ambipom!"_

The crowd roared approvingly and Dawn and Ambipom celebrated appropriately, Trainer and Pokémon joining in an excited hug. Ash and Buizel were obviously less than elated, though Ash was perfectly okay with being defeated by Dawn. Buizel sagged his shoulders, grunting dejectedly as he felt it was his fault. Ash glanced over at the water-type, knowing that he held himself to high expectations.

"Buizel, don't get down on yourself." Ash said, "There was nothing else you could do. Ambipom played that rally perfectly."

" _Bui, bui…"_ Buizel grumbled.

"Hey, the least we can do is cheer them on, y'know?" Ash tried to comfort the Sea Weasel; "You played awesome for this whole tournament, way better than I ever could. I'm gonna make this one up to you, y'hear?"

Buizel glanced up at his Trainer, before breaking one of his usual confident smirks, _"Bui, bui!"_ he chattered, before glancing over to Ambipom and getting the normal-type's attention, _"Bui! Bui, bui!"_

" _A-Am-bi-pom!"_ Ambipom answered cheerily. The four players quickly left the table, which was soon discarded in favor of the single remaining table.

"Good luck out there." Ash offered, knowing Dawn was going to be called over in just a few moments.

"Thanks, Ash!"

"And you too, Ambipom." Ash said, stooping down to the normal-type that had once been his, "You're one awesome Ping-Pong player. I'm real proud of you, and I know Dawn is too."

Ambipom held Ash's gaze with blank eyes, before instantly becoming cheerful. Ambipom brought its two tails around and captured Ash's hands, shaking them repeatedly and squeaking happily.

An official of the tournament trotted over to Dawn and Ambipom, tapping the former on the shoulder, "Excuse me," he said, "It's time to get started."

The official stepped away and Dawn breathed, a tad flustered. "Guess that's us." She said lamely.

"Knock 'em dead, Dee Dee." Ash said, smiling as genuinely as he could without bursting out into laughter. Dawn's face scrunched up at his use of her embarrassing childhood nickname, but rather than lash out, she pushed down her displeasure and forced a smile.

Ash then brought up his hand for a high-five. Dawn's forced smile became a genuine one. That was much more like it. She surged forward and clapped her hand onto Ash's, stifling a giggle. Then, she and Ambipom turned and ran toward the single table where their match would be held. Ash briefly watched her go, before turning and heading to the stands where he could easily pick out Corey in the front row. He hopped into the stands beside Corey, who was looking considerably better than when he'd found him earlier in the tournament.

"Dawn is facing that O guy, huh?" Corey asked.

"Yup! She and Ambipom put Buizel and me through the wringer. I can tell her spirits are real high right now." Ash said. He turned to look back at Dawn as she and Ambipom arrived at the table, "Call me crazy, but…they just might win this thing."

The lights went out in the arena, and a few singular spotlights lit up the Ping-Pong table in the center of the field. The four-screened jumbotron showed the table from a different angle, and the spotlights began spinning about to create a beautiful effect in the domed stadium. Ash was able to pick out the silhouettes of Dawn and O, and the loudspeaker roared to life just an instant later.

" _Ladies and gentlemen! The final match of the Pokémon Ping-Pong World Tournament is here!"_

The crowd responded with excited cheers and clapping.

" _We have two very different types of players in this matchup, and I'm sure you'll all be satisfied!"_ the PA man bellowed, _"In the blue corner, the surprise of the tournament, hailing from Twinleaf Town, please welcome Dawn and her partner, Ambipom!"_

The spotlight found Dawn and revealed her form to every pair of eyes in the arena. She forced a smile and waved to the crowd, while Ambipom clasped the hands on its tails together and broke a wide smile, soaking in the attention and showing lots of pep. The pair walked up to their end of the table, Dawn clutching her paddle with a purpose. The spotlight held on her as the PA man started talking again.

" _And in the red corner, hailing from Vermillion City, with a near-unblemished record in the past three World Championships, put your hands together for O and Shiftry!"_

The crowd's applause for O was significantly stronger than it was for Dawn, thanks to O being a far better known name in the Pokémon Ping-Pong world. O and Shiftry padded up to their end of the table, the former wearing a ready grin while the latter remained brutally emotionless. O brought up his paddle and began twirling it along his hand in between his fingers. The lights held on both Dawn and O alike as O began speaking to Dawn, but no one could make out the words.

"I'm quite glad to see you and Ambipom make it this far, Dawn." O admitted, "This match is really just a courtesy, as I've already won the world championship, but I know you're made of sterner stuff than the rest. And that's why you're only going to win if you give me your _best!"_

"We wouldn't give any less, O!" Dawn challenged, "Right, Ambipom?"

" _Am-bi-pom!"_

The lights came back on all around the arena, but the focus on the table remained. A referee walked up to the side of the table, bouncing a Ping-Pong ball to O and then stepping back. Dawn's nerves steeled as the adrenaline ran through her system. She breathed in deeply, exhaling after several seconds. This match was going to be almost personal.

O tossed the ball up and clapped his paddle against it, starting the match. Dawn effortlessly shifted her static body and sent the ball toward Shiftry. The grass-type launched the ball to Ambipom, who eagerly returned the hit and exchanged a few turns with Shiftry before the ball went back to O. Like their Pokémon before them, Dawn and O hit the ball back and forth between each other for several turns, before O finally tried to squeeze the ball in between his two opponents with a high-speed strike. Instead, Ambipom reached out with her left tail and batted the ball, carrying her arm through and releasing in the nick of time. The ball hung low, easing just over the net and tapping the table just inside the white line before bouncing off and hitting the dirt.

"One-love." Dawn said sternly before the referee could do so. O stared at her for a second and then nodded his head approvingly. The referee claimed the ball and bounced it to O for his second serve.

O served the ball toward Dawn, who immediately returned the ball to him. O responded by rearing back his paddle and smashing the ball at a low angle, getting the ball to bounce on the table and then speed between Dawn and Ambipom both, earning his first point of the match.

"One-one." O replied with a wickedly competitive grin. Dawn couldn't help but smile. The race was on! Dawn eagerly served the ball next, starting up the third rally and beyond.

"One-two."

"Two-two."

"Two-three."

"Two-four."

"Three-four."

"Three-five."

"Four-five."

"Five-five."

"Five-six."

"Five-seven."

"Five-eight."

Dawn and Ambipom came roaring back with a vengeance after that rally, rattling off four straight points thanks to a combination of quick hits and teamwork.

"Nine-eight." Dawn asserted as they regained the lead over O. The veteran Ping-Pong player snorted as he took the ball and prepared to serve it, bouncing the ball back and forth and eking out two rallies of his own to regain the lead.

"Nine-ten." O said, "Game point."

"Ambipom, get ready." Dawn said as she prepared to serve the ball. The serve went straight to Shiftry, who speedily sent the ball back to Dawn. The rally went on until O sent the ball to Dawn. Instead, though, Ambipom struck out her left tail and slapped the ball with its large tail-hand, aiming directly at Shiftry. Shiftry, having not expected the move, scrambled to adjust and as a result sent off a haphazard return. This left the window wide open for Ambipom to reach for the ball and strike it back at Shiftry. The grass-type missed egregiously, causing the score to become tied.

"Ten-ten." Dawn boasted. Per Pokémon Ping-Pong rules, the next serve went to O despite Dawn only having one serve. The winner of the set would have to win by two, meaning the winner would have scored at least 12 points.

The next rally was surprisingly short, ending in a point for Dawn and Ambipom. With only one point standing in between them and winning the first set, the pair became increasingly anxious. Dawn served the ball to Shiftry, who responded with an upward stroke to send the ball into the air. Dawn saw the opportunity and eagerly hit the ball back, causing a high bounce that O failed to reach. The scoreboard lit up and Dawn's points turned to 12.

"Twelve-ten!" the referee yelled with a wave of his arms.

" _How about_ that _, folks! The two-time defending champions O and Shiftry have just lost their first set in the_ entire _tournament!"_ the PA man boomed, _"That puts Dawn and Ambipom ahead of the game with a 1-0 lead!"_

"Dawn actually won the set!" Corey gasped.

"What'd I tell ya, Corey? Her spirits are high." Ash said, "But it's early…very far from over."

Down on the field, O smiled, "I'm impressed, you two. Your teamwork is almost flawless." O praised, "But that was only the first set. Shiftry and I are going to turn on the jets now."

" _Shif."_

"The second set will begin with Dawn's serve!" the referee declared, quickly bouncing the ball to the 15-year-old Coordinator and then stepping back. Dawn clutched the ball with her fingertips, matching O's steely glare. She readied herself to toss the ball, but not before she gladly challenged the reigning champion.

"Bring it on, O!"

" _What an incredible match! O and Shiftry came roaring back from their defeat in the first set, gaining a 2-1 lead over their opponents, but Dawn and Ambipom simply wouldn't go down! They've won the fourth set, tying it all up at 2-2 going into the final round!"_

"D'you think they can win this, Ash?" Corey asked nervously. The youth had gone from sitting in his seat to dangling on the edge of it since Dawn's first set victory. Ash sat in his seat chewing on his lip, staring aimlessly as if he were calculating the solutions to the greatest math problems in the world.

"…They can." Ash said sternly, "But I'm not so sure that they will."

O had the opening serve of the fifth and final set. The now-three-time defending champion wore a mask of stoicism, taking a deep, patient breath before moving to serve the ball. The ball bounced toward Ambipom, who eagerly returned the ball with a speedy swing of its tail. Shiftry swung its leafed hand, hitting the ball in an upward curve. Dawn reached out and paddled the ball sharply downward, bouncing the ball at O's face. The champion Ping-Pong player hardly flinched, though, and whacked the ball backward and past Dawn for the first point of the series.

"One-love." O stated.

Dawn gritted her teeth. She and Ambipom had come incredibly far today, but while she was in no mood to lose, her muscles were beginning to ache. One glance at Ambipom told her that the normal-type was going through something similar. Dawn shut her eyes tight and breathed, trying her best to psych herself up.

"Getting tired, Dawn?" O asked with a smirk. Shiftry clasped its leafy hands together and flexed them, stretching out the kinks in its theoretical fingers.

"Not in the least, O. I'm ready." Dawn challenged, though she failed to even convince herself.

No, they could beat these two. They were mighty, sure, but there was always a way.

O served the ball with an easy bounce. Determination coursed through Dawn's veins, and she brought her paddle around to smash the ball back at high speed. O adjusted all too easily, returning the ball with a smashing hit of his own. Ambipom stepped in and tapped the ball with just enough force to get it over the net and bounce on the other end. Shiftry leaned as far as its body would allow him and he tapped the ball with the underside of his paddle, sending the ball up at a high angle that opened up a ridiculously easy window for Dawn. Her paddle came up in a forehand strike and the ball sped along between O and Shiftry, tying up the game.

"One-one."

The next two rallies went in O's favor, and though Dawn and Ambipom added one onto their end of the board, O and Shiftry doubled their gain, putting the score at 5-2.

Dawn brought up the ball for her second serve and bounced the ball forward with an easy forehand. O gently returned the ball with little urgency toward Ambipom, and so the rally went, the ball alternating with each hit for nearly thirty turns. Shiftry swiped at the ball, sending it toward Dawn. The Coordinator brought her paddle around in a backhand, putting such a perfect spin on the ball that even O was unable to reach it as it bounced on the edge of the table and then off of the table.

"Three-five."

The next serve was O's. The Ping-Pong champ put a little extra oomph into his serve, but Ambipom effortlessly reached out her left tail and smacked the ball back. This rally was considerably shorter than the previous one, but Ambipom managed to benefit off of one of Shiftry's mistakes and added another point to their end of the board.

"Five-four." O acknowledged.

The energy from that victory suddenly opened the floodgates, and the next few rallies all went the way of Dawn and Ambipom, capping at six consecutive points and putting the score at 8-5. Their combination was intense. Despite losing the second and third sets, Ambipom had used what she'd learned and studied O and Shiftry. Their victory in the first set had largely been a fluke, and it had shown in the following two sets. But now, things were different. O and Shiftry exchanged a glance, sheer concern written on both of their very different faces.

" _Shif?"_ Shiftry muttered.

"Yeah. Now's a good time." O agreed.

O took his paddle and placed it in the other hand, doing so with such subtlety that only a select few—if that—in the crowd spotted the move. For Dawn and Ambipom, though, the subtle change of hands was alarming.

"O…you're…"

"Left-handed? That's right." O admitted. Ambipom squeaked with shock. She had spent the better part of the last year and a half training with O on a daily basis, but not even _she_ knew that he was left-handed! "I have to give you credit, Dawn, no one has backed me into a corner like this in a long time, and it's been even longer since I've had to use my dominant hand."

"Ash, what's going on?" Corey asked nervously.

"…I think this match is over, Corey." Ash said somberly.

"Forgive me, Dawn. If this was for anything but the world championship, I wouldn't be doing this." O defended himself, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Six-eight.

Seven-eight.

Eight-eight.

The ball came rocketing to Dawn way too quickly for the fourth time in a row, but this time she failed to return it with just as much force. The paddle slipped from her grasp for just an instant, but it was enough to ruin her return and open yet another scoring window for O. He paddled the ball and curved it so that it bounced cruelly along the edge of Dawn's side of the table. The Coordinator dove her body forward, desperately reaching out to save her chance at victory. Her reach wasn't quite good enough, and her side banged into the table's corner, crunching it and causing Dawn to lightly whimper in pain. Her paddle collided with the ball, but at such an errant angle that it flew out of play.

"Oh, I'm going to feel that in the morning." Dawn groaned to herself. Ambipom brought a tail-hand to Dawn's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the Coordinator. Dawn glanced at the normal-type out of her peripheral vision and half-smiled, feigning that she was okay.

"Nine-eight." O said. Oddly enough, the enjoyment had been sucked from his face. In truth, he hated winning in this way. But winning this tournament was what was important. At this point, he was simply showing the full extent of his Ping-Pong skills, when he had in fact voluntary limited himself time and time again and still won. Despite how proud he was of Ambipom and Dawn, he had a career in this sport, while they were simply unpaid amateurs. If he were to be upset by them like this, after _not losing a single set_ in the A pool bracket, what would be said of him? What could become of his career?

Dawn took the ball and served, immediately finding herself outclassed by O's skill. His level of play had increased tenfold simply by switching the hand he held his paddle with. With that knowledge, it was clear just what a great player O was.

Ten-eight.

The match point was finally here. O and Shiftry were as hot as a bonfire, while Dawn and Ambipom had gone morbidly cold. Ambipom chattered weakly, tearing out a piece of Dawn's heart.

" _Ambipom!"_ Dawn choked out. Her spirits had been running high when they'd started this match, but they had gone up against a different animal in O and Shiftry. Across the table, O also looked morbidly gray in his emotions. His opponent's sorrow was nearly enough to break him, but he needed one more point to bring an end to their collective misery. Dawn saw the grayness in his movement as he served the ball, and the only energy that she had left was to attempt a swing. The paddle luckily connected, bouncing the ball back to Shiftry. The grass-type eagerly smashed the ball toward Ambipom, and the normal-type tried to return the hit, but the ball just eked past her hand, hitting the dirt behind her.

Eleven-eight. Dawn sniffled. Their run was over.

O gently set his paddle down on the table, any semblance of joy completely absent from him. The crowd reflected his mood, with minimal applause making the rounds. The referee of the game wasted no time in leading the champion player from the table to receive his prize. Meanwhile, Dawn turned her focus to Ambipom, fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry, Ambipom." Dawn choked out, "I let you down."

" _Ambi!"_ Ambipom protested. How could she possibly have that line of thinking? The last thing competing in this tournament had been about for Ambipom was winning! Dawn understood that, right? She was just happy to have gotten the chance to play with Dawn again! Unfortunately, Ambipom could not speak in any other way than body language, and so the Long Tail Pokémon did her best to do so. Ambipom latched Dawn's hands onto her own, dancing in a brief circle with her former Trainer. The move made Dawn chuckle through her sadness, and immediately her mood seemed to improve.

"Oh, Ambipom, you're always so cheerful. I don't know how you do it."

" _Pom!"_ Ambipom squeaked.

A ways from the table, O shook hands with an impressive-looking man with gray hair. The old man stepped aside and two less-impressive looking employees padded up, each holding onto one end of a golden trophy with gloved hands. They turned the trophy over to O, who quietly accepted it before walking away. The men watched him go with disbelief, shocked at his lack of excitement, but they said nothing. O and Shiftry stalked back over to the table as all the people in the arena began to disperse.

"Dawn." O said quickly as he set down the shimmering trophy on the table, "You and Ambipom make an incredible team."

"Th-thank you, O." Dawn breathed, "I'm…I'm just glad that I got to play with Ambipom again. She really seems to enjoy Ping-Pong."

"She does." O agreed, "I can tell Ambipom was happy to play alongside you again too. Isn't that right, Ambipom?"

" _Ambi!"_

Ash and Corey arrived near the two. Dawn's sadness was now all but gone. Ash nodded towards O, seeing no reason to be hostile. After all, he was the best Ping-Pong player in the world. An awkward silence held over the group until O eagerly tried to break it.

"Here, how about we walk you all out?" O offered. The three Trainers exchanged quick glances and nodded, following O and Shiftry out of the Contest Hall and arriving back out on the concrete streets of the lake. The sun was on its way down that day, offering only about an hour or so of daylight left in the day.

"I think we will stick around and check out the Contest tomorrow." O decided, "I'm in no hurry to return to Kanto. It's far too hot there."

"That would be awesome, O!" Dawn beamed.

Ambipom processed the information silently. While the others were enjoying themselves with little care, the Long Tail Pokémon recognized that it was at a crossroads. She briefly flashed back to when Ash had announced he was going to up and leave for the Sinnoh Region, and Ambipom (then still an Aipom) had been crushed. Although she had played along with the others in their well-wishing for his next journey, the normal-type had immediately begun plotting to not be left behind. That impulse had turned her life around, allowing her to see a brand new Region, meet Dawn, and fall in love with Contests. That experience at the crossroads had been a defining moment. The next time Ambipom found herself at such a crossroads, she had chosen Pokémon Ping-Pong over Dawn and Contests. Dawn had never once disapproved of her choice, but despite that, Ambipom had always felt somewhat bad about leaving everything behind.

"And you, Ambipom…" Dawn said cheerily, stopping down to meet Ambipom at eye level. The normal-type's brooding had caused her to miss the entire series of goodbyes that had been unfolding, and though she now focused on Dawn, the gears of her brain still turned, "…I want you to follow the road your dreams take you on, just like you always have. And no matter where you decide to end up, I hope you'll try your best to be the best!"

" _Am?"_ Ambipom squeaked quietly. Her words had struck a chord within Ambipom's heart. She subconsciously tuned out whatever Dawn had said next, her full attention turning to the processing of Dawn's words. Once again, the choice was all up to her! She had all of the power in the world to pick what _she_ wanted to do!

"Bye, Ambipom." Dawn said with a heartwarming smile. She rubbed her hand on the normal-type's head, tousling some of the purple fur intentionally. Ash and Corey gladly echoed her sentiments, before they turned around to leave. Ambipom watched them go for just a moment, before her heart made the choice for her.

" _Ambi?"_ Ambipom chirped as she flicked her gaze to O and Shiftry.

"What is it, Ambipom?" O asked. Ambipom didn't respond, simply refocusing on the retreating forms of Ash, Dawn, and Corey. And then, her legs pushed her forward. Ambipom shifted to all fours and bolted after them. She wanted to go with Dawn!

"Ambipom, what are you—" O started, but then he quickly put two and two together. He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. His experiences with Ambipom had been unique, but now, it would seem it was time for a change.

" _Am-bi-pom!"_ Ambipom yowled, her simian voice echoing their way to Dawn's ears. Dawn's mouth fell open and she almost shed a tear before she whirled around. Ambipom skidded to a stop just in front of Dawn's feet, standing back up on its legs and chattering cheerfully. Ambipom swung its tails to the straps of Dawn's backpack, pulling the small, light bag from her shoulders and quickly unzipping the small front pocket. Her eyes lit up as she recognized the Ribbon Case; still in the same place she had always put it during their first journey together.

Ambipom stuck her arm into the pocket and pulled out the flat Ribbon Case, quickly switching the case to the two large hands on her tails. The normal-type bounced back and forth on her feet, waving the Ribbon Case in her tail-hands and chattering endlessly.

"Ambipom, you…you want to compete in Contests again?" Dawn said, "You…you want to come travel with us?"

" _Pom!"_

A chuckle brought the teens' attention to O, who had walked up closer to them with Shiftry, "I thought there was a chance Ambipom would want to go with you."

"But isn't she training under you?" Dawn said.

"But she is _your_ Pokémon. Ambipom's never been mine to keep, Dawn." O insisted, "And I think Ambipom knew that. Besides, if today was any indication, I've taught her everything that I could about Ping-Pong. Ambipom's path is her decision now."

Dawn's gaze shifted from O to Ambipom. The normal-type chattered happily and smiled, immediately making the decision for Dawn. She reached down and grabbed her backpack from the ground, fishing through the pocket of Poké Balls. Though most of the capsules were in their minimized form, there was a single Poké Ball that was enlarged, despite not having a Pokémon inside it. The capsule was marked with a Ball Seal in the shape of a heart.

It was Ambipom's Poké Ball.

Dawn sniffled as Ambipom took a gentle step forward upon recognizing the capsule. She'd kept it all this time!

" _Am?"_ Ambipom chirped.

Dawn then suddenly broke a smile, and she stifled a near-hysterical laugh. "Welcome back, Ambipom!" Dawn declared, flicking the Poké Ball lightly in the air so that it dropped on Ambipom's head. The normal-type chirped happily just before being sucked into the capsule. The Poké Ball hit the concrete with a clatter and wiggled for hardly two seconds before stopping and releasing the tone that signaled successful capture. The Poké Ball then suddenly opened of its own free will and Ambipom burst out, dancing around happily.

" _Ambi-Am, Ambipom…"_ Ambipom chattered.

"Ambipom sure looks happy." Ash commented.

Dawn giggled in agreement, "Ambipom, do you want to say hi to everyone?"

" _Pom!"_

"All right!" Dawn said, grabbing all six of her equipped Poké Balls and tossing them into the air. Piplup, Buneary, Pachirisu, Quilava, Togekiss, and Mamoswine all spawned from the Poké Balls. Ash even sent out Buizel and let Pikachu hop down from his shoulder to greet Ambipom. Seeing the party again was a whirlwind of emotions for Ambipom. There were new faces among the group in Quilava and Togekiss, but the other four Pokémon each recognized their former friend and responded with an uproar of cheers. The Pokémon mingled with Ambipom, where Quilava and Togekiss were apparently introduced to the normal-type for the first time as the humans around them watched quietly.

After a few minutes passed, O and Shiftry took their leave, leaving Ash, Dawn and Corey by themselves with the group of Pokémon. Dawn's nerves steeled and she smiled ridiculously.

"Okay, everyone!" Dawn called. The large group of Pokémon all turned their attention to Dawn. She started reciting a call to action, "Now that Ambipom's back, we're gonna have to change our gameplan. But that's all right!" The Pokémon seemed to resonate with Dawn's speech, each of them paying extra special attention and chattering amongst themselves agreeably, "We've been putting in great work for the past few months, but so has everybody else we're gonna be up against! So let's have some fun and get ready to compete! We're gonna go get that Ribbon!"

* * *

 **So, Ambipom has returned to the group after a long time away! Next week will be the Lake Valor Contest, and then it's off to Pastoria City! Let me know what you thought of this chapter at the bottom, and I'll see you all soon.** **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	44. Dawn Strikes Back

**Sorry for the later than usual update, guys. Busy week. Dawn's next Contest is finally here after a long wait. Let me know what you think of this chapter in a review! Happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 44_

 _Dawn Strikes Back_

* * *

The hallway was long, dark, and depressing. The walls were dirty and dilapidated, but the horribly dim light kept Ash from noticing anything significant about them other than the fact that they were concrete. One man walked on either side of him, keeping just a hair behind him as they held his arms tightly against his back. He tried to resist against their hold, but found his hands locked in by handcuffs. He felt out the immediate vicinity with his hands and felt the metal was warm with some kind of light. His hands were also uncomfortably cold, as if blood was unable to flow to them.

"Where are you taking me?" Ash demanded. He couldn't remember anything, much as he tried, so he failed to understand how he was in this current situation.

"Quiet," barked the man to his left, "You'll find out soon enough."

They rounded a corner and Ash immediately recognized the hallway. He was in a prison. Problem was, it was the same one from his dream several weeks ago, in which men bearing the Team Rocket logo were carrying his body in a black bag. Since then, his dreams had been normal, and Ash had settled on simply suffering from a fever dream as a result of stress and exhaustion from the past few days. Now that this very place was reappearing though, he was definitely certain that it was no random occurrence.

Ash pushed against the handcuffs again, shifting his body enough that he upset his escorts.

"Cut it out!" the man to his right snapped, smacking him on the back of the head. Ash's mind reeled from the hit and he partially bent over. The two men forced him to stand back up and continued leading him before they finally reached a doorway. The man on the left released his hold on Ash's forearm, sliding a key card inside a card slot and unlocking the door. The door creaked as the man forced it open, and as soon as it was open enough, the other man threw Ash inside with all his might. Ash instinctively tried to throw out his hands and break his fall, but since he was cuffed, his right shoulder hit the floor first at an awkward angle. Pain shot up through his shoulder, and Ash sucked on his teeth in an effort to keep from screaming.

 _Yep…probably just separated that,_ Ash thought to himself. He hoped he would remain lying down, but the two men were quickly upon him after they slammed the heavy door shut. They grabbed his arms and shoulders and forced him to sit on his knees. His separated shoulder screamed, forcing Ash to complain.

"That hurts!" Ash said, for lack of anything better to come out of his mouth.

"Shut up!" one of the men said, socking him across the face and putting him into the concrete floor again. The man reached down and grabbed him again, sitting him back up on his knees.

Only a few moments later, the sound of the heavy door unlocking clicked through the cell, garnering the attention of all three men in the room. A tall man in a suit opened the door and slipped inside. The light in the cell was too dim for Ash to make out the man's face, though he was able to note the chiseled outline of his head. The visitor wasted no time, speaking almost as soon as the cell door was shut.

" _Good evening, Mr. Ketchum. I've waited a long time to meet you personally."_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lake Valor**_

For a split-second, Ash was falling. Then, he crashed into the carpet floor with a _bang_.

" _Owwwwww…"_ Ash groaned. He looked up from his new place on the floor, being met immediately with the room wall.

" _Pika?"_ Pikachu chattered, leaning over the edge of the bed and looking at his fallen partner.

"Yeah, Pikachu, I'm fine." Ash complained as he set his head down on the floor again, "Just a bad dream, that's all." His hands began to feel warm again, a huge relief after experiencing the uncomfortable cold in them during his dream.

" _Piiii…?"_ Pikachu whined.

"I know, buddy, I'm sorry." Ash said exasperatedly. He reluctantly got up from the floor, his legs threatening to buckle as he regained feeling in them. The clock read _5:47_ in big red numbers. The time wasn't the worst-case scenario, as he was usually up on his own around an hour later, and there were plenty of days when he rose earlier than that. "…Whaddya say we go for a walk, Pikachu? I'm not sure I can get back to sleep."

Pikachu reluctantly agreed and hopped onto Ash's shoulder. He nuzzled his cheek against Ash's, purring affectionately. He had been woken by Ash grunting abnormally in his sleep, so he was already awake when Ash had taken his fall from the bed. Ash was a snorer, but the noises this time sounded nothing like his usual snoring (yes, Pikachu had memorized his snoring patterns over the past seven years). Just a few weeks ago, too, he had been making strange noises in his sleep, though that time had been much more unnerving and he had woke up with a yell.

Ash returned Pikachu's friendly nuzzle by scratching the mouse's head and then threw on his navy blue vest, opting to leave his pajama pants on as his bottoms. He and Pikachu left the room and padded down the hallway, taking care to be quiet as they passed several occupied rooms. The downstairs lobby was dark and quiet, and Ash and Pikachu eagerly entered the outside. Streetlights separated by several dozen yards each were the only significant source of light up and down the street, and Ash was grateful for it. Pikachu rested on the Trainer's shoulders as they crossed the street and walked along the edge of the lake, their sights set only on the sidewalk in front of them.

" _Pika…"_ Pikachu chattered worriedly to Ash.

"I was in that place again, Pikachu." Ash mumbled, "It wasn't as bad as last time, but it was the same place. The first time I dreamed about it I shrugged it off, but now I'm a little worried. They've got to be connected."

" _Pi-Pikachu…"_

"No matter what happens, though, I won't ever leave you, okay buddy?" Ash offered, "You're my best friend, you know that, don't you?"

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu said happily, again nuzzling his cheek against Ash's. Ash allowed himself a giggle and he playfully tickled Pikachu for a moment. Next, Ash glanced out at Lake Valor, mesmerized by its tranquil calmness.

"You know, Pikachu, I was hoping we'd see Azelf while we were here. What do you think? I hope he's doing all right."

" _Pi…Pika-Pi, Pikachu."_

Just as Pikachu finished speaking, a ripple formed in the center of the lake, gently spreading outward and kicking up miniature waves in its wake. The ripple quickly calmed, and a figure slipped out from underneath the surface of the water. Its form was small and see-through, visible only thanks to the outline of its body. The invisible figure quickly hovered toward Ash and Pikachu, arriving at the edge of the wall that kept people from falling into the lake. The clear figure then became colored in, revealing its blue cone-shaped head and elf-like ears. Two tails that ended in leaf-like structures danced behind it as the Pokémon levitated, each of them encrusted with a garnet-colored jewel.

" _Kyun!"_ Azelf cried happily.

"Azelf!" Ash gasped, before a smile went across his face. Azelf hovered in a circle around Ash and Pikachu, briefly stopping to greet Pikachu in their native language. Pikachu eagerly greeted the Willpower Pokémon back before Ash spoke up, "How's it going, Azelf?"

" _Kyun!"_

"Sounds like you're doing fine! I was hoping we'd see you!"

" _Kyaun!"_

"We're doing great too. So, Azelf, listen…" Ash started, "There's another bad team running around Sinnoh right now. One of the people in charge helped take you and the other Lake Guardians."

" _Kyu?"_

"I just want to make sure you'll be careful, all right?" Ash said. He ignited a few strands of his Aura and circled Azelf's body with the vibrant blue energy. The Lake Guardian cooed and reached out to touch the energy, but he found himself unable to grab it. It only intrigued Azelf more, and he actively played with the strange energy like a kitten with a ball of yarn. After a few minutes of playing, Azelf appeared to give up on trying to capture the Aura. Seeing this, Ash extinguished the energy himself and regained Azelf's attention.

"Azelf, if you get into any trouble sometime, you know how to reach me." Ash said, tapping his head to allude to their connection. Azelf nodded and chattered, circling around Ash and Pikachu as he did so. On the horizon, the first inches of sunlight began to creep into view, catching the attention of Ash and the two present Pokémon.

" _Kyun…"_ Azelf muttered before levitating back over above the lake. Ash easily understood; it was time for Azelf to go back into hiding, for normal people weren't supposed to see the Guardian.

Ash nodded fierecely and began to wave, "Be safe, Azelf! It was great to see you again!"

" _Kyaun!"_ Azelf cried in agreement. The Willpower Pokémon waved its little arm in farewell and then soared slightly over the surface of the lake. Azelf then shot up high and turned its body downward, diving toward the water and dipping underneath the surface of the lake with impressive grace, barely even making a splash and leaving only a gentle ripple as a sign that it had ever appeared.

With Azelf gone, Ash and Pikachu turned their full attention to the steadily rising sun. Mesmerized by its glow, Ash leaned on the railing along the lake and simply watched as the warm orange ball drifted higher into the sky with each passing minute. Pretty soon, the early morning sunlight began to project itself on the lake, painting the water orange and appearing to form twinkles of light in the waves.

"Isn't it beautiful, Pikachu?" Ash finally said after several minutes, "Not as pretty as sunrise on Mt. Silver—not even close—but seeing the sun like this still makes me smile."

" _Pi-kaa…"_ Pikachu slurred agreeably. They only stood on the lake's edge for a few more moments before Ash decided it was time to head back to the Pokémon Center and prepare for the day.

* * *

Dawn got ready eagerly, speeding through her morning routine with a skip in her step. It was a big day, for she'd be competing in her first Contest in over three months today. Her last outing had been at Hearthome City in March, and it had ended in a painful loss to Ursula. Today, Dawn had no such plans. She had spent a massive amount of time preparing all sorts of routines both for Appeals and Battles.

Donning her new sleeveless pink vest and letting down her hair, Dawn skipped out of her room with her belongings and headed straight to the Center's lobby, dragging a suitcase carrying her Contest clothes with her. She quickly arrived in the lobby and danced her way down the steps, scanning the room for any sign of her friends. After finding no one she recognized inside, Dawn skipped outside to the patio outside, where she easily spotted a certain raven-haired boy from behind. Giddily, she ran up from behind to greet him.

"Morning, Ash!" she beamed.

Ash wasn't as thrilled by her sudden appearance. His entire body tensed and he pulled back, quickly looking over his shoulder with a look that said he was ready to defend himself. Once he recognized her face, though, he quickly relaxed.

"Oh, Dawn, it's just you. You scared me." Ash sighed.

"Are you all right?" Dawn frowned.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just…thinking." Ash lied. His reunion with Azelf had been uplifting, but the Lake Guardian's appearance hadn't banished the memory of the dream from his head. Sure, what he had dreamt about overnight had been far better than seeing himself dead, but dreaming about imprisonment and mysterious people wasn't exactly something to be thrilled about. He wanted to tell Dawn as she sat down across from him, but he quickly decided against it. It was a big day for her, and it was not right for him to plant the seeds of concern in her mind while she was competing.

"So what were you thinking about?" Dawn asked, as she got comfortable. Ash silently cursed.

"Lots of stuff, really." Ash lied, "It doesn't matter. Are you ready for the Contest?"

Dawn brightened, "You know I am, Ash! I've got all these combinations ready to go!"

"That's great. When do you plan on using Hippopotas?" Ash asked. They'd discussed Hippopotas' ground typing allowing for some interesting combinations, and the Hippo Pokémon had shown enough interest in the idea of Contests to take a break from Ash's usual training and try its hand at the strange competition.

"I'll have to use him in the Battle Round. For this Contest, we can only use one Pokémon in the Appeals, but the Battle Round is doubles starting in the quarterfinals. 'Course, we'll have to make it there first!" Dawn explained.

"You'll get there, I'm sure of it!" Ash said honestly, "I can't wait to see what Pachirisu and Hippopotas can do."

"Hehe, we'll try not to disappoint!" Dawn answered, winking at Ash. Ash broke an involuntary grin and focused back on his plate, chowing on his breakfast with renewed resolve. Dawn called out Pachirisu at the table and, after having a ball trying to get the excitable Pokémon to stay still, started grooming out the squirrel's tangled fur.

" _Chi-pa!"_ Pachirisu cried once Dawn was finished grooming. The electric-type padded around the table much more calmly than before, hopping off of the surface to follow Dawn down the nearby steps to the yard. The Coordinator unpacked a handful of bowls and a sack of Pokémon food, calling out all six of her on-hand Pokémon so that they could eat breakfast.

"Okay, everyone, eat up! We're gonna need all of our energy for today!" Dawn declared. Her Pokémon agreed with a collective cheer before diving into the bowls of food closest to them. Within minutes, each of them had finished their meals, and they were all likewise ready to go for the Contest. It had been a long time coming, and each Pokémon planned on doing their part to capture Dawn's third Ribbon.

* * *

" _Next up on the Appeal Stage, please give a warm welcome to Dawn, the Sinnoh prodigy!"_ Marian shouted into the microphone. Her voice echoed through the chambers of Contest Hall and the crowd applauded respectably. The curtains along the wall of the stadium parted and Dawn stepped out into the open, a single Poké Ball clutched in her hand.

It took quite a bit of resolve for Ash to not gawk. Dawn looked… _beautiful._ Ash had expected her to go with her usual pink Contest dress, but as was tradition, she had proven him wrong. She wore a formal, dark blue dress that went surprisingly well with her hair and eyes. Her hair was arranged in her usual style for Contests, and the yellow hair clips on each side of her head seemed to glow as a result of the dark color of her clothes. Despite her striking beauty, Dawn wore a mask of tomboyish confidence, which paradoxically only added to her beauty.

Dawn reached her designated spot and then took a brief glance at the crowd, exchanging her confident smirk for a genuine smile. Then, she twisted her body around and threw her chosen Poké Ball.

" _Ambipom, spotlight!"_

Ash raised an eyebrow at the choice. He wouldn't have guessed that Dawn would go with Ambipom for the Appeal, considering that the normal-type was likely a bit rusty in her Contest form. Then again, Dawn had always been full of surprises. If she was going with Ambipom, she must've had a good reason for it.

Ambipom spawned from the Poké Ball surrounded by pink hearts. The simian Pokémon chattered eagerly and landed on the ground, still veiled by the vortex of hearts. Ambipom brought in its tail-hands and thrust them outward, exerting a seemingly telekinetic will over the Ball Seal's effects. The hearts flew out and faded out of existence, a dying pink light being the only sign that they had ever existed.

" _Wow! It's been quite some time since we've seen Dawn's Ambipom on the stage! Just what could be the reason?"_ Marian asked boomingly to the audience.

"Ambipom, use Double Team!"

Ambipom focused and gave a chipper, _"Oh-oh!"_ as it formed duplicates of itself. Each copy echoed the simian Pokémon's noise as they formed a circle, surrounding the original Ambipom. Ambipom glanced around at its clones before Dawn called out for the next move.

"Use Swift!"

Ambipom curled over and balanced on its left hand, its two tails swishing rapidly. The tails spun and began shooting brilliant gold stars into the air, wrapping the stars around in a glowing vortex of power. The real shocker, though, came when the _copies_ began mimicking their original, shooting over a dozen more vortexes of stars into the sky. The mob of stars glowed together, casting a pretty light on the crowd.

" _Wow! Ambipom's copies have allowed it to create a storm of glowing stars! Simply beautiful!"_

"Now, Ambipom! Use Focus Punch!"

Ambipom and the copies stopped firing off their barrages of Swift, and the multitude of stars began circling the arena of their own accord, clustered above Ambipom and stretching out along the ceiling of the dome. Ambipom curled itself up and the two hands on its tails glowed with white light, pulsing with latent power. The simian then used its legs to launch itself into the air with impressive strength, soaring toward the cloud of stars. Ambipom readied itself with a chuckle, turning over its body to deliver a spinning punch.

The cloud of Swift stars exploded, spilling light in all directions. Ambipom spun on her way down, carrying some of the golden light with her and allowing it to accent her lithe form. The normal-type landed a few feet away from Dawn, somersaulting along the ground and popping up onto its feet beside her as the crowd roared. Dawn waved graciously to the crowd, and Ambipom followed suit by joining its tail-hands together and breaking a happy grin. The routine had both looked and felt incredible!

Ash and Corey could not help but stand on their feet with the crowd and applaud. "Guess I was wrong about Ambipom being a little bit rusty!" Ash commented.

"That was so cool!" Corey howled. Ash fell victim to a smirk. It seemed that the boy now agreed with Ash that Contests could be cool in their own way.

 _Just wait 'till he sees the battles,_ Ash thought.

Dawn and Ambipom began to retreat back to the curtains, both of them waving as they went in response to the raucous applause. They'd been well received, it seemed, and Ambipom had executed the routine perfectly, showing not even a speck of rust in her form!

The pair reached the dressing room and skipped their way over to an empty space on the bench. Once she sat down, Dawn turned her focus to Ambipom.

"Ambipom, you were awesome out there!"

" _Ambi! Oh-ho!"_

"That Double Team-Swift combination worked better than we thought it would, and the crowd loved it!" Dawn praised.

"I wouldn't go that far." A familiar voice said, disdain in its tone.

Dawn and Ambipom both turned their heads, spotting the very peach-haired Coordinator they had expected. "Ursula." Dawn grumbled.

"Dawn. I see you brought your monkey back out again." Ursula said.

" _Oh-oh?!"_ Ambipom screeched. How dare she?!

"Anyway, you got the benefit of the doubt, just like you always do." Ursula complained, "Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and be beaten by me again."

Dawn shot up from her place on the bench, a contained fury burning in her veins. She clenched a fist and shook it, "Listen here, Ursula, we're done losing to you! You don't get to disrespect my Pokémon like that!"

Ursula had the nerve to laugh. "Oh, Dawn, as hot-tempered as ever. But I meant what I said. You should just forget about being a Top Coordinator. So few of us actually have what it takes."

"Oh? And you do?" Dawn fired back, her eye beginning to twitch, as anger seemed to seep from her pores, "We'll make you eat your own words, Ursula!"

Ursula's eyes narrowed, "I look forward to it."

* * *

" _And that's the end of the Appeals for this year's Lake Valor Contest! The judges have made their final decisions, and the sixteen Coordinators that will be moving on to the Battle Round will soon be announced!"_

The television screen in the dressing room glowed as thirty-two hopeful Coordinators huddled as close as they could to the screen. Each of them desperately wanted to see if they had been chosen. The screen lit up and sixteen facedown cards flickered into two lines. Without further ado the first card flipped over, revealing an unnamed boy with slick blonde hair.

"Yes! Ha-ha!" the boy cheered, immediately bolting from the group. Six more cards flipped over, each revealing faces that Dawn didn't recognize. The eighth card flipped over to reveal Ursula's portrait. Dawn and Ambipom fiercely glanced over to their peach-haired rival, who smirked with her eyes closed before looking over and meeting Dawn's gaze. She smiled with a rude confidence and then sauntered away. As she did so, Ambipom's fur bristled.

"Don't worry about her, Ambipom. We'll show her." Dawn asserted. Ambipom reluctantly cooled its blood and turned its attention back to the screen.

The ninth card revealed a somewhat familiar portrait. A boy's whoop sounded from the crowd of remaining Coordinators. He wore a vibrant red bowtie, a different one that the generic black one he had worn alongside his customary black suit the first time Dawn had faced him. That had been nearly six months ago.

"Zach!" Dawn called. She ran over to the happy youngster, who quickly met her eyes and formed an identical smile.

"Dawn!" Zach acknowledged as she reached him, "I saw your Appeal. Ambipom looked great."

"Thank you, Zach! It's been a long time coming with Ambipom, too." Dawn said.

Zach glanced over to the screen again. "Hey, looks like you made it." He pointed out. Dawn shifted her gaze to the screen and saw her portrait on the card next to Zach's. A smile came across her face, but Ambipom beat her to the punch and released a celebratory cry. Dawn ended up giggling as Ambipom danced, and Zach even chuckled along with her.

"Well, maybe we'll see each other out there." Zach said.

"Yeah! That would be great. Good luck, Zach." Dawn offered. The 13-year-old Coordinator nodded and smiled.

"You as well, Dawn." he said before turning around and walking off. Dawn turned to Ambipom and they trotted back to their place on the bench. A moment later, half of the total pool of Coordinators gave a collective groan as they found that they had been rejected. One male Coordinator punched a locker on his way out, and Dawn thought she saw a girl Coordinator crying for a moment.

"Okay, Ambipom. You'll come back out in a little while, but it's some of the others' turns." Dawn said as she pulled up Ambipom's Poké Ball, "Thanks so much, Ambipom."

" _Pom!"_ Ambipom chattered just before she was sapped back into the Poké Ball.

Dawn's match in the Battle Round was fifth, and she won handily thanks to Togekiss. After the first of the Battle Rounds, though, the format switched to Double Battles, so Dawn had to pick two Pokémon for each round. Luckily, she had been working with her Pokémon in pairs for several months now, and she had plenty of plans laid out on how to use each pair's strengths and weaknesses.

" _And now, for the next match in the Contest quarterfinals, let's give a warm welcome to Dawn and Layla!"_

Dawn briefly frowned as she made her way out into the open of the stadium. She had never heard of Layla before, and assumed that she was a younger, newer Coordinator. Once she reached her end of the battlefield, Dawn found that she was right.

Despite being younger than Dawn, Layla was strikingly beautiful. She had long, chocolate brown hair that fell well past her shoulders, but she had styled her locks in an intricate braid for the Contest. As a result, her hair was joined in a single braided ponytail that she had pulled around her shoulder so that it would fall over her torso. She kept with the royal theme of her hair with a sleeveless reddish-pink top that turned into a long, light purple skirt falling to her ankles. Each of her wrists was guarded by a single golden bracelet, one of them embedded with a dark blue gem and the other with a red gem. The gems, when one looked upon them both, seemed to bring out her emerald green eyes, irises that flashed with childlike enthusiasm.

"She looks…amazing…" Corey fumbled. He realized what he'd said right then and tried to cover up his admission by joining in the crowd's applause, but Ash had heard him loud and clear.

"Does someone have a crush?" Ash teased.

Corey's cheeks reddened, "I-I don't even know her. J-just an observation," he stammered. Despite not believing Corey's claim, Ash laid off, lazily clapping his hands together as he turned his attention back to the upcoming battle. He focused on Dawn, who looked determined as ever.

Down on the field, the referee for the match called out to the two Coordinators, _"Are you both ready?"_ he asked almost pointlessly. Dawn and Layla nodded, the former with fierce confidence and the latter with much less certainty. Nevertheless, the referee signaled for the battle to begin. The jumbotron lit up with the portraits of the two Coordinators and filled bars up with their circle of points, just as Dawn and Layla called on their Pokémon.

" _Pachirisu, Hippopotas, spotlight!"_

" _Swinub, Vaporeon, let's go!"_

The four Poké Balls burst open in unique bursts of light, each jettisoning one of the Pokémon forward and bringing them into reality. Pachirisu chattered eagerly and Hippopotas yawned before crunching its jaws together. Swinub looked up and gazed at its opponents through its fur, while Vaporeon swished its fishlike tail back and forth, shifting the fins on each side of its face.

Though Hippopotas technically belonged to Ash, Dawn had shown great interest in the Hippo Pokémon's immunity to electric-type attacks. The ground-type had eagerly agreed to try out Contests and Gym Battles both, and had split its training with the two companions. While Ash refined Hippopotas' natural attributes such as speed and strength, Dawn worked on Hippopotas' execution of these traits as well as teamwork with some of her other Pokémon. Surprisingly, unlike Aipom and Buizel had at the time, Hippopotas showed no clear preference to either style, drinking in both types of lessons in order to become a better all-around Pokémon.

" _And the battle is on! We've got a diverse collection of Pokémon here, folks!"_ Marian crowed. In response, Dawn moved to strike first.

"Hippopotas, use Take Down!"

The ground-type lumbered forward at Dawn's aggressive command, making sure that the ground shook with each of his footfalls. A thin aura of power formed in front of Hippopotas' head as the Hippo Pokémon tucked its head, but Layla was quick on the counter.

"Vaporeon, use Surf!"

Vaporeon cooed and then beat its fishtail into the ground. A wave of water spawned from the point of impact and quickly stretched up into a tidal wave headed straight for Hippopotas. The Hippo Pokémon skidded to a stop and was crushed by the Surf wave, immediately taking out a decent notch of Dawn's points.

"Dawn walked right into that one." Corey deadpanned.

"I wouldn't say that…" Ash trailed off.

Dawn proved Ash's comment right. The Surf attack had left Hippopotas soaked to the skin, but it was simply part of the plan. "Pachirisu, use Discharge on Hippopotas!"

Pachirisu chattered and curled in her tail, channeling blue electricity through her pristine white fur. The Discharge then shot out in all directions as over a dozen forked bolts of lightning arced toward the Hippo Pokémon with a brilliant glow. The bolts struck Hippopotas at the same time, but the ground-type felt no pain. Being zapped by the squirrel's lightning had been a fairly common staple of its training routine with Dawn.

When the smoke cleared, the Discharge's electricity surrounded Hippopotas in a protective shield. The remaining water from Vaporeon's Surf that had soaked the ground-type absorbed the lightning eagerly, taking on the brilliant blue hue of the lightning. As a result, Hippopotas appeared to be wearing a suit of armor made from pure electricity.

" _Wow! Dawn uses Vaporeon's Surf and Pachirisu's Discharge to create a brilliant suit of lightning armor for Hippopotas, and it's completely unharmed!"_ Marian boomed, every bit as impressed as the rest of the audience.

"Now, Hippopotas, let's use Take Down one more time!"

Hippopotas surged forward a second time, its electrical armor crackling off of its immune body and leaving sparks on the trail behind it. Dawn called for another Discharge from Pachirisu to be directed at Hippopotas, which only intensified the power of the ground-type's very live and very dangerous armor.

"Swinub, use Icy Wind! Vaporeon, use Water Gun!"

Layla's two Pokémon launched their attacks in an attempt to slow or even stop Hippopotas, but it was a complete failure. The ground-type was running with a purpose that its original charge hadn't shown, and without much difficulty the Hippo Pokémon crashed into Vaporeon, hitting with such force that an explosion of lightning struck Swinub as well, though the effects were significantly less thanks to the ice-type's partial ground typing. Regardless, countless bolts of lightning struck out in all different directions, electrifying the air and leaving little sparks drifting through the arena. A large chunk of Layla's points were lost after the attack finally died down, and Hippopotas trotted back over toward Dawn and Pachirisu with a gleeful cheer after putting a dent in his two opponents.

"Swinub, use Mist!"

Swinub squeaked and the fur on its small body began to stand. A thick cloud of cold fog began oozing from Swinub's fur, quickly expanding and creating a wall of mist that hid Layla and her Pokémon from view.

" _And Layla's Swinub creates a thick cloud with Mist to hide itself! Just what could she be planning?"_

"Pachirisu, Hippopotas, stay alert!" Dawn called.

A few seconds later, a large projectile soared over the top of the Mist wall, casting a shadow down on the ground below it. Gravity took control of the cannonball, sending it hurtling down toward Pachirisu and Hippopotas.

"Dodge!" Dawn called. The two Pokémon immediately bolted in opposite directions, and the projectile crashed into the empty space and exploded, spewing dirt and grime everywhere. The attack had been a Mud Bomb. Instantly after, another wave of Surf came rushing from the wall of Mist, though this wave was far tamer. The water mixed with the Mud Bomb's residue and became a sticky, watery substance that stretched out across the field. Pachirisu and Hippopotas both had their feet trapped by the mud, making it difficult to move from their current places.

"Pachirisu, Hippopotas!" Dawn cried, "Are you two all right?"

" _Chiiii!"_ Pachirisu complained as it tried to move its feet. The squirrel failed to get very far, which took a notch out of Dawn's points.

A blue outline of energy appeared to Hippopotas' side, just behind the ground-type's blind spot. Dawn and the audience saw the Pokémon's visage, but the ground-type was none the wiser. Before Dawn could even call for Hippopotas to look out, Vaporeon materialized from thin air in that place and sank its fangs into the Hippo Pokémon's back. Hippopotas looked back and wailed as pain shot through its body, squirming furiously in an attempt to shake Vaporeon off. Unfortunately, the rock-like mud holding its feet down kept it from doing so.

Dawn bit her lip as even more of her points slipped away. The cloud of foggy Mist suddenly began to fade, revealing Layla and Swinub once more. Dawn glanced over to Pachirisu and got an idea, "Hippopotas, use Dig!" Hippopotas eagerly tore up the rock-like mud beneath its feet, throwing Vaporeon off of its back and sinking safely underground.

" _Vaporeon uses a combination of Acid Armor and Bite to surprise Hippopotas after a genius combination of Surf with Swinub's Mud Bomb! But now that Hippopotas is free, will Layla have anything else up her sleeve?"_

"Hippopotas, come out and free Pachirisu!" Dawn called. Pachirisu stiffened as the earth just in front of her collapsed and Hippopotas crawled out. The Hippo Pokémon's move weakened the hold of the hardened mud on Pachirisu's feet, allowing the squirrel to move once again. Seeing this, Vaporeon quickly faded out of existence with Acid Armor and then reappeared seconds later near Swinub. "Now, Hippopotas, use Dig again and get back underground!"

Hippopotas eagerly dug back underneath the earth, and Dawn called out to the other Pokémon on her side, "Pachirisu, you too!"

" _Chi-pa?!"_ Pachirisu cried with surprise, looking back at Dawn. They hadn't practiced this before! Plus, her fur was as clean as could be, so the squirrel was particularly reluctant to muck up her coat.

"Just trust me on this, Pachirisu!" Dawn called. The electric-type huffed and then followed Hippopotas into the hole.

"Vaporeon, plug those holes with Surf!" Layla called, wanting to flush out the two Pokémon quickly. Vaporeon sang and conjured another wave of water, intending to send it toward the two Dig holes that Hippopotas had left behind and fill up the underground tunnels that the ground-type had created.

"Not so fast!" Dawn countered as Vaporeon launched the wave of water, "Hippopotas, get Swinub now! Pachirisu, use Spark!"

Immediately, Hippopotas tore up the ground underneath the small Pig Pokémon, charging up from underneath it and ending up atop the ice/ground-type. Meanwhile, Pachirisu came up from underground in a flash of electricity right under Vaporeon, electrifying the Bubble Jet Pokémon's Surf wave in the process. Pachirisu tackled Vaporeon and sent the water-type hurtling into the air, completely vulnerable.

"Hippopotas, grab Pachirisu in your mouth and throw her into the sky!" Dawn called. Hippopotas quickly bolted away from Swinub and was on Pachirisu in an instant. The ground-type opened its wide mouth and Pachirisu climbed in, positioning itself so that Hippopotas' powerful teeth wouldn't touch it. The Hippo Pokémon then reared its head back and tossed Pachirisu toward the descending Vaporeon, leaving a perfect opening for another combination.

"Pachirisu, use Sparky Fang!"

Pachirisu opened its mouth and readied a Super Fang, but pumped in some voltage with the help of Spark. Her powerful buckteeth became charged with electricity and she clamped her jaws down onto Vaporeon's tail. The Bubble Jet Pokémon yelped and managed to shake Pachirisu off rather quickly, but the damage was more than done, and neither Pokémon landed on the ground ceremoniously.

Dawn glanced up at the board. She had significantly more points than Layla with only 30 seconds left. Layla noticed this as well, but still called for her Pokémon to attack. The attempt proved futile as Dawn maneuvered her Pokémon out of the way, and the clock struck zero with Dawn as the clear winner. Layla returned her Pokémon and walked briskly off of the stage, leaving Dawn unable to catch up to her. Seeing her run off so quickly made Dawn sad, she had wanted to congratulate Layla on some of her combination moves, but she had to get off of the stage so that the next Battle could take place. With a spring in her step, Dawn bolted away.

* * *

Dawn's semifinal opponent ended up being Zach. She was able to defeat him by points as well with Piplup and Togekiss, punching her ticket to the final round. With only one more Coordinator standing in between her and her third Ribbon, Dawn was as pumped as ever. Unfortunately—although expected—her opponent was none other than Ursula.

" _The final round of the Lake Valor Contest will soon begin!"_ Marian boomed.

Dawn and Ursula stood behind the curtains side-by-side. Dawn would be going to the far end of the battlefield, so she would be exiting the shelter of the curtains first.

"Good luck out there." Ursula said, stretching out a hand. Dawn looked at her hand with surprise and then smiled, reaching out to take the gracious gesture. Instead, though, Ursula pulled her hand back, flicking her index finger along her nose as she stifled a laugh. She said no words, but she didn't need to thanks to the rude smirk plastered on her face. Dawn managed to not seethe with anger, but she was still displeased nonetheless. Ursula's nerve was astounding, and it only strengthened Dawn's resolve to avenge her loss in Hearthome City.

" _In the blue corner of the battlefield, she's the sweetheart of Sinnoh Contests! Hailing from Twinleaf Town, put your hands together for Dawn!"_

The crowd applauded thunderously and Dawn pushed her way through the curtains. She picked up into a jog and waved to the crowd as she went, quickly reaching her battle box as Meredith continued.

" _And in the red corner, hailing from Sunyshore City, the calculating enchantress, Ursula!"_

Ursula came trotting out from behind the curtains with a similar demeanor to Dawn, though she wore a crude smirk as opposed to a gleeful smile. She reached her box and the referee wasted no time in ensuring that the two rivals were ready to begin. Dawn called out her Pokémon first.

" _Quilava, Mamoswine, spotlight!"_

Ursula's teeth ground against each other behind her stony smirk. She had lost before to the pair, and in a rather disheartening way. She clutched her two chosen Poké Balls and called on her Pokémon next.

" _Roserade, Tyrogue, go!"_

Dawn quickly examined her two opponents. Roserade brought up a flowery hand to her face, half-shielding it from view as it stared down Mamoswine and Quilava. Meanwhile, Tyrogue bent forward at an angle and repeatedly clenched and unclenched its fists, as ready as ever for a scuffle.

"Tyrogue, use Bulk Up! Roserade, use Growth!"

Tyrogue quickly stood up tall and then flexed its arms. Muscular growth quickly appeared and widened the Scuffle Pokémon's arms. Roserade, on the other hand, started to glow from its hands, though nothing changed about its body. Dawn narrowed her eyes as she thought. Ursula was starting off with moves that would strengthen her attacks, hoping to dole out more damage to Dawn's Pokémon. A tiny fraction of Dawn's points were taken away at the dual showing of strength and beauty, and Dawn moved to make the first actual attack.

"Mamoswine, use Ancient Power! Quilava, add to that with Flamethrower!"

Mamoswine stamped its huge foot into the ground and began forming a ball of glowing white energy. Quilava shifted its feet like a racehorse about to storm out of the gates, and spat a powerful Flamethrower in between Mamoswine's tusks. The fire wrapped around the Ancient Power, creating a tentative combination. Dawn had yet to come up with a catchy name for the move. Without further ado, Mamoswine launched the attack toward Tyrogue and Roserade.

Ursula waited patiently for the attack to come closer before answering with a command, "Tyrogue, use Detect." The Scuffle Pokémon shifted with surprising speed in front of Roserade, sticking out its powerful hands in anticipation for the attack. Energy shot up around the fighting-type's body, and Tyrogue easily grabbed onto the flaming Ancient Power, stopping it in its tracks and absorbing the energy. The flames began to die out, and Tyrogue spread its feet apart to balance itself before Ursula called out to it again.

"Tyrogue, send it back!"

Tyrogue turned its focus from the Ancient Power blast to its two opponents, immediately leering as it focused. The Scuffle Pokémon took a step forward, holding the Ancient Power as if it were nothing, and then spun once before launching the attack back toward Mamoswine as Dawn lost some more points.

" _What impressive strength! Tyrogue stopped that combination all on its own, and now its heading back toward Dawn's Pokémon!"_

Dawn sucked in a breath, not surprised that the disproportionate fighting-type had managed to pull off the feat. With an envious calm, she called out to Quilava. "Quilava, break that up with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava rushed forward, taking four or five steps before diving forward and wrapping its body in a wheel of fire. Quilava bounced upward as it reached the oncoming Ancient Power, crashing head-on into the glowing boulder. The Ancient Power blast ripped apart and Quilava kept going. Ursula visibly flinched at the sight, but she managed to recover and call out to Roserade, "Use Razor Leaf!"

Roserade quickly tossed up an arsenal of sharp leaves and sent them flying toward Quilava. The fire-type saw the attack through its shield of fire just as Dawn called for a Flamethrower to counter. Quilava continued racing forward, but spewed even more fire from its shelter. As a result, whips of fire branched out from the wheel and created an octopus-like figure made of scorching flame. The spinning Flamethrower whips disintegrated the Razor Leaves both through contact or their own intense heat, and with no viable counter left, Roserade took the brutal hit head-on. Ursula lost a great deal of points, bringing the score close to even.

"Roserade!" Ursula shouted. She bit back her anger and called out to Tyrogue, "Tyrogue, use Mega Punch on Quilava!"

Tyrogue clenched its right hand into a fist and powerful energy poured into the upcoming attack. Rather than rush forward and attack, though, the Scuffle Pokémon began whirling its arm in a constant circle. The windmill maneuver caused the light to trail in a perfect circle, catching the impressed eye of the judges. Tyrogue finally leaped toward Quilava, a full serving of pain charged up in its fist.

"Quilava, step back!"

Quilava hopped a few paces backward and Tyrogue landed directly in front of it. The fighting-type's windmill punch missed, and with a sneer, Tyrogue tried again. Quilava continued to step back and dodge Tyrogue's series of punches. Ursula gritted her teeth and shouted, "Tyrogue, Mega Kick!"

Tyrogue began pouring energy into its leg, completely absorbed in its objective of landing a hit on Quilava. The Scuffle Pokémon lunged forward with its foot stuck out, howling as it went.

A massive weight blindsided Tyrogue as it soared through the air, ruining its attack and sending the fighting-type hard into the ground. Tyrogue ate dirt and bounced several feet away. Even Ursula had been distracted, focusing completely on Tyrogue's attempt to attack and nothing else. Dawn's command for Mamoswine to use Take Down had fallen completely deaf on her ears. The Twin Tusk Pokémon reared up and punched out its huge front legs with a triumphant roar as Tyrogue struggled its way back to its feet, and Ursula's points decreased even further. As it stood, Ursula had roughly two-thirds of her total points left, while Dawn held around three-quarters of hers. It was a decent lead for Dawn, but with Ursula, it was far from comfortable.

"Tyrogue, use Swagger!"

Tyrogue crossed its arms and glared directly at Mamoswine. The huge ice-type snorted as a red light appeared in Tyrogue's eyes. The light passed onto Mamoswine's eyes, turning them an angry red.

Without warning, a spasm ran all through Mamoswine's body. The ice-type reared up on its hind legs, howling with a mixture of confused emotions. Mamoswine then shifted its confused gaze to Quilava, and glittering blue light channeled into its tusks.

" _That's Ice Fang!"_ Ash gasped.

"Mamoswine, no!" Dawn cried down on the field. Mamoswine refused to listen, though, and quickly charged Quilava with Ice Fang at the ready. The fire-type hopped its way backwards several times as Mamoswine repeatedly missed, but each failure only confused the ice-type more, which in turn made it angrier. After five or six attempts, Mamoswine finally slammed its tusks laterally into Quilava's body, knocking the wind from the Volcano Pokémon and sending it hurtling several feet away.

"Quilava!" Dawn yelped. Her points on the board plummeted, putting Ursula back in the lead with two and a half minutes to go.

"Roserade, use Weather Ball on Mamoswine! Tyrogue, use Mega Kick!"

Roserade conjured a ball of white light between her flowery hands as Tyrogue ran behind the grass-type. Roserade aimed directly at Mamoswine, but then tossed the Weather Ball up into the sky. Tyrogue took this as its cue to dash forward, and with a great push the Scuffle Pokémon soared into the air. Its right foot glowed powerfully, and with an eye-catching spin, Tyrogue kicked the Weather Ball with all of its might. There was a decent _boom_ noise and the ball of energy flew at Mamoswine with high speed, crashing into the ice-type's side and leaving an explosion in its wake. Dawn's points fell a little bit more, though not nearly as much as they had when Mamoswine had turned on Quilava.

Mamoswine responded to the hit by roaring and slinging three Ice Shards in random directions. Each of the attacks were nowhere near his opponents, but the Twin Tusk Pokémon had no clue that that was the case. Quilava barked at Mamoswine repeatedly, trying to communicate with him and shake off the ice-type's confusion. Instead, though, Mamoswine became upset and charged at the fire-type.

"Mamoswine, stop it!" Dawn shouted futilely, "Quilava, keep dodging!"

Mamoswine readied an Ice Fang and swiped at Quilava, but the fire-type easily jumped backwards and dodged. Mamoswine tried again and again, but had the same result.

" _Mamoswine's confusion is so great that he's attacking Quilava over and over, and Dawn and Quilava are now stuck batting against three Pokémon!"_

"Roserade, trip up Quilava with Razor Leaf!"

Roserade yelled and tossed up a volley of leaves into the air. The Bouquet Pokémon commanded the leaves forward, sending them straight to Quilava's blind spot.

"Quilava, look out!" Dawn called.

Quilava took its eyes off of the enraged Mamoswine for barely a second, spotting the oncoming Razor Leaves. The fire-type turned its body and spat a weak Flamethrower, incinerating the leaves with ease. Unfortunately, as the fire-type turned to focus back on Mamoswine, the huge ice-type was right on top of it, another Ice Fang lighting up its tusks.

" _Mamoooooo!"_ Mamoswine howled angrily, as sure as the day was long that he was attacking one of Ursula's Pokémon.

" _Smokescreen!"_ Dawn yelled. Quilava obeyed instantly, spewing thick smoke directly at Mamoswine's face and clouding his vision. The ice-type complained as its sight was blocked, and Dawn quickly called out for another move, "Now use Swift on Mamoswine's legs!"

Quilava yipped and spun around, slinging a group of stars into Mamoswine's legs. The ice-type tried to move forward, but was tripped up on the Swift attack. The Twin Tusk Pokémon crumpled to the ground tusks-first, kicking up a dust cloud as it crashed into the ground.

Quilava wasted no time in running up to Mamoswine, padding the larger Pokémon with its paws and barking. Mamoswine slowly opened its eyes, but there was something different about them this time.

The angry red glow of Swagger was gone!

" _Quil! Qui-qui-lava!"_ Quilava yipped.

" _Mam?!"_ Mamoswine stammered.

Mamoswine hooked its gaze to Roserade and Tyrogue, and without any hesitation the ice-type stood up to its feet, howling angrily at its two true opponents.

" _I don't believe it!"_ Marian howled into the microphone, _"Mamoswine's confusion is gone!"_

"Ha-ha!" Ash yodeled as he pumped a fist, "Mamoswine's snapped out of it!" Corey clapped furiously next to Ash, calling out, _"You can do it, Dawn!"_

" _That's all well and good for Mamoswine and Quilava, but they've only got a minute left, and they're in quite a hole!"_

Ursula gritted her teeth. The Swagger had rubbed off a little too soon. However, she had double the points that Dawn currently did now, and with so little time left she felt particularly confident about her chances.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Armor!"

Mamoswine quickly obliged, swallowing an Ice Shard promptly. Shimmering spikes of ice protruded from its back, and the ice-type glanced over to Quilava. _"Mamoo!"_ Mamoswine snorted. Quilava eagerly hopped up atop Mamoswine's head, pumping up the flames on its back and making the ice spikes behind it glow orange for a moment.

"Now, go! Mamoswine, use Ice Fang!"

Mamoswine lurched forward with Quilava on its back, each of its footfalls shaking the ground.

"Tyrogue, use Detect." Ursula sneered.

The Scuffle Pokémon slid in front of its grass-type partner and readied its impenetrable defense. A field of energy appeared around its body, and as Mamoswine and Quilava closed in, Tyrogue prepared itself.

"Quilava, use Eruption!"

Quilava barked and steadied itself on top of Mamoswine's head and then lowered its own head. Flames hotter than magma burst from the pillar of flames on its head, spewing like a tidal wave at Tyrogue. The Scuffle Pokémon spread its feet apart in anticipation and then began blocking the move. The Eruption was short-lived, and once the massive flaming attack stopped, Tyrogue collapsed its Detect barrier.

Unfortunately for it, the smokescreen left by Eruption was more than enough to conceal Mamoswine's approach. The ruse had worked! Mamoswine and Quilava burst through the cloud of smoke, the former's Ice Fang attack pulsing with power.

"Gah! Tyrogue, use Detect again!"

Tyrogue panicked as it realized it had been fooled, and it prepared another defense. Instead, though, the familiar energy field of Detect sparked to life for only an instant before dying out. Detect had failed!

Tyrogue didn't even have time to comprehend that its Detect had failed before Mamoswine slammed into it at full force. The ice-type caught Tyrogue in its tusks and then hurtled the fighting-type off to the side.

" _Roooooogue!"_ Tyrogue howled as it flew.

"Quilava, quick, get Roserade with a Flame Wheel!"

Quilava lunged forward from Mamoswine's head, its Flame Wheel attack at full power before its feet even met the ground. The fire-type skidded along the ground just barely in control and steamrolled Roserade with a ball of fire. Ursula's points decreased even more, effectively tying her and Dawn. The peach-haired Coordinator struggled to comprehend everything that had transpired in only the last few seconds, and she spat out a half-baked command to her two Pokémon in an attempt to regain control.

"Roserade, Weather Ball! Tyrogue, Mega Kick!"

" _Rose-rade!"_ Roserade howled as she quickly discharged a Weather Ball at point-blank. The attack hit Quilava and knocked it away, but the damage was more than sustainable. Across the field, Tyrogue slid across the ground at the oncoming Mamoswine, hoping to knock its legs out from underneath its huge body.

" _Mamoswine, use Ice Shard!"_ Dawn yelled from her box. Mamoswine quickly spat an Ice Shard directly in front of it at the ground, striking Tyrogue in its leg and ruining its approach. Tyrogue cried with surprised pain as the ice-type move stopped it cold, looking up to see Mamoswine towering over it.

"Ice Fang!"

Mamoswine readied the attack and swiftly stabbed its tusks into the ground, driving forward so that the tusks were underneath Tyrogue. The Scuffle Pokémon moved to attack now that Mamoswine was at point-blank range, but the Twin Tusk Pokémon swiftly threw the fighting-type into the air, sending it hurtling in a backward arc toward Ursula.

Roserade now stood on its feet and advanced toward Quilava. "Roserade, use Needle Arm!" Ursula commanded. The Bouquet Pokémon's flowery arm turned to one riddled with needles, and it moved to crush Quilava with a powerful strike.

" _Roooooogue!"_ Tyrogue howled as gravity took control of its body and sent it hurtling downward. Roserade and Quilava both looked up, but in barely a second Tyrogue crashed down…right on top of Roserade. The grass-type yelped as Tyrogue heaped down on with great force, and with Needle Arm interrupted, Ursula's points decreased even further. The peach-haired Coordinator bristled and tried to command a response, but a sudden chime cut off her words. The clock now read zero.

" _That's it! Time's up!"_ Marian crowed, _"And one look at the board tells us all we need to know! With an incredible last-minute comeback, the winner of the Lake Valor Contest is…Dawn!"_

Dawn's feet left the floor and she jumped wildly into the air, pumping her fist in mid-air as she whooped. Quilava and Mamoswine sprinted back to Dawn, her happiness leaking onto them. Dawn landed on her feet and looked straight ahead of her only to see her Pokémon right on top of her. Quilava got their first and knocked Dawn backward, quickly climbing onto her and giving her cheek an affectionate look.

" _Lav!"_ Quilava yipped.

"Hehe, Quilava, you were awesome! And Mamoswine, you battled so hard! I'm sorry we had to attack you to get you out of confusion."

" _Mamoo!"_ Mamoswine protested. He had earned the friendly fire, but at the end of the day they had won, and in unbelievable fashion!

"Dawn." A man's voice said. Dawn looked to the side and up to see Mr. Contesta standing above her. The chairman was stifling a laugh at what he was seeing, and Dawn quickly pushed Quilava off of her to stand up. There was dirt on her dress now, but she ignored it. Mr. Contesta held a simple tray with a beautiful cloth placed atop it, and a glittering blue ribbon sat on the cloth.

"I must say, that comeback was truly incredible!" Mr. Contesta praised, "Just how did you manage that with so little time?"

Dawn giggled nervously. She wasn't really sure. "I guess I just had a lot of faith in my Pokémon. They believed in me, and I believed in them, and together we succeeded."

"That's very humble of you." Mr. Contesta said, "Now, it is my honor to present you with the Valor Ribbon. You've truly earned it."

Dawn shivered as she reached for the light blue ribbon. She glanced back to the battlefield, finding that Ursula was nowhere to be found. Dawn turned her focus back to the Ribbon and eagerly grabbed it, examining it as it were a lost treasure. She then became overwhelmed with joy and pumped the Ribbon into the air.

"All right! We got the Valor Ribbon!"

" _Qui-lava!"_

" _Mamoo!"_

* * *

Dawn, Ash, and Corey walked out of the doors of the Contest Hall. Sunset had turned Lake Valor into an orange juice color, and a small amount of people paced up and down the streets of the resort. Some people leaned along the railing and gazed out at the calm lake.

"So, should we be off to Pastoria City tomorrow?" Dawn asked.

"Sure thing." Ash agreed, "Corey and I both need to battle Crasher Wake."

"I wonder what he's up to right now. And I bet Buizel will be all for battling with Wake's Floatzel." Dawn said. Her thoughts made her wander, and she zoned out for a moment.

"Hey, Dawn, look. It's her!" Ash said. Dawn returned to reality and Ash pointed to a bench down the block from the steps leading up to Contest Hall. Sitting on the bench was a girl with chocolate brown hair, feeding a Poffin to a Vaporeon. "That's the girl you battled in the quarterfinals, isn't it?"

"Yeah…L-Layla…" Dawn said, her voice trailing off.

Corey suddenly surged forward, breaking into a run toward the brunette. "Hey, Corey! What are you doing?" Ash barked, but the youth didn't listen. Ash and Dawn exchanged looks and chased after him, remaining silent as they waited to see what he was doing. He stopped once he reached the bench, and just as Ash and Dawn reached within earshot he spoke.

"Layla."

The girl looked to her side, seeing the youngster's eyes. Her own young eyes widened.

"C-Corey?"

"Yeah. It's me." Corey said with a sheepish smile, "It's been so long."

"It has. W-what are you doing here?"

Layla then noticed Ash and Dawn behind him. She found herself stumped when she recognized Dawn, the very Coordinator that had defeated her in the quarterfinals. "You're Dawn." Layla said nervously, "Corey, what are you doing with these people?"

"These are Ash and Dawn. They're my friends!" Corey said, "I'm a Pokémon Trainer now, and I've been traveling with them ever since I met them in Solaceon Town."

The gears in Ash's mind turned. Corey had conveniently said that he didn't know this girl when he saw her on the stage. Corey obviously did know her, but the teen decided to tuck that bit of information away along with his own suspicions. He put on his friendliest smile. "So, uh, how do you two know each other?"

"Layla and I were neighbors when we were kids. Her mom was a Pokémon Breeder."

"But when I was seven I moved away to Pastoria City and Corey and I…fell out of touch." Layla explained.

"But, she didn't leave without leaving a parting gift. She left me an Egg, which hatched into my Eevee!" Corey said.

Layla giggled, "And how is that little Eevee?"

"She actually evolved into Espeon a few weeks ago during a Gym Battle!" Corey exclaimed, "And she won the battle for us just like that!"

"That's so great, Corey…" Layla said. She turned her attention to Dawn, "I…I'm so sorry that I ran off like that after losing. I'm new to Coordinating and…I guess I'm still getting used to handling everything."

"Hey, that's no sweat!" Dawn insisted, "We all start off differently. I thought you battled really well. Where are you headed next?"

"Well, like I said, I lived in Pastoria City for years. I was going to head back home and figure out where my next Contest would be." Layla explained.

"You don't have any traveling partners?" Dawn asked with a frown.

"…No, I've been doing this all on my own. I'm not away from home very much." Layla admitted.

"Well, hey! We have to head to Pastoria City next so Ash and I can battle the Gym Leader!" Corey said, "You could travel there with us if you like! That's okay, right Ash? Dawn?"

"Of course that's okay." Ash agreed, "But, only if Layla is okay with it."

"Yeah, it would be great to have someone else in the group. And we can spend some time on the road training together!" Dawn said happily, "I can help you with just about everything!"

"O-okay." Layla said nervously. She was naturally timid, but these people seemed genuine. Plus, they were with her childhood friend Corey, who she hadn't seen in a long time. For now, it seemed like it would be a good idea to travel with them on her way back home.

"Well, let's be off, shall we?" Corey asked eagerly, taking a page out of Ash's playbook.

"Oh, yeah, that's cool." Layla fumbled, "Vaporeon and I are ready."

"Well, let's get moving! Off to Pastoria City!"


	45. Great Marsh Expectations

**I blew through this chapter so I could get us back on our usual update schedule, but I think it's pretty solid. A while back someone requested an event to be in this story, so I've finally gone and done it. It helped me re-introduce a certain character as well. That event will take place after the first big chunk of this chapter, and will be completed in Chapter 46.**

 **Also, a song from a certain Pokémon Movie will make a brief appearance in this chapter, just in case anyone feels its introduction is a little out of place. It's a minor detail that I feel like I shouldn't even have to address beforehand, but I'm doing it anyway.**

 **As always, I would really, really love it if as many people reading this as possible sent in a review. You guys are why I keep writing this story, so please tell me what you think! I truly hope many of you will come through on this! Happy reading, everyone!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 45_

 _Great Marsh Expectations_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Pastoria City**_

Ash, Dawn, Corey, and Layla walked out of the terminal in pairs. They'd finally arrived in Pastoria City after about three weeks of traveling, and the sight of the suburban city was well worth it. Buildings no taller than two stories stretched up and down along the cobblestone streets, serving as the homes of both people and local businesses. A crystal clear river also cut through the center of town, running all the way off to the Great Marsh on the outskirts of the city. Despite its quaintness, Pastoria City was certainly a welcome change from the metropolises of Veilstone and Hearthome.

"So, Layla, where's your house?" Corey asked eagerly.

"We live right off of the Great Marsh. I'll take you guys there."

Layla had been particularly reserved early on in their trek to Pastoria City, but after a few days she'd revealed a hidden vibrant personality. She was still quiet by nature, but she was far less reserved than she had come off as before. She led her three companions through the main street of the city and across the bridge traversing the river, eventually cutting over to a side street. One by one, the two-story buildings went away and were replaced by simple, one-story houses. The setup reminded Ash of Pallet Town, although he personally felt the area was far less beautiful than his hometown.

Layla guided the group to a one-story house that was painted yellow. A black iron gate closed in the small front yard of the home. Layla automatically opened the gate and headed down the brick walkway of the front yard, hopping onto the white wooden stairs connecting to the porch. The girl then swung her light bag around and pulled out a small silver key, forcing it inside the lock and turning it before opening the door.

" _Mom! I'm home!"_

Layla ushered her new friends inside the house as the floor in some of the rooms creaked in response to footsteps. An older woman who wasn't much taller than Layla popped into the front room from the kitchen. She was practically the spitting image of Layla, sharing the same shade of chocolate brown hair and an assortment of freckles along her face. Her eyes were almost as green as her daughter's, although the shade of green had darkened as she aged.

"Layla, sweetheart!" the mother called, immediately closing the gap between her and the youth and pulling her into a tight hug.

"M-Mom…" Layla wheezed as she tried to claw her way out of the hug, "C-can't…b-breathe…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," said Layla's mom. She then noticed the visitors in her home: a decently tall young adult with unruly raven hair, a beautiful teenage girl with long, dark blue hair, and a youth with light brown hair wearing a light blue jacket.

"Who are your friends, Layla? Wait a minute…" Layla's mom asked, before zeroing in on the young boy and putting two and two together, "Corey?"

"Hi!" Corey beamed, "It's so nice to—"

Layla's mother quickly wrapped Corey in a suffocating hug, "Oh, it's been so long, Corey! You must tell me how you've been doing!" She said this all while unintentionally squeezing the air from Corey's lungs.

"Mom, you're doing it again!" Layla complained with a frown.

"Oh, goodness me, you're right." Said Layla's mom. She quickly let go of Corey, "So sorry, Corey. Who are your other friends, Layla?"

Ash butted in next, "My name's Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu! I'm a Pokémon Trainer."

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu chattered from Ash's shoulder.

"And I'm Dawn. I'm a Pokémon Coordinator!" Dawn beamed, "This is my partner, Piplup."

" _Lup!"_ Piplup greeted, comfortably nestled in Dawn's arms.

Layla's mother tapped her chin for a moment in thought, and then her eyes popped in recognition, "Ah, yes, I recognize you, Dawn! I've seen a Contest or two that you've competed in! Well, it's so nice to meet such a well-known star!"

Layla's mom surged forward to Dawn, and she involuntarily braced herself for a lung-crushing hug from Layla's excitable mother. Instead, though, she simply shook Dawn's hand with a bright smile. She then turned to Ash, moving to shake his hand as well. "I can't say I recognize you, though, sweetie. You said you're a Pokémon Trainer?"

"That's right. I like to keep my stuff on the down-low, though, ha-ha." Ash chuckled. He shook her hand firmly, "It's nice to meet you, Miss…?"

"Oh, just call me Rhoda, dear." She said, "Well, how's about you all make yourself at home on the couches, find something on TV, and I'll go lay out some cheese and crackers for everyone!"

The four travelers immediately migrated to the living room as Rhoda briskly walked back to the kitchen. Ash collapsed into a single chair at the end of the table while Dawn, Corey, and Layla all took up residence on the couch. Layla grabbed the remote and began flipping through channels.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever breathe normally again." Corey wheezed.

"Sorry about my mom…" Layla groaned, "She's just…affectionate."

"Mine's the same way when I get home." Ash said, "Actually kinda makes my day sometimes."

"I guess so." Layla shrugged. She flicked up another channel, which aired a game show that was more on the crazy side, "Is this good?"

"I don't mind." Ash offered.

Rhoda came trotting back in with a tray full of cheese and crackers, just like she'd promised. She reached the coffee table and set down the tray, grabbing just a few crackers and claiming them for herself as she sat down in the other lone chair on the opposite end of the table.

"So, dears, tell me about yourselves. I'm always eager to meet my daughter's new friends." Rhoda started, "Corey, you must tell me how you ran into Layla."

Corey looked nervous as he tried to find the right words. "Well, she battled Dawn in the Contest at Lake Valor. We saw Layla and her Vaporeon on a bench later that day and, well…I don't know."

"Oh! Do you still have the Eevee that we gave you when we left Eterna City?"

"Of course!" Corey said happily, "Actually, she's not an Eevee anymore. See for yourself!"

Corey tossed Espeon's Poké Ball into the air. The capsule popped open and the familiar silvery white light spilled onto the table, forming into the shape of the Sun Pokémon. The feline psychic-type purred and its eyes glowed an unnatural purple. Rhoda gasped, "An Espeon! How beautiful!"

"Hehe, thanks, Miss Rhoda. Espeon packs quite a punch though too, right Espeon?"

" _Esp-ee!"_

"So, I take it that you've been going on a journey of your own?" Rhoda asked, "You always talked about it when you were little."

"That's right. I've been traveling with Ash and Dawn since I got to Solaceon Town, and I've got three badges myself now!" Corey pulled out his Badge Case and opened it as proof, showing off the glittering badges of the Oreburgh, Eterna, and Veilstone Gyms.

"And Ash, you said you were a Trainer as well. How many badges do you have?"

"Well, I actually already earned eight badges in Sinnoh. I challenged the Sinnoh League a little over a year ago, but I only made it to the semifinals." Ash explained, "My Pokémon and I have been training super hard so we can go back and win the League next time."

"It's pretty much the same for me as well." Dawn said, "I've earned five Ribbons already and competed in the Grand Festival, but I'm going through another circuit right now. I've got three Ribbons so far."

"Ah! The Grand Festival! That's where I first saw you!" Rhoda realized, "I managed to catch the Floaroma Town Contest earlier this winter, and that's the only other time other than Lake Valor that I managed to see one of your Contests. You're very good!"

"Oh…thank you…" Dawn said with a blush.

"I was a Coordinator as well back in my day. I was never any good, though. I made one Grand Festival in my career, and that didn't go so well." Rhoda explained. She trailed off, but they kept talking for a while as the TV kept airing the game show.

Time went on, and when Ash truly checked back into reality, Layla was missing from the living room. He was guilty of having fallen asleep in the comfortable chair, and his stomach's rumbling was what really woke him. He quickly noticed Layla's absence, but apparently nobody else in the room seemed to care.

"Uh, hey guys?" Ash said, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to speed his wake-up, "Where'd Layla go?"

Rhoda, Dawn, and Corey both looked to the spot where she'd been sitting. "She said she was getting up to go to see some of the Pokémon that come around our yard, but I guess she hasn't come back yet."

Ash thought he heard the faint notes of a song playing outside, but dismissed it quickly. Rhoda stood up from her chair. "Layla?" she called. There was no answer. "Hmm. I'll go look real quick." Rhoda said. She vanished in the direction of the kitchen, but she was back in only a handful of seconds.

"Ha, I should've known. You kids come see this." Rhoda said, gesturing impatiently. Ash, Dawn, and Corey exchanged a glance and then quickly got up, trotting over to the back of the house. Immediately, the sound of notes reached Ash's ears. Dawn seemed to pick up on it as well and frowned. Rhoda led them to the back door of the house, where a very small back porch connected to some stairs. The short stack of stairs led to the backyard, where a bench sat with its back to the house. A birdbath was on the other end of the bench, positioned on a collection of cobblestones embedded into the earth. A wooden fence closed in the backyard, which was far larger than the front yard.

On the bench sat Layla, and from Layla came a sound that neither Ash nor Dawn had expected to hear again. Rhoda placed a finger to her lips to signal silence, and then carefully opened the back door. The noise of the song now reached Ash and Dawn's ears at full volume and they stepped out as quietly as possible onto the porch with Rhoda and Corey.

Layla's song was a series of high-pitched notes that worked strangely well together. Ash didn't know much about music and rhythm, but he could pick out the notes thanks to stored memories of music theory in elementary school from before his training days.

 _C-D-E, B, A, G-C…_ Ash thought as he listened, _C-D-E, C, B, D-E…A-B-C, E, B, E, A, G-C…D-E-D, C-C…_

 _A-B-C, E, B, E, A, G-C…A, B, C, G-D-D, E-F-E-D-E, D…C-E-B-E-A, G-C…D, E-D, C-C…_

Corey tapped Ash on the arm, pointing the teen's attention to something on the fence of the yard. Upon noticing what Corey wanted him to see, Ash tapped Dawn as well and pointed her to the sight. On the fence that boxed in the backyard, a handful of Pokémon stood and watched, their bodies seemingly dancing in the wind as they listened to Layla's song. A few Starly rested on the edge of the birdbath near the fence as well.

Layla's playing ceased and she brought the instrument she'd been using down from her lips. Ash and Dawn both managed to catch a glimpse of the leaf whistle, which only confirmed what the song had been. Layla stood up from the bench and gently padded over to a wild Starly on the nearby birdbath, touching its feathers ever so slightly with a single finger.

"Layla, that was beautiful." Rhoda said.

Layla stiffened and whirled around. The wild Pokémon that had witnessed the song panicked as well and vanished from sight. The small crew of Starly took to the air, abandoning the scene. Layla nervously backed up against the birdbath as she registered that her friends had heard her playing too.

"M-Mom," she stammered.

"Dawn, we've heard that song before." Ash said, glancing over to her, "In Alamos Town."

"You have?" Rhoda asked with surprise.

"Y-yes." Dawn answered, "Oración, the song with the power to calm the fiercest rage."

"Layla, where did you learn to play that?" Ash asked curiously.

"My mother—Layla's grandmother—was a musician and took a visit to Alamos Town when she was young, where she heard the song for the first time." Rhoda interrupted, "She fell in love with the music of the Space-Time Tower and brought home transcribed copies of many works, and devoted much time to learning them."

As Rhoda spoke, Corey watched Layla with an almost star-struck look. She met his gaze nervously, doing her best to play off her nervousness with a giggle, but it didn't register with him.

"…And when Layla was a little girl she taught her how to play the leaf whistle. Some of the Pokémon from the Great Marsh often come out to listen to Layla play."

"That's amazing. I wish I could play music like that." Ash said, frowning at the last part. He loved training Pokémon with all his heart, but there were times when he wished he could've been given some talent in music.

"Hey! I have an idea for something you can all do." Rhoda declared, "You should all go out to the Safari Zone in the Great Marsh!"

"Safari Zone?" Corey asked, puzzled.

"Yes. You can find the Safari Zone out on the Great Marsh. There are many rare Pokémon living there that are hard to find elsewhere in Sinnoh, and you get to catch as many as you can." Rhoda explained.

"Rare Pokémon? Sign me up!" Corey said enthusiastically, "Ash, Dawn, Layla! We should go to the Safari Zone!"

Ash chuckled at the youth's enthusiasm, "All right, all right. Dawn?"

"Sure, that's fine with me." Dawn said with a shrug, "What about you, Layla?"

The girl tucked some strands of her hair behind her ear, "Yeah, I guess I can show you guys where it is." She said meekly. She wasn't pleased that her mother had led her new friends out to watch her play music, even if they thought she was good at it. Pushing down her embarrassment, Layla walked back toward the porch, ready to lead her friends to the Safari Zone. Maybe, she thought, she could try her hand at catching a few wild Pokémon herself.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Great Marsh**_

"This place is _huge!"_ Corey yelled as she stared out the window at the Great Marsh. They were standing in the terminal connecting the city to the Safari Zone, which made up most of the southern parts of the Marsh. From the window that Corey had rushed off to, it was possible to see half of Safari Zone's area.

"Just how many Pokémon do you think live out there?" Corey asked his friends with wonder. He didn't bother to look at the wall-mounted map that was right next to the viewing window, which showed an aerial view of the Great Marsh and divided it into sections mostly based on terrain.

"There are over 30 different species of Pokémon in the Great Marsh alone." Said an attendant at the terminal desk, "I assume you want to play the Safari Game?"

"Oh! Yes, please!" Corey said, bolting from the window to the desk. He paid the fee without hesitation and claimed his thirty Safari Balls. Layla went to the desk next, shrugging and paying her money to enter the Safari Zone.

"And what about you two?" the attendant asked nicely.

"I'm good." Ash said, "My experience at the Safari Zones have been…interesting, to say the least."

Dawn smirked. He was talking about capturing thirty separate Tauros in the Kanto Safari Zone. Even now, she still didn't understand how he'd managed to pull that off. The attendant gestured to Dawn, and she too shook her head. "We'll just go with them and keep an eye out, if that's okay?"

"As long as it's only those two trying to catch Pokémon, then I won't keep you from going." The attendant said.

"I promise, we won't try anything." Ash said quickly. The attendant nodded and gestured for them to go. Corey and Layla eagerly ran through the door into the Safari Zone, while Ash and Dawn walked at a much more leisurely pace.

The sunlight blinded all four Trainers as they entered the Safari Zone. They quickly adjusted and Corey gasped with awe, "Woah! Look at this place!" Dark grass and mud stretched for miles, with ponds full of tall reeds littering the ground. In the distance, there were the makings of a large forest, and rocky plateaus hung above the marshlands, soaking up almost all of the sun that shined on the marshes. Small, artificial walkways made of concrete traversed the marshy terrain, with railways populated by individual carts serving as the mode of transportation between areas of the Zone.

"So, uh, where should we go first?" Corey asked.

"Let's try the ponds! We can find water-types there!" Layla decided, quickly running over to the edge of a walkway. She fished through her small bag of bait that the front desk had provided and casually lobbed a piece of it into the tall reeds. A few moments later, the pond's water began to ripple. Layla tossed another chunk of bait, but landed it closer to her than the reeds in an attempt to draw the nearby Pokémon closer.

A Wooper crawled out of the pond, its body littered with scraps of dirt and mud. The armless Water Fish Pokémon waddled into the reeds and fished for the delicious-smelling bait, easily finding it and mashing it to pieces in between its small jaws. The water-type sniffed the air, picking up the scent of more bait, and waddled over closer to Layla upon locating the food sitting out in the open. Never once did it occur to the wild Wooper that it was being lured, until Layla grabbed the first of her Safari Balls and prepared to sling it.

" _Safari Ball, go!"_

The Wooper's glance shot up at the sudden noise and it spotted the human girl. The water-type panicked and bolted, easily escaping the range of the girl's throw as she threw the Safari Ball. The special Poké Ball clattered to the muddy ground uselessly, failing to even touch the Wooper as the Pokémon dove back into the pond and slipped out of sight.

"Aw, man!" Layla groaned.

"Hey, that's okay, Layla. You still have 29 more Safari Balls." Corey said in comfort, "C'mon, let's get on that rail and head further in!"

Layla quickly cheered up and followed Corey to the closest rail system, prompting Ash and Dawn to follow them. A small kiosk stood next to the collection of rail carts, apparently sensing the arrival of Trainers.

" _Please click where you would like to go."_ The machine bleated.

Corey got as close as he could to the screen, barely able to make out its features in the bright sunlight, "Um, let's see…Marsh Area 2, Forest Area, Rocky Area. Where should we go?"

"Let's try the Forest Area! I bet there are more Pokémon out there." Layla offered. Corey eagerly clicked 'Forest Area' and vaulted into the first cart. Layla joined him inside the cart as Ash and Dawn reached the kiosk, also clicking Forest Area. Once Corey and Layla were inside the rail cart, it took off, leaving Ash and Dawn briefly by themselves. They climbed into the cart together, which was big enough for the 2 of them, and the cart started to move.

"You know those two really like each other." Ash said randomly, "Corey and Layla."

Dawn was puzzled at first as to why he'd bring up the topic, but she definitely agreed. Since Layla had joined their group, she and Corey had been inseparable for the most part, and the boy had done well at chipping away her hard social exterior. Underneath her timid shell, Layla was fun loving and daring. She proved to have a way with playful snarky comments at times, but was still a decent counter to Corey's rambunctiousness as a voice of reason when need be.

"Yeah, they really do. They mesh together pretty well." Dawn offered.

"Man, when we first started traveling together, we _did not_ get along." Ash said with a chuckle, "Without Brock there, we might've torn each other's throats out."

Dawn snickered. It was true; they had butted heads a lot early on. The whole thing was ridiculous, really, a total rookie trying to tell an experienced Trainer that she knew better than him. Then again, he had insisted on being her teacher. Once she had met May for the first time, though, and heard stories of their travels, she understood why he'd been the way he had. He had been a great mentor for May and was partly responsible for where she'd gotten to today.

"Me and Pikachu really didn't get along well when we first met either, huh, Pikachu?" Ash asked. Pikachu had been perched silently on Ash's shoulder as usual, glancing around at the Safari Zone as if he weren't actually there. When Ash addressed him, though, the electric mouse eagerly responded.

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

"What? You and Pikachu not getting along? No way." Dawn answered.

"No, it's true." Ash said, "Pikachu wouldn't go into battle for me, and he wouldn't go in his Poké Ball so I had to walk him around, and then he wouldn't let me even do _that_."

Pikachu nervously rubbed the back of his round head, a habit he'd picked up from Ash. _"Piiiiii…"_ the mouse chattered.

"But, it all worked out in the end, didn't it, buddy? He ended up saving my skin from a flock of angry Spearow. Gave 'em a good Thundershock, didn't ya?" Ash boasted, giving Pikachu a good scratch on the head and back. The mouse purred affectionately and then exclaimed affirmatively with a happy cry.

Dawn giggled at the sight and looked ahead of them. Corey and Layla's cart was about fifty feet ahead of them, and the two youths were talking about something or another amongst themselves. Dawn's mind then betrayed her, instantly comparing her relationship with Ash to Corey and Layla's relationship. Corey and Layla shared a platonic friendship, and it was one that made them happy. Dawn's feelings for Ash, though, were all the more romantic. He didn't know that, of course. His smile made her heart flutter, his charming boyish personality made her laugh, and his similar passion for Pokémon served as a connection between them that she couldn't really explain. They were as close as close friends could be, and yet she wanted more. She wanted him to stare at her like she stared at him, an idea she got a twisted enjoyment out of. She wanted him to hold her at night and watch the stars with her. She wanted to—

"Dawn. We're here."

Dawn blinked repeatedly and she returned to normal. The rail cart had stopped at the Forest Area station. She scrambled out of the cart after Ash and continued following Corey and Layla with Ash at her side. The youths threw about a dozen Safari Balls upon entering the Forest Area, but neither was unable to land a successful capture.

The Forest Area was huge, beaten in size only by the two Marsh Areas when combined. Infinitely more types of Pokémon were living in that area, adding Starly, Kricketune, Budew, Roselia, Tangela, and more to the usual mix of water-types like Wooper and Quagsire.

"Dang it!" Corey complained after a Kricketune escaped from his Safari Ball. The bug-type sang and sprinted away, disappearing into the brush seconds later.

"This Safari Game is a rip-off!" Corey grumbled, "You can't catch a Pokémon without weakening it first."

Ash exchanged a worried glance with Dawn before stepping forward. "Cheer up, Corey. It takes a little luck to get 'em, y'know?"

Corey's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, I know…" he grumbled, "Do you think I'll catch something, Ash?"

"I know you will, Corey." Ash insisted.

" _Wa-ha-ha-ha!"_

There was a faint thumping sound further in the forest, immediately catching the ears of the four Trainers.

"What could that be?" Dawn wondered aloud.

"Let's go check it out." Ash decided.

Dawn, Layla, and Corey followed Ash close at heel as they pushed deeper into the forest. The ecstatic laughter sounded again, this time louder than it had been before, and it didn't take long for the group to come upon the source. Small sections of the bark on various tree trunks suddenly harbored fast-melting ice; something was definitely out of place in the middle of summer. Finally, Ash rounded a tree trunk and spotted the culprits.

" _Floatzel, one more time! Use Ice Beam!"_

A rather large—though muscular—man with a peculiar mask and no shirt commanded the large Sea Weasel Pokémon, stabbing a fat finger out from his fist as he pointed to a random tree trunk. The big man's Floatzel threw its head back and then forward, spitting a beautifully refined Ice Beam at the tree. The blast was perfectly straight, far nicer looking than a typical Ice Beam like Buneary would be able to fire off. As an added bonus, too, the cold blast spread out along the tree trunk like water. Floatzel let off and the ice quickly started to melt on the trunk thanks to the searing summer heat.

"That was perfect, Floatzel!" the man praised.

"It's Crasher Wake!" Ash exclaimed.

The ex-wrestler turned around and settled his eyes on Ash. His eyes got big and he cracked a huge smile. "Ash! Fancy seeing you here! I've been expecting you for some time now!" Wake roared. He nearly shook the ground as he walked toward the group, "And Dawn is here as well. It's good to see you again too, Dawn."

"Hi there, Wake!" Dawn said with a smile.

"Ash, who's the big guy?" Corey asked with confusion.

"Corey!" Layla jeered, "You're looking at the Pastoria City Gym Leader!"

"Wait, you mean…"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Wake bellowed, "Don't look so scared, kiddo! I think I caught your name was Corey?"

"Y-yes sir! I'm here with Ash to challenge the Pastoria Gym!" Corey squeaked, slightly intimidated by the mountainous man's presence.

"How fun! I'll have two challengers tomorrow!" Wake declared.

"Well, uh, Wake, if it's not too much, I was hoping—" Ash started.

"That we could battle today?" Wake guessed, "Ha! Trust me, Ash, I would love to touch gloves, but the Gym is occupied today for the Pastoria Tag Battle Competition."

"Tag Battle Competition?" Dawn asked, "Like the one in Hearthome City a while back?"

"Exactly like that!" Wake affirmed, "It's not as big as the one in Hearthome, but the town thought it would be fun. They're offering a decent prize for the winners, too." Wake stopped talking and thought quickly, "Say, you all wouldn't be interested in entering, would you?"

"C'mon, Wake! Did ya really have to ask that?" Ash challenged. He pumped a confident fist, "I'm in!"

"I'd love to join too! Hey, Ash, we should team up for it!" Dawn offered.

"Great idea!" Ash agreed, "Where do we sign up, Wake?"

"You just gotta head to the Gym and enter your names. But you'd better hurry! The tournament's in an hour, but they're taking entries until around 30 minutes before it starts." Wake explained.

"Well then let's get over there!" Ash decided.

The cries of a large flock of wild Pokémon interrupted Ash's declaration, catching the attention of all five Trainers and Floatzel. Wake spoke first, "Hey, kids, you caught any Pokémon in the Zone today? Because you're about to see some."

"We haven't had any luck, sir." Corey answered.

"Then get out some of your Safari Balls." Wake ordered. Corey and Layla quickly obeyed, waiting patiently for the oncoming wild Pokémon to appear.

Groups of Starly, Yanma, Kricketot, and more came storming through the forest. The aerial Pokémon flew not too far above the ground, while legions of Kricketot and Kricketune waddled as fast as their little legs could carry them.

"What are they running from?" Corey shouted above the noise of the fleeing Pokémon.

"I'm not sure! This is bigger than I thought it would be!" Wake roared in answer, "Something's up!"

" _That's an understatement, old-timer!"_

"What the?" Wake grumbled heavily, "Who's there?"

Out of the darkness of the dense forest, three Hover-Pads came shooting into view. The two larger hovercrafts spat out nets that captured small groups of the smaller Pokémon like Starly and Kricketot, while singular nets caught and held down some Kricketune. The riders were as familiar as ever: one with long curly magenta locks, another with short-cut lavender hair, and a certain upright Scratch Cat Pokémon.

"Old-timer?!" Wake bellowed, "I'm anything but! What are you doing at the Great Marsh? I can _tell_ you're not supposed to be here!"

"Why are we here?" Jessie boasted, _"Ah-ha! Prepare for trouble!"_

" _And make that double!"_ James added.

"Skip the motto, Team Rocket!" Ash interrupted, "We've heard it a million times before!"

Jessie and James frowned and then leered at Ash, while Meowth prepared his insults. "Listen twoip, maybe ya should skip the heroics! We've seen't it a million times before, and we're gettin' right tired of it by now!"

"Well maybe if you weren't always going around trying to steal Pokémon and maybe took up some honest work, our paths wouldn't cross like this!" Ash countered.

Meowth wasn't fazed. In fact, he found the prospect laughable. "Heh! Sorry twoip, but honest work ain't exactly our kinda thing! Now you ought ta scram so we can make off with these Pokémon!"

"Not a chance!" Ash refused, "None of us are going anywhere!"

"Yeah!" Dawn agreed, "We're not afraid of you, Team Rocket!"

"Oh, dear, but you should be. We've been taking it easy on you." Jessie warned, "And if you stay this course, you'll force our hand eventually."

"That's it!" Wake interrupted, "I've had enough of this. Floatzel, free those Pokémon with Razor Wind!"

Floatzel moved quickly, whipping up a whirlwind that could cut like a knife and slinging it at the ground. The invisible vortex of air traveled closely along the earth and in an instant slashed several of the nets, freeing a handful of different Pokémon. The large Sea Weasel Pokémon executed the attack again, freeing even more Pokémon in a matter of seconds.

"Great job, Floatzel!" Wake praised. The freed Pokémon bolted off in different directions away from their captors, and the three Rockets were equally unhappy at the turn of events. Jessie and James both grabbed a single Poké Ball from their belts, calling out Pokémon that their perpetual enemies hadn't quite seen before.

" _Weavile, use Night Slash!"_ Jessie commanded.

" _Magmar, Flamethrower!"_ James added.

The two Pokémon spawned from their capsules and executed their attacks in very different fashions. Weavile sped along like a shadow, dealing a brutal dual slash to Floatzel's abdomen and returning to Jessie just as Floatzel felt the blow. The tall water-type curled its body as it recoiled and tumbled to all fours, breathing quickly in an attempt to dull the suddenly sharp pain in its stomach. Magmar, on the other hand, whirled up tendrils of fire around its arms and then stuck its neck and head outward, spitting fire from its open mouth.

" _Infernape, I choose you!"_ Ash called. The fire-type bounced forth from the open Poké Ball as Magmar's Flamethrower came close, and instinctively brought up its arms in a defensive formation. The move managed to block the Flamethrower and send it shooting out randomly in several arms. Magmar let off as its attack was rendered useless, and Infernape brought down its arms and readied itself in a fighting stance.

" _Ambipom, let's help out Ash and Infernape!"_ Dawn called. The Ball tore open and the normal-type Pokémon somersaulted out with a happy chatter, landing next to its simian friend and getting in a similar battle stance.

"Weavile, use Night Slash again!" Jessie snapped.

"Infernape, counter that with Mach Punch!"

Weavile zipped forward, its sharp claws pulsing with dark energy. Infernape dashed forward to meet the ice-type, bringing back a swift fist. As the two Pokémon met, Infernape struck with speed faster than Weavile could hope to manage, connecting the Mach Punch right in its lungs. Weavile gasped and was flung back, hitting the ground unceremoniously and with no wind in its lungs.

"Ambipom, use Double Hit on Magmar!"

Ambipom bounded forward with a little too much cheer, using the tree branches to get an advantage over Magmar. Ambipom suddenly landed right in front of Magmar, its tail-fists glowing with light. Ambipom twirled around and dealt both hits in quick succession, knocking Magmar to the ground.

"Magmar, get back at Ambipom with Fire Punch!" James commanded. The Spitfire Pokémon quickly got back on its feet and closed one of its clawed hands into a fist. Scorching hot fire formed around its forearm and Magmar threw out its arm to land the attack. On Dawn's command, though, Ambipom twirled out of the way gracefully, shifting behind Magmar and delivering a brutal Focus Punch right into its back.

"Weavile, use Cut on Ambipom!"

Weavile raced up behind Ambipom in a flash. Dawn easily spotted the Sharp Claw Pokémon behind Ambipom, but the dark/ice-type's attack was far faster than her words could hope to be. Weavile's claws raked a single diagonal slash down Ambipom's back, and along with the slashing pain, an uncomfortable chill ran down the normal-type's spine. Ambipom stumbled away as the attack drove her forward, losing her footing and falling to the ground.

"Ambipom!" Dawn cried worriedly.

"Floatzel, use Water Pulse!" Wake roared. Floatzel, having recovered after some decent time on the ground, channeled a sphere of pulsing water and slung it toward Magmar. The blast easily struck Magmar in the chest, soaking its body.

"Infernape, use Flare Blitz!"

Infernape took three quick steps forward and lunged, scorching the air around it to form a protective layer of fire all around its body. The flames spread, turning Infernape's body into a power-packed projectile, and began to turn blue as the flames reached ungodly temperatures. Neither Jessie nor James had the time to call out to their Pokémon, and Infernape crashed into Magmar and Weavile at full power. It didn't take a genius to guess that both Pokémon would be knocked out when the smoke cleared.

"Bah! Looks like it's a good time to retreat!" Jessie snapped, returning Weavile and activating her Hover-Pad. Meowth and James followed her lead, hovering back in the air.

"You win again, twoips, but don't ya get too comfortable, ya hear?" Meowth taunted, though the effect was lost on the Trainers on the ground, "Now, let's get outta here with our poached Pokémon!"

The three Team Rocket Admins turned their hovercrafts around, pressing a few buttons quickly on their control panels. The nets that still held groups of Pokémon magnetized onto the bellies of the hovercrafts, sticking to them as the Admins piloted their vehicles away from the scene.

"No!" Wake bellowed, "Floatzel, use Razor Wind again!"

Floatzel chattered and threw a sharp Razor Wind at the fleeing hovercrafts. The winds slashed at the nets attached to the hovercraft's bellies and the Pokémon trapped inside spilled out, tumbling back to the ground below. The Pokémon capable of flying took to the skies, while the few Pokémon that could only travel by land were lucky enough to land in the trees and find their own way down safely.

" _You brats!"_ James complained from a distance, _"We'll get you back for that, mark our words…!"_

James' voice became drowned out as they flew away at high speed. The hordes of wild Pokémon now scrambled around the Forest Area happily, their fears gone now that the intruders had fled. A pair of Yanma fluttered near the Trainers, buzzing excitedly.

"These Yanma are quite grateful for their rescue." Wake interpreted.

"Hey, Layla! Let's try and catch these Yanma!" Corey exclaimed. Neither of them had managed to catch any Pokémon on the trip to the Safari Zone, so this looked like a perfect opportunity to try and remedy that.

Corey and Layla both threw one of their Safari Balls, sapping the pair of Yanma into the capsules. The Safari Balls clattered to the ground and wiggled for several seconds before going still, signaling that the Yanma had been caught.

"All right!" Corey said with a laugh. He stooped down and grabbed the Safari Ball that he had thrown, gazing warmly at the camouflage-print capsule. "Welcome to the team, Yanma."

Wake chuckled and lumbered over, "Well! Congratulations on your capture, you two. Now, shall we head back to my Gym for the Tag Battle Competition?"

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region - Pastoria City**_

"Entering these four in the Tag Battle Competition, if you please!" Wake said to the attendant sitting at the desk. The attendant was a young and unremarkable man, and he dutifully scribbled down the information, pairing Ash and Dawn together and Corey and Layla together to form two teams. The Trainers separated from Wake and sat in the bleachers as they waited for the tournament to start. The bleachers of the Pastoria City Gym were packed with what Ash would guess was most of the population of Pastoria City. The battlefield, which as Ash remembered had been much like the one in Cerulean City, had been filled in with artificial land.

A man in a plaid suit stepped out onto the battlefield with a microphone and a card in his hand. He smiled and waved to the hometown crowd before bringing the microphone to his mouth to speak.

"Good afternoon, Pastoria City!" he called. The crowd applauded approvingly as he spoke again, "Welcome to the first-ever formal Pastoria City Tag Battle Competition! We received two extra teams as late entries just a few minutes ago, bringing the total number of teams to sixteen! So, without further ado, I'd like to call on the first two teams to do battle!"

The crowd started up a drum roll, and the tournament rep broke a smile in response. He read the card quickly, speaking back into the microphone immediately, "The first match will between Team Ash and Dawn, and Team Parker and Yvonne!"

"That's us!" Ash said excitedly as he shot up out of his front row seat. Dawn followed and they quickly shuffled to right end of the battlefield. A pair of Trainers that could only be the aforementioned Parker and Yvonne padded up to the left end of the battlefield.

"And refereeing all matches in today's tournament, please give a warm welcome to the Pastoria City Gym Leader: Crasher Wake!"

The crowd roared with thunderous applause as Wake trotted up to the referee's box. He shook the hand of the tournament rep and then stepped inside the box, raising his arms and shouting above the noise, "Thank you, Pastoria City! I love you all! Now, each Trainer participating in a tag battle will be allowed _one_ Pokémon only, and the battle will be over when both Pokémon used by a single team are unable to battle! Understood?"

Ash, Dawn, and the two opponents on the other side of the field affirmed Wake's question one way or another, and the Gym Leader responded by giving a hearty roar, "All right! Battle, begin!"

Parker and Yvonne called on their Pokémon first, brandishing their chosen Poké Balls and tossing them high into the air.

" _Quagsire, you're up!"_

" _Haunter, get ready to battle!"_

Yvonne called on Quagsire, while Haunter belonged to Parker. Ash and Dawn quickly analyzed their opponent's Pokémon and exchanged a silent glance, knowing exactly which Pokémon they were going to use.

" _Quilava, spotlight!"_

" _Torterra, I choose you!"_

"Quagsire, use Muddy Water!"

Quagsire stepped forward and bent down onto all fours, slapping its tail into the ground and generating a pulse of water along the field. A wave of dirty water shot up from the Water Fish Pokémon's tail, forming into a Surf-like tidal wave that advanced at high speed.

"Quilava, get behind Torterra!" Dawn called as Ash moved to counter the attack.

"Torterra, counter that with Leaf Storm!"

Quilava bounded behind Torterra's huge body as the Continent Pokémon focused. Its inner power spread from its body and a vortex of leaves shot up from the tree on its back, whipping about at high speed. Torterra sent the Leaf Storm at the upcoming Muddy Water wave and decimated it with ease. Unfortunately, only Quagsire was behind the attack, with Haunter nowhere to be seen.

"Haunter, use Shadow Claw!"

Haunter barreled back into reality from behind Torterra, sweeping up Quilava from its side and dragging it into the open. The malevolent ghost-type reared back one of its levitating hands and its claws extended to deal a devastating hit.

" _Quilava, Counter-Shield!"_ Dawn shouted.

Quilava answered immediately, spewing a hot stream of flames from its mouth and spinning on its back. The Flamethrower ascended in a powerful vortex, smacking Haunter away with several whips of fire, cutting off its Shadow Claw attack. Quilava stopped spinning and regained its footing, chattering and bounding back over toward Torterra.

"Now, Quilava, use Flamethrower!"

"Quagsire, counter with Mud Shot!"

Quilava blasted a power-packed Flamethrower toward Haunter, but Quagsire immediately spewed out a muddy gunk substance, striking the Flamethrower beam from the side and knocking it off-target. Parker called out to Haunter, "Haunter, use Shadow Ball!"

"Torterra, block it with Energy Ball!"

Torterra quickly spat a ball of pulsing green energy, colliding it perfectly in time with the oncoming Shadow Ball and cancelling out the two attacks.

"We can counter your moves, too!" Ash boasted.

"Haunter, get in close with Shadow Claw!"

Haunter sped along through the air, this time readying Shadow Claw well before it intended to attack. Haunter reached Quilava first and raked its dark claws against the fire-type's body, earning a howl of pain from Quilava.

"Torterra, use Crunch!"

Torterra roared and thundered forward with speed that its huge body concealed. Haunter raked its claws along Quilava's body again, only just finishing the second attack as Torterra crashed into it from the side. There were plenty of attacks that wouldn't be able to hit Haunter thanks to its shadowy form, but dark-type moves did _not_ fall under that category. Torterra clamped its jaws down as hard as it could while shoving Haunter away from its ally.

" _Haaaaaaunt!"_ Haunter complained as Torterra's powerful teeth grinded against its body.

"Dark Pulse!" Parker called.

Haunter jettisoned the wave of dark energy, prompting Torterra to let go of the ghost-type and step back. The pulse did little damage, but it served to free Haunter from the Continent Pokémon's grasp.

"Now, Quagsire, use Mud Bomb!"

Dirt conjoined around Quagsire's body, and the Water Fish Pokémon brought out its chubby arms, summoning the mud and gunk forward and compacting it together into a sizeable projectile. Torterra was still recovering from the Dark Pulse, so Quagsire aimed at the grass-type and launched the attack. None of Quilava's attacks would've been able to stop the projectile, so the attack hit Torterra easily. Luckily for Ash and Dawn, taking the hit seemed to wake Torterra up and get it back in the game.

"Quilava, let's use Flame Wheel!"

"Torterra, help Quilava out with Rock Climb!"

Quilava sped along in a wheel of fire. Torterra watched the Volcano Pokémon for a split-second before thumping its powerful legs into the ground. The ground ripped apart and pillars of rocks formed one after the other in front of Quilava. The fire-type used the Rock Climb as a sort of ramp, speeding up the formation of rocks and catapulting off of the top. Quilava aimed straight for Haunter, colliding at full force in an explosion of fire. Haunter shrieked as the fire lapped at its body, falling into the ground and rolling about. The fires died out quickly as Quilava sped away, but the damage was done. Haunter lay still with swirls covering its eyes, leaving the tag team of Parker and Yvonne with one Pokémon.

"One down, one to go!" Ash boasted, "Torterra, use Leaf Storm one more time!"

"Quilava, use Swift!"

Quilava's Flame Wheel collapsed and it rolled around so that it faced Quagsire once more. The Volcano Pokémon spat a line of glowing stars as Torterra summoned another powerful Leaf Storm. Both attacks were aimed directly at Quagsire, leaving the Water Fish with very few viable options. Yvonne was shocked, too, and the attacks collided together with Quagsire. The Water Fish Pokémon collapsed after several seconds of holding out against the onslaught, handing the victory to Ash and Dawn.

"Quagsire and Haunter are unable to battle! Ash and Dawn will be moving onto the next round!" Wake announced.

"Yes! We did it!" Dawn whooped. She and Ash both turned to each other with their hands going up. They clapped their hands together in a celebratory high-five.

"Torterra, return!"

"Quilava, you too!"

Ash and Dawn both graciously thanked their Pokémon once they'd been returned to their capsules. Their opponents returned their own Pokémon and stormed away from the battlefield, neither of them pleased to be knocked out in the opening round.

Ash and Dawn slumped back into their seats at the bleachers next to Corey and Layla. The two youths congratulated them on their win, but they were called up for the next battle and left the two older Trainers alone.

Well, not as alone as they would've liked.

As the rest of the spectators that packed the Gym waited impatiently for the second battle of the first round, someone sat in the row of bleachers directly behind Ash and Dawn. Dawn would've thought nothing of it if the person now occupying that exact spot didn't lean over and speak to her.

" _Dawn,"_ said an all-too-familiar voice.

Dawn's skin crawled as she recognized the voice. Her shoulders sagged and she hung her head, offering a half-hearted greeting, "Conway. Of all the people in Sinnoh…"

"Fancy seeing you here." Conway greeted, completely ignorant of Dawn's discomfort, "And Ash, too. You two were impressive just now."

"Conway, what are you doing here?" Dawn grumbled.

"Why, I'm in the Tag Battle Competition." Conway said, "I must say, Dawn, you look different than the last time we met. It's a _good different."_ Conway said, alluding to her new outfit. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and the light caught the frames, giving a white glow to the lenses as he chuckled. His chuckling made Dawn's skin crawl for the second time in about 20 seconds. His odd brand of affection for her was not at all welcome. She glanced to Ash, silently crying for him to say something and help her. Unfortunately—although predictably—Ash showed Conway friendly respect, seemingly not even noticing his attempt at flirting with Dawn.

"Hey, Conway. It's good to see you too. Who's your partner for the Tag Battle Competition?"

"I'm actually battling with my younger brother Peter." Conway said, "He's around here somewhere."

 _If he's half as creepy as you are…_ Dawn thought.

" _Swinub, use Icy Wind!"_ Layla called on the field. She and Corey had been battling their opponents for a few minutes now, and the battle was going smoothly in their favor. Swinub threw out a gust tainted with crystals of ice at a Luxio, one of the two Pokémon being used by their opponents. The Luxio cringed as the cold blast blew across its fur, but the electric-type endured the hit well enough.

"Luxio, use Discharge on Yanma!" called one of the opponent Trainers. Luxio obeyed immediately and blasted several bolts of electricity at the airborne Yanma.

"Yanma, Double Team!" Corey called. The dragonfly created dozens of copies of itself, shuffling its body with its clones that it avoided the Discharge blast entirely, "Now, use Wing Attack on Roselia!"

Yanma descended on the other Trainer's Roselia and swiped its wings speedily across its body. The pairs of Trainers exchanged a handful of other attacks before Yanma and Swinub stood victorious over Roselia and Luxio.

"Roselia and Luxio are unable to battle! The winners are Yanma and Swinub, which means Corey and Layla will move on to the next round!" Wake called, "The next match will be between Team Conway and Peter and Team Lucas and Kyle!"

"Well, that's my cue!" Conway said, hopping out of his seat, "See you later, Dawn. I hope we'll see each other out there on the battlefield soon."

Conway trotted off and out of earshot. Ash said nonchalantly, "Conway's a cool guy." Dawn deadpanned and barely staved off the urge to face palm. She muttered something unintelligible under her breath, but Ash didn't catch her words. Corey and Layla quickly returned to the bleachers next to them, both of the youths buzzing after their big win. With no other option, Dawn turned her full attention to the upcoming battle.


	46. Tag Up!

**I'm late again, but it's been a busy week and a half. I'm afraid that this is where things will be changing when it comes to updating the story. There's a lot of change that's about to go down in the real world for me, but I will explain that when we get closer to that point. I'm going to get at least one more chapter out in the next week and a half, maybe even two if I'm fast, but we are getting closer to a point where updating once a week is simply not feasible. Rest assured, this story will continue, and I will not be the type to make you guys wait months in between chapters (at least I hope).**

 **Anyway, this chapter opens and closes with some short exposition moments involving Team Rocket, involving a glimpse into their plans. The rest of the chapter is the rest of the Tag Battle Tournament. Please seriously consider leaving a review at the bottom, guys, I really want to hear your thoughts and opinions! Other than that, happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 46_

 _Tag Up!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – High In the Sky**_

Three hovercrafts blazed through the sky, a thick cloud cover underneath them hiding their presence from any prying eyes below. Two of the hovercrafts were of standard size, one of them being piloted by a woman with long, curled magenta hair and the other by a tall, slim man with short lavender bangs. The third hovercraft was decidedly smaller in size, custom-made for its unique pilot: an upright-walking cat Pokémon with the ability of human speech and a superiority complex to go with it.

At the moment, Meowth was counting himself lucky, for their last encounter with the twerps hadn't ended in his personal hovercraft getting destroyed. The Hover-Pads like Jessie and James flew were mass-produced in the same secret factory, while the one that Meowth flew had to be built from scratch in order to compensate for his small stature, making its production significantly more expensive than the standard ones. All told, this particular craft was Meowth's third, thanks to errant Thunderbolts from that pesky Pikachu hitting his ride _twice_ , and the execs ranked above him weren't exactly glowing with happiness about it.

"Jessie, do you think they're falling for it?" James asked as the trio flew through the sky.

"We can never be sure that the twerps are going along with our old ways." Jessie conceded, "But it's the best chance we've got. Charon believes if we keep popping up on their travels and doing what they're used to us doing, the twerps won't spend their time wondering what our real plans are. And if we manage to poach any Pokémon while doing it, then great, but it's not a necessity."

"Right, we have plenty of Pokémon that we can use." James agreed, "But…"

"Hmm? But what?" Jessie asked.

"I wonder…what is it that we're really going after here?" James asked.

"We're just following orders." Jessie snapped.

"I know that! But what is _the point?_ And what will become of us when we ultimately succeed with our plans?" James pressed.

"Do you hear yourself, James? Giovanni promised us a place in his one world order. _This is our chance,_ James…our chance to make our mark on the world. For all of our time with Team Rocket, all we've ever been is slapped around and stepped on!" Jessie said, "But Giovanni saw something in us, through all of the failures and the insults. _That's_ why he made us Admins. _That's_ why he wants us by his side when Team Rocket finally takes control of everything. And because of that, we will do whatever he asks of us."

"…I guess you're right." James sighed, "Meowth?"

The Scratch Cat Pokémon sagged his shoulders and glanced down at the road of clouds passing underneath his Hover-Pad. He gave a great sigh, "Nah, I got nothin'."

"Have we located the Adamant Orb?" James said next, looking back at Jessie.

Jessie kept staring straight ahead as she answered, "Not yet, but the Spear Key continues to point us west. Even with the government of Sinnoh moving the Space-Time Orbs to secret locations, they can't keep mystical artifacts from locating them for us."

"So we know it's somewhere west of base." James said, "What of the Seekers?"

"They're headed to Jubilife City next. Oreburgh and Eterna had nothing." Jessie said quickly, "But we're _close._ I can feel it…now come on, we need to be back at base by tonight."

James had no words. He turned his attention straight ahead, briefly observing the endless road of clouds below him. The lavender-haired Rocket nodded to himself, and then reached for the controls to pilot his Hover-Pad back to Coronet Base.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Pastoria City**_

" _Donphan, I choose you!"_

" _Togekiss, spotlight!"_

Donphan and Togekiss' Poké Balls broke open and spilled the Pokémon onto the field. The heavy ground-type Donphan huffed and dragged one of its front feet across the ground, while Togekiss briefly twirled in mid-air before settling down. Across the field, Ash and Dawn's opponents, two Trainers by the names of Fred and Garrison, called on their own Pokémon, hoping to match their adversaries in power.

" _Prinplup, it's your turn!"_

" _Luxray, let's go!"_

The pair of Fred and Garrison certainly looked impressive based on their chosen Pokémon, but Ash and Dawn were equally confident in the power of their teamwork. Their opponents would need to get quite a few breaks to gain a decent upper hand on them.

"Prinplup, use Bubble Beam!" Fred called. The Penguin Pokémon chirped and bounded forward, focusing and then spewing a torrent of bullet-like bubbles at its opponents.

"Togekiss, shut that down with Air Slash!" Dawn countered, a big, confident grin written on her face. Togekiss cooed and flapped its way in front of Donphan, where the attack was aimed. The Jubilee Pokémon sang as it raised one of its wings, and a ball of spinning, razor-sharp air spun to life just above its tip. Togekiss unleashed the attack with surprising grace, sending it off just in time to successfully counter the Bubble Beam. The Air Slash cut through Prinplup's blast with ease, tearing its way toward the water-type.

"Ack! Prinplup, dodge that!" Fred shouted. Prinplup obeyed speedily and lunged out of the way just as the Air Slash cut through the space it had been standing instants earlier. The attack sped along through the empty air and faded out of existence.

"Luxray, use Thunder!" Garrison commanded. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon growled menacingly and electricity surged through its midnight fur. The star on the end of its tail lit up with electrical power and without any warning Luxray sent the attack flying directly for Togekiss. The gleeful Togekiss turned its glance to the speedy electrical blast too late to evade it, and took a brutal blow straight to its abdomen, falling over and eating dirt.

"Togekiss!" Dawn cried worriedly.

"Donphan, let's get them back! Use Rock Blast!"

" _Don-phuuuun!"_ Donphan howled. The ground-type flicked up its trunk and a jagged rock materialized out of thin air, speeding across the field. Luxray narrowly dodged the blast on Garrison's command, but Donphan kept throwing projectiles at the electric-type.

"Prinplup, use Aqua Jet on Donphan." Fred commanded. Prinplup screeched and jumped forward, taking to the air as a missile of water formed around its body. Donphan caught the oncoming attack from its left eye and accordingly changed its target, spitting two jagged rocks at the water-type. The rocks made clean contact with Prinplup, knocking the Penguin Pokémon's attack out of commission and sending it into the ground. Unfazed, Fred called out for another attack. "Use Metal Claw!"

Prinplup rolled on the ground and jumped forward, sprinting along without any setback from its Aqua Jet being destroyed. The ends of its wings began to glow silver and the water-type was on Donphan in mere instants, bringing its two wings in a crossing pattern to slash at the Armor Pokémon. Donphan recoiled as the attack connected, and Garrison quickly followed up by calling on Luxray.

"Luxray, use Crunch on Togekiss!"

The electric-type bounded rapidly toward the Jubilee Pokémon, a guttural noise escaping its throat. Luxray opened its mouth and its teeth glowed with dormant power. Togekiss spotted the Gleam Eyes Pokémon making for it and spun out of the way on Dawn's command. Luxray tore through the space that Togekiss had once been and the Jubilee Pokémon twirled around to face the electric-type from behind. Dawn quickly recognized that Luxray and Prinplup were close to each other, and called for the perfect attack.

"Togekiss, use Sky Attack between Luxray and Prinplup!"

Togekiss dove forward without hesitation, an aura of explosive power protecting its body. The Jubilee Pokémon aimed straight for the ground in between her two foes, moving at high speed to rescue Donphan from Prinplup's Metal Claw onslaught while also damaging Luxray. Togekiss' impact with the ground set off an explosion that rippled through the earth. Rocks shot in all directions as projectiles, managing to ward Luxray off. Prinplup wasn't so lucky, being so preoccupied with attacking Donphan that the shock wave caught it off balance, leaving an inches-wide window for Ash and Donphan.

" _Donphan, use Rollout!"_

Donphan recovered and charged forward, coiling its body into a round shape and closing the small gap between it and Prinplup. Donphan crashed into Prinplup with all of its weight, knocking the wind from the water-type's lungs and sending it flying away.

Luxray bounded close to its partner in battle, mostly unharmed from Togekiss' environmental attack. The move had come at a price, with Togekiss enduring some decent damage in the act, but the positives outweighed the negatives.

"Luxray, use Discharge!" Garrison shouted. Luxray spread its feet out and flexed all of its muscles, generating and launching a shock wave of yellow electricity in all directions. The bolts of lightning curved inward and headed directly for Donphan and Togekiss.

"Donphan, use Rollout to protect yourself!"

"Togekiss, spin and use Safeguard!"

Donphan rounded its body and sped around in a circle, its shape and ground typing helping to repel the Discharge's lightning. Togekiss' counter, though, was far more elegant. The Jubilee Pokémon squealed happily and spun its body as it climbed into the air. A green force field formed around its body, attracting countless bolts of lightning. Each and every bolt, though, was reflected harmlessly off of Togekiss' body.

"Gah!" Garrison gasped, "How did Togekiss manage that?"

"Now, Togekiss, use Aura Sphere on Prinplup!"

Togekiss' Safeguard went away and the graceful Pokémon twirled some more before stopping at the apex of its climb into the air. Togekiss brought up one of its wings and generated a pulsing Aura Sphere that glowed with brilliant light. Togekiss brought its wing downward in a chopping motion, stopping to aim its wing at Prinplup on the ground. The Aura Sphere zoomed forward, striking the ground just inches in front of Prinplup's feet and causing a huge explosion. Prinplup was flung back and driven into the ground, and the water-type failed to get back up.

"Prinplup, no!" Fred cried. Luxray was now on its own, and things were far from looking up.

"Donphan, use Earthquake!"

Donphan screeched and stamped its large foot into the ground. A shock wave ripped through the earth beneath it and reached Luxray, tearing up the ground and sending countless pointed stones into the electric-type's body. Luxray stumbled backward as it tried to recover from the damage it had suffered, but neither Ash nor Donphan had any plans of allowing that to happen.

"Finish it with Rollout!"

Donphan obeyed and stormed forward, rolling along the ground at high speed.

"Luxray, look out!" Garrison shouted. The electric-type looked up from the ground to see the ground-type almost on it, and before Garrison could call for a suitable counter, Donphan collided with Luxray and sent the electric-type skidding across the ground. Luxray stopped skidding and lifted its head off of the ground, wanting to get back up and fight. Togekiss landed gracefully beside Donphan and both Pokémon stared Luxray down. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon was far from stupid, though. It was outnumbered two-to-one, and it had taken calamitous damage in the battle. The only logical choice was to give up. Luxray set its head down on the ground, slipping into unconsciousness.

" _Luxray and Prinplup are unable to battle!"_ Wake called, _"The winners are Donphan and Togekiss, which means Team Ash and Dawn will be moving on to the final round!"_

Ash and Dawn high-fived and returned their two Pokémon, eagerly leaving the field and heading for the bleachers where Corey and Layla were.

"Ash, Dawn!" Corey called, "Togekiss and Donphan were great!"

"Thanks, Corey!" Dawn said with a smile.

" _And now, with one spot in the final round filled, we have one more match in the semifinal round!"_ the tournament rep from before said into the microphone, _"May we please see Team Corey and Layla, and Team Conway and Peter on the battlefield?"_

"Guess we should go." Layla said, standing up from her spot in the bleachers. Conway hadn't returned near them since his first appearance, which was something of a relief for Dawn. She had, however, watched their battles up to this point, and they worked almost as well together as Ash and Dawn did. The pair had mopped the floor with their opponents, though she suspected it was more due to Conway's strategic style rather than a combination of their battling prowess.

Corey stood up next, making to follow Layla. "Corey, be ready." Ash warned, "Conway's a strong Trainer, and he's always got some kind of strategy set up. Don't rush in with brute force."

"I'll do my best, Ash!" Corey answered, "You can count on that!"

The youth ran off after Layla toward the battlefield. Conway and Peter had already taken their place in the box, standing side by side quietly. Peter was practically a shorter clone of Conway. He was just an inch or so taller than Corey, and had medium-length midnight green hair that curved around his head. Also like Conway, he wore square-rimmed glasses over his blue eyes, but he didn't have a noticeably creepy manner like his older brother. Instead, his eyes twinkled with a sort of youthful excitement.

Wake recited the rules for the battle from memory and readied the four Trainers for battle. Layla and Corey chose their Pokémon first.

" _Vaporeon, it's battling time!"_ Layla called.

" _Luxio, you're up!"_ Corey summoned.

Conway and Peter exchanged a quick glance and then unhooked their chosen Poké Balls, tossing them out into the field.

" _Heracross, go!"_ Conway called.

" _Drifloon, come on out!"_ Peter yelled.

"Luxio, use Charge!" Corey shouted. Luxio purred and contracted its muscles, generating electricity out of thin air and sucking the particles into its body. Tendrils of lightning circled around the Spark Pokémon's fur, implying its increased power. The electric-type had evolved from Shinx on the road from Lake Valor to Pastoria City during a training session, and the boons from its evolution had already begun to show for Corey. Luxio was faster and stronger than it had been as a Shinx.

"Heracross, use Megahorn on Luxio." Conway said calmly. The fighting/bug-type unfolded its wings and took to the air, buzzing along in an arc and landing a few feet from Luxio. Heracross fell to all fours and then charged toward Luxio, the huge horn stuck out in front and glowing with an aura of pure power.

"Vaporeon, help Luxio out with Surf!"

Vaporeon acted quickly, generating a tidal wave from its fishlike tail and slinging it at Heracross from the side. Heracross stopped in its tracks as it felt the tidal wave coming and was knocked to the ground by the sweeping water. The path was now clear for Luxio, and Corey wasted no time in calling for a follow-up attack.

"Luxio, get Drifloon with Spark!"

Luxio bounded over Heracross' fallen body, narrowly avoiding the Single Horn Pokémon and charging toward Drifloon. The electricity coursing around its fur spread and surrounded Luxio's entire body in a brilliant yellow flash. The Spark Pokémon reached Drifloon and lunged forward at the sentient balloon, crashing into it at full force. An explosion of lightning flashed to life and sent Drifloon into the ground, and the ghost-type bounced around awkwardly as it tried to return to the air.

"Drifloon didn't even bother to counter." Dawn commented.

" _Drifloon, use Payback!"_

"Aaaaaand, that's why." Ash gulped.

Drifloon's body glowed with purple light, and the Balloon Pokémon lashed out at Luxio with a full-body tackle. Despite its much larger stature, Luxio was flung back with great force and rolled several times over in the dirt. The energy of Payback crackled to life around Luxio before vanishing, and the electric-type cringed.

"Great job, Peter." Conway praised. Peter's eyes lit up gleefully in response to the praise, and Conway turned his focus back to his Heracross, "Heracross, use Megahorn on Vaporeon!"

Heracross had climbed to its feet by the time Drifloon struck Luxio with its Payback, and the Single Horn Pokémon eagerly lumbered forward and lowered its head, rushing with its powerful horn in front. Layla called for Vaporeon to dodge, and the water-type hopped backwards, dodging the attack. Heracross quickly tried again and jabbed, but Vaporeon rolled to the right. The move put Vaporeon in Heracross' blind spot, opening the perfect window to attack.

"Vaporeon, use Bite!"

Vaporeon lunged forward, clamping its jaws around Heracross' legs. The Single Horn Pokémon released a guttural screech of pain as Vaporeon dug its teeth into its hard shell with a little too much success.

"Heracross, kick Vaporeon up!" Conway called.

Heracross steeled itself and brought its afflicted leg up in a kick. Vaporeon's hold loosened easily and the water-type was flung up gently into the air. Conway adjusted his glasses with a smirk and shouted for Heracross to follow up.

"Now, use Revenge!"

Heracross' body glowed with an orange aura as Vaporeon fell back toward the ground. The Single Horn Pokémon timed its move perfectly, charging forward with brutal precision and ramming Vaporeon with its horn. The Bubble Jet Pokémon yowled as the bug-type's horn jabbed its side, knocking the wind from its lungs and the spittle from its mouth. Vaporeon flew and landed next to Luxio. The two Pokémon stood back-to-back, boxed in on both ends by their opponents.

"Conway and Peter picked Pokémon that could take hits, and then strike back with twice the power." Ash observed, "There aren't many windows for Corey and Layla here."

"Drifloon, use Ominous Wind!" Peter howled. Drifloon cooed and the strings hanging from its body began to blow in a sudden wind. Strands of darkness formed behind Drifloon and then trailed along the sudden gust, giving the appearance of a dark storm closing in on Luxio and Vaporeon. The two Pokémon cringed and tried to stand tall against the winds as they reached gale force levels, but their resistance was quickly thinning.

Corey and Layla had to squint as the gusts of winds reached even them. Heracross stood tall and unmovable in front of them, patiently awaiting Conway's next command. Suddenly, Corey's face brightened.

"I've got it!" he gasped. The youth cupped his mouth with his hands and shouted as loud as he could against the Ominous Wind, _"Luxio, use Discharge!"_

Luxio's eyes flashed open and its pupils narrowed. Energy rushed through the Spark Pokémon's limbs and manifested in the air as crackling electricity. Golden lightning burst out of Luxio's body in all directions, shooting up into the air. The hurricane gusts of Ominous Wind caught the electricity and forced it back at high speed, sending the voltage directly toward Heracross. The bug-type's eyes widened and it tried to lumber out of the way, but it was far too slow to escape the encroaching electrical blast. The Discharge connected with Heracross at full power, electrocuting its entire body without any show of mercy.

"Heracross!" Conway yelled.

Ash shot up out of his seat at the sight and pumped a fist. "That was awesome!"

"You can do it, you two!" Dawn shouted.

Neither Corey nor Layla gave any indication that they had heard Dawn's cheer, but they were both glowing with fierce determination. Layla called over to Vaporeon first, "Vaporeon, use Aqua Tail on Drifloon!" Vaporeon whirled around Luxio and raced toward the hovering Balloon Pokémon, water forming in a spiral around its fishlike tail. Luxio turned its focus to Heracross, who was slowly standing back up on its feet. Corey called for Luxio to use Spark, and the electric-type eagerly mirrored Vaporeon's rushing, the only difference being the wild electricity that surged around its body.

Vaporeon jumped upward at Drifloon and corkscrewed its body, slamming its tail into the ghost-type with all of its might. The collision sent water spewing in all directions and Drifloon reeled away, but Peter was not in the least fazed by the hit. Meanwhile, Luxio closed in on Heracross with its Spark attack at full power. Unfortunately, Conway had other plans.

"Heracross, use Counter!"

Heracross spread its feet apart and stretched out its hands in anticipation. Luxio lunged forward, but Heracross easily closed its clawed hands around the Spark Pokémon. Luxio's electricity surged around Heracross' body, but the Single Horn Pokémon seemed unfazed and instead whirled around, slamming Luxio into the ground with brute force. Luxio yowled with surprised pain as it met the ground face-first, and Conway laughed out loud.

Conway's laugh quickly stopped and he adjusted his glasses. Light caught on the lenses and turned them white, adding to his naturally creepy aura. "That was good, kids. Using that Ominous Wind to fire off a Discharge isn't something I would've thought of." Conway admitted, "But our Pokémon are perfectly built to counter yours, and dumb luck isn't going to beat our winning strategy!"

" _Drifloon, use Payback again!"_ Peter shouted as his brother's monologue ended. Drifloon glowed purple and Vaporeon gulped. Layla desperately shouted for her Pokémon to dodge, but Drifloon's attack was too quick for Vaporeon to do so. The Bubble Jet Pokémon flew as Drifloon landed the Payback, crashing awkwardly in the dirt some few dozen feet away and skidding along the ground for a few more. Vaporeon raised its head from the ground, held for a few seconds, and then slumped back to the dirt unconsciously.

"Vaporeon!" Layla cried. The water-type didn't move. Corey and Luxio were now on their own, and Luxio was still trapped underneath Heracross' powerful grip.

"Heracross, let's wrap this up!" Conway chanted, "Use Megahorn!"

Heracross vocalized and its horn glowed cruelly. Luxio recklessly pushed against Heracross' grip, and Corey frantically called out for another Discharge attack. Luxio jettisoned all of the electricity it could muster, electrocuting Heracross painfully, but the bug-type was unwaveringly committed to heeding Conway's command. Heracross lowered its head and jabbed its huge horn forward, slamming Luxio's head back into the ground and cutting off the electric-type's frantic Discharge. The concussive landing was easily enough to knock Luxio out cold, and Heracross dragged itself away from the fainted Spark Pokémon, standing weakly on its two feet. Electricity circled Heracross' body, and the Single Horn Pokémon only managed a handful of steps before collapsing to one knee before falling to the ground. Luxio's powerful electric attacks, combined with Vaporeon's timely attacks early on, had been good enough to do Heracross in. Unfortunately for Corey and Layla, neither of their Pokémon were still standing.

" _Luxio, Vaporeon, and Heracross are all unable to battle! Drifloon is still standing, which means the win goes to Team Conway and Peter!"_

The general populace of Pastoria City reacted with chipper excitement, as the result meant they were going to witness a power-packed final round between two teams who had displayed incredible dominance through each leg of the tournament. On the other hand, Ash and Dawn had very mixed feelings. Despite this, Ash welcomed the challenge. He had not had the chance to battle Conway since their to-the-wire match in the Lily of the Valley Conference one year ago. He and Dawn had a natural, unique brand of teamwork, and he had no doubt that their clash with the strategically oriented brothers could offer an exciting battle.

Corey slumped down in his seat first, groaning. Layla sat down next to him quietly, her face as calm as could be. Ash easily detected the sadness in her spirit, but he chose not to comment on it.

"Hey, you guys battled really well!" Ash insisted.

"But we lost!" Corey complained.

"So? This may shock you, but I used to lose _all_ the time!" Ash said, trying to project the shame onto himself and off of the two youngsters. He quickly realized that he didn't lose much _anymore_ , so that probably wasn't the best choice of words. He tried again, "You guys went up against a really different kind of opponent. I've battled Conway before, and his strategies are hard to beat, and Corey, using that Ominous Wind to guide Luxio's Discharge onto Heracross was genius!"

Corey let a thin smile slip as Ash complimented him. He unhooked Luxio's Poké Ball and glanced at the capsule, "Yeah, Luxio did his best the whole time! He deserves a lot of praise." Corey said, "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Ash!"

"And Layla…" Dawn started, "Vaporeon did a great job too. Heracross and Drifloon were all about taking hits and hitting back harder, but she landed some great attacks on both Pokémon!"

Layla offered a smile, but she stayed dreadfully silent. Wake's voice suddenly boomed through the PA system, startling all four of the friends to some degree.

" _Attention, people of Pastoria City! The final round between Team Ash & Dawn and Team Conway & Peter will begin in fifteen minutes! Until then, we advise you to use the restroom, buy concessions, and stretch your legs!" _Wake hollered.

The stands immediately began to empty. Some of the audience flocked to the restrooms; others to the concession stands, and others still got up simply to walk around the Gym. Corey stood up and threw up his arms to stretch, giving a great yawn. Sleepily, Corey said, "I have to go to the bathroom," and moved to go up the steps of the bleachers.

"I can go get concessions." Layla offered.

"Ooh, a Pop Soda would be awesome!" Corey agreed. He quickly fished through his pocket and pulled out a small sum of coins and passed them to Layla, "Here, pay for it all with mine!"

Corey quickly bolted up the steps as his need to relieve himself intensified. Dawn caught a slight blush on Layla's cheeks, and she smirked. "Isn't Corey chivalrous, Layla?"

Layla flicked her glance to Dawn and stammered, "Oh, uh, I guess so. I'm gonna go get stuff from the stand, uh, do you guys want anything?"

"I'm good!" Ash declined. Dawn gestured that she was fine as well. Layla galloped up the stairs and headed to the concession stand. Dawn snickered. There were times in the last few weeks when she'd suspected Layla and Corey liked each other as more than friends, and though those moments were few and far between, she personally loved the idea of the two as a couple once they were older.

Speaking of crushes…

" _So, it looks like my prediction came true!"_ Conway said from behind Dawn. She instantly stiffened. Why did he always manage to appear out of nowhere?

Dawn whirled around as Ash calmly responded to him, "Hey, Conway. Yeah, I'm looking forward to battling you again. It's been a long time!"

A shorter clone of Conway popped out of hiding, peering over at the pair of teens destined to be their next opponents.

"This is my brother Peter." Conway introduced. The youth scampered out to Conway's side and he nervously waved. His appearance reminded Ash of Max. Speaking of Max, what was he doing nowadays? He'd been on track to challenge Norman for his fifth Gym Badge when he'd last seen him the week before Christmas. If he'd followed their trail when they traveled as a group through Hoenn, could he be out near Lilycove City by now?

"Nice to meet you, Peter." Ash said genuinely.

"Nice to meet you too!" Peter answered. His voice was high and a tad out of sync, something that came with being his age.

Dawn noticed Conway staring at her with a firm gaze. The strategist quickly realized that she had caught him and he turned his gaze back to Ash. Dawn's skin crawled and she tuned out whatever words Conway and Ash shared. Then, almost as quickly as he had come, Conway trotted away.

"Good luck!" Conway said half-truthfully. In truth, he wanted to beat Ash and Dawn's team into the ground, but there was no use in sneering and declaring his intention to win at any cost.

The 15 minutes of intermission passed by quickly and the four competitors were soon in their battles boxes. Dawn, Conway, and Peter each held activated Poké Balls in one of their hands, while Ash curiously held no Poké Ball.

Crasher Wake called at the top of his lungs, _"This is the final round of the first-ever Pastoria City Tag Battle Tournament! As usual, each Trainer will use one Pokémon, and the battle will be over when both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle! Trainers, are you ready?"_

"You betcha!"

"No need to worry, we're all set!"

"We're ready as well." Conway answered for both himself and Peter.

" _All right! Let the battle…begin!"_

"Pikachu, you're up." Ash said. Pikachu smiled and leaped off of Ash's shoulder, landing cleanly in the dirt.

" _Piplup, spotlight!"_

Dawn threw the Poké Ball and Piplup shot out as the capsule burst open. The Penguin Pokémon appeared from white light with a happy chirp before turning to Pikachu and raising his flipper. Pikachu and Piplup met in a high-five, earning an _'Awwww'_ from the audience.

Conway reared back and threw his chosen Poké Ball, closely followed by Peter.

" _Dusknoir, let's go!"_

" _Slowbro, get ready to battle!"_

The two large Pokémon appeared from their capsules. Slowbro wore an unnervingly emotionless look, its eyes as blank as a cloudless sky. Dusknoir was far more mobile, flexing its large, powerful hands and shifting its single eyeball back and forth. Ash raised an eyebrow, "Dawn, I think I know what Conway's planning."

"Dusknoir, use Trick Room!"

Dusknoir's eye glowed blue for a moment and the large ghost-type brought up its powerful hands. Energy appeared around the battlefield like a cage, indicating that the move was now in effect. Ash and Dawn both recognized the strategy easily, as Conway had attempted it in his battle with Ash in the Sinnoh League. Trick Room flipped the speeds of the Pokémon on the field for some time. For now, Dusknoir and Slowbro would be faster than Pikachu and Piplup, putting Ash and Dawn in a bind.

"Not wasting any time, are you, Conway?" Ash shouted.

"None at all!" Conway answered, "This time, we'll win!"

"We'll see about that! Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Slowbro!"

Pikachu bolted forward at high speed, a streak of white light in his wake. The electric mouse's feet speedily tapped the ground as he went. Somehow, though, Pikachu seemed to be moving slower, much more so than a normal Quick Attack from the electric-type.

"Slowbro, use Confusion!"

Slowbro blinked and its body blurred for a brief instant, giving off a strange energy. The move was far quicker than the slow psychic-type should have ever been, and at the snap of a finger, Pikachu's Quick Attack was derailed and the mouse was slammed into the ground.

" _Pika!"_ Pikachu cried as he stumbled forward and ate dirt. The mouse's glance shot upward toward Slowbro and he opened his mouth with surprise. Thanks to the effects of Trick Room, the dreadfully slow psychic-type had pulled off a counter with bewildering speed, thwarting Pikachu's fastest attack.

"Now, Dusknoir, use Thunder Punch on Piplup!" Conway ordered. Dusknoir grumbled and then zipped forward, its form visible as only a shadow. Electricity crackled to life on the shadow and Dusknoir reached the small Penguin Pokémon. Piplup gasped as Dusknoir's shadowy form went away and the Gripper Pokémon's body appeared almost larger than life.

"Piplup…!" Dawn gasped, but that was all she was able to get out. Dusknoir throttled its charged fist forward at ridiculous speed, hitting with such ferocity that Piplup flew backward in a ball of lightning. The Penguin Pokémon hit the ground in a flash of electricity and rolled backward a couple of times, groaning as he placed his flippers on his belly where Dusknoir had struck.

Ash gritted his teeth. Dusknoir was faster than the last time he'd faced the ghost-type—meaning Conway had spent some time training—and the ranged-attacking capabilities of Slowbro were increased tenfold thanks to Trick Room. Although it was very early in the battle, it was obvious that Conway had been thinking this through since he first spotted them in the Gym.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Dusknoir!"

Pikachu spat a jagged bolt of lightning from behind Dusknoir, screeching _"Chuuuuu!"_ Conway quickly called for Dusknoir to turn around to deflect the attack with its hands, but the Thunderbolt's power was enough to nearly throw Dusknoir into the ground. The Gripper Pokémon held out its powerful hands, both absorbing and deflecting the Thunderbolt, but it took a decent amount of damage in the process. As soon as Pikachu's attack died out, Dusknoir faded into shadow and reappeared beside Slowbro. Pikachu also bounded over near Piplup, still shaking off the woozy feeling of its experience on the business end of Slowbro's Confusion.

"All right, Slowbro, use Water Pulse!"

Slowbro brought its hands close together and began forming a perfect sphere of churning water, moving unnaturally fast as it did so.

"Piplup, use Hydro Pump to deflect!" Dawn called. Piplup chirped and parted its beak, taking care to contain the high-pressured water that was rapidly building up in its body. Slowbro fired off the Water Pulse, sending the sphere of water toward its two opponents. Immediately, Piplup aimed and released a cannon blast of water. The Hydro Pump cut through the air and slashed clean through Slowbro's Water Pulse. Undeterred, the blast continued forward, slamming into Slowbro with enough force to knock the Hermit Crab Pokémon on its back.

"Pikachu, quick, use Thunderbolt on Slowbro!"

Pikachu charged up a power-packed Thunderbolt and launched it toward the stagnant Slowbro, hoping to capitalize on Hydro Pump's success and deal crucial early damage to the water-type. Instead, though, Conway stepped in and took advantage of Trick Room's speed boost.

"Dusknoir, use Protect!"

Dusknoir zipped over in front of Slowbro's fallen form, creating an impenetrable wall of energy in front of it. The Thunderbolt crashed into the wall of energy, producing a bright light followed by an explosion. The smoke cleared quickly, and Dusknoir remained standing with its Protect still active. The Gripper Pokémon lowered its large arms and the Protect vanished.

" _Noir."_ Dusknoir growled.

" _Pi-Pika!"_ Pikachu shouted back.

"Now, now, I think we've had enough Thunderbolts for one day." Conway said. He pushed his glasses up his nose, "Peter?"

"Slowbro, use Disable!" Peter shouted eagerly. Pikachu flinched as Slowbro forced itself back up onto its feet, and the psychic-type's eyes immediately glowed blue. An identical blue light appeared as an outline around Pikachu's body and lit up for a brief instant before disappearing.

" _Pika?!"_ Pikachu cried as it looked around its body.

"Pikachu's Thunderbolt won't be usable anymore." Ash grumbled.

"Now that that's out of the way…" Conway boasted, "Dusknoir, use Shadow Punch on Pikachu!"

Dusknoir faded from existence in a flash of black shadow, appearing only seconds later next to Pikachu. The electric mouse easily spotted Dusknoir through its peripheral vision and whirled around to face the ghost-type, but there was nothing that could be done as Dusknoir thrust out its fist and the infallible move struck home. As the punch made landfall, Pikachu was flung back and crashed into Piplup, sending both Pokémon into the ground. Pikachu quickly recovered and jumped back up, almost anticipating Ash's next command.

"Pikachu, let's go with Electro Ball!"

Pikachu discharged some of its dormant electricity and formed a pretty sphere of golden energy. The ball crackled with electricity on Pikachu's tail, and the electric mouse quickly whipped its body around and launched the attack.

Conway's glasses sagged down his nose as his eyes widened. He had never heard of such a move. Frantically, he shouted, "Dusknoir, dodge that!" Dusknoir's single eye widened and the ghost-type quickly moved to fade into shadows. Just as it did, though, the Electro Ball attack crashed into the Gripper Pokémon's escape route. Dusknoir appeared on its side of the field, but a ball of electricity served as its companion, giving a good electrocution to the slow ghost-type.

"Wh-what…what was that move?" Conway gasped as the attack faded away and Dusknoir recovered, "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Sorry, Conway! You have your secrets, and we've got ours!" Ash boasted. Dawn fed off of Ash's sudden enthusiasm, breaking a wide grin and calling to Piplup.

"Piplup, use Whirlpool!"

" _Piiiiiiiiiip-luuuuuuup!"_

Crystalline blue energy swarmed around Piplup's body and a gigantic cone of swirling water spawned from its upward-facing beak. With a thrust of his flippers, Piplup sent the Whirlpool attack flying toward Dusknoir and Slowbro.

"Slowbro, use Zen Headbutt!"

"Ready, Dawn?" Ash said lowly.

"You bet! Let's go!"

" _Piplup, Pikachu, use Hydro Tackle!"_

Neither Conway nor Peter heard Ash and Dawn's combination command. The two brothers and their Pokémon were wholly focused on the huge Whirlpool racing straight for their Pokémon. Slowbro moved with unnatural speed and tucked its head forward, summoning psychic power to its head to boost the attack's power. The Hermit Crab Pokémon's dome glowed a brilliant blue as a result, and it was all too easy for Slowbro to crash into the Whirlpool and destroy it.

Unfortunately, it was not so easy as that. Slowbro glanced up as it tore through the cone of churning water to see Pikachu racing toward it in a flash of bluish-yellow electricity.

" _Ka-Pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika…!"_ Pikachu chanted. Despite the slowdown effect that Trick Room was having on it, the mouse was still moving with impressive speed. The Whirlpool had provided a perfect distraction for the combination, and Slowbro seemed to be making the connection as it fell helplessly toward Pikachu's ultra-powerful attack. Pikachu took one final step and then rocketed up at an angle, meeting Slowbro and crashing into the psychic-type's chest. The Hydro Tackle combination exploded in a bright flash of yellow and blue light. Pikachu ricocheted cleanly off of Slowbro's body and landed on all fours, while Slowbro took the full brunt of the blow and arced into the ground. The psychic-type's large body rolled backward a few times before going still, and seemingly endless swirls replaced the Pokémon's eyes.

"Slowbro!" Peter gasped. Conway's eyebrows raised and his mouth fell open just a little bit, but he quickly snapped his mouth shut and gritted his teeth to mask his shock. Dusknoir was now outnumbered.

"Great job, you two!" Dawn praised Pikachu and Piplup. The two Pokémon stood side-by-side and exchanged a gleeful high-five.

" _Pi-ka!"_

" _Pip-lup!"_

"Dusknoir, use Thunder Punch on Piplup." Conway snapped. Dusknoir zipped forward in another cloak of shadows, bolts of yellow electricity bouncing off of its dark form as it appeared above Piplup.

" _Pikachu, quick, Iron Tail!"_

Dusknoir reared back its arm, raising the voltage surrounding its closed fist. Piplup stood fearfully motionless, and the Gripper Pokémon threw its fist forward with all of its might.

In the nick of time, Pikachu vaulted in front of Dusknoir's body, his tail glowing with silvery-white energy. Pikachu slashed his tail into Dusknoir's fist, hitting with enough force to spin Dusknoir 90 degrees to the left and sling its electrified fist through empty air. With the timely counter, some errant electricity slid into Pikachu's steely tail, crackling around his body in a circular shape.

Blue energy shot up from the borders of the battlefield, enclosing Dusknoir and its two small adversaries in a box. The walls pulsed with psychic energy, but something else entirely caught the eyes of the four Trainers on the field. The side of the Trick Room wall seemed to crack, imitating the visage of shattering glass. Almost as soon as it had come, the energy vanished, but the effect was clear.

"Trick Room's not working anymore!" Ash gasped.

"Dusknoir, use Shadow Punch!" Conway shouted, a hint of urgency in his voice.

"Pikachu, counter with Electro Ball!"

Pikachu discharged both the electricity from its body and the sum it had stolen from Dusknoir's Thunder Punch into its tail, where a pulsing sphere of lightning formed. Pikachu spun in a quick circle with shocking speed, slinging the Electro Ball directly at Dusknoir and hitting the ghost-type clean in the chest. The sphere of electricity broke apart and wrapped countless vines of electricity around Dusknoir, sending paralyzing electricity into its body. Now that Trick Room was no longer in effect, Pikachu was exceptionally faster than Dusknoir, meaning that Electro Ball would do much more damage.

"Dusknoir, shake that off and use Trick Room again!" Conway cried. If he had any hope of winning this battle, he would need to regain the advantage of speed.

"No you don't!" Dawn shouted, "Piplup, use BubbleBeam!"

Piplup quickly aimed and spat out a line of explosive bubbles at Dusknoir, landing the attack just moments before the ghost-type could use Trick Room. Dusknoir brought up its large arms in an attempt to defend itself, but Dawn simply called for Piplup to spin. Piplup stood on its toes and spun in a cone-like shape as it spewed more bubbles, hitting Dusknoir in every unprotected inch of its body. Dusknoir thrashed and fell off of its balance, leaving it open to another attack.

"Pikachu, let's finish this! Use Iron Tail!" Pikachu hastily obeyed and sped forward, hardening its tail in a shell of powerful energy. Dusknoir turned its body back to face Piplup and Pikachu, unaware that the electric mouse was almost upon it in barely a second. Just as Dusknoir's single eye landed on the mouse, Pikachu leaped upward at the ghost-type's wide stomach and curled its body, raking its jagged tail along Dusknoir's belly and side and then tumbling back to the ground. The Iron Tail left a series of explosions in its wake as it slashed across Dusknoir's belly, and the Gripper Pokémon gasped in a deep voice.

Dusknoir's body coiled around and the ghost-type fell out of the air, hitting the ground hard and grumbling as it tried to get back up. Countless marks of damage littered its body, and after a single deep breath, Dusknoir's tall head slumped and crashed into the ground, its single eyeball replaced by a never-ending swirl.

Wake's arms shot up, commanding attention from everyone who had watched the battle unfold, "That's it! Dusknoir and Slowbro are unable to battle! The winners are Pikachu and Piplup, which means the winners of the Pastoria Tag Battle Competition are…Team Ash and Dawn!"

"Yes!" Ash shouted, pumping his fist into the air. Adrenaline lit Dawn's veins on fire and she wrapped her arms around Ash in a excited hug. She giggled for a second before realizing what she was doing, and her heart briefly stopped as she pulled back from him.

"S-Sorry." Dawn choked.

Ash looked at her for a brief second, choosing to ignore the hug, "It's fine," he insisted, "Now, high-five?"

Dawn beamed and clapped her hand against Ash's, and they quickly burst into laughter. Pikachu and Piplup ran up to their Trainers' feet and also exchanged a happy high-five, mirroring their Trainers in almost every way. Conway and Peter returned their Pokémon and walked toward Ash and Dawn. Bitterness burned inside him, but Conway pushed it down and forced a smile as he and Peter reached them.

"Congratulations." Conway forced, "You two earned that win."

"Thanks, Conway, you and Peter were awesome opponents!" Ash said, "I'm really glad we got to have that battle."

Conway was admittedly surprised by Ash's complete lack of negative emotion. The strategist then cracked a genuine smile, touched by the teen's positivity. "As am I." Conway said honestly, "What are you two doing in Pastoria City? Surely you didn't come all this way just to participate in the tournament."

"You're right. We only found out about this thing a few hours ago." Ash answered, "Dawn and I are traveling the Sinnoh Region again, and I'm going to challenge the Sinnoh League again."

Conway raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? I've been thinking of doing the same thing, I'll admit. But the next League isn't being held for another year."

"Right, so I've been going around challenging some of the Gym Leaders again while Dawn competes in Contests."

"Huh." Conway offered. It was unusual, sure, but Ash wasn't exactly a common Pokémon Trainer. "Well then, perhaps I will have to sign up next summer and have another go at the League."

"You totally should!" Ash agreed.

"Excuse me for interrupting," said a deep voice. Crasher Wake appeared behind Conway and Peter, towering over the two brothers. Conway whirled around and found himself looking at the Gym Leader's bare chest, and he quickly flicked his head upward to meet the mountainous man's eyes.

"Crasher Wake." Conway said, "It's no bother, really. Peter and I were just leaving."

Conway stepped away from Ash, Dawn, and Wake, closely followed by Peter. He glanced over to Ash one more time, "I hope we'll meet again, Ash. If so, I don't plan on losing to you once again."

"We'll see about that, Conway!" Ash answered with a smile, accepting the Trainer's challenge for another day. Conway pushed his glasses up his nose and winked at Dawn before turning and walking away from the field with Peter in tow.

"Anyway, the tournament reps have your prize." Wake said, focusing on Ash and Dawn once again, "But that's not really why I'm here. Ash, I believe you sent me a challenge letter some months ago."

"That's right, Wake." Ash said, leaning forward and clenching a confident fist, "I want to battle your strongest Pokémon!"

"Well then I will be more than happy to accept your challenge, Ash!" Wake agreed.

"Ash! Dawn!" Corey called. Wake and the two Trainers looked over and saw Corey and Layla running over, both of them smiling once again. They came to a stop and Corey beamed, "You two were so awesome in that battle!"

"Hehe, thanks, Corey." Dawn answered.

"It really was all Pikachu and Piplup, though. These two are our workhorses!" Ash praised. He squatted down so that he was much closer to the two Pokémon, who were playing on the ground. Pikachu and Piplup stopped cold and looked at Ash before the former eagerly jumped onto Ash's shoulder and nuzzled up against his cheek. Ash giggled and Piplup waddled over to Dawn's feet and chirped. Dawn reached down and grabbed her partner Pokémon, holding him gently against her chest and suspending the water-type in her arms.

"Mister Crasher Wake!" Corey beamed, "I'd like to challenge you to a Gym Battle!"

Wake gave a bellowing laugh, "Wonderful! I'll have two challengers tomorrow! All right, Corey, I'll gladly give you a Gym Battle, but only after I fulfill the challenge that Ash sent me in the winter, okay?"

"Yes, sir!" Corey agreed.

"Heh-heh. All right, Ash, the Gym opens at 10:00 tomorrow, so be there first thing and we'll get on with the challenge."

"Sounds like a plan to me, Wake!" Ash agreed. He stuck out his hand and gave Wake a firm handshake, "I'm looking forward to this battle!"

"As am I, Ash. And I'm certain Floatzel will be eager to battle another round with Buizel." Wake said. The large Gym Leader then walked away, leaving the four friends by themselves. Ash breathed a sigh of relief and then glanced over to Dawn.

"Well, I guess we should go collect our prize, huh?"

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Location Unknown**_

The huge bay door in the side of the mountain slid open as the airship arrived. All the way in the hangar, the loud noise of the revolving chains was loud and clear to the small number of people waiting patiently on the aircraft entering the base.

Team Rocket's Coronet Base was a large complex. Most of it was built into the side of one of the mountains in the Coronet Mountain Range, situated somewhere along the lengthy route that eventually lead to Snowpoint City in the north. Thanks to its location and the incredibly vast expanse of land around it, not a soul that wasn't affiliated with Team Rocket even knew of the base's existence. The hangar was connected to an entry/exit corridor that led to the large bay door that was opening at this very moment, and the hangar was in turn connected to the laboratories, sleeping quarters, and a floor of holding cells underneath it. Not a single one of those cells was occupied at the moment, but Giovanni had insisted on its construction. Finally, a three-story building was the only part of the base that was in the outside world. It was marked with a large red R at the top, which might seem like a poor decision, but just like the Kanto Rocket Base, the building was so well hidden that the group wasn't overly concerned with prying eyes spotting the building. The building was populated with offices, with the entire third floor being a single room to be used by the leader of Team Rocket for anything he desired.

The hangar was empty except for six people: Jessie, James, Charon, Mercury, Butch, and Cassidy; and a single Pokémon: Meowth. The rumbling of the entering airship soon became deafening and the aircraft came into view as it entered the belly of the monotone, steel hangar. The people and Meowth stood deathly still as the airship slowly landed on its small legs, and seconds later, the bay door in the back opened.

Charon could not help but smile. He'd been waiting for a long time for today, and he was certain that the person in the aircraft would be pleased with what they had to offer. Two men in gray Team Rocket uniforms quietly padded down the ramp into the hangar, followed by a singular, tall man in a dark business suit with short, cropped dark brown hair. The men in uniforms stopped and stepped to the side to clear a path for the Team Rocket Leader, bringing their hands up in a silent salute. The six people and one Pokémon present to greet their leader did the same, and Charon took a big step forward.

"Lord Giovanni." Charon said, "It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Sinnoh Region."


	47. Two Roads Diverged

**I had an interesting weekend. I had no power for around 36 hours, and the consequences of that kept me from releasing this chapter as early as I wanted to. I hope you enjoy what I've got for you. Ash is battling Crasher Wake in this chapter, and something sorta-big will be happening within our group at the end. I'll admit, I struggled in parts of this battle. It definitely has its ups and downs, so take that for what you will. Anyway, I promised you guys an announcement, and that's the next part of this author's note.**

 **I mentioned that things would be changing in regards to this story, thanks to reality. I am graduating from high school this week, and this weekend I will be going out of town for more than two weeks. I will see how much of the next chapter that I can finish until then, but do not expect an update until that trip is over. I could be completely wrong and I'll have some time to myself to write, but I wouldn't count on that. I'm going to race to get out as many chapters as I can over the summer before college starts. Once that happens, updates will be much fewer and farther between. There is quite literally no telling what life will be like in college, so I cannot even begin to make guesses on the writing of this story. I am sorry, guys, but reality really sucks. I would love to put life on hold until I can one day bring this story to a close, but unfortunately I am writing a fanfiction story on the Internet that is being read by anonymous people, and there is no money in that. For what it is worth, I have no plans to end this story prematurely, and I really have enjoyed posting chapters and reading your reviews and conversing with some of you over PMs. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. If you are reading this, I strongly, _strongly_ encourage you to send in a review at the conclusion of this chapter. I want to hear your thoughts, I really do. PMs are also graciously accepted.**

 **Wow, that was long. Okay, final thing, some review replies:**

 **K2: Thanks. Sorry for not leaving any replies to your reviews up here lately. Your constant reviewing is appreciated, really. And, Charizard is probably my favorite, as typical as that is.**

 **Guest: Eh, only five moves. I try to cap each Pokémon at five moves. 6+ moves is often just too many for me.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 47_

 _Two Roads Diverged_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Pastoria City**_

Ash stumbled into his Pokémon Center room as he opened the door. The teen haphazardly clasped his hand on the doorknob and loudly slammed the door shut, pressing his sweaty, shirtless back against it. Ash sucked in rapid yet heavy breaths as Pikachu was startled awake, the mouse being none too happy about the shot of adrenaline being the first thing it experienced in the morning.

"Oh…sorry, Pikachu." Ash heaved, "Just…tired…really hit it hard today."

It was the truth; Ash had gone at the morning's run with some extra _oomph,_ adding a full mile to it. Euphoria warmed his body as he stepped away from the door. "Okay, it's time for a shower." Ash said aloud, "Pikachu, you ready for our battle with Crasher Wake today?"

" _Pi-kaaaaaa…"_ Pikachu yawned. Ash said nothing more and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the mouse on the bed by himself. Pikachu broke another yawn as the sound of running water came from the walls, and he droopily allowed his eyelids to close shut. He needed five more minutes of sleep.

Ash's shower was quick as usual. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, folding over the edge of the towel to keep it suspended around him. As he reached for the doorknob, he took in a deep whiff of the hot steam that clouded the bathroom, warming his nostrils and forcing a contented sigh from the teen. Ash then turned the knob and slipped back into the main part of the boarding room, briefly watching the steam rush out with him as if its life depended on it.

Ash padded quietly through the room and grabbed his clothes from the empty chair that sat in the room's corner. His usual navy blue vest, black shirt, and gym shorts had been washed and neatly folded the night before, and Ash eagerly slipped them on. After dressing himself, Ash ran a hand through his wet, messy hair. He speedily rubbed the towel through his locks in an attempt to dry them a little more, and he then managed to arrange his hair in its usual style. Next, Ash looked over at the lone double bed in the room. Square in the middle of it all, Pikachu was curled up and dozing off.

Ash chuckled. The battle against Dusknoir and Slowbro had the mouse worn out the night before. Pikachu had even hit the hay before Ash had. With a quick glance at the clock, Ash found that it was almost 8:30. He shrugged and decided to let Pikachu get a little more sleep, and he went back into the bathroom to brush his teeth and finish the rest of his morning routine. The rest of it all took him around ten minutes, and he returned to the main room to put on his shoes and hat as well as do some last minute nitpicking over his appearance.

As Ash looked upon himself in the mirror and continued to work out the kinks in his looks, his mind inevitably wandered to the reason he was being so fussy. Most days, what he looked like didn't concern him, and he had put comfort above all else in that respect. And while that had changed recently along with some other things, there was a common denominator of it all. That common denominator, unsurprisingly, was Dawn.

She'd hugged him after they won the Tag Battle Tournament yesterday. He was overall aware of his romantic feelings for Dawn, and he was aware that the hug could have been a knee-jerk reaction, but it gave life to the idea that _maybe_ she had feelings for him too. To that end, Ash had really started to place some importance on looking presentable—in a casual setting, of course. He was no fan of a suit and tie or anything of the kind.

Once he was satisfied, Ash tiptoed over to his bed, where Pikachu was still silently dozing. He was rather surprised when he reached the edge of the bed and the electric-type hadn't even begun to stir. He must've been in a deep sleep. As much as Ash would've liked to let the mouse sleep to his heart's content, they both needed to be completely awake by the time they reached Crasher Wake's Gym.

" _Pikachu…"_ Ash whispered. The mouse's only movement was the rising and falling of his abdomen as he breathed. Ash tried again, _"It's time to get up, buddy."_

Again, Pikachu didn't move.

"Pikachu." Ash said a little more sternly. He resorted to poking the mouse on the side in an attempt to force a reaction out of the mouse. Pikachu's jagged tail stuck straight up in the air and the electric-type's ears wiggled, and after one more poke from Ash, Pikachu was awake. Instead of opening his eyes, though, Pikachu flashed a small amount of electricity from his cheeks, sending the quiet threat of a Thunderbolt to his Trainer.

Ash quickly took a step back. "All right, Pikachu, very funny. I know you're awake now."

Pikachu grumbled and opened his eyes, immediately standing up on his four legs and stretching. The mouse blinked a few times and then rapidly shook his head, chasing away the sleep from his system.

" _Pika."_ The mouse chattered. Pikachu glanced over to Ash and broke a happy grin, eagerly hopping onto Ash's shoulder.

"Ready to go, are we?" Ash asked with a chuckle. Pikachu purred agreeably and Ash trotted toward the door, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and ensuring that he had all of his belongings before leaving the room and shutting the hotel room door for the last time. Ash immediately started walking to the lobby with Pikachu, the smell of food eventually reaching his nostrils. Trainer and Pokémon soon reached the lobby and their hopes were confirmed. Fresh food had just been placed on the Trainers' buffet, the mixed smell of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and many other breakfast delicacies joining together for one perfect morning aroma. Pikachu's eyes widened as he recognized the smell, and he galloped down the stairs in perfect unison with Ash, who headed straight for the buffet without a second thought.

Ash claimed a king's ransom in food, piling three strips of bacon, what was probably close to four eggs, two slices of toast, and two biscuits with jelly all on the same plate. After packing his plate, Ash scanned the lobby of the Center and easily spotted Dawn and Corey at a table.

"Good morning, everyone!" Ash greeted. He had a big smile on his face, though he wasn't entirely sure what the true reason was for his smiling. He set his plate beside Dawn and crashed into the chair, taking a moment to open a can of Pokémon food and mix some of his eggs into it for Pikachu. It was a twisted concoction, but Pikachu particularly enjoyed it, so Ash had made a point to add a small amount of eggs to Pikachu's food whenever possible.

"Morning, Ash." Dawn greeted him back, "You're looking excited."

"Yeah, I guess I'm just psyched for my battle with Crasher Wake today!" Ash said.

"Me too!" Corey agreed, "It's gonna be awesome watching you battle a Gym Leader's best Pokémon again, and then I'm gonna get to battle him too!"

"We'll try to put on a show." Ash said. He then zeroed in on his full plate. Corey and Dawn had already eaten most of their food, so Ash figured now was a good time to catch up. Feeling competitive, Ash spoke to Pikachu next, "Okay, Pikachu, you ready? On your marks, get set…"

Dawn quickly caught on and jokingly raised her arm to signal for the race to start. Giddily, she said, _"Go!"_

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu cried as he dove in to his bowl of eggs and Pokémon food. Ash dug in as well, scarfing down a mix of eggs and bacon at high speed. Soon, the proteins and bacon were all gone, and it was on to the breads for the Trainer. Pikachu cried out again as he finished his food, beating Ash in the race, although he didn't have a noticeably smaller quantity of food to down.

Ash was munching on a slice of toast when Dawn spoke up next, "One day, all this speed eating is going to make you sick."

Ash stalled, "I'm…bulking." In reality, he'd just always had a big stomach and had honed his _gift_ (that was what he called it) over the years to allow himself to down abnormal amounts of food with ease. While he'd been proud of his seemingly superhuman eating capabilities when he was younger, now he wasn't so boisterous about it.

"So, Ash, what's battling Crasher Wake like?" Corey asked, eager to get his hands on any information ahead of his Gym Battle.

"Well, the last time I battled him I won without losing a single Pokémon." Ash said with a mouthful of food, "I'm not sure what Wake will be like at full strength, though!"

Ash finished his breakfast very quickly after that and he stood up, half-stretching and half-flexing in a small and possibly misguided attempt to show off his muscles to Dawn. Little did he know, it somewhat worked. Dawn's eyes flicked to Ash's biceps as they expanded and she briefly imagined how strong his grip was. After that brief thought, she subconsciously shook herself out of her lovesick stupor and turned her focus elsewhere, confident that neither Ash nor Corey had noticed her.

"Layla said she'd meet us at the Gym, by the way. She wants to see both of our battles." Corey explained.

"Cool. Well, I'm ready to hit the road whenever you guys are." Ash decided, "Pikachu, what about you?"

" _Pi-ka!"_

"All right! Dawn?"

"No need to worry, I'm all set."

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Corey squeaked. Ash snickered and nodded, and Corey quickly got out of his seat and jogged to the bathroom. A few minutes later, he returned, and without much more to say the trio marched out of the Pokémon Center, heading for Wake's Gym on the other side of town.

* * *

The time was exactly 9:58. Ash, Dawn, and Corey stood outside the locked doors of the Pastoria Gym, waiting both for the facility to open and for the fourth member of their traveling group to arrive.

"There she is!" Corey said suddenly, pointing away from the Gym to the cobblestone streets. A pre-teen girl was sprinting toward the Gym, her dark brown locks blowing behind her in the cool summer breeze. The cobblestone street changed to a wide concrete terrace as Layla reached the Gym, and she bounded toward her friends with a big smile on her face.

"Hi, everyone!" Layla beamed.

"Layla, good morning." Dawn greeted. Corey and Ash echoed her, and just then the sound of a door unlocking caught the attention of all four Pokémon Trainers. The opaque blue doors opened together and the mountainous Crasher Wake appeared in the doorway. The former champion wrestler wore only a cloak as his top, but his wetsuit-like pants and boots were still present as his bottoms.

Wake smiled, "Ash, hello there! You're right on time."

"Morning, Crasher Wake. I'm all set for our battle!" Ash said energetically.

"As am I. Come in, all of you, come in." Wake insisted. He stepped back and cleared the doorway for his four visitors and took the liberty of shutting the doors behind them. Without any words, Wake guided the group to the double doors leading to the Battle Room, and he gently placed his hands on the bars that would push the doors open.

"And now, welcome to the _real_ Pastoria Gym battlefield." Wake said. He gave the doors what seemed like a light shove, but the double doors easily flung open and crashed against the walls adjacent to them. Wake stepped forward ahead of the four Trainers, and Corey gasped in awe. The day before, the battlefield had been filled in with a synthetic cover to give the appearance of simple land, but without said cover, the Gym's battlefield was truly beautiful. A sparkling blue pool with a handful of circular platforms littered around it served as the perfect battling arena for Wake's water-type Pokémon, offering him a potential advantage against challengers. Despite the change in scenery, though, Wake was fully aware that it would offer him no advantage against Ash.

"Like what you see, kid?" Wake asked Corey before breaking out into a loud burst of laughter. Corey closed his mouth and nodded repeatedly.

"It's amazing, Mister Crasher Wake." Corey said, still unaware that 'Crasher' was just a title that the Gym Leader had used in his wrestling days and not actually part of his name.

Wake chuckled a little more and then turned serious, focusing on Ash. "All right, then, Ash, I trust you are ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Wake." Ash asserted.

"Good!" Wake said with a nod. He released another bellow of laughter as he stepped toward the edge of the pool. He tugged his large feet out of his boots and discarded the thin cloak around his torso. "Here goes!" Wake crowed before jumping headfirst into the pool. A tall splash shot straight into the air as Wake slipped underneath the water, and about fifteen seconds later Wake appeared on the edge of his battle box. He clasped his hands around the edge of the pool and tugged himself up. His bulky body dripped with countless droplets of water and the big man stretched out the kinks in his arms and legs. Ash approached his box much less uniquely, simply stepping over with Pikachu on his shoulder and standing in the box.

A referee stepped up to the sideline box and raised his hands into the air. "The battle between Crasher Wake the Gym Leader and Ash the challenger will now begin! Each Trainer will use _four_ Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all of a single Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. Furthermore, since the challenger has already earned the Fen Badge, standard Gym rules are now off!"

"Thank you, Del." Wake said. The ex-wrestler unclipped his first Poké Ball from the belt on his wetsuit pants and activated it, "Now, Gyarados, let's go!"

Wake arced the capsule into the air and it exploded open, springing a stream of white light underneath the surface of the water. As the Poké Ball returned to Wake's hand, the water's surface to began to churn and water banged against the edges of the pool as if a tsunami were about to appear. Then, without so much as a warning, a massive serpentine creature rose from the water's surface, shooting up a great amount of water along the way and causing a brief rainstorm around it. With a violent roar, Gyarados made its presence known.

Ash was unfazed. He briefly reminisced to his last battle with Misty back in Cerulean City, and then he glanced over to his partner of seven years. "Whaddya say, buddy? You ready to go right now?"

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu agreed, hopping onto the closest floating platform. Wake's Gyarados eyed Pikachu distastefully. This small mouse would be his challenger? Fine.

"Gyarados, use Aqua Tail!" Wake shouted, not keen to offer Ash the first move. Gyarados gnashed its huge jaws together and swiftly swept under the water. Just a couple seconds later, the Atrocious Pokémon's threatening tail rose out of the water, surrounding by a roiling whirlpool. Gyarados was approaching Pikachu's platform with great speed, leaving only a small window for the pair of Ash and Pikachu to counter the attack.

"Pikachu, jump to the next platform!"

Pikachu slid down to all fours and bounded diagonally to the closest platform. As Pikachu landed safely away from the radius of Gyarados' attack, the Atrocious Pokémon rose up out of the water as well and slung its tail at the platform Pikachu had originally been standing on, not processing that the mouse had escaped. The Aqua Tail crashed into the concrete platform and briefly sank it underwater. Ash grinned as Gyarados suddenly realized that its target wasn't there. "Now, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leaped straight up into the air, heaps of dormant electricity already leaking from its body. _"Pi-kaaaaa…"_ Pikachu purred. In a sudden flash, the Thunderbolt was discharged straight for Gyarados, _"Chuuuuuuuuuu!"_

The jagged blast of electricity struck home all too easily, stabbing Gyarados in the upper section of its long, serpentine body. Gyarados screeched with furious agony as it writhed about in response to the huge amount of voltage circling through its body. The water/flying-type finally threw its body towards the water, crashing deep underneath the surface and escaping further punishment from the seemingly endless Thunderbolt. The Atrocious Pokémon then drifted up back to the water's surface, slipping only its large, crooked head into the open air. Gyarados leered at Pikachu. It had sorely underestimated the little mouse's ability to pack a punch, and had already paid in blood for its overconfidence.

"Gyarados, are you all right?" Wake called. The serpentine Pokémon released a low, affirmative growl, and Wake moved on to call for an attack. "Gyarados, use Dragon Rage on the water in front of Pikachu."

Gyarados slinked more of its lengthy body up into the air, opening its wide mouth and generating a scary-looking vortex of energy in its throat. The Atrocious Pokémon's throat glowed blue and then without warning the Dragon Rage attack was let loose. The attack was an interesting mix of unnaturally colored energy, dyed a violet-bluish color with a splash of yellow in the center of the blast. The Dragon Rage struck the water in front of Pikachu's platform and superheated the water in the nearby vicinity, creating a thick smokescreen of hot steam that surrounded Pikachu's platform and boxed the electric-type in a room of nothing but grey.

"Pikachu!" Ash called, unable to see his partner through the thick cover of steam. Pikachu cried back, but there was no time to ready an attack before Wake called to Gyarados again.

"Gyarados, use Ice Fang!"

Gyarados growled and snaked nearly its entire body out of the water. What Ash could see of the Atrocious Pokémon was nearly twenty feet of steely blue and cream-colored scales. The serpent swam over to the platform Pikachu was trapped on and the large canines in its mouth began to glow with a glittering icy power. Gyarados then suddenly dove into the wall of steam, hoping to grab Pikachu. A sudden cry from the electric-type signaled that Gyarados had hit its mark, and not an instant later the Atrocious Pokémon was dragging Pikachu by his jagged tail out into the open.

Gyarados coiled its body and hurled Pikachu high into the air. The mouse tumbled over and over as it cried out in shock. There were no platforms for Pikachu to try and land safely on, meaning that the mouse was headed straight for the water.

"Pikachu, quick, use Electro Ball on Gyarados!"

Pikachu steadied itself and fixed its glance on Gyarados as gravity began sending Pikachu toward the water. The mouse moved quickly and spun its body, generating a sphere of electricity on its tail and slinging it at Gyarados. A mere split second after Pikachu launched the Electro Ball, the mouse crashed underneath the surface of the water, a stinging sensation like shattering ice hitting the electric-type's side.

"Gyarados, dodge that!" Wake roared. Gyarados easily obeyed, twisting its long body in an impressive coil and avoiding the attack. The Electro Ball kept going and harmlessly broke apart as it hit the wall. "Now, Gyarados, get under the water and get Pikachu!"

Gyarados growled and lunged downward, crashing into the water and racing forward to attack Pikachu. Ash desperately went to his knees and got as close as he could to the water, shouting at the roiling currents in the pool.

"Pikachu! If you can hear me, keep using Thunderbolt and don't let up!" Ash shouted. Pikachu was in a gravely unfavorable situation with the huge Gyarados as long as he was in the water, much less underneath it. Somehow, it seemed, Pikachu had heard Ash's call, as a section of the water flashed and lit up with a brilliant yellow color. The water churned some more and there was another bright flash of light in the pool, indicating that Pikachu was attacking multiple times.

"Gyarados, use Hyper Beam!" Wake roared, hoping to put Pikachu out of the game. There were a few flashes of different colors for a few more seconds, before one bright flash of yellow outweighed them all. The entire pool lit up with an electric yellow glow, and the water seemed to calm almost immediately. The glow quickly went away, and a large shape slipped up from under the water's surface.

It was Gyarados, its body tingling with the last remnants of Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Its huge mouth hung open, and its eyes were marked by swirls. Just a handful of feet away, Pikachu resurfaced and pulled itself up onto a platform, rolling over on its back and heaving. Pikachu's normally fine yellow fur was matted and his body was sopping wet, but he'd won the battle underneath the water.

 _"Gyarados is unable to battle! The win goes to Pikachu!"_ the referee called Del shouted.

"All right, Pikachu! You did it!" Ash shouted. Pikachu perked up and glanced over at its fallen foe, and a sense of pride swelled in the electric-type's spirit. Pikachu rolled over to all fours and shook its body relentlessly, banishing a great amount of water from its matted fur. After doing so, Pikachu bounded from platform to platform until it reached Ash, and the mouse gave a cheerful, _"Pi-ka!"_

Ash giggled and stooped down, scratching the top of his partner's head. "I don't know what it was like under there, Pikachu, but you did it. You were awesome."

Pikachu chattered, eating up the praise. Crasher Wake returned Gyarados to its Poké Ball, thanking the Pokémon and tucking the capsule away. Next, the Gym Leader pulled his second Poké Ball from his belt, activating the capsule and tossing it into the air. "Empoleon, it's your turn!"

The Emperor Pokémon was a familiar foe to Ash, having battled both the likes of Kenny and Barry's fully evolved water-type starters. It really was no surprise that Wake possessed this Pokémon, and even better, Ash knew how to combat the water/steel-type.

"Pikachu, whaddya say you take a break and get some rest?" Ash suggested. Pikachu glanced over to Wake's Empoleon, and though he was tempted to square off with the Emperor Pokémon, Pikachu padded over next to Ash and sat down, allowing Ash to call on his second Pokémon. Ash unclipped the next Poké Ball and grinned. It had been a very long time since he'd last used this Pokémon in a battle.

" _Primeape, I choose you!"_

The Pig Monkey Pokémon burst out from its Poké Ball, eagerly bouncing back and forth on its toes. Primeape zeroed in on Empoleon, and the heavy water-type leered and gave a seemingly aloof snort at the sight of the fighting-type. Seeing Empoleon's reaction to its appearance, Primeape sneered angrily.

"Hey, Primeape, calm down." Ash warned. Primeape heard Ash and immediately began to cool off. It had been many years since it had last battled with Ash, and the Pig Monkey Pokémon had every intention of proving itself, but its typical unbridled rage would do it no favors today.

"I didn't know Ash had a Primeape." Dawn said from the bleachers.

"I've read about these Pokémon!" Corey gasped, "They're supposed to be really prone to bursts of anger, which makes them a lot stronger."

"Anger, huh? That doesn't sound too good." Layla answered.

Down on the field, Wake again called for the first move. "Empoleon, use Aqua Jet!"

" _Pol!"_ Empoleon barked. The Emperor Pokémon jumped forward and its heavy body levitated in the air as a protective shell of water resembling a missile formed around its body. With impressive speed, Empoleon rocketed toward Primeape. The fighting-type stood deathly still, something that it was not used to, until Ash called out to it.

"Primeape, use Mega Punch."

Primeape jumped forward from the platform it was standing on and brought back one of its glove-like fists. Energy poured into its hand, causing it to glow, and the Pig Monkey Pokémon tumbled closer toward Empoleon.

"Empoleon, up!"

Empoleon curved its trajectory and sped at an upward angle, changing its aim from Primeape's center to the top of the fighting-type's head. Primeape's eyes widened in surprise and Empoleon crashed right into its forehead with brute force, knocking Primeape out of the air easily. Primeape wailed and crash-landed on another one of the floating platforms in Wake's pool, while Empoleon gently landed on another platform.

Primeape seethed as it locked its eyes on Empoleon, and Ash quickly called for a Close Combat. The move fed into Primeape's anger and the Pig Monkey Pokémon bounded over to Empoleon with two glowing fists, catching the water-type by surprise. Primeape landed nearly a dozen punches and kicks in the space of a few seconds, causing Empoleon to fall to one knee.

"Empoleon, use Steel Wing!"

Empoleon's head jerked up and it narrowed its guarded eyes, bringing out a wing and pouring energy into it. Its heavy wing glowed silver and Empoleon lashed out, slashing its Steel Wing attack against the open space along Primeape's stomach. The attack sent the fighting-type spiraling off of the platform and into the water, and Empoleon brought its attacking wing back to its body to feel out its wounds. The Close Combat had been only the first move it had taken while battling Primeape, and Empoleon was already feeling significantly weakened by the brief beating.

Meanwhile, Ash called out, "Primeape, are you okay?!" There was only silence for a few seconds before Primeape's head snaked up from below the water. The Pig Monkey Pokémon calmly swam over to an empty platform, clasping its glove-like hands around the edge of the structure and tugging its body up to safety. Primeape's fur was wet and matted, and a pool of water oozed from its body onto the platform, making the surface somewhat slippery. After several seconds of taking deep breaths, Primeape sat up and crawled to its feet. Empoleon, seeing its adversary was more than ready to battle some more, reluctantly stood up and pushed the pain in its abdomen to the back of its mind.

"Empoleon, use Blizzard!"

Empoleon threw its wings into the air, locking its gaze on Primeape. Then, Empoleon gave a low screech, quickly raising its voice. The air behind it instantly froze and a chilling wind howled across the battlefield. Primeape brought up its arms in a lame attempt to shield itself from the sudden cold, and the ends of its hairs became encased in ice. Moreover, the pool of water that covered the field began to freeze on the surface as well, catching Primeape's attention. The Pig Monkey Pokémon carefully stepped on the water's frozen surface, finding that it held his weight easily.

"Hey, now we have a lot more room to work with, awesome!" Ash whooped.

"Don't get too excited, Ash!" Wake yelled, "It's not all good. Empoleon, use Hydro Pump!"

Empoleon opened its beak and put out its wings to steady its body. The Hydro Pump burst outward like a bullet, rushing toward Primeape and reaching the fighting-type too fast for a counter. Primeape flew and hit the ice, rolling several times over and leaving small cracks in the frozen surface. Wake followed up quickly, "Now, Empoleon, Aqua Jet!"

Empoleon crouched and an explosion of water wrapped around its body, sending the Emperor Pokémon high into the air in a protective missile. Empoleon reached the apex of its ascent and curved sharply downward, using the influence of gravity to speed up and race toward Primeape at a full aerial sprint.

"Primeape, quick, use Focus Punch!" Ash shouted. Primeape looked up at Empoleon and then closed its right fist, standing still once again and waiting patiently. Empoleon closed in, and Primeape suddenly leaped forward, its fist brought back as it readied to deal out the devastating punch. The two Pokémon almost met, and Primeape suddenly brought its fist underneath Empoleon, crashing its fist in a brutal uppercut that sent Empoleon bouncing upward. Primeape fell down safely to the platform in front of Ash, while Empoleon tumbled toward the frozen water's surface. Empoleon instinctively folded its wings back and formed a diving position, and it harmlessly crashed through the cover of ice without any harm to itself, ascending back over the surface of the water a few seconds later and climbing onto a platform.

The icy surface of the water was now riddled with cracks thanks to Empoleon's unexpected landing, and both Ash and Primeape knew better than to rely on it for the rest of the round. Empoleon cringed and nursed its wounds, having taken a great deal of damage in so few hits from the fighting-type across the field. Primeape was strong, there was no doubt about that, and Empoleon also had a slight type disadvantage against it, which only made matters worse.

"Empoleon, can you continue?" Wake asked. Empoleon carefully stood up tall and nodded, adding a confident _"Pol!"_

"Primeape, let's finish this." Ash said. Primeape screeched confidently and Wake called for Empoleon to attack again.

"Empoleon, use Aqua Jet one more time!"

"Primeape, let's meet Empoleon head-on!"

Empoleon rushed forward encased in the familiar Aqua Jet, while Primeape bounded from platform to platform, advancing toward the water/steel-type with no such protection. The Pig Monkey Pokémon spent next to no time on each platform, moving quickly enough to confuse Empoleon. Finally, Primeape reached a platform directly in Empoleon's path, allowing the Emperor Pokémon to focus on it.

The Aqua Jet closed in on Primeape, and the fighting-type bent its knees. Primeape swiftly leaped into the air just before Empoleon could land the hit, hurdling over the water-type's crowned head.

" _Primeape, use Mega Punch!"_

Primeape contorted its body expertly, its gloved fist glowing with the powerful aura of Mega Punch. Empoleon jerked its head back in an attempt to see where Primeape had gone, only to find the fighting-type moving in to land the finishing blow. Primeape went knee deep in the Aqua Jet's water, using its pointed toes to latch onto Empoleon's back. Primeape then threw its fist forward directly into the back of Empoleon's neck. The Emperor Pokémon's neck bent awkwardly and Empoleon screeched, immediately falling out of the air. Primeape bailed, landing safely on a platform as Empoleon crashed limply through the ice, quickly floating back up to the surface unconsciously.

" _Empoleon is unable to battle! The winner is Primeape!"_

"All right! You did it, Primeape!" Ash howled. Primeape yowled into the air and beat its closed fists together, making a heavy, hollow sound with them. Wake pulled out Empoleon's Poké Ball and returned the fainted Pokémon, thanking Empoleon graciously and tucking the capsule away.

"Well! I'm impressed!" Wake yelled across the field. He and his team were now down 2-0. The referee began pressing buttons on a nearby control panel, and the ice in the pool suddenly warmed and melted, returning the pool to its original state. "You've managed to knock half my team out with relative ease! You're an even better Trainer than you were when we first battled, Ash!"

"Thanks, Wake!" Ash answered, "Me and my Pokémon have worked real hard to get where we are!"

"I can tell! But I'm not going to let you put me in an even deeper hole without first putting a dent in your team." Wake said, letting his words hang in the air as a challenge. The ex-wrestler unhooked his third Poké Ball, certain that this one would be able to follow through with his threat. Wake reared back his huge arm, slinging the Poké Ball forward with a beautiful spin, _"Dewgong, let's ride!"_

The capsule popped open and a Pokémon with a thick, pristine white coat dove into the water, popping its head back above the surface immediately. Dewgong barked, _"Gong!"_ and then waded backwards toward Crasher Wake, eyeing Primeape curiously.

"Dewgong, use Ice Beam."

Dewgong opened its mouth wide and its throat became colored with a bright, baby blue energy. Dewgong launched the bitterly cold blast, and the Ice Beam branched out in several arms before curving back around to form into a single beam as the attack headed straight for Primeape.

"Primeape…!" Ash shouted. The Ice Beam attack reached Primeape first and the fighting-type brought up one of its arms with the hope of blocking the freezing attack, but it didn't work very well. The attack crashed head-on with Primeape and sent the fighting-type flying into the water. Ash gasped and took an instinctive step forward, but Primeape quickly fought his way back to the surface, easing Ash's concern.

Trainer and Pokémon looked to the other end of the field only to be surprised by what they saw. Or, rather, what they didn't see. Dewgong had disappeared from view.

"Dewgong, now!" Wake bellowed.

The water around Primeape suddenly bubbled and without warning Primeape was flung high into the air. Dewgong appeared, rocketing out of the water that Primeape had just been treading, having thrown the fighting-type from the pool.

"Primeape!" Ash shouted helplessly. The Pig Monkey Pokémon tumbled aimlessly as gravity stopped its ascent and forced the fighting-type back down. Primeape fell directly toward one of the hard platforms and landed with a sickening _crunch_ before rolling over on its back and going still. Its eyes were closed and replaced by repeating swirls.

" _Primeape is unable to battle! The winner is Dewgong!"_

" _Gong, gong!"_ Dewgong howled, _"Dew-gong!"_

"Ha-ha! Great job, Dewgong!" Wake praised, clapping his huge hands together loudly.

"Primeape, no…" Ash sighed before resigning and revealing the fighting-type's Poké Ball. "Primeape, return!" Ash pulled the Poké Ball back as Primeape was sapped inside, and he gazed warmly at the capsule, "Primeape, you were awesome. You battled really well for your first time back. I'm really proud of you, now get some well-earned rest."

Ash tucked Primeape's Poké Ball away and eyed Dewgong, thinking about the Sea Lion Pokémon's moves. It had finished Primeape with a well-executed Dive. Wake had used the confusion to quietly order Dewgong to slip underneath the water, and it had worked to perfection.

"Dewgong is both fast and strong from a distance, plus it's in its element right now. We'll need a Pokémon that can beat it in speed and power." Ash said aloud. Pikachu purred agreeably. "I guess now is as good a time as any." Ash decided, unhooking the next Poké Ball from his belt and preparing to call on his third Pokémon.

" _Sceptile, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball opened and fell back to Earth, spilling its contents onto the nearby platform in a ball of white light. The light shaped itself into the Forest Pokémon and then vanished, revealing the green form of Sceptile. The grass-type stood tall, its regal appearance broken only by the reed clenched between its teeth.

Wake joked, "Type advantage after type advantage, eh, Ash?"

"More or less." Ash answered with a stupid grin, "But this choice is about more than just types. Sceptile, you ready?"

" _Scep-tile!"_

"Okay, Sceptile, let's use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile leaped forward to the nearest platform and then bounced back and forth across the field at high speed, closing in on Dewgong at a rapid pace. The growths on Sceptile's arms glowed and transformed into green blades of energy, and Sceptile zipped past Dewgong and raked the two blades across the Sea Lion Pokémon's side.

Dewgong rolled off of the platform it had been laying on and tumbled into the water, though that was more of a blessing than a curse for the water/ice-type. Dewgong's shape vanished from view as Sceptile landed cleanly on an adjacent platform. The Forest Pokémon whirled around to see that Dewgong had hidden under the water's surface.

"Now, Dewgong, use Dive!"

Dewgong burst up from underneath the water directly in front of Sceptile, catching the grass-type by surprise and resulting in Dewgong landing the hit. Sceptile barely managed to keep from falling into the water and shot its glance back to where Dewgong had appeared, only to find the Sea Lion Pokémon had slipped away again.

" _Scep!"_ Sceptile grumbled, focusing its attention carefully on the water.

"Sceptile, Dewgong's going to attack again, so be ready!"

"Good eye, Ash!" Wake faux-congratulated, "Dewgong, again, from behind!"

Dewgong burst out of the water at Sceptile's back. Ash reacted first, immediately calling for Sceptile. "Quick, Sceptile, use Iron Tail behind you!"

Sceptile's branch-like tail instantly turned silver and glowed with a powerful light, and the Forest Pokémon whirled around to face Dewgong, slamming its tail powerfully into the water/ice-type's body. Dewgong was thrown diagonally into the platform, crunching its lower jaw on the platform's material and rolling on its back, leaving a perfect window for attack.

"Leaf Blade!" Ash shouted.

Sceptile made no sound as it activated the blades on its arms, preparing to deal a devastating blow to Dewgong's exposed belly. Fortunately for Dewgong, Wake heard the command and quickly commanded Dewgong to dodge, which the Sea Lion Pokémon did by rolling away. Sceptile's arms crossed in an X as they slashed into the platform, slashing into the empty platform. Dewgong balanced on the edge of the platform as Wake followed up with an attack.

"Dewgong, use Ice Beam!"

Dewgong instantly opened its mouth and blasted a bright blue beam of cold energy at Sceptile. Sceptile reacted without command, bringing up its arms to defend itself. Leaf Blade was still active on its forearms, so the attack allowed the Forest Pokémon to block a decent amount of the blast without taking damage. Despite that stroke of luck, though, Sceptile was still nearly overwhelmed by a biting cold around its body. In the confusion, Dewgong once again slipped underneath the water, safe from Sceptile's reach once again.

"Gah! Got away again!" Ash grumbled.

"Dewgong, use Icy Wind!"

Dewgong rocketed upward out of the water and twirled in the air, focusing its eyes on Sceptile. The Sea Lion Pokémon thrust its flippers forward. A howling wind formed behind Dewgong's twirling body and raced toward Sceptile, bringing an unwelcome chill with it.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Storm!"

Sceptile thrust its arms back closer to its body, activating the growths on its arms and back. The Forest Pokémon then threw its long arms up and used them to guide the upcoming attack. A cyclone of leaves formed out of thin air and followed Sceptile's lead, launching toward the glowing Icy Wind. The two attacks collided in a blast of light, but Sceptile's was significantly more powerful. The Icy Wind was obliterated and the Leaf Storm crashed into Dewgong, hundreds of leaves slashing all along the water/ice-type's body. Dewgong bellowed and began to tumble back to the water.

"Sceptile, use Quick Attack!"

Sceptile blazed forward, showing off its near-unrivaled speed. The grass-type moved so fast, in fact, that it just managed to run along the surface of the water, faster than gravity could tug Dewgong back to the surface. Sceptile reached Dewgong with perfect timing and slammed its full might into the large Sea Lion Pokémon, throwing Dewgong backward. Dewgong skidded along the surface of the water, barking with surprise, before its back smashed into the next platform, sending a painful shockwave through its body. Dewgong howled and then slumped over, barely holding itself back from fainting.

"Dewgong, are you all right?" Wake yelled. Dewgong took in a deep breath, looked up at Sceptile, and then slumped the front of its body onto the platform, swirls marking its eyes.

" _Dewgong is unable to battle! The win goes to Sceptile!"_

" _Tile!"_ Sceptile snapped, hopping off of the platform it had taken shelter on and soaring its way back to the platform in front of Ash.

"Dewgong, return!" Wake called, sapping the Pokémon back into its Poké Ball. The Gym Leader tucked Dewgong's Poké Ball away and glanced up at Ash, flashing a grin. "All right! I'm down to my last Pokémon. Ash, I'm quite confident that you can guess who's next."

"I think I have a pretty good idea, Wake." Ash agreed. Sceptile growled eagerly, readily accepting whatever challenges it would face next.

"Then I shouldn't keep you waiting," Wake said, revealing his final Poké Ball and swiftly slinging the capsule to the field, _"Floatzel, go!"_

The Poké Ball expelled its contents and Floatzel materialized from the bright light inside. The tall Sea Weasel Pokémon landed effortlessly on the nearest platform, glancing up at its opponents. Floatzel failed to recognize the tall grass-type that stood opposite from it, but the water-type _did_ recognize the challenger.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Storm."

Sceptile readied itself and formed the familiar hurricane of leaves behind its body, launching the blast directly toward Floatzel in a gust of absurdly powerful wind.

"Floatzel, let's knock that out with Razor Wind!" Wake countered. Floatzel spread its legs to shoulder-width apart and put its left foot forward, generating a gust of wind in its paws and slinging it at the Leaf Storm. The wind was deathly sharp, and it shredded the cone of leaves as it made contact with Sceptile's attack, rendering it useless.

"All right!" Wake praised, "Now Floatzel, use Bulk Up!"

Floatzel reset its stance and channeled an aura of strength, boosting its attack power. The Sea Weasel Pokémon already packed a solid punch as it was, but now its attacks would be able to hit even harder.

"Okay, Sceptile, let's use Leaf Blade!" Ash called. Sceptile hissed and then zipped forward, the growths on its arms joining into single, ultra-powerful blades. The Forest Pokémon bounded from platform to platform, closing in on Floatzel.

"Floatzel, block that!"

Sceptile landed on the edge of the platform housing Floatzel, and the grass-type eagerly reached out to strike Floatzel with its signature attack. Floatzel inflated the sac that trailed all along its body, providing a thick protective layer that guarded its most sensitive body parts, which was exactly where Sceptile had been aiming. The Leaf Blade slashed across Floatzel's bodily defense, but the move had no effect!

"What the?" Ash gasped. He was all too familiar with Floatzel's special defensive capabilities, but he hadn't expected the water-type to be able to defend itself from Sceptile's greatest attack. Seeing that Floatzel's defense had stumped Ash and Sceptile alike, Wake barked to his Pokémon.

"Floatzel, Ice Fang!"

Ash's stomach dropped and he tried to command Sceptile to dodge, but Floatzel moved too quickly. Floatzel revealed its sharp canines and they quickly extended into jagged spears of ice. The Ice Fangs stretched out and buried themselves into Sceptile's shoulders, earning a screech from the Forest Pokémon. Floatzel stood motionless as Sceptile cringed and crumpled to its knees, fighting helplessly to remove the Ice Fangs from its body.

"Now, Floatzel, send Sceptile for a _ride!_ " Wake commanded.

Floatzel reared back its entire body, coiling downward and to the left. Sceptile's eyes widened as it watched Floatzel move, and the Sea Weasel Pokémon flung its body back to the right with crushing power. Floatzel's move dragged Sceptile along and the Ice Fangs detached from the grass-type's shoulders, sending Sceptile flying across the water. Sceptile crashed into a platform much like Dewgong had moments before and then crawled onto it, hoping to catch its breath. Wake and Floatzel, though, had other plans.

"Ice Beam!"

Sceptile's glance shot up to find a beautifully refined line of ice speeding towards it. Floatzel's Ice Beam collided with Sceptile's side, earning another screech of pain from the grass-type as it doubled over. The Ice Beam quickly went away, but its effects were clear as day to Ash.

Sceptile moved to stand up, collapsing back down to one knee and grabbing at its side. A brace of thick ice was wrapped around Sceptile's hip, an injury that would severely limit the Forest Pokémon's mobility.

" _Tile!"_ Sceptile barked at Floatzel. The injury was no matter, it could still fight, and it could still win!

"Sceptile, your hip is frozen!" Ash protested, "You need to rest!"

" _Scep…tile…?"_ Sceptile groaned, glancing back at Ash.

"We've got plenty of substitutes. You fought so well against Dewgong!" Ash insisted, "You've earned a lot of rest today, Sceptile."

Sceptile glanced back at Floatzel and Wake and then back at Ash. Finally, the grass-type conceded. Ash pulled out Sceptile's Poké Ball. "All right, Sceptile, return!" Ash tucked away the Poké Ball and glanced at Floatzel for a moment. "Pikachu, are you willing to get back in there?"

" _Pi-ka-chu."_ Pikachu agreed. The mouse wiggled his tail and prepared to hop onto the floating platform. Before he could do so, the sound of a Poké Ball opening rang out across the Battle Room. On Ash's other side, Buizel spawned from his Poké Ball, crossing his arms confidently.

" _Bui, bui!"_ Buizel barked.

"Buizel, you wanna get in on this?" Ash asked. Buizel had been his fourth Pokémon in the lineup, but things had been going so well for his side that he had completely forgotten about the competitive Sea Weasel.

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ Pikachu cried encouragingly, leaning over and stretching out his paw. Buizel smirked and high-fived the electric mouse. Ash broke a grin and nodded.

"Okay, Buizel, get in there!" Ash encouraged. Buizel leaped onto the platform, baring its teeth at Floatzel and crossing his arms once again.

"You know, Ash, when I told Floatzel a few months ago that you'd be coming, he was pretty excited. Floatzel's trained extra hard since then, hoping to battle with Buizel again." Wake explained, "I'm glad it's come to this, even though we're down three to one."

"You know what, Wake? Me too." Ash said with a nod, "Now, Buizel, use Aqua Jet!"

" _Buuuui!"_ Buizel howled as water shot up and closed around his body. Buizel rocketed into the air and sped toward Floatzel like a missile.

"Floatzel, use Razor Wind!"

Floatzel brought back its two arms and formed a gust of sharp air in between its paws. The evolved Pokémon threw out its arms and dispatched the Razor Wind, shredding Buizel's Aqua Jet and causing the younger water-type to tumble out of the air. Floatzel automatically stepped forward as Buizel fell close to it and inflated the sac on its body, causing Buizel to bounce away as he landed on Floatzel. Buizel resurfaced and looked to Floatzel with a gasp.

"Now, Ice Beam!"

" _Buizel, run!"_

Floatzel reared back its head and Buizel ducked under the water, speeding its twin tails round and round to propel itself forward. Floatzel spat a fine beam of ice at the water, freezing a decent amount of water in front of it. A ways away, Buizel popped up out of the water, the sac on its neck inflated. The frozen water quickly started to melt and Buizel leaped onto a nearby platform on the side of the battlefield.

"Buizel, use Water Pulse!" Buizel formed a clean sphere of water and launched it at Floatzel, but the evolved water-type predictably inflated its body sac and bounced the Water Pulse straight back at Buizel.

Ash grinned, expecting the move, "Now, Buizel, use Sonic Boom!"

Buizel took a swift step forward and leaped into the air with a spin. He flicked his tails and sent a blast of sonic energy from them, splitting the Water Pulse in two. The Sonic Boom attack sped along and clocked Floatzel in the head.

" _Flo!"_ Floatzel yelped. The tall Sea Weasel stumbled and fell on its back, but quickly stood back up as it recovered from the concussive blow. Wake called for Floatzel to use Bulk Up again, adding another boost to the water-type's attack strength.

"Okay, Floatzel, it's time we go on the attack! Use Ice Fang!"

Floatzel bent its knees and leapt high into the air, aiming for Buizel's platform. The evolved Pokémon landed loudly on the platform and met Buizel's eyes, and the two Pokémon exchanged fierce glares. Then, with a swift move, Floatzel activated Ice Fang, slinging a pair of jagged icy bolts from its teeth at Buizel. Buizel swiftly rolled to the side and avoided the attack, heeding Ash's quick command for a Sonic Boom. The attack hit Floatzel in the belly but did little damage, and Floatzel tried another Ice Fang. This time, the attack hit, injecting Buizel with a bitter chill and a stabbing pain in its shoulder.

"Giga Impact!" Wake shouted. Floatzel shifted its feet back and gave a sly grin before charging forward. A ball of explosive power formed around Floatzel's body and Buizel looked up with a mixture of shock and fear. Floatzel crashed into Buizel with a full-body tackle, making Buizel see stars as it was flung into the water. A few seconds later, Buizel appeared at the surface, its neck sac once again inflated, but the water-type was visibly disoriented. Buizel drifted over to an empty platform and climbed onto it, taking in several deep breaths. Buizel's vision cleared, but his body was still wracked by soreness from back-to-back powerful attacks.

Floatzel jawed at Buizel, taunting the first-stage water-type in its language. Buizel heard the words of taunting and growled, standing up and doing its best to keep from falling.

"Buizel! Just close your eyes and take a deep breath! We're gonna win this, ya hear?" Ash shouted. Buizel did as instructed, breathing in deeply as its eyelids snapped shut, "Listen, I believe in you, Buizel. I know you can do it!"

Buizel exhaled and opened its eyes again. Ash always knew what to say. Buizel brought up its paw and taunted Floatzel right back, beckoning for its evolved adversary to come closer and fight. Floatzel sneered, and Wake called for it to attack.

"Floatzel, use Razor Wind!"

"Buizel, get in close with Aqua Jet, and don't let up!"

Buizel bolted toward Floatzel in a shell of water as Floatzel discharged several gusts of sharp wind. The Aqua Jet cover shook and began to falter as the winds cut at it, but Ash shouted for a second move, readying their signature combination.

" _Buizel, Ice Punch! Use Ice Aqua Jet!"_

Buizel's fist glowed with icy power and the Aqua Jet immediately began to freeze. The trail of pumping water behind Buizel went away and he became cased inside a missile of ice, spinning as he aimed directly for Floatzel. The evolved water-type gasped and Buizel speared it right in the abdomen, shattering the Ice Aqua Jet and knocking the taller water-type down. Buizel rolled over Floatzel's fallen form and dove into the water, taunting Floatzel to follow.

"Floatzel, use Giga Impact again!"

Floatzel dove into the water and inflated its body sac to stay afloat. Orange and purple streaks of energy formed around its body and the taller Sea Weasel Pokémon sped after Buizel, gaining ground easily. On Ash's command, Buizel rolled out of the way once Floatzel caught up, expertly dodging the Giga Impact. Floatzel skidded to a stop and whirled around, remaining still as Buizel climbed back onto a floating platform.

"Buizel, use Water Pulse."

"Floatzel, down!"

Buizel shot off a quick Water Pulse, but Floatzel sank under the water and easily dodged the attack, gaining the element of surprise in doing so. Around twenty seconds passed before Floatzel appeared behind Buizel's back, hopping up onto the platform and grabbing the smaller Sea Weasel. Buizel struggled to break free, fighting against Floatzel's tight grip.

"Floatzel, use Ice Fang!"

Floatzel bared its teeth and formed its dreaded Ice Fang attack, hoping to sink the freezing fangs into Buizel's head and knock it out.

"Buizel!" Ash cried, desperately trying to decide on a move to try and stop Floatzel. He quickly settled on the first thing that came from his mouth, "Use Sonic Boom!"

Buizel twisted and brought its backside up, spinning its dual tails as it did so. Floatzel briefly glanced up to the incoming attack as Buizel generated the Sonic Boom. Rather than launch the attack from a distance, though, Buizel slapped its twin tails on Floatzel's snout with as much force as it could muster.

Floatzel bellowed and instantly let go of Buizel, reaching up and scratching its snout furiously to feel for damage. Along with that, the physical blast of energy had generated enough light to block Floatzel's vision for just enough time.

"Floatzel, Ice Fang again!"

"Buizel, use Ice Punch!"

Floatzel looked to where Buizel was as the white in its vision ebbed away, generating another Ice Fang attack in its jaws. Unbeknownst to Floatzel (thanks to its vision), Buizel was dashing up, its fist churning with freezing power. Floatzel's vision cleared just as it was ready to send out its icy fangs, but Buizel was already there.

Buizel swung his fist up in a perfect uppercut, clocking Floatzel right in the chin. The taller water-type's jaws clamped together and the Ice Fang attack failed. Floatzel stumbled back one step, every idea of continuing to fight gone from its mind. Floatzel then stumbled forward for its second step before crumpling to the ground, tendrils of ice visible on its snout.

" _Floatzel is unable to battle! The winner is Buizel, which means the win goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

" _Bui, bui!"_

"All right, Buizel!" Ash howled, "You did it!"

As Buizel leaped into the water and sped over to celebrate with Ash, Wake sapped Floatzel back into its Poké Ball, turning the capsule around and smiling at it. "Thank you so much, Floatzel," the Gym Leader said, "Looks like we were outmatched."

Ash returned Buizel to its Poké Ball after a brief celebration and then bolted over to his friends, high-fiving the two youngsters and then exchanging his signature high-five with Dawn. Wake came lumbering over, calling out to Ash and getting the teen's attention.

"I'm pleased that we had that battle. Even though I lost by quite a margin, you allowed me to see that you've trained your Pokémon exceptionally well." Wake praised, "But, may I ask, why exactly are you going around challenging Gyms again?"

"I signed up for the Sinnoh League again in the winter. I'm traveling with Dawn and these two," Ash explained, pointing to Corey and Layla, "So I figured some practice against the _real_ Gym Leaders' teams would do me some good. I hope to enter my next Sinnoh League about a year from now."

"Ah, now I understand." Wake said, "I watched your battle against that Paul character last year…mighty fine Pokémon battle…and then I heard about that Tobias guy. Let me tell you, it made me furious that they let Legendary Pokémon into a Conference like that. Anyway, I'll be rooting for you next time."

"Thanks, Wake." Ash said with a smile. He reached out to shake the big man's hand.

"Mister Wake, can we battle now?" Corey asked hopefully.

Wake chuckled, "Later, youngster. I'll need to take my Pokémon to the Center first, and then we can battle. I suggest you all do the same, maybe go get some lunch. How about we get started in an hour?"

Corey brightened, "That sounds okay to me!"

Wake nodded, "Good! Well, I'll be on my way. I'll see you all back here soon."

* * *

" _Floatzel, let's finish this! Use Ice Beam!"_

"Luxio, use Discharge!"

Floatzel spat a speedy beam of ice, striking Luxio's dark fur just instants after the Spark Pokémon sent off a flurry of lightning bolts. Floatzel expertly dodged the stray voltage and focused on its Ice Beam. Luxio howled furiously as it tried to endure the freezing blast, but it was no use. It had taken a beating at the hands of Wake's Floatzel. After a few more moments of firing the freezing blast, Luxio slumped to the ground with an uncomfortable shiver.

" _Luxio is unable to battle! The winner is Floatzel, and that's the challenger's final Pokémon, which means the win goes to Crasher Wake, the Gym Leader!"_

Corey stood deathly still, unsure how to react. Trembling, he slipped out Luxio's Poké Ball and returned the electric-type. He met Ash, Dawn, and Layla at the bleachers as silent as could be. Ash tried to comfort Corey, but the youth said nothing. Even Wake was unable to get anything out of the boy as Corey turned and walked by himself to the Gym's exit.

"Huh…poor kiddo." Wake said.

"We should probably go after him." Dawn said, "…Make sure he's okay, you know?"

"Yeah, I will leave you all to that. But…tell Corey to keep working hard. I'll be more than happy to take another challenge from him." Wake said. With that, the ex-wrestler stepped away, leaving Ash, Dawn, and Layla to chase after Corey.

The walk back to Layla's house featured total silence from Corey other than the occasional "Yeah" or "Mmhmm." The group eventually reached Layla's house, and the lass slipped into her house to get some snacks for the group. Corey slumped down on the steps leading up to the front porch, giving a defeated sigh.

"Hey, Corey, I know losing sucks, especially when you come so close to winning." Ash started, "But you and your Pokémon both battled really hard, y'know? Floatzel's a tough Pokémon to beat. Even Buizel had trouble today. So…don't take it personally."

Corey still stayed silent, his eyes locked on his black shoes against the white-painted porch steps.

Ash sat down next to Corey, glancing up at Dawn and then looking over to the youth. "Hey, look, we'll stay here as long as we need to, and we'll work as hard as we can until you get that gym badge, ya hear? We'll do some more practice battles and we'll work on making your Pokémon hit harder and take more hits. We're not going anywhere until you've got that fourth badge."

Corey was still quiet, and Ash finally silently gave up. He went still as he sat next to Corey, glancing at the suburban city of Pastoria to the left of the house.

"No." Corey said quietly.

"What?" Ash asked. Did Corey say no?

"No. You aren't going to stay behind, Ash." Corey said, this time far more confidently.

"What do you mean, Corey?" Dawn interrupted.

Corey squeezed his hands together nervously as he looked up at Dawn, "Look, I've learned a lot from you guys since we met in Solaceon Town, I really have. Ash has really helped my Pokémon get stronger, and you've helped me too, Dawn. Thing is, I don't want to be that extra passenger for the whole thing. I've gotta learn to become stronger on my own!"

Corey continued, "And this boils down to Layla too. You guys heard her; she can't go too far from home by herself. But she enjoys Coordinating, and if she had a traveling partner, her mom would let her go so much further, and Layla'd be able to see so much stuff in Sinnoh."

"But…you two can do all of that with us. We really enjoy traveling with you two." Ash said.

"So do I, and I know that Layla likes it too. But you guys are in a completely different league than we are. And you guys have dreams to accomplish, and places to be. We'll just hold you up."

"Corey, that's not true…" Dawn tried.

"Whether it's true or not, I still think it's for the best. I think we'll all grow from this." Corey insisted, "Please, let me try to get stronger on my own. Let me learn from my mistakes without having someone there to tell me how."

"You got a point, Corey." Ash conceded, "And a good one, too."

"Thank you, Ash. I'm so glad I got to meet you two, and I'm really thankful for everything you've taught me." Corey said, a boyish smile on his face, "But I think this is what we should do."

"Then if you insist on doing it that way…I will respect it." Ash said, "Dawn?"

"If this is what Corey wants, then sure." Dawn agreed. She had to admit, there was a silver lining in splitting from Corey and Layla. She'd get to just be with Ash again for several more months.

"Okay, then, we should probably go pitch the idea to Layla and her mom." Ash suggested.

"It might take some convincing, but I'm sure Layla will be on board." Corey said, "And we can keep in touch and talk about our journeys too! Even though we're splitting up, this won't be the end!"

"And pretty soon we might meet again." Ash said as he connected the dots.

Corey caught on easily, "In the Sinnoh League?" the youth asked hopefully.

Ash nodded and he stuck out his hand. Corey and Dawn both brought their hands together like a group of kids would after a sports team practice. Ash looked Corey in the eye and spoke, confirming Corey's question.

"In the Sinnoh League."

* * *

 **That's that. Our group is splitting in two. Once again, please think about leaving a review down below, especially since it's going to be a while before the next chapter. I hope every one of you reading this will leave something, because each and every one of you that pops up on the visitors list for my chapters are important to me. I want to hear your thoughts and ideas! What can I do to make this story better? What would you like to see in the future? Tell me all this and more in the review box below or a PM, because I can't do anything if you don't tell me!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	48. Remember the Alamos

**Hello again, everyone! It's been awhile, but I'm back! I hope you are as excited as I am to get back to the story, and I hope you got excited to see THREE new chapters posted today. I've gotten some requests about a certain location since it was revealed that we'd be heading back to Sinnoh, and I finally decided to send our heroes to-drum roll please-Alamos Town! I wrote a lot more than I expected for the arc that takes place in this town, so I ended up breaking it into three chapters. I hope you guys enjoy, and don't forget to post a review in the box at the bottom!**

 **Marcus S. Lazarus: Wow, what a great review! Thank you so much for leaving one, I loved seeing you give a review of the entire story! I'm glad to hear that you enjoy the work, and I hope you enjoy what's to come.**

 **magic135: I'll be honest, haven't thought of a swimming chapter. Maybe that could happen in the future, but it's something I haven't put any thought of.**

 **dm7111722: You might like what you see in these next few chapters. It's not much, but I think it's better than nothing.**

 **Pearl shipper and K2: I'm going to keep my focus on a more serious tone to the story, since that's where my strengths lie. Thanks for your continued support, though! I appreciate it!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 48_

 _Remember the Alamos_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 207**_

The sun was nearing the peak of its ascent in the sky, meaning the time was approaching noon. Ash and Dawn walked quietly down the empty Route, the only sound being the twigs on the ground crunching beneath their feet. It had been two months since the pair had split from Corey and Layla, and autumn was fast approaching as the remaining days in the month of September dwindled. Soon, leaves on trees all across the region would change to all manner of warm colors and fall to the ground. The changing of leaves was a sight that Ash particularly loved. In Kanto, the climate was warm and humid enough that fall was uneventful. The leaves on Kanto trees would simply fall off the branches as green as they'd been for months, so he'd never gotten to see the spectacle as a young child.

It had been a long walk from Pastoria City. Their ultimate destination was Canalave City, where Ash planned to finally battle Byron. The first leg of the journey had been the trek through the vast marshy terrains connecting Pastoria City and Hearthome City, and it had taken them five weeks just to traverse that part of the Region. After spending a night in Hearthome City, they'd continued west, hoping to duck off Route 207 into Oreburgh City and head further west from there. At long last, just over seven weeks after leaving Pastoria City, it seemed that they would finally reach that point.

"So, have you looked at any of the upcoming Contests?" Ash asked.

Dawn thought for a moment, "There's another one in Jubilife City in a couple of weeks, but I'm not really sure that's where I want to compete. So I started thinking about where we'd be headed after your battle with Byron. Since we're going to Snowpoint City, I looked at Chocovine Town, and there's a Contest coming up there soon!"

"Chocovine Town, huh? That's where we saw the Phione, right?" Ash agreed.

"Yeah, and I won my fourth Ribbon there!" Dawn gushed.

"Sounds like a plan to me, then! Chocovine Town'll get a real treat seeing the best Coordinator in the world on their stage." Ash declared. Dawn gave him a playful nudge as he praised her, and the Trainer eagerly nudged her back, though it was more of a shove than a simple nudge. Dawn half-stumbled and Ash paled, but the 15-year old easily recovered and hit Ash with an even harder shove, instigating a brief shoving match between the two that was ended only by their uncontrollable giggling.

Eventually, Ash and Dawn came to a point where the road forked. The Route split into three paths: one pointing north, one pointing northwest, and another going south. A tall wooden sign was stuck in the ground, with labeled arrows acting as a guide.

"Oreburgh City is that way." Dawn observed, pointing down the southward road. Indeed, the mining town could be easily seen in the distance along the base of the mountains, the tall chimneys of the refineries sticking up alongside the foothills and exuding thin pillars of smoke.

"Which means Eterna City is that way." Ash said, glancing down the road that went north. He looked back to the sign and read the final label. "Hey Dawn! Look at that!" Ash gasped, pointing at the sign and then glancing down the road that pointing northwest.

Dawn looked at the sign, squinting to read what it said. "Route 207A…to… _Alamos Town?_ "

"Yeah! If we go down that way we'll end up in Alamos Town!" Ash enthused, "We might be able to see Alice and Tonio again! I know we're heading to Canalave City, and it'll take us a couple of extra days to go this way, but…"

"No need to worry! We're in no rush." Dawn insisted. She started to march down the road. Ash snickered and promptly followed, and the pair fell back into the relative silence they'd been entrenched in for most of the day.

About an hour of walking later, the route began to widen, indicating that the journey was nearly at its end. Piplup waddled alongside Dawn at her feet, chirping _"Pip"_ with each individual step forward.

"So, Piplup, are you excited to visit Alamos Town again?" Dawn asked. Piplup answered with a gleeful chirp, pumping its flipper into the air affirmatively. Pikachu began chattering on Ash's shoulder, apparently raising some very good points.

"Yeah, I wonder how Alice and Tonio are doing."

"They seemed pretty close when we were last there." Dawn said with a knowing smile. Ash shrugged, not leaving the topic up for debate.

"Hey, remember the last time we made it to Alamos Town, and we were on the wrong side of the lake?" Ash asked with a chuckle.

Dawn snickered, "I do. And then Alice showed up in her hot air balloon. Could you imagine having to walk all the way around to the other side on those cliffs just to get to the stupid bridge?"

"Oh man, that would've _stunk!_ " Ash agreed.

The route suddenly shifted into an upward trek, traversing a great hill that soon ended in a cliff. The face of the cliff was connected to a huge bridge made of stone that stretched across a massive, crystal clear lake, and the bridge's other end was attached to a gigantic plateau in the water. On said plateau, a beautiful city resembling a Spanish village overlooked the beautiful lake as several mountains populated the distant lands that could be seen from the plateau.

"There it is…" Ash started.

"Alamos Town." Dawn said, taking a moment to admire the distant visage of the town. The huge stone bridge seemed to call the teens forward as the pair slipped into their memories of the place. Some time ago, they'd born witness to a titanic battle between Dialga and Palkia, and the clash had nearly resulted in the town's destruction.

Without further ado, Ash and Dawn began walking down the bridge, each of them taking note at how surprisingly long it was. Alamos Town crept closer and closer with each step, and along with it the question grew. How exactly would they find Alice and Tonio? They'd met Alice on a stroke of luck during their first visit to the town, and Tonio had followed soon after. But they hadn't seen nor spoken to the pair since then, and had no way of knowing exactly where either would be.

The bridge eventually came to an end, and the teenagers were officially in Alamos Town. The cobblestone streets were lined on each side by identical buildings. Vines adorned with flowers were draped across the buildings, as if some sort of town holiday were coming up. People flocked up and down the streets in groups as small as pairs and as large as quartets. Many of them had Poké Balls hooked on belts along their waists, entailing that they were Pokémon Trainers.

"So…what now?" Ash groaned.

"Well…maybe we should try the garden?" Dawn guessed, "I don't really have any ideas either, other than that."

"The garden, yeah, that's a good place to start." Ash said, "Pikachu, what do you think?

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ Pikachu cried. He remembered the garden in Alamos Town being a beautiful place. The sanctuary had been full of exotic Pokémon both young and old, and flora of all shapes, sizes, and beauty could be found.

"I guess that's settled, then." Ash said with a shrug, "Off we go to the garden!"

* * *

Alice brought the leaf to her lips, releasing the first gentle breath from her lips. The breath came in the form of a beautiful whistle. A large collection of various different Pokémon sat patiently like a classroom full of children as the music spilled from the leaf whistle.

It was without a doubt Alice's favorite song, and it had been since the day the song had saved everything she'd ever known. The battle between Dialga and Palkia over Alamos Town had marked a wealth of changes in Alice's life. Since that day, Alice had graduated from music school and taken a job as a schoolteacher in the subject. She had also begun dating Tonio, and she hoped that after a few more years their relationship would take the next step.

The song of Oración poured into the open air, the leaf whistle singing a shrill yet beautiful tune. The Pokémon gathered below moved gently as the tune danced around their ears. The species ranged from the small yet adorable types like Shinx, Eevee, and Starly; to bigger, tougher types like Luxray and Grotle.

The sound of the song drew two certain teens to the edge of a stone bridge that overlooked the lower levels of the garden. Ash and Dawn quickly spotted Alice playing the leaf whistle, but they remained still for a moment as the song evoked something in them as well. After their brief pause, they quietly padded down the steps into the ground of the garden. Alice continued playing, her back turned to them thanks to the bench she sat on.

The Pokémon suddenly spotted the newcomers and stiffened. Many of them took a few steps back and others growled apprehensively at the strangers. The Pokémon of the garden recognized many of the people that lived in Alamos Town and had little issue with them, but even so most of them would never intentionally reveal themselves to the townsfolk. Not only were the two strangers intruding on the garden, but they also weren't residents of Alamos Town, which made the various wild Pokémon extra anxious.

Alice flinched as she noticed her audience backing away, and she instinctively whirled around, expecting to find unwelcome intruders. Instead, her eyes fell on Ash and Dawn, two people she hadn't seen in a long time. Alice immediately brightened, an involuntary smile growing on her lips.

"Ash! Dawn!" Alice gasped, unsure what else to say. She immediately surged out of her seat and ran to the two Pokémon Trainers. The present wild Pokémon immediately seemed to calm, and some of them even purred with recognition upon seeing the two Pokémon that were with the teenaged Trainers. It had been quite some time, but they recognized the Pikachu and Piplup. They had been there in those fateful days that had almost ended with the end of their world.

"Alice, hi!" Dawn beamed.

"It's been so long." Ash concurred.

"It has! What brings you two to Alamos Town?" Alice asked, "And where's Brock?"

"It's a bit of a long story." Ash admitted, glancing over to Dawn, "We split with Brock after leaving Sinnoh so that he could study to become a Pokémon Doctor. He came back here for an internship, but he headed back to Kanto a few weeks ago to take some more classes."

"Brock's studying to be a Pokémon Doctor? That's wonderful for him." Alice said, "But what about you two?"

"I'm competing in another round of Contests here in Sinnoh! I've got three Ribbons!" Dawn beamed.

"And I'm going to be challenging the Sinnoh League again." Ash said, "I've been challenging Gyms while traveling around to Contests with Dawn."

"Well, that's wonderful. I'm happy for you two. It's been quite some time since you were last in Alamos Town." Alice said, "Three years, to be exact."

"Three years, huh?" Ash mused. He knew it had been awhile, but he hadn't thought about the exact amount of time very much. "Feels like it was yesterday when we were last here."

"In fact, this weekend will mark the third anniversary of Darkrai's sacrifice to save the town." Alice stated. Her eyes clouded over, and Ash and Dawn immediately mirrored her sudden mood.

"Darkrai…" Dawn sighed. The Dark Pokémon had been a troubled, misunderstood soul; branded as the enemy in a time of great strife when its only aim had been the safety of the town. The Mythical Pokémon had done a great deal to hold off the fighting between Dialga and Palkia, but in the end it had fallen. Thanks to the Pokémon's sacrifice, Ash and Dawn had been able to put the Oración disk in the Space-Time Tower's musical instrument, quelling the deities' fury and saving the town.

"But…Darkrai lives. We saw him after the battle!" Ash insisted.

Alice met Ash's eyes and nodded slowly. "Yes, Darkrai is still alive. But even though he is now revered as the town's hero, Darkrai doesn't come around…so much so that his survival is merely a rumor. I know that he still walks this garden, and he's revealed himself to me every now and then, but as far as the rest of the town is concerned, Darkrai's life ended during the battle between Dialga and Palkia."

"That's…so sad…" Dawn whispered, "Darkrai gave everything for this town, he doesn't deserve that."

Alice turned to look into the distance, her eyes falling on the dense foliage of the garden's woods. Even on the brightest of days, the thick cover of trees made the area dark. "No…he doesn't deserve that, even if the town no longer hates him. He may be considered the hero of Alamos Town now, but...I'm afraid that's just the way things are."

" _Alice! Alice, are you out here?"_

Ash, Dawn, and Alice all perked up, glancing up at the stone bridge. They couldn't see the source of the voice from their place on the ground, but Alice knew exactly who had come calling. Her mood instantly became better.

"Tonio! I'm down here!" Alice called.

"Tonio…?" Dawn asked curiously, glancing over at Ash for a brief instant.

The humble scientist appeared at the edge of the bridge, immediately spotting Alice. "Alice!" he called, before quickly noticing the two newcomers. He recognized them easily, "Hey, it's Ash and Dawn! Hold on, I'm coming down!"

Tonio raced over to the stairs that branched off of the bridge and landed at the garden's ground, running over to Alice and the two Trainers. "Hello, Ash and Dawn! It's been so long! What are you doing in Alamos Town?"

"Tonio, it has been a while!" Ash agreed, "We were just passing through on our way to Canalave City, and we figured we'd take a trip back here. We'd hoped to find you two once we got here!"

"And by the looks of it, we managed." Dawn giggled.

" _Pip-lup!"_

Alice stepped over to Tonio and linked her arm with his. She quickly leaned into him and pecked him on the cheek, making Tonio blush furiously. Ash and Dawn both dropped their jaws at the sight, which didn't help Tonio's embarrassment. Sure, he should've been used to Alice's regular displays of affection by now, but Ash and Dawn had no idea that they were a couple and the act was a sudden, surprising way to reveal the nature of their relationship.

Ash quickly recovered from his surprise and gave a grin. "Congratulations, you two."

"Oh, uh, thanks, Ash." Tonio stammered, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Hey, there's a big festival going on here in a couple of days. There will be a Pokémon battling tournament." Alice said, "Ash, Dawn, you two should both sign up for that."

"A tournament? You have me already!" Ash beamed, "Where do I sign up?"

"They're holding sign ups at the Pokémon Center near the Space-Time Tower." Tonio explained.

"All right! I'm headed there right now!" Ash said immediately. Without hesitation, the teen bolted up the stairs to the bridge, leaving the garden behind. Dawn's face turned red and groaned.

"I guess I'd better go after him." Dawn said, "Would you guys want to meet up later? I can give you my number." Dawn gestured to her bag, where she kept her PokéPad portable videophone.

"Sure thing!" Alice agreed. Dawn swiftly pulled out a slip of paper from the pocket of her bag and began writing her videophone number on it, handing it to Alice. The Coordinator then waved goodbye to the pair of Alice and Tonio, galloping up the stone steps and chasing after Ash to sign up for the upcoming battle tournament.

* * *

Over in the darkness of the garden's wood, hidden beyond what any of the four humans would've been able to see, a black shape with jagged red growths around its collar watched as the people left the garden one by one. In particular, the sight of the two teenage visitors had warmed the Pokémon's heart. Alice had been telling the truth. Despite the town's new view on it, the dark shape still preferred being by itself. This garden was its home, and no matter how warmly the townsfolk behaved toward it, its feelings would always be this way. Alamos Town had been more than safe since the incident involving Dialga and Palkia, and as the town's guardian, the Dark Pokémon would wait until the town, its Pokémon, and its people were in danger again before ever revealing itself fully to the town's citizens.

Darkrai blinked—its bright blue eye glistening with a mix of unwelcome emotions—and then snaked its way back into the darkness of the woods, rushing back into hiding without a second thought.

* * *

" _Welcome one, welcome all, to the 107_ _th_ _annual Alamos Ball Weekend celebration!"_

Two days had passed since Ash and Dawn's arrival in Alamos Town. They had spent the time mostly with Alice and Tonio—although they did leave the pair to themselves for plenty of time—and also were able to learn how the Alamos Ball had first begun. It had originally been an annual festival in mid-autumn that celebrated the annual harvest. As the town developed and the people left their farming histories behind, the celebration had been moved up into the early days of autumn and ended with a formal ball dance. Over even more time, a battling tournament had been integrated into the festivities. In the three years since the incident involving Dialga and Palkia, there had been a special tribute to Darkrai in which the town held a brief moment of pure silence, so quiet that even the drop of a pin would be deafening. The battle tournament was filled each year with no more than 16 Trainers, and the ultimate winner of the tournament was declared the Champion of Alamos Town. That night, the ball was held at the Baron Alberto's manor.

The battling tournament was to take place in the streets under the shadow of the Space-Time Tower. Spectators were huddled both on the ground and on the balconies of the surrounding buildings, hoping that they had the best spot in the area to watch what were sure to be exhilarating battles.

Ash and Dawn stood in the crowd on the cobblestone street as a man in expensive clothes shouted at the top of his lungs to address the people. He was none other than the loathsome Baron Alberto, the wealthiest man in Alamos Town and a devoted suitor of Alice's (though she still rejected him at every turn). Even though she was with Tonio, the Baron was certain that one day she would come around, and continued his attempts to win her over to this day.

"Without further ado, we are almost ready to begin this year's battle tournament. I have a feeling this year's spectacle will be quite the eye-catcher! We're playing host to many talented Trainers!" Alberto boasted. Of course, he considered himself the most talented Trainer of them all, an ego that he backed up by winning the tournament year in and year out.

A girl stepped up next to Dawn, and the 15-year old Coordinator glanced over and then back ahead. Her neck quickly snapped back as her mind processed who was standing next to her.

"Allegra?" Dawn asked. The girl with curly red hair turned and her eyes twinkled with recognition.

"Dawn! It's been too long!" Allegra squealed, immediately pulling the younger Coordinator into a hug. Allegra was herself 17 years old, having been 14 when she'd first met Dawn and Ash in Alamos Town.

"It has been awhile, and it's been nothing but familiar faces for us since we got here!"

"Are Ash and Brock both with you?" Allegra asked.

"Just one of them. Ash is somewhere around here." Dawn remarked, glancing over her shoulder through the crowd. As if on cue, Ash broke through a chunk of the crowd and recognized Allegra.

"Afternoon, Ash!" Allegra greeted. She also subconsciously noted that the teen was quite handsome and taller than when she'd last seen him. Were he and Dawn a couple if they were traveling together? Rather than dwell on that topic, Allegra called back to her two companions. _"Kai! Maury!_ Come and look who it is!"

The two men appeared on Allegra's call. The husky Kai led the way for the significantly smaller Maury, gently pushing past people and reaching Allegra quite easily. Maury brightened as he recognized Ash.

"Hey, it's Ash!"

"And Dawn as well." Kai said with a smirk, "What are the odds? Are you both competing in this tournament as well?"

"We sure are!" Ash whooped, "I sure hope we get to battle!"

"I never thought we'd have the chance to have another battle!" Maury beamed, "I'm sure Torterra would love to go up against Pikachu again."

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

"Sounds like Pikachu's all for it, Maury." Ash said with a confident grin.

Baron Alberto's voice interrupted their reunion as he spoke into the wireless microphone. "For the first match of the annual Alamos Town Battle Tournament, may we see…Kai and Colton!"

"Guess that's my cue!" Kai said with a chuckle. The large Coordinator cracked his knuckles and stepped through the crowd. Another Trainer appeared on the other end and drew a Poké Ball. The tournament rules set every battle to be simple 1-on-1 competitions so as to get through each battle quickly.

Baron Alberto signaled for the battle to begin and walked away from the field, disappearing into the crowd. Kai called on his Empoleon, while his opponent—Colton—called on Wormadam.

"Come on, Kai!" Allegra cheered.

The spectators formed a large, crude rectangle with their bodies so that the Trainers and their Pokémon would have enough space to begin battling. The crowd roared approvingly as the clash begun, and Ash, Dawn, Allegra, and Maury did their best to see the battle through the many bodies of people watching the battle unfold.

Alice and Tonio soon arrived, easily spotting Ash and Dawn and eagerly heading over to them. Unfortunately, Baron Alberto also spotted Alice, and tailed them with little attempt at secrecy. He slipped around next to Alice and popped up seemingly out of nowhere, causing the sweet blonde to jump.

"Alice." Alberto greeted, taking her hand and kissing it gently, "I'd hoped you would be here."

Alice's skin crawled. The Baron was once again up to his tricks, insistent on wooing Alice despite her relationship with Tonio. Tonio's face reddened, but another sight briefly diverted Alberto's attention.

"Well! You're the Trainers that quelled the fighting between Dialga and Palkia three years ago!" Alberto gasped, "I had no idea that you'd returned! Ash and Dawn, was it?"

"Hello, Baron Alberto." Dawn said. She was rather less than thrilled to see him again, and neither was Ash, but the Baron seemed to have eyes on everything that occurred in Alamos Town and his appearance at the tournament wasn't particularly surprising.

"But anyway, _Alice…_ " Alberto said, turning his attention back to the attractive blonde, "I hope that you will be at the ball tomorrow evening. As I know you're aware, it is tradition that the Champion of Alamos Town dances with whomever they desire."

Ash raised an eyebrow, but remained quiet. _Tradition, huh?_ He briefly glanced over to Dawn, but Alice's voice turned his attention.

Alice's face scrunched up. By now, she was quite annoyed by the Baron's advances. "I will be at the ball, Baron, but with _Tonio_."

The Baron looked displeased. "Alice, come now. You shouldn't deny your destiny! After I win this tournament, we shall dance at the ball, and I will not be denied once again!"

Alberto whirled around, the cape attached to his regal attire flapping about behind him. He stormed away and Alice breathed a sigh of relief. The red in Tonio's face went away and Alice linked her hand with his. "Don't worry about him, Tonio," she insisted. The scientist tried to put on a smile, but the result was unconvincing. Alice said some words to him too quietly for the others to hear.

" _Wormadam is unable to battle! The winners are Kai and Empoleon!"_ a referee shouted. Ash, Dawn, Allegra, and Maury all whirled around and saw Kai and Empoleon giving a celebratory pump of their fists (well, Empoleon pumped his wing). Allegra and Maury clapped approvingly.

"There we go, Kai!" Maury cheered. Kai returned Empoleon and eagerly trotted off of the field, reaching the group and exchanging high-fives with Allegra and Maury. Allegra was called up next and easily defeated her opponent with the help of her Infernape. Maury quickly followed, defeating his opponent with Torterra.

Following Maury's battle, the next contest was between a Trainer named Kyle and none other than Baron Alberto.

" _Lickilicky, use Mega Punch!"_ Alberto commanded. Lickilicky quickly obeyed and a glowing white aura formed around its short, round arm. Kyle had called upon an Ursaring, and he readily countered by calling for Ursaring to use Hammer Arm. The two Pokémon raced toward each other and launched their attacks, with Lickilicky attacking first.

" _Licki…licky!"_ Lickilicky crowed, slamming its fist into Ursaring's chest. The fearsome Hibernator Pokémon staggered backward but recovered easily, glaring back up at Lickilicky with multiplied fury. Ursaring lashed out with its brutally powerful arm, spinning Lickilicky around with a thunderous punch and sending the normal-type stumbling into the ground.

"Okay, Ursaring, use Slash!"

Ursaring roared and extended the sharp claws on both of its hands before lumbering over to the fallen Lickilicky. Alberto gritted his teeth, "Lickilicky, block with Power Whip!" Lickilicky quickly released its long tongue and it glowed with green light, stiffening as the grass-type move's energy poured into it. Ursaring arrived above the grounded Lickilicky and swung its powerful claws downward, but Lickilicky threw its Power Whip-infused tongue out in front of the oncoming claws, successfully creating a barrier that shielded it from the Slash attack.

"Now Lickilicky, use Hyper Beam!"

" _Ursaring, get outta there!"_ Kyle shouted. Ursaring briefly ignored its Trainer's command for just an instant too long, fighting against Lickilicky's Power Whip defense. Lickilicky deactivated the attack to charge up a Hyper Beam, giving Ursaring a slim window to attack, but the Hibernator Pokémon suddenly realized what Lickilicky was doing, and before it could jump out of the way, the ultra-powerful blast shot from Lickilicky's mouth and struck Ursaring squarely in its torso, lifting the normal-type off of the ground and slinging it away with incredible force. Ursaring landed with a sickening crash and rolled over several times before coming to a stop and fainting.

"Ursaring is unable to battle! The winners are Lickilicky and Baron Alberto!" the referee shouted. The crowd clapped approvingly as their hometown Trainer claimed victory, and the Baron took a bow before returning Lickilicky and he disappeared into the throng of people.

Dawn's turn came after a few more battles and she narrowly defeated a Trainer's Staravia with Buneary. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ash was called up for the final match of the first round. His opponent was a female Trainer named Carol, and she called upon a Kricketot for the battle.

"A Kricketot." Ash observed, "Okay then, we'll go with…Torkoal!" Ash chose the fire-type tortoise's Poké Ball and tossed it into the field, bringing out the Coal Pokémon. Torkoal spewed thick, black smoke from the holes in its shell, and scorching embers burned to life in the shell's cavities.

"Kricketot, use Tackle!" Carol called. The round little bug-type dashed forward at Torkoal, who waited patiently for Ash's inevitable counter. Kricketot closed in, its round body bouncing as it ran, and Ash calmly spoke to Torkoal.

"Torkoal, let's use Flamethrower."

Smoke exited Torkoal's nostrils and the fire-type opened its mouth. A river of scorching flames suddenly rushed out from its throat and rocketed toward Kricketot, easily overtaking the bug-type and wrapping it in lapping flames. Kricketot flew backward and rolled on the ground, managing to put out the lingering flames on its body. However, a few glowing embers still decorated its round body, indicating that Kricketot had nearly suffered a burn already.

"Kricketot, use Leech Life!"

Kricketot glared at Torkoal and spat a small tick of energy that embedded itself into Torkoal's neck. Torkoal cringed and red energy detached from its body and trailed over to Kricketot, and the bug-type eagerly sucked up the stolen energy. Torkoal huffed unhappily. The round bug-type had barely stolen any energy from its body, and taking the hit was a minor setback.

"Torkoal, use Iron Defense."

Torkoal stiffened its body and a silvery energy slid around its body, quickly disappearing into nothing. The effect of the move was clear, though; Torkoal would be able to take quite a few more hits, should Kricketot even manage to land them.

"Now, use Heat Wave."

Torkoal spread its round legs and a swirling aura of scorching heat formed around its body. Torkoal roared and the blast of hot air rushed toward Kricketot, overtaking the bug-type easily and swamping its body with unbearable heat. Kricketot screeched as the Heat Wave ravaged its body, and after taking two powerful fire-type moves head-on, the bug-type already wasn't looking too hot just a few minutes into the battle.

"Kricketot, use Bide!" Carol shouted.

Kricketot's body glowed a brilliant white, somewhat resembling evolution. The light grew into a large sphere and then shot out in all directions. The light had a damaging aura; taking all of the damage the bug-type had recently suffered and throwing it back at Torkoal.

"Torkoal, use Iron Defense!" Ash called. There was virtually no way to avoid a Bide attack, and their only hope was to set up a defense against the damaging ray of light. Torkoal generated another Iron Defense as the Bide wave reached it, creating a sort of shield as the move tried to ravage its body. Torkoal groaned as it felt the beating of the damaging aura, but it was far from enough to put the Coal Pokémon into the dirt. When the light of Bide went away, Torkoal was still standing and had plenty of energy to spare.

"Torkoal, let's finish this. Use Body Slam." Ash said calmly. Torkoal barked at Kricketot and began lumbering forward, picking up speed in a moment's notice. Carol commanded Kricketot to counter with a Leech Life, but the move was far from enough to do any considerable damage to the charging fire-type. Torkoal leaped into the air, soaring upward and then coming crashing down onto Kricketot from the air. The bug-type shrieked as Torkoal's weight slammed into it from above, and the result was practically inevitable. Torkoal crawled off of the fainted Kricketot and lumbered back over to Ash as the referee called out the result.

"Kricketot is unable to battle. The winners are Ash and Torkoal!"

Ash bent down as Torkoal reached him and he graciously patted the fire-type's head and neck. "Great job, Torkoal!" Ash praised. He could feel the searing warmth emanating from Torkoal's shell as the Coal Pokémon happily chattered back.

" _Torkoal, Tor-koal."_ Torkoal grunted. Ash offered a smile and pulled out the fire-type's Poké Ball.

"Okay, Torkoal, you've earned some rest. Return!" Ash said, sucking the Pokémon back inside its capsule. He clipped the capsule back to his belt and walked over to his group of friends. Kai spoke first, a thoroughly impressed smile plastered on his face.

"That was one strong Pokémon, Ash. That girl's Kricketot didn't stand a chance! Just where did you find a Pokémon that strong?" Kai insisted, giving the older teen a clap on the back.

"Torkoal's from the Hoenn Region, and we've been training together for a long time!" Ash explained eagerly, "I haven't given him the chance to have a real battle in awhile."

"Well, now I'm a little concerned!" Allegra joked, "If that's one of your Pokémon that doesn't see much action, I mean…"

The rest of the group laughed out loud, and the referee's voice suddenly commanded all of the attention in the plaza. _"That concludes the first round of our annual tournament!_ Eight Trainers remain! They are: Baron Alberto…Allegra…Kai…"

The sight of something else suddenly stole Ash's attention as the referee began reading names. His eyes drifted up to the roof of a nearby building. The roof rose up in a thin steeple, and atop the steeple was a slim, dark shape. A white plume of sorts billowed atop the black shape's head, and a single, brilliant blue eye stared down at him intensely. Legs thinner than the building's steeple kept the Pokémon standing on the spire as it looked down, staring quietly at Ash.

 _D…Darkrai?_ Ash realized silently.

Darkrai stood, watching Ash with equal silence. The life of Aura rippled inside Ash's veins, but the Trainer suddenly blinked. As his eyes reopened in a fraction of a second, Darkrai was gone, and the building's spire stood undisturbed as if nothing had been there to begin with.

Had he only imagined that? Had Darkrai really been there, watching him and the people of the town below? Or had he just been seeing things? Ash knew that the Dark Pokémon still lived. Did the people of the town know? Had anyone else seen the dark-type standing there? No one certainly made a move to bring up the topic.

"… _and Ash."_ The referee said, finishing the list of the eight remaining Trainers. "For the first match of the second round, please welcome to the battlefield: Allegra and Dawn!"

"Well…" Dawn said, meeting Allegra's eyes, "Here goes."

"You ready for this?" Allegra said with a smirk. Dawn nodded with a fiercely confident grin and started walking to the open space where the battle would be held. Allegra followed, briskly walking to the opposite end of the field. The two Trainers took their places and the referee raised his right arm, before thrusting it downward and shouting a pair of words for all to hear.

" _Battle, begin!"_

* * *

"Quite the collection of powerful Pokémon, wouldn't you agree, James?" Jessie said as she peeked through the binoculars. She, James, and Meowth were situated on the top of one of the nondescript buildings; only a few blocks away, but far enough from the site that no one would notice their being there. And if they did, the trio was undercover, wearing basic civilian clothes that would fool the most prying of eyes. The crooks were there, of course, because the twerps were. But now that they'd seen quite a few power-packed Pokémon in the town, an idea was beginning to take shape in Jessie's mind.

"Yes, indeed, Jess." James answered, peering through his own set of binoculars, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm _thinking_ that I'd _love_ to add that little redhead's Infernape to my lineup." Jessie admitted, taking another glance at Allegra's powerful fire-type through her binoculars. "And look at that, she's battling the twerpette!"

"Poaching them's Pokémon down there would make the boss real happy!" Meowth chimed in, "We ought to call up Charon and tell 'im the situation!"

"Ooh, good idea, Meowth." James said.

Jessie rolled up the sleeve of her light coat, revealing the small wristwatch on her arm. The wristwatch, though mostly meant to be a piece that sold her civilian disguise, also doubled as a communicator that she could use to contact Coronet Base. Jessie turned her forearm over so that the wristwatch's strap pointed up at her, and she lowered her lips to the hidden microphone on the strap and began speaking.

"Coronet Base, come in. Do you copy?" Jessie said.

" _Copy that, agent. What's the problem?"_

"No problem at all." Jessie insisted, "This is Jessie speaking, requesting a transfer to Charon."

" _Copy that, requesting permission to initiate transfer."_ The operator on the other line said. A few seconds passed, and her almost robotic voice returned, _"Transfer approved. One moment, agent."_

The communication line went dead, the only sound from the communicator being a faint, monotone beeping every few seconds. Eventually, the sound of the line being picked up sang to the three Rockets' ears, and Charon spoke on the line.

" _Jessie, I've been expecting your call. What's the report?"_

"Well, sir, we're in Alamos Town at the moment, tailing Ketchum and the girl. They've entered in some sort of tournament, and there's a decent collection of strong Pokémon that could be worth stealing." Jessie explained.

" _I follow, but how exactly are you planning to pull this off?"_

"James gathered intelligence for us yesterday. It seems that a formal ball is being held tonight, and most—if not all—of the Trainers battling here today will be in attendance." Jessie relayed, "I think crashing the party would be quite fun."

Charon hummed as he thought about the proposition, _"So, you want to crash the ball and use the distraction to steal some Pokémon. I see the appeal, Jessie, I do, but your team's track record with poaching Pokémon is far from stellar."_

"I understand, sir."

" _Nevertheless, I will grant you another chance. I will even dispatch a team to help with the task."_ Charon decided, _"I hope for your sake that you succeed in managing_ some _take."_

"What about the new equipment, sir? May I request permission to make use of it?" Jessie asked.

" _The Control Gauntlets and Ball Magnets, you mean?"_

"All of it. The Trainers that we hope to steal Pokémon from will not be pushovers." Jessie insisted, "We will face significant resistance. If you're going to send a team to rendezvous with us in Alamos Town, I suggest you equip them with some of our… _special…_ Pokémon."

The silence on the other line of the communicator was chilling. Jessie, James, and Meowth waited patiently as Charon hummed again while mulling over Jessie's proposal. A scratching noise came across the line before Charon sighed out loud, clapping his hand against a surface wherever he was in the base.

" _All right, Jessie, you win. I will instruct a team to bring everything you ask for. They will be in town by sunset. Until then, I suggest you survey the area and decide how you are going to complete this job. There can be no further mistakes, am I understood?"_

"Clear as crystal, Charon." Jessie said, "Jessie out." She pressed a button that terminated the communication and then rolled her sleeve down, hiding the wristwatch once again. Jessie then set the binoculars down on the rooftop and glanced at her two comrades, giving them a giddy grin.

"Persuasive as ever, Jess." Meowth praised.

"Yes, I must say I'm quite excited to try out the Control Gauntlets." James admitted, "It will be a nice way to level the playing field."

Meowth slipped an eager grin, taking a glance at the battle tournament going on just a few blocks away on the cobblestone streets. Allegra's Infernape pulled off an acrobatic spinning somersault to avoid a timely Bubblebeam from Dawn's Piplup. The fire-type landed close to Piplup and dealt a swift Mach Punch into Piplup's side on Allegra's command, sending the small Penguin Pokémon rolling a few feet away. The impressive counter failed to faze either Dawn or Piplup, though, and the Coordinator responded with a call for Whirlpool, hoping to put Infernape in a bind that would throw the ball back in their court. As the Scratch Cat Pokémon watched, he spoke, pumping his feline fist into the air.

"Tonight, when them twerps are all distracted by the ball, we'll give 'em a good scare and snatch up their Pokémon! They'll never know what hit 'em!"


	49. The Baron's Ball

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 49_

 _The Baron's Ball_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Alamos Town**_

"Lickilicky, come on out!"

"Charizard, I choose _you!"_

Ash and Baron Alberto were the final Trainers in the tournament. The last two rounds of battle had been real doozies for Ash. He had squared off against Maury in the second round, matching up Torterra with Pikachu. Normally, Ash would never have put himself in such a grievous type disadvantage (more than half of Pikachu's moveset was rendered useless by Torterra's ground typing), but he had promised to battle Maury with his partner Pokémon. It had taken some time, but Pikachu had eventually prevailed over Torterra with a timely Iron Tail.

Dawn had not fared as well, eventually losing to Allegra and her Infernape in the tournament's second round. Allegra and Kai had both advanced as well into the semifinal round, with Allegra battling Ash and Kai battling Baron Alberto. Ash had called upon Wartortle to battle Allegra's Infernape and won handily, while Alberto and his Lickilicky outlasted Kai and Empoleon in the round's other battle, setting up a contest between Ash and the Baron in the finals.

"A Charizard!" Baron gasped with awe, "Magnificent!"

Charizard gave a low, long growl in response, zeroing its focus in on the wide body of Lickilicky. The powerful fire-type glared calculatingly at the normal-type, already certain that it would win this battle.

"Thank you, Baron Alberto. But you'd better get ready." Ash warned, "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard swiftly parted its mouth and spewed an eruption of molten-hot flames from its throat. The fire captured Lickilicky and swarmed around its body in a ball of punishing damage. Lickilicky complained and stumbled its way backward out of the sphere of scorching flames, immediately glancing back up at its dragon-like opponent. Ash wasted no time in putting the Baron back on his heels, calling for a quick follow-up attack.

"Charizard, Dragon Claw."

Charizard lunged forward, stretching out its wings and lofting into the air. Charizard's arms jabbed out at its sides and its already-large claws became longer and sharper, glowing with a menacing aura as latent power poured into the upcoming attack.

"Lickilicky, block it with Power Whip." Alberto ordered. Lickilicky opened its mouth and its gigantic tongue slid out into the open like a waterfall. The tongue acted as a fifth limb as it stiffened and became empowered with pulsing green energy, forming the perfect shield for Lickilicky as Charizard arrived and swung its powerful, clawed hands at the normal-type.

The Dragon Claw made contact with Lickilicky's tongue, and the normal-type managed to hold itself steady as it positioned its tongue perpendicular to its wide body, deflecting another strike from Charizard. The fire-type saw that its attack had been thwarted and then went into a small rage, attacking a third time with sheer determination. Lickilicky maneuvered its tongue to block the Flame Pokémon's third attempt, parrying just in time to knock Charizard off of its balance. Both Baron Alberto and Lickilicky recognized the opening, and without command Lickilicky struck with its Power Whip attack, batting Charizard several paces away.

Charizard regained its balance before it could fall to the ground and the dragon glared at Lickilicky. The Licking Pokémon gave Charizard a smug grin, its long tongue hanging out from between its teeth. Charizard's tail danced from side to side, the constant flame on its tip burning furiously. Ash waited calmly as Alberto took the initiative to command Lickilicky forward.

"Lickilicky, use Gyro Ball."

Lickilicky stood up on its toes and then turned its body almost halfway around. Like a slingshot, Lickilicky spun back around the other way, lifting up into the air and spinning rapidly as it flew toward Charizard. A blade of razor-sharp wind formed around Lickilicky's body, and Charizard waited with an unusual patience until Ash finally called for it to counter. Ash's next command was for a move that the pair had been working on for some time, and though they hadn't quite mastered it, the particular attack was packed with devastating power.

"Charizard, use Dragon Tail!" Ash shouted. Charizard parted its lips in a thin smile. Streaks of blue and red aura formed around the entire length of Charizard's tail, pulsing with the light of its incredible power. Lickilicky closed in, and Charizard lashed out with its powerful tail, slamming the full might of its brutal strength into the normal-type's spinning body. Lickilicky howled as the attack made contact, and its spinning pattern was instantly ground to a halt. Charizard forced its tail further and slammed Licklicky into the ground, giving the Licking Pokémon a mouthful of dirt and shattered stone.

"Awesome job, Charizard! That Dragon Tail was perfect!" Ash praised. Charizard accepted the praise with about as much humility as expected, releasing a great roar that rattled the eardrums of the spectators. The crowd cheered approvingly for Charizard, surprising the conceited Baron Alberto as Lickilicky climbed back to its feet.

 _Ash seems to be winning them over;_ Alberto thought to himself, _But_ _I can't let him beat me!_

"Lickilicky, use Hyper Beam!"

Lickilicky stood still as it built up the energy inside its body, focusing deeply on the power hidden within its body. Explosive energy surged in the normal-type's throat, mimicking the shape of a beam as Licklicky parted its mouth. The Hyper Beam jetted forward, searing the air as the blast sliced its way toward Charizard. The dragon folded its wings in front of its body to protect itself, but the attack still connected with astronomical strength. Charizard's feet burned as it was pushed steadily backward, the cobblestone streets pulling at its reptilian flesh. Finally, after what felt like hours, the Hyper Beam died down, freeing Charizard from its exhausting position.

"Charizard, you okay?" Ash shouted. Charizard nodded repeatedly, despite the tingling numbness all around its wings. Defiantly, Charizard roared at Lickilicky, a small collection of hot embers exiting its mouth. Ash glanced at Lickilicky, who stood deathly still in its place on the street.

 _Using Hyper Beam has left Lickilicky motionless! It has to recharge!_ Ash remembered. Quickly, Ash called out to Charizard. "Charizard, use Dragon Claw!"

Charizard growled and raced forward, spreading its wings to take to the air. Lickilicky still remained motionless, fully aware of the impending attack yet unable to do anything about it. Charizard closed in quickly, its claws glowing with grievous energy.

Moments before Charizard could reach it, the feeling in Lickilicky's body returned, indicating it could now move. Alberto recognized it as well and called out to Lickilicky for a desperate counter. "Lickilicky, use Mega Punch!" Lickilicky reared up and flung its fist forward just as Charizard reached it, and the two attacks clashed with a bright light. Both Pokémon staggered backwards for a few steps and recovered, while both of their Trainers called out for the Pokémon to attack.

"Charizard, use Wing Attack!"

"Lickilicky, Gyro Ball!"

Charizard's large wings glowed a brilliant white and Lickilicky lunged forward into the air, spinning quickly enough to fly above the ground. The two Pokémon raced toward each other, but an idea suddenly took shape in Ash's mind.

" _Charizard, dodge!"_

Charizard was instantly confused. Why would Ash want him to dodge? Rather than question the command further by hesitating, though, Charizard dove off to the side, avoiding Lickilicky's Gyro Ball attack. Licklicky tore through the air beside Charizard, continuing forward at a high-speed spin.

"Now, Charizard, spin and use Flamethrower, maximum power!" Ash shouted.

Charizard suddenly understood, and an almost eager glare flashed in its intelligent eyes. The dragon's mouth slipped open and hot flames slid out into the air. The Flame Pokémon dove forward and spun rapidly, folding its wings against its body so as to gain as much speed as possible. The Flamethrower poured out of Charizard's mouth, spinning along with the dragon's body and creating a protective shield of scorching fire.

The combination was an improvisation that the pair had created during a routine training battle between Charizard and Infernape. The two hotheaded fire-types were near-equals in terms of sheer power, and Infernape's Flare Blitz attack was no joke. In an attempt to recreate Infernape's Flare Blitz for Charizard, Ash had come up with a different spin on the Counter-Shield technique, aiming for something more offensive while also having some defensive capabilities.

Charizard crashed into Lickilicky's back at full force, causing a great explosion that sent embers and hot air in every direction. A cloud of smoke hid the two Pokémon from view, leaving each and every spectator anxious to know what the haze was hiding. Suddenly, the top of the smoke cloud ripped apart and Charizard soared into the air, roaring triumphantly and circling the field. The smoke quickly went away after that, revealing the downed Lickilicky on the field. The Licking Pokémon was surely unconscious, signaling the end result of the battle.

The referee blew into a whistle and raised both of his arms into the air. _"Lickilicky is unable to battle! The win goes to Ash and Charizard, which means the winner of the annual Alamos Town Battle Tournament is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"_

A shiver trailed down Baron Alberto's spine as he stood there motionless. He simply could not believe it. He'd been beaten! Across the cobblestone field, Ash celebrated with his Charizard, the dragon crashing down to Earth and showering the teen with a healthy dose of flames and then smiling afterward. Ash shook his body to get rid of the soot and then laughed out loud before rushing over to his friends and celebrating with them. Meanwhile, Alberto still stood in shock. He had won this tournament more times than he could count on his two hands!

The Baron soon regained his reason and returned Lickilicky to its Poké Ball, thanking the normal-type for its hard-fought battle. As the people of Alamos Town dispersed to their own devices in the town square, Alberto began to step away, his gaze fixed only on the ground.

"Hey, Baron Alberto!" Ash called. The Baron raised an eyebrow and turned around to find the Trainer running toward him. Ash skidded to a stop in front of the Baron and stuck out his arm with the hope of shaking the Baron's hand. Alberto glanced at Ash's hand almost as if it were a foreign device.

"I had a great time battling you and Lickilicky." Ash said honestly.

Alberto blinked and suddenly his cloud of shameful misery went away. He fixed his posture and stood up straight, offering a genuine smile and meeting Ash's eyes with a confident expression. His father had taught him many things when he was a child, and showing grace—even in defeat—had been one of them.

"I enjoyed myself as well." Alberto said, gripping Ash's hand firmly and shaking. Ash's friends, including Alice and Tonio, arrived behind him, and the Baron continued further, "Congratulations on your victory. I should explain that you are now the newest Champion of Alamos Town. As our Champion, your presence at tonight's ball is required. You'll also be allowed to pick your outfit at my manor…your friends would be welcome as well, if you'd like."

Ash glanced at Dawn and then flicked his eyes over the rest of his friends: Kai, Maury, Allegra, Alice, and Tonio; silently relaying the Baron's offer to them.

"Thanks, but we've all got our own stuff picked out already." Allegra said, "You'll just have to wait and see!"

"Tonio and I are all set already as well." Alice said with a smile, "But you and Dawn should go, if you don't already have anything picked out."

"I don't have anything other than my usual Contest dress," Dawn said, "It couldn't hurt to try something new."

"Excellent!" Alberto said, "You must follow me! We can head back to the manor at once!"

* * *

Baron Alberto threw open the elegant double doors, revealing the large room full of formal clothing. There were at least a hundred outfits in total for both men and women, leaving plenty of options for the two Trainers to choose from.

"Go ahead and try on whatever you like." Alberto invited as he stepped out of the pair's way, "The ball starts officially at about 8, so you have time."

"Thank you, Baron Alberto." Dawn said.

"Yeah, thanks." Ash agreed.

"Oh, don't worry, it's nothing." Alberto insisted. He turned around and walked back down the hall they'd come through, leaving Ash and Dawn together. The teens turned back to glance at the racks of formal outfits, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.

"See anything you like?" Ash asked nonchalantly.

"Time to find out!" Dawn answered eagerly. She bolted into the room and arrived at a rack of various dresses and gowns, immediately grabbing at least three ensembles and dragging them with her to a private fitting room off to the side of the room, leaving Piplup with Ash and Pikachu. Ash entered much more calmly, gently placing his hand on an empty blazer and giving it a once-over. He walked from rack to rack, rather unimpressed by the collection of men's outfits until he glanced at the far wall. His eyes fell on a clean display case that held something that made Ash's head spin.

"Hey, Pikachu, look at that!" Ash said with a gasp. He bolted over to the display case on the far end of the room, gazing in awe at the outfit inside. "Pikachu, you remember that?"

" _Pika-Pika…?"_ Pikachu chattered with a hint of awe in his voice.

Inside the display case was an outfit that was familiar to Ash. During his travels through Kanto while challenging the Battle Frontier, he and his friends had come across the town of Rota, home to the Cameran Palace. While dressing for a tournament and ball (come to think of it, Alamos Town's celebrations were eerily similar to the apparent celebrations held in Rota, though they were for different reasons), Ash had donned this very costume. It was a blue and gray top—the chest held together by adjustable strings—with ceremonial blue gloves that bore a yellow pattern and went up to the elbows. A much darker, faded blue cape was attached to the shoulders, and a peculiar hat with protrusions in the back went on the wearer's head, and an intriguing symbol was sown onto the front of the hat. On the bottom, basic grey pants came down from the top and was tucked into blue boots with brown cuffs. It was the outfit of an Aura Guardian—with some variations, of course.

"Where…where did the Baron get this?" Ash asked Pikachu. The mouse gave an inconclusive reply with a noise of similar wonder. The outfit would be even more fitting for Ash now, considering his unlocked Aura abilities, but it was enclosed in a sealed display case, presumably never to be worn.

" _Eyeing the Guardian outfit, I see."_

Ash whirled around to find that the Baron had returned. He held a slim glass of wine in his left hand and had a knowing smirk on his face.

"Um…yeah…Baron Alberto, where did you get this outfit?" Ash asked, glancing back at the Guardian costume.

Alberto took a swig of his wine glass and then set it down on a small platform along the wall, walking over to Ash so he could answer. The Baron stopped right beside the teen and stared at the outfit, steadily reminiscing to how he had come across the piece.

"My grandfather was a passionate traveler. He was at the head of the endeavors that turned Alamos Town from a simple yet unusual farming town to the beautiful city that it is today. That was how he made the money that my family has held on to ever since. Despite his penchant for the finer things in life, he was also a spiritual man. He was a friend of Godey, and for a time oversaw the construction of the Space-Time Tower. He read up on all of the legends involving the deities like Dialga and Palkia." Alberto explained, "One day, he traveled to Rota, gaining an audience with the court of Cameran Palace. He was so amazed by the story of Sir Aaron and the Aura Guardians that he asked to bring home a replica of the Guardian's outfit so that he could add it to his collection…but he never did wear it. It has sat in this case for countless years."

Ash was honestly quite surprised. Despite the Baron's bluntly overconfident personality, he seemed to have his fair share of complexities.

The Baron glanced at Ash again, "You want to wear the outfit, don't you?"

Ash gulped. The Baron had read him like a book. "Well…kind of, yeah…but, since it's an important piece, I won't…"

"No, no, please." Alberto insisted, "Ash, if I'm being honest, there is something unusual about you. I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling that my grandfather would've liked you." Baron Alberto slipped a key out from one of the many pockets in his clothing, stepping over to the locked case and opening it with a turn of the key. "If you would like to wear this outfit at the ball tonight, it is not my place to stop you."

"B-Baron Alberto…thank you, really." Ash said with a sigh, for lack of any better words.

"It is my pleasure." Alberto nodded. He stepped out of Ash's way, and the teen carefully reached up to unhook the Aura Guardian outfit from the case, gently holding it in his arms for fear of damaging it. He carefully folded the outfit's parts and placed the hat on top of the stack. At that moment, Dawn walked out of the fitting room, a bright smile on her face as she carried the outfits she'd tried on in her hand.

"I've got it!" Dawn declared, "I know exactly what I'm going to wear tonight!"

"Well then, let's see it!" Ash said hopefully. Dawn suddenly shook her head and waggled her finger at Ash.

"Uh-uh. It's gonna be a surprise." Dawn refused, "I don't want anyone to know until I get there!"

Alberto gave a chuckle, "I believe that's our cue to leave." The Baron gestured for Ash to leave with him, allowing the Coordinator to place her chosen outfit in the suitcase she had brought with her to the dressing room. That night, when Ash and everyone else saw her, she was certain that she'd rock their world!

* * *

The voices in the forest caught Darkrai's attention. The Dark Pokémon had been standing at the tops of the wooded area in the garden, its jet-black body blending in perfectly with the night sky. There were no lights in this area of the town, allowing Darkrai to look around with ease. In the center of the town, the Baron Alberto's great manor was lit up with lights all around it. It was almost time for the annual ball to begin.

Darkrai's attention was diverted when the voices started. The Dark Pokémon's suspicions were instantly aroused, and he shifted through the trees to locate the source of the sounds. It was easy for the dark-type to find a branch it could perch on, where it watched as the dark-clothed people waded through the wood near the garden.

" _I'm itching to use these things."_

" _Charon said these are the perfect Pokémon-poaching tools. They can capture_ anything _, even if the Pokémon is still inside its Poké Ball."_

" _I sure hope that's true."_

" _What do you think of the three Admins waiting on us, though? They say they persuaded Charon to send us out here."_

" _I don't know, but their track record isn't good. There's talk of them getting a demotion if they screw this up."_

"Shut up, all of you!" a voice hissed.

That voice in particular alarmed Darkrai. The Mythical Pokémon blended in so perfectly with the forest's darkness that the intruders would never notice him, and so Darkrai started to pick out details of the people below. There were seven of them in all. Six of the people looked rather underwhelming, but the seventh one was a different story. He was the same one who had told the others to shut up, and he was taller and in better shape than the others. He carried himself with a confidence that sent a chill down even Darkrai's spine, and based on that, the Dark Pokémon guessed that this wasn't the most pleasant of people.

" _Your incessant chatter will get us caught. We're supposed to lay low as we get to the rendezvous point."_

" _Sorry, sir."_

" _Don't apologize to me. Not yet."_

The bushes rustled ahead of the group of intruders, catching Darkrai's attention next. A Marill waddled out of the bushes, apparently scavenging for Berries to eat. The tall man's voice turned Darkrai's focus once again.

" _A Marill. All right, here goes."_

What were they going to do, Darkrai wondered? Darkrai silently hopped over to the next tree, following the group of intruders from above without making so much as a sound. The intruders crept closer until Marill realized that it was being snuck up on, and panic set in for the small water-type. The wild Marill tried to run, but the big man pressed something on his clothed wrist. A purple ray of energy shot out from the man's wrist, catching up to the fleeing Marill all too easily. Marill fell down and was trapped by the energy before its body suddenly faded out of existence. The purple energy went away and the strange man snickered.

" _Success."_ he hissed, _"This operation should be easy."_

Darkrai was nothing short of alarmed. They'd taken that Marill somehow without trying to physically capture it! Where had Marill gone? Was it all right? Darkrai looked back down on the ground to find that the intruders were leaving the forest, headed quietly into the empty town.

" _Now c'mon, let's get to the rendezvous point. Our friends are waiting on us."_

The people quickly shuffled their way out of the woods, reaching the cobblestone streets and slipping away inside the town. Darkrai placed his back to the darkened tree trunk, his sharp breathing becoming more audible with each breath. What were those crooks trying to do? After only a few more moments of thought, Darkrai looked back at the manor in the distance, where a decent amount of the people in the town would likely be tonight. If their aim were to steal Pokémon, the manor would be a good place to start.

All rational thought left Darkrai's mind, and the Dark Pokémon launched itself at an upward angle from the tree's branches. Its black body soared through the night air completely undetected, landing with a brief _thud_ on the roof of the nearest building. Darkrai stood on his skinny yet powerful legs and began to run, pacing across the roof and hopping across a thin alleyway to the next one. If worse came to worst, there was a decent chance that Darkrai would have to show his face to the people of Alamos Town…the very same people that were convinced he was dead.

* * *

"Well, it's about time!" Jessie complained.

The seven Team Rocket members arrived on the manor's roof, having reached it with the use of retractable cables that allowed for climbing. Two Grunts in particular stood out to the trio as they stepped near them, instantly sparking an unpleasant exchange.

"Butch and Cassidy." Jessie greeted with clenched teeth.

"Good evening, you three." Cassidy feigned, "Giovanni asked us to tell you that this operation had better be a success."

"Oh, did he now?" Jessie said with a leer.

"No, but the sentiment still stands." Butch butted in, "This had better not be a wild goose chase."

"And what does it matter to you, Biff?" James asked, "Got somewhere you'd rather be?"

Butch's face contorted as James mispronounced his name once again, but he managed to keep his cool. He had nothing to say to James' insult and simply stalked away with Cassidy. As the two Grunts left, a certain person walked up to the trio of Admins, his presence immediately crushing their aloof and superior demeanor. Jessie, James, and Meowth gave a slight yet respectful bow in perfect unison, and Jessie spoke immediately after that.

"Executive Proton. We were not aware that Giovanni had sent you for this mission." Jessie said as respectfully as she could. Inside, she cursed. She had hoped to command the mission with her two partners. In hindsight, though, sending Proton with the team made perfect sense. He was quite competent.

"Yes, he asked that I take the lead tonight. He hopes that you three can learn a thing or two from me." Proton said condescendingly.

"We hope so as well!" Jessie declared, "May I inquire if you have the gear we were promised?"

Proton rolled up his sleeve, revealing a silver Control Gauntlet attached to his wrist. The tool wrapped around the wrist and down the hand, fitting the wearer like a glove when activated. The equipment allowed the user to emit an energy field that took full control of a Pokémon, whether they were wild or owned, and capture them much more effectively than a Poké Ball. In addition, the user could transmit negative feelings to Pokémon they controlled and do all sorts of things, such as turn Pokémon on their Trainers. A small add-on piece called Ball Magnets could also be applied to the wearer's fingertips, allowing them to latch onto Poké Balls and call them toward the wearer. According to Charon, he'd said the devices were a tad flawed, but that a large group of people using the Ball Magnets should be enough to steal dozens of Pokémon at a time.

Proton slung a backpack from around his back and unzipped the upper pocket, revealing three Control Gauntlets for the trio. The Executive handed the tools over, allowing Jessie and James to place the Gauntlets on their wrists. He even had a smaller version that was custom-built for Meowth.

"Try not to get this thing destroyed." Proton told Meowth rudely. Normally, Meowth would've done something like stick out his tongue. But at Proton? That was out of the question. He reported anything and everything directly to Giovanni. It was imperative that they made a good impression. The Admins attached the equipment to their wrists and with the press of a few buttons, the silver Gauntlets activated and expanded, closing around the trio's hands like gloves. Jessie, James, and Meowth each clenched their fists to get a feel for the Gauntlets, producing a quiet clanking sound as the metallic surfaces touched together.

" _Very_ nice." James commented as he stopped clenching his gloved hand into a fist.

"I must agree." Jessie concurred, "Charon wasn't kidding around."

"One last thing. I brought one for each of you." Proton said, fishing two Poké Balls from the pack and handing one each to Jessie and James. The pair could guess what was contained inside the capsules, and they exchanged a giddy smile. Proton spoke again, "Now, set up the entry cables. We will go on my signal."

Jessie, James, and Meowth gave a dutiful nod and bolted to the edges of the roof. Despite having command of the operation wrested from them, the trio couldn't help but feel secure. Executive Proton had an exemplary record. It only took a few minutes to set up each of the ten cables that their group would use to enter the building, and they eagerly ran back to report to Proton on the matter.

"It seems we are all ready." Proton said, "On my signal, we will jump. _Everyone_ will do as I say or follow my lead."

"Yes, sir!" the other nine Rockets said in perfect unison.

"Very good." Proton said, "Now, on the count of three. One…two… _three!"_

* * *

The musicians played their instruments with eye-popping perfection. The collection of string instruments: violins, violas, cellos, and bass; were the perfect arrangement for the formal ball. Soothing orchestral music echoed throughout the manor's huge ballroom as Ash stood near Baron Alberto with Pikachu on his shoulder. People entered the ballroom one by one, some of them flocking to the tables in groups and plenty more people pairing up and dancing on the marble floors.

The group of Allegra, Maury, and Kai were one such group that headed to sit at a table. They chose a round table of seven seats, filling three of them and holding the other four. They hadn't seen Ash yet, but even if they did, he was waiting for someone else to arrive before he left his spot. Nevertheless, he afforded himself a glance at the Coordinator trio's outfits. Allegra was clad in a sparkling, deep orange gown that trailed up to a single strap around her left shoulder. Kai wore a silver suit with blue trim and a black tie, while Maury wore a similar garb that was in different colors.

A small tremor went through Ash's body and he shivered. He nervously adjusted the Aura Guardian hat that was atop his head as the outfit warmed up.

"You look nervous, Ash." Alberto commented.

"W-what? Nervous? Nah, I'm okay." Ash fumbled. Alberto briefly snorted and said nothing, scanning the growing crowd. Alice and Tonio walked in at some point, and Alice waved to Ash as she spotted him. Ash waved back with a sheepish smile and Alice walked with Tonio over to the table housing Allegra, Kai, and Maury.

"She's breathtaking, isn't she?" Alberto muttered as he secretively watched Alice walk. Alice had pulled her blonde hair back and twisted it into a complicated braid. Her dress was a reddish-orange color similar to her usual clothes. Tonio also looked impressive, wearing a light brown vest over a button-up shirt and a pair of slacks as his bottoms.

"She is beautiful." Ash agreed. He felt queasy and decided to speak some more to Alberto about a certain matter, "Baron Alberto, Alice is my friend, and…it is probably not my place to say this, but…you need to stop pursuing her. She is with Tonio now, and she's very happy with him."

To Ash's surprise, the Baron did not lash out in a self-important tirade. Instead, he stared off into space and sighed. "I suppose you are right, Ash. In my own twisted way, I care a great deal about Alice, and…I suppose that I just wanted her to be happy. And I thought she would be the happiest if she were with me, and I deluded myself into the thought process that no woman could be unhappy living with such wealth. But Alice is not that kind of person. She's the type of person that is simply _happy_ , and it is hard to get her down. Perhaps it is high time that I focus on other things…other… _people."_

"That's very insightful, Baron Alberto." Ash said. He was right; the Baron was far more complex than his blunt personality made him out to be. Deep down beneath his off-putting exterior, he was still a man with struggles. Perhaps his wealthy background fostered such struggles.

One of the sets of double doors leading to the ballroom slid open next, and Ash's eyes were instantly attracted to the occurrence. Into the open stepped Dawn, dressed in her secret chosen attire. The dress was silver, and it had a kind of pattern that made the dress rather sparkly and eye catching. The dress wasn't particularly low-cut, but it still left a decent upper section of her back exposed as the dress came up in a single strap over her left shoulder to hold the gown up. Her dark blue hair had been let completely down in its full length, covering most of her exposed back and finally coming to an end at the midpoint of her back. The endless strands of blue hair hid her ears, and her pure blue eyes were truly brought out by the look.

Ash's breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat as he eyed her from afar. The Baron caught on all too easily, and he stifled a chuckle. Ash's friends at the faraway table called out to Dawn, catching her attention and beckoning her over. She'd completely missed Ash as she scanned the crowd to find her friends, but nevertheless she eagerly ran over to them.

"Go get her." Alberto said quickly.

"W-what?" Ash choked.

"I told you, it is tradition that the Champion of Alamos Town dance with the most desirable person here. If to you, she is the most beautiful one here, then there's only one thing for you to do." Alberto explained. Ash didn't need to ask what that thing was, and he did his best to suck in as deep a breath as he could muster before stepping toward her.

Dawn arrived at the table, her back turned to Ash, and she started speaking to her gathered friends. She set Piplup down on the table as Ash reached her and pulled the unusual hat from his head, placing it gently against his chest. He was then within earshot as he walked up from behind Dawn, garnering the attention of everyone at the table besides her.

"…Where's Ash?" Dawn asked her friends, but no one was looking at her. Dawn raised an eyebrow and followed their glance, but Ash spoke before she could figure it out.

"I'm right here," he said quickly. Dawn whirled around and her back pressed against the chair behind her. Her eyes twinkled and she gave a slight, genuine smile. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and landed on the table, chattering eagerly about something with Piplup.

"Hey, Ash." Dawn said, giving his attire a once-over. She had a whole world of comments to make about it, but she wasn't sure that it was a good time yet.

" _Attention, everyone! May I have your attention, please?"_ Alberto called. Most everyone turned to face the well-dressed Baron. Alberto smiled, "At this time, our wonderful musicians will begin playing some of the music that they picked out. I strongly urge you all to pair up and make your way to the dance floor!"

The Baron silenced and the musicians instantly picked up the music, starting with a soft, slow tune.

"Allegra, may I?" Kai offered, standing and stretching out his arm. Allegra smiled and eagerly took Kai's hand, and the pair disappeared into the throng of people. Maury stood up next, his eyes set on an attractive stranger nearby. Alice and Tonio then got up, hurrying off to dance to the slow song.

"So, I…guess that leaves us." Ash commented, struggling to contain his nerves.

"Yeah, I…guess it does." Dawn agreed with an equal amount of barely-contained nerves.

Ash swallowed his fear, mustering just enough courage to finally get through the toughest part of the evening. He turned to face Dawn. "Dawn, would you like to dance?"

Dawn met Ash's eyes and held his gaze for a few seconds and then smiled. "I'd love to dance with you, Ash."

Ash's heart skipped a beat and he smiled before walking out to the floor with Dawn closely at his side, leaving Pikachu and Piplup to their own devices at the table. Their hands remained conspicuously separate from each other, as Ash didn't quite have the courage to try that yet. Instead, he held his Aura Guardian hat a little too tightly against his chest, his left hand holding it with a white-knuckled grip. They reached an empty spot on the floor and claimed the spot, turning to face each other. The music continued at a slow pace and a soft volume, but it was more than enough.

"That's an…interesting outfit you've got on, Ash." Dawn remarked with a giggle.

"Oh, you like it?" Ash asked with a smirk, "It's an Aura Guardian's outfit. I've actually worn something just like it once before, but Baron Alberto had one."

"And I didn't realize that capes were your thing."

Ash snickered, "They're really not, but it came with the outfit so I figured, why not?"

Dawn stifled another laugh and then glanced at the hat held on Ash's chest. "Well, I for one think…" she said, trailing off for a moment. She reached out and pried the hat from Ash's tight grip rather easily, and then brought it up and placed it atop Ash's head, "…that it isn't quite complete without the hat, Mr. Aura Guardian."

Ash couldn't help but smile sheepishly. He instinctively looked at the floor for a moment, but steeled his nerves and met Dawn's eyes once more. He extended his hand, inviting it to her, "Shall we?"

Dawn took his hand without hesitation.

"Let's."

The pair began dancing at a smooth rhythm, their footwork on point as they stepped back and forth in perfect unison. Ash turned them around so that they took each other's previous places and gave himself up to the music, aimlessly yet flawlessly dancing with Dawn. His inhibitions vanished, and he held his gaze squarely on Dawn, wishing he could communicate his true feelings. At one point in the song, he brought their arms up and twirled Dawn around, immediately noting the surprised thrill in her eyes.

"Who taught you how to dance?" Dawn inquired.

Ash briefly chuckled, a tad embarrassed by the truth. "Believe it or not, _Riley_ taught me back when we were training on Mt. Silver."

"Riley taught you how to dance? Get out of here." Dawn said.

"No, really, he did. He said dancing was something every gentleman should know how to do. Believe me, that was one awkward day." Ash reminisced.

Dawn giggled, "I'm trying to picture this right now and it's just too funny."

"If we see him again soon, you should ask him about it." Ash said, "He enjoyed that lesson way more than I did, probably because it made me uncomfortable."

"Well, I will make sure to do that." Dawn answered, "Is he still on Iron Island?"

"He should be…" Ash said, "I don't know, maybe I should give him a call."

Ash and Dawn fell into another silence, continuing to dance to the music but completely unable to come up with something good to talk about. Finally, Ash settled on something. He figured this was as good a time as any to tell Dawn how he really felt, right?

The music ended and changed into a faster song, preventing Ash from really talking about such a thing with Dawn. In accordance with the faster music, they picked up the pace and danced much more freely. After several minutes of freeform, active dancing, the people at the ball slowed as the musicians picked their slowest song yet. Ash found himself with his hands gently rested on Dawn's hips, while the girl's arms were set on his shoulders and loosely connected by her hands behind him. If he was going to tell her now, this was the perfect time.

"So, I figured tomorrow we could start heading for Canalave City." Ash remarked.

Dawn nodded, "Yeah, that works. I guess we'll have to go into Jubilife City first, but that works for me. I'm glad we came here, even if it's going to cause us to be behind a few days."

"I'm glad, too." Ash agreed. Finally, he decided to move on to the topic of their relationship. His body warmed with nervousness as he thought about how to say what he was thinking.

"Hey, Dawn, um…" Ash said, but he choked on his words.

"Everything all right, Ash?" Dawn asked, a hint of worry running across her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ash insisted, even though he was anything but. His brain scrambled as he thought about how to say what he was thinking. Finally, he settled on what he was going to say, and he steeled himself as he prepared to drop what he was sure would be a bombshell.

"Listen, I…"


	50. The Return of Darkrai

**And now for the last chapter of the Alamos Town mini-arc, and quite honestly what I think may be one of the better chapters in the entire story. Obviously that might be biased, though. Anyway, read on! And please consider leaving a review below! I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 50_

 _The Return of Darkrai_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Alamos Town**_

Ash was interrupted by the sound of the windows shattering. His head instantly snapped upward and he let go of Dawn, trying to see what the problem was. Several windows all shattered at once and a group of people in dark clothing tumbled into the ballroom. People gasped with shock and fear and in general backed away.

"What's going on?" Dawn shouted above the noise. Unfortunately, her answer didn't come from Ash.

" _Ah-ha-ha! Listen, is that a voice I hear?"_

" _It's shrieking to me, loud and clear."_

"No…" Ash cursed under his breath.

" _On the wind!"_ shouted Jessie.

" _Past the stars!"_ added James.

" _In your ear!"_ Meowth declared.

" _Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace."_

" _Dashing hope, and putting fear in its place!"_

" _A rose by any other name is just as sweet."_

" _When everything's worse our work is complete!"_

" _I think they get it!"_ said a tall man in the group that Ash didn't recognize.

The trio frowned at the stranger, but they quickly recovered and conceded. The same stranger then called out to the shocked people in the ballroom, "People of Alamos Town, sorry to burst your bubbles! We are Team Rocket, and we'll be taking your precious Pokémon, if you please!"

The crooks of Team Rocket threw out their hands, which Ash immediately noticed were clad in a metallic piece of equipment. A sudden magnetic force besieged the room and Ash and Dawn both spotted countless Poké Balls flying from the belongings of the ball's patrons and into sacks carried by some of the Grunts. Ash quickly counted ten people in all as the force died down. Luckily, none of his five Poké Balls had been taken.

"Pikachu! Where are you?" Ash shouted.

"Piplup, you too!" Dawn concurred.

The two Pokémon came running through the crowd and spotted their Trainers, instantly sprinting over to them in response. Pikachu hopped up onto Ash's shoulder and Dawn bent down to the floor, picking Piplup up and holding him in her arms.

The people began to panic as they found themselves unsure of what to do as their Pokémon were stolen. Some brave souls tried to stand up to the crooks, but most of them were intimidated away by the Grunts.

"Ash! Dawn!" called Tonio's voice. The teens looked over their shoulders to see Alice and Tonio pushing through the crowd, with Allegra, Kai, Maury, and Baron Alberto close at hand. "Are you two all right?"

"Yeah, they didn't get any of our Pokémon." Ash said, "But we've got to stop Team Rocket!"

"We'll lend you guys a hand." Kai insisted.

Ash nodded and then bolted through the crowd, hoping to confront Team Rocket. Dawn, Allegra, Kai, Maury, and Alberto followed him as best they could. With relative ease, Ash broke through the crowd first, finding himself face to face with Jessie, James, Meowth, and another man that he didn't recognize. The other Grunts, notably the familiar faces of Butch and Cassidy, stood nearby, some of them grappling with nearby people in an attempt to take their Pokémon by force.

"Well, well, well, look what da Delcatty dragged in!" Meowth remarked as he spotted Ash and his friends, "We figured we'd see you eventually. Looks like da Ball Magnets didn't work too well on ya, though! Nice outfit by da way, twoip, hope we didn't ruin anything for ya!"

"You're gonna regret doing this, Team Rocket!" Ash challenged, "Give these people back their Pokémon, now, or I'll make you!"

"Well! You're every bit as feisty as I've been told!" the stranger declared. He wore black and had a cap on his head that was much unlike the rest of the Team Rocket members with him. His bluish-green hair protruded out of either side of the cap, thinning to a blunt, spear-like bundle of hair. The stranger spoke again, "If you'd be so kind, hand over your precious Pokémon, please. I'd really prefer to not make things ugly here."

Ash gritted his teeth, "Tch. And who do you think you are?"

"Me?" the stranger asked, "You may call me Proton, an Executive of Team Rocket and the right-hand man of our leader. Now, as I asked nicely before, _please_ hand over your Pokémon."

" _Dream on!"_ Ash shouted, "Pikachu, let's teach them a thing or two. Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu immediately jumped off of Ash's shoulder up into the air, crackling tendrils of electricity leaking from his cheeks. Without missing a beat, Proton unhooked a Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it into the air with a great roar, _"Aerodactyl, use Iron Head!"_

The capsule burst open and a furious Aerodactyl came tearing out, its body immediately becoming surrounded by a powerful silver aura. Aerodactyl collided with Pikachu's Thunderbolt blast and easily pushed through it while taking very little damage. Pikachu narrowly escaped being hit by the speedy Aerodactyl and fell back to Earth, landing safely on his feet. Aerodactyl released a bloodcurdling screech as it flew upside down along the ballroom ceiling, curving back around and coming to a screeching halt just in front of Proton. The Pokémon's eyes pulsed with liquid fury and it bared its powerful canines at Ash and Pikachu.

Ash frowned and briefly closed his eyes, reaching out for Aerodactyl's Aura. Tendrils of Aura flared to life in Ash's blackened vision, but something was clearly very wrong. Just as the thought crossed Ash's mind, all he could see was a searing red color. His attempted connection to Aerodactyl was instantly severed and Ash involuntarily stepped back as he opened his eyes, gasping with a mixture of shock and horror at Proton's Aerodactyl.

Ash's head pounded as Dawn grabbed onto his arm, "Ash, are you all right?" she asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm good." Ash managed, "It's Aerodactyl…it's so…all I could feel…it's in so much pain, and it's so angry."

"Guys!" Allegra hissed, "Look at Aerodactyl's head. There's something attached to it."

Ash, Dawn, and the rest of the group followed Allegra's finger, noticing that she was right. A brace of sorts was tied onto the back of Aerodactyl's head, wrapping around the top of its neck and sitting just in front of its crude, rock-like ears. The strap had a wide gap in the center, and a black-and-purple spherical object was embedded inside it.

Proton spoke again in a booming voice, commanding all of the attention in the room. "You like Aerodactyl's jewelry, children? Hand over your Pokémon, _now,_ and I will _consider_ allowing you to walk out of here safely."

Ash moved his eyes over to Jessie, James, and Meowth, hoping that they would speak up and say something. The trio remained silent, crooked smiles denoting their feelings. They were enjoying this. He then glanced at his friends before looking back over at Proton, Ash opened his mouth to speak, his tone defiant as ever.

"We will never surrender to the likes of you." Ash insisted. Allegra, Kai, Maury, Dawn, and Alberto all grabbed Poké Balls from their belts, each calling out individual Pokémon. One by one, Pikachu was joined by Infernape, Empoleon, Torterra, Lickilicky, and Froslass. The six Pokémon took on a battle stance, ready to face whatever the intruders had to offer.

"Shall we try the Ball Magnets again, sir?" James asked Proton.

Proton stroked his bare chin for just a moment before deciding, _"No._ As easy as that would be, I want to teach these foolish children a lesson." The Executive then raised his voice, "So, you will resist! I truly did not want to have to do things this way, but since it is a fight you want, it is a fight that you will get! Jessie, James, a little assistance, please?"

Jessie and James obediently stepped forward on either side of Proton, pulling up the Poké Balls that Proton had given them. They tossed the capsules in the air, releasing an Absol and a Beedrill into the fight. Ash noticed a single key difference of the Pokémon easily. Each Pokémon had a strap around their bodies, one around Absol's ankle and the other around Beedrill's abdomen. The straps were embedded with spherical stones similar to Aerodactyl's, although they were different in color.

"It's three-on-six." Kai boasted, "Do you really think you can take us?"

Proton ignored Kai for a moment, handing two small rings to Jessie and James. The pair slipped the rings on their fingers and Proton fired back at Kai, his voice as calm and collected as possible.

"Actually, _yes._ " Proton said. He rolled up his left sleeve, revealing a thick bracelet around his other wrist. The Executive pressed his finger to a greenish stone embedded in the bracelet, and Jessie and James quickly followed suit, doing the same to their rings. "Aerodactyl, synchronize! Commence Mega Evolution!"

The gemstone on Aerodactyl's accessory began to glow an unnatural purple. Jessie and James repeated the phrase to their Pokémon, and the gemstones also glowed their respective colors. A strange, helix-like symbol was projected from the stones into the open air and huge balls of light formed around the three Pokémon. The lights brightened and then suddenly went away in a separate flash of light, allowing Ash and his friends to look upon the Pokémon once more. All manner of differences were now present on the three Pokémon. Rigid, rocky spikes protruded from various areas on Aerodactyl's hard skin, Beedrill's body had become more streamlined and menacing as it added two extra drill-like spikes and sharpened the ones that it had had before. Finally, Absol's body had become much shaggier, its single horn had been altered, its fur stood on end to appear like wings, and one of its eyes had been covered by a mop of fur that had fallen over its face.

"What…what is that?!" Dawn gasped.

"…It's Mega Evolution." Ash realized, "It's that thing that Professor Rowan told us about! H-how did Team Rocket get Pokémon to do this?"

Proton recognized the confused panic on the Trainers' faces, and he broke an almost evil grin, "I'm afraid it's too late for you all to surrender. You've forced my hand, and your Pokémon will now pay for it! Aerodactyl, use Rock Slide!"

Aerodactyl bristled and the bony spikes all around its body vibrated. With a wince, Aerodactyl summoned a collection of boulders high above its adversaries. The boulders fell at high speed, cornering and striking the six Pokémon. The expensive marble floor cracked as the boulders violently crashed all around. A great cloud of dust shot up as the Rock Slide finally ended, but the damage was all too obvious. Pikachu, Empoleon, and Torterra were relatively unharmed, but Lickilicky, Infernape, and Froslass hadn't been so lucky. Froslass in particular was already visibly weak, thanks in part to its disadvantage against the rock-type. Infernape's nimble body had also taken a beating.

"Froslass, can you still fight?" Dawn called, pure concern in her voice.

" _L-Lass..."_ Froslass groaned. The ice/ghost-type straightened itself out and began to hover over the ground again, but its body still felt the pain of the powerful Rock Slide.

"We've got no choice but to fight back." Ash said.

"I'm with you." Kai agreed.

"And me." Allegra added.

" _Us too."_ Dawn, Alberto, and Maury chimed in.

Ash took to attacking first, commanding Pikachu, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Aerodactyl."

"Empoleon, help Pikachu out with a Hydro Pump!"

"Infernape, use Mach Punch on Absol!"

"Torterra, let's use Leaf Storm on Beedrill!"

The four Pokémon went about using their respective attacks while Lickilicky and Froslass hung back. Empoleon's Hydro Pump was a success, allowing Pikachu to land a powerful Iron Tail on the Mega-Evolved rock-type. Infernape reached Absol with impressive speed and landed its Mach Punch, but Jessie commanded Absol to retaliate with Punishment, allowing the dark-type to get Infernape back and deal decent damage. Beedrill dodged Torterra's Leaf Storm on James' command, and the bug-type took advantage of Torterra's lackluster speed with its counterattack.

"Beedrill, use Poison Jab!" James shouted. Mega Beedrill raced over with unnatural speed, its razor-sharp stingers alight with a purple glow. The Poison Bee Pokémon appeared by Torterra's side and immediately began stabbing into the grass-type's shell, inflicting great pain on the Continent Pokémon. Eager to blindside Beedrill with an attack, Dawn called upon Froslass.

"Froslass, hit Beedrill with Ice Shard!" Froslass generated freezing cold energy around its body and condensed it into a sharp ball of ice, slinging it at Beedrill from behind the attacking bug-type. The Ice Shard collided with Beedrill and the bug-type responded by flying away, buzzing furiously at Torterra and Froslass.

"Aerodactyl, use Iron Head on Pikachu." Proton snapped. Aerodactyl howled and rushed forward, another silvery aura forming around its body. Aerodactyl moved surprisingly fast, crashing into Pikachu head-on and sending the mouse flying away, adding extra damage with the electric-type's awkward landing.

The battle royale continued between the six Trainers and the three Team Rocket members for several minutes. Dawn's Froslass fell first after being knocked out by Aerodactyl's Rock Slide. Baron Alberto's Lickilicky was next, falling to Absol's Night Slash. James' Mega Beedrill was then defeated by a Flare Blitz from Allegra's Infernape, leaving Ash and the trio of Allegra, Kai, and Maury with four Pokémon as opposed to Team Rocket's two. From there, though, the battle turned south for Ash and his friends. Mega Aerodactyl proved to be a force to be reckoned with, paralyzing Kai's Empoleon with a Thunder Fang and burning Torterra with Fire Fang. From there, Mega Absol and Mega Aerodactyl readied to put an end to Pikachu and Infernape.

The sensation of painful sorrow struck Ash again, and he instantly recognized it as the emotions of the Absol and Aerodactyl. They were both in terrible pain, being commanded against their will as their emotions were forced by Team Rocket's Control Gauntlets. Seeing the pair of Pokémon mistreated in such ways brought nearly physical pain to Ash.

"Absol, use Night Slash on Infernape." Jessie said calmly.

Absol howled and rushed forward, appearing in front of Infernape in a matter of seconds. The Flame Pokémon immediately struck out first with a Mach Punch, but Absol inexplicably dodged it, stunning both Allegra and Infernape. Absol then lashed out with a brutal Night Slash into Infernape's side, knocking the wind out of the fire-type and inflicting great physical pain. Proton commanded Aerodactyl to use Iron Head on Pikachu, earning a counterattack in the form of Pikachu's Volt Tackle. The two Pokémon collided head-on, both of them ricocheting off of each other and suffering the power of each other's attacks. While Pikachu recovered from his flight on the ground, Mega Aerodactyl recovered inexplicably fast and Proton ordered it to use Fire Fang. Pikachu had no time to prepare an adequate counter, and Aerodactyl buried flaming jaws into the mouse's torso, nearly knocking out the mouse.

"Time's up, children. You're in luck! I'm feeling generous today, so in exchange for handing over all of your Pokémon…" Proton said, "We will leave peacefully."

Ash gritted his teeth. This guy had balls! But Pikachu was far from his last Pokémon. They'd done a decent of damage to the pair of Mega-Evolved Pokémon, too, even knocking Mega Beedrill out of commission and leaving James useless. Defiantly, Ash reached for his second Poké Ball, hoping to call on Sceptile.

"So, you will continue to fight." Proton noticed, "So be it. You're making a grave mistake."

Ash stood defiantly, rousing himself to call on Sceptile with a booming voice, "Sceptile, I choose—"

 _~No!~_

Everyone in the room stopped in their tracks, looking around for the source of the sound. They'd heard the voice too, not just Ash, so he knew for certain that he hadn't imagined it.

Almost as soon as the voice faded away, the dozens of lightbulbs began going out one by one. The bulbs shattered with a sudden _'pop!',_ quickly dropping the light level in the ballroom.

 _~No!~_ the voice shouted again. The voice was incredibly deep and scratchy, bringing a shiver to the spines of those who heard it. Along with that, Ash could sense raw power coming from _somewhere_ in the room thanks to his Aura abilities, and the feeling was greater than anything Ash himself had ever felt. Whoever—no, whatever—was doing this was immensely powerful.

The lightbulbs stopped shattering, and the nameless people who had attended the ball (and were now standing as far as they could from the scene of the battle that had just taken place) began whispering to each other with confusion.

"What's going on?" Baron Alberto asked, though he got no answer from anyone.

Suddenly, a space on the floor began to distort, the marble surface becoming blurry. A shape began to slowly slink out into view from the floor, and upon seeing the thing's head, it was clear to Ash what was coming.

Proton was at a loss for words as the black shape slipped out into reality. There was no doubt that this thing was a Pokémon, but he'd never seen anything like it. The Pokémon was jet-black almost everywhere, the exceptions being an arrangement of red growths around its apparent neck and a billowing white plume resembling fog at the crest of the head. The plume was blowing rapidly to the side in some kind of unnatural wind. The Pokémon had its head turned so that a single, piercing blue eye glared at Proton, the fires of a chilling rage burning inside its iris. Its black body was skinny, with long tatters extending off of its shoulders and a waistline that resembled the ends of a shredded cloak. It had no legs to speak of, hovering above the ground as its entire body slipped into full view. The crowd of bystanders collectively gasped, and the quiet chatter instantly increased in volume as hysterical confusion came about in the people.

Ash and Dawn were more or less surprised, but the rest of their group were completely and utterly shocked. It was Darkrai!

"Darkrai…" Baron Alberto stammered, his voice raising to a feverish shout, _"Darkrai lives?!"_

It seemed that Proton was the only one in the room without any kind of emotion. Jessie and James shivered in their place, and James' teeth even began to chatter. They remembered Darkrai and its impressive power, and with the way things were going they most likely were about to be on the business end of it.

"D-D-D-Darkrai doesn't look happy…" James stammered.

"Proton, we should really get out of here. I think we have enough Pokémon." Jessie offered with a gulp.

Darkrai stood deathly still as Proton whirled around to face Jessie, disbelief and anger flashing across his face. "Will you _be quiet?_ We are not going _anywhere!"_

Darkrai finally began to move, bringing its skinny yet menacing arms close together. Its clawed hands met each other and then immediately spread out just enough to form a ball. Pulsing purplish-black energy surged to life in Darkrai's hands, and the powerful Dark Pokémon growled, its fury contained yet no less terrifying.

 _~Go away!~_

Darkrai threw out its arms, launching the Dark Void at the two Mega-Evolved Pokémon. Dozens of spheres rushed out in a wave, one of them striking Aerodactyl immediately. Absol tip-toed out of the way of the countless Dark Void projectiles as Jessie commanded it, but Aerodactyl crashed to the ground, instantly deep in sleep. The Dark Void subsided with Absol still standing, but Darkrai wasn't focused on the other dark-type, instead pointing its eye at the dozing Aerodactyl. Proton looked at his fallen Pokémon with surprise before he looked back up at Darkrai, a twisted and truly foolish idea taking shape in his mind.

Darkrai turned its gaze to Absol, preparing to launch a Dark Pulse. The attack launched outward like a railgun blast, striking Absol almost immediately and tearing up the marble floors as it was driven into the ground. The Disaster Pokémon slowly climbed to its feet, its legs already wobbling. Seeing the attack only validated Proton's idea. A Pokémon that could put others to sleep instantaneously and was powerful enough to seriously injure a Mega-Evolved Pokémon in a single blow?

"All right, you two." Proton said, addressing Jessie and James, "We will leave… _after_ we capture this… _Darkrai_ …for Giovanni."

" _What?!"_ Jessie and James both said in perfect unison.

Proton chose to ignore them, calling out to the six Grunts in the room. "All of you! Attack Darkrai! Show no mercy!"

The Grunts, led by Butch and Cassidy, called upon various Pokémon, from Golbat to Sandslash to Gabite. Darkrai speedily glanced at the dozens of opponents, but showed absolutely no concern. The Dark Pokémon stuck out its two clawed hands and immediately spat crackling electricity from them, indicating that it was using Shock Wave. The electrical attack struck several of the hovering Golbat, instantly knocking them all out. Darkrai then sped forward towards a Gabite, driving it into the ground with a Dark Pulse. A Sandslash responded by using Crush Claw, but Darkrai easily dodged out of the way and then unleashed a Dark Void on the room, forcing a dozen Pokémon into sleep with ease.

Darkrai's onslaught continued as it knocked out each and every opposing Pokémon, save for Absol. As each Pokémon fell, Proton glanced at the wounded Mega Absol. Aerodactyl was fast asleep and unable to be woken, so the Executive turned his Control Gauntlet on the Mega-Evolved dark-type. Purple energy swarmed around Absol, stimulating feeling of irrational anger within the Disaster Pokémon. Absol's eyes glowed red for just an instant and it immediately charged toward Darkrai, a Night Slash attack at the ready. Darkrai narrowed its visible eye at Absol and then stuck out its arm, generating another Shock Wave, electrocuting Absol briefly. Without missing a beat, Darkrai brought up its other arm and unleashed a Dark Pulse, striking Absol in the chest and slinging the dark-type away. Absol crashed into the wall at the far end of the ballroom, slumping over near one of the shattered windows.

This time, Proton took a step back. He had drastically underestimated Darkrai's strength. It would take an army of Pokémon to bring the Dark Pokémon down, and even then nothing would be certain!

Darkrai's visible eye pulsed with a new rush of anger. He was fed up with the intruders.

 _~Go away!~_

Executive Proton shivered and feverishly nodded. He swiftly returned the sleeping Mega Aerodactyl and turned tail, sprinting for the broken windows. "Retreat!" Proton cried, "We have enough of what we need!" Jessie, James, Meowth, and the Grunts began running for empty windows, pulling out little tablets that would expand into their Hover-Pads at the push of a button.

Ash stepped forward, shouting as loud as he could over the noise of the fleeing Rockets. _"Darkrai!"_ Ash shouted. The Dark Pokémon whirled around, its blue eye settling on the teen.

 _~Ash…~_

"You have to stop them from stealing all of those Pokémon!" Ash shouted. Darkrai whirled back around, spotting one of the Grunts making off with a sack full of Poké Balls. The Dark Pokémon narrowed its eyes and launched a Dark Pulse, slashing the bottom of the bag apart. Several capsules spilled out of the bag and two of the Grunts panicked, desperately trying to hold the sack closed as they frantically climbed out of the window. Instants later, the crooks began flying away on their activated Hover-Pads, fleeing into the night sky.

Darkrai watched the fleeing Rockets for just a moment before vanishing in a ball of shadow. The people continued to chatter about Darkrai's sudden appearance and subsequent domination. A few more moments later, a mob of people began running to the small pile of Poké Balls that had been rescued from Team Rocket, hoping that at least one of their Pokémon were contained in the capsules. As about twenty Pokémon were released from the Poké Balls, the reactions of the crowd were a distinct mirror. Elation passed across some faces, while abject sorrow flashed along the faces of many others.

Alice and Tonio ran over to Ash and the others at this time, sparking another rash of confusion from Baron Alberto, "Alice! That was Darkrai! I thought Darkrai was gone!" Alberto stammered.

Alice turned her head to glance out the nearby shattered window. She nodded sadly, "I knew that Darkrai was alive, Baron Alberto."

"What?! You knew, and you never told anyone?" Alberto asked. Deep down he fully understood why, but he was unable to communicate his understanding into his scrambled brain.

"I knew as well." Tonio added with a firm glare, "And Ash and Dawn, too."

Alberto jerked his head over to Ash and Dawn, who were speaking quietly between themselves and completely unaware that they were being talked about. The Baron then sighed, "I suppose that Darkrai's survival is less important now. We need to figure out what just happened, and what to do about it."

Over on the far end of the ballroom, slumped against a wall with countless cracks, Mega Absol stirred from its unconsciousness with a high-pitched whine, catching the attention of Ash, Dawn, and the rest of their group. While the other patrons of the ball frantically searched for their stolen Pokémon, the teenaged Trainers (plus Alice, Tonio, and Alberto) approached the beaten dark-type who had been left behind by the Rockets.

Mega Absol winced as it tried to regain its footing. A sphere of bright light formed around its body and it returned to its normal form, and as its Mega-Evolved form vanished, so too did its synthetic anger. With its anger suddenly gone, Absol quickly became overwhelmed by a new emotion.

Fear.

Absol glanced down at its feet, spotting the brace holding its Mega Stone in place. The Disaster Pokémon recognized the stone and immediately panicked. The irradiated stone was the source of all of the dark-type's recent, terrible memories. The torture that had been inflicted upon Absol bubbled to the surface; the detestable conditions she'd been kept in, the constant sessions in which those terrible wrist machines used by Team Rocket so cruelly influenced her emotions, and the process of Mega Evolution being forced upon her…all of it spurred Absol's next action. The Disaster Pokémon began yelping, ducking her head and using her horn in an attempt to tear the brace off of her ankle and free her from the Mega Stone that represented her torture. The dark-type managed to slip its horn underneath the brace, but she was unable to pull it off of her. The failure only bolstered her panic.

When Absol noticed the teenagers approaching it, the dark-type immediately became standoffish. They'd been the same ones that had commanded the Pokémon that Absol had been forced to battle. Deep down, Absol thought it was only right for her to thank them for driving away her captors, but instead her overwhelming fear guided her emotions. Absol stood threateningly, her horn glowing with dark energy.

"Absol, it's okay…" Dawn said sweetly, pure concern in her voice.

Absol stalled for just a moment, the soothing tone in her voice helping to banish some of its primal fear. Still, though, the dark-type did not disengage its readied attack. It was the only natural reaction after she had been so eagerly mistreated by Team Rocket. Despite this, Dawn still crept closer.

"Dawn, stay back." Ash said, concern in his voice as he stepped closer. Absol growled apprehensively, feeling as if she were about to be cornered.

Dawn waved him off, "No. I have to help Absol. She's scared, and she's hurting…"

Ash seemed to understand that he could do nothing to change her mind, and he stepped back, somewhat cooling Absol's blood. Dawn's voice brought the dark-type's attention back to her.

"Absol, I understand that you're scared, but I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know what those bad people did to you, but I want to help." Dawn said sincerely, "Please, let me take that stone off of your leg."

Absol's horn continued to churn with energy, but Dawn did not back down. She reached Absol's face, and the dark-type was compelled to lash out, but didn't. There was something about the teenage girl that cooled Absol's overwhelming fear. Carefully, Dawn stooped down and bent down on her knees, gently placing her hands around the brace carrying the Mega Stone. Absol gave a short growl, but Dawn continued to work, carefully pulling out the pin that held the brace tightly in place and removing it like a belt. The brace came off, revealing twisted, matted hair underneath, and Dawn leaned back up, meeting Absol's eyes.

"There we go." Dawn cooed, "You don't have to hurt anymore." Absol stared into her blue eyes, trying to read her. The girl had selflessly offered to help, and she hadn't dared to raise a threatening hand to the dark-type like the others did. Maybe she was different, Absol wondered silently. The dark-type then snorted, climbing out of its brooding stupor. Absol's pupils narrowed, for there was only one truth that she understood.

People were bad.

Absol instantly turned to the side and bolted away, leaving a gust of wind in her wake as she ran. Dawn's head followed with a jerk, and the dark-type bounded through the throng of people and out one of the shattered windows, falling the short, one-story distance to the ground. The Disaster Pokémon released a howl as it ran away, embracing the freedom eagerly as it eagerly navigated the city streets. There was no telling where the dark-type would end up, but anywhere was better than the cages of Team Rocket's hideout.

Dawn sniffled for a moment. At first, she had thought that maybe she'd made a connection with Absol. She glanced down at the Mega Stone, noting its pale blue color and the curvy, black and blue pattern across the middle. She then closed her fingers around the stone, her palm feeling the leather of the accursed strap that had been tied onto Absol's leg.

"We should head outside." Maury interrupted, "The police should be here soon."

"Yeah. That's a good idea." Allegra agreed.

Allegra, Kai, Maury, Alberto, Tonio, Alice, and Ash began to walk away, more or less following some of the people who were leaving of their own accord. Dawn stood still in place, her mind fixated on Absol.

"Dawn? You comin'?" Ash asked, having stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

Dawn shook out of her deep thinking and forced a smile. "No need to worry. I'm just following you."

* * *

The noise of the helicopter was overwhelming to Ash and Dawn's ears. Green and red lights flickered every few seconds on the chopper's sides as it descended into the wide-open street. There weren't many people out anymore, but most everyone knew of the crisis that had taken place at the Baron's mansion. Ash and Dawn had since changed out of their clothes from the ball and were now wearing their usual outfits. Police were crawling around the city, many of them taking care of the last few people who had come from the mansion without their Pokémon. A long line had formed as people filed reports with the present officers, naming the Pokémon that had been stolen from them and activating search warrants for them.

The helicopter landed and the spinning blades slowed until they came to a stop. The side of the helicopter slid open like the door of a van and three figures stepped out. The first was the area's local Officer Jenny, the same one who had met Ash and Dawn on Route 203 after Team Rocket's attack on the lake several months ago. The second person was Professor Rowan, who had come at the behest of Ash. The older teen had called the Professor after leaving the manor, and the old man had eagerly agreed to come to Alamos Town upon hearing that Team Rocket had influenced their Pokémon to Mega Evolve. Finally, the third figure was…

"Mom?!" Dawn gasped. She immediately sprinted over to Johanna and hugged her tight, a gesture that made the ex-Coordinator's eyes twinkle. She hugged her daughter back just before Dawn pulled away.

"Are you two all right?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Yes! We're perfectly fine." Dawn said gleefully.

"I'm glad to hear that." Jenny said with a smile, "Now, Professor Rowan, I'm going to have to leave you with these children…I need to get to my officers. There are a lot of stolen Pokémon reports that we'll need to file." Professor Rowan nodded and Officer Jenny quickly stepped away, approaching the throngs of people in the area.

"My goodness, what a mess." Rowan said, his eyes fixated on Alberto's nearby manor. It was easy to tell that several of the windows had been broken. The Professor then turned to Ash, "Now, Ash, you told me that Mega Evolution was involved in this scheme? Just what did you see?"

"Team Rocket and their goons tried to make us hand over our Pokémon, and they called on their own when we refused. They all had these weird pieces on their bodies holding glowing stones. And then, well, they made them Mega Evolve."

"Interesting…" Rowan said, his right hand finding his white beard and stroking the hair.

"There's more, too." Dawn said, "Somehow, they were making the Pokémon angry…like they were controlling them! They left behind a Mega Absol when they ran off, and we ended up getting this."

Dawn revealed that she was still holding the Mega Stone, the spherical stone still stuck inside the strap's circular container. The Professor's eyes immediately widened and he stepped toward Dawn.

"Incredible! May I see it, please?" Rowan asked. Dawn eagerly handed over the stone, having no desire to keep it with her anymore. Rowan immediately began examining it with his naked eye, "Yes, this would be a Mega Stone, all right. You said this stone was for an Absol?"

"That's correct, Professor Rowan." Dawn said.

"And where is Absol? You said it was abandoned by Team Rocket?"

"Absol…Absol ran off after we pulled the Mega Stone away from it." Dawn explained, "She seemed very upset until we pulled it off of her. She was even trying to remove it herself. And then she just…ran."

Rowan stroked his beard again, "That is troubling, indeed…if you don't mind, I'd like to take this stone back to my lab and study it. Perhaps we can get to the bottom of this."

"Please, take it and keep it." Dawn insisted, "I don't want to see that thing again if it caused that poor Absol so much pain."

"I understand." Rowan said, "I promise, I will do what I can to help you understand what happened tonight."

"Thank you, Professor Rowan." Ash said with a nod.

Rowan hopped back into the helicopter, taking the Mega Stone with him and allowing Ash and Dawn some time to spend with the helicopter's third and most unexpected occupant. "I for one am so pleased to see that neither of you are hurt." Johanna said, giving each of the two teens a hug, "Are you sure that everything is all right?"

"I promise, Mom, we're fine." Dawn said, "How did you get here?"

"Professor Rowan got your call and appeared in Twinleaf Town. He came up to our house and asked me to come with him to Alamos Town because you two had been in danger." Johanna explained, "And, well…here I am."

Dawn hugged Johanna again, "Well, I'm glad to see you!"

"So am I, Dawn." Johanna smiled, "Now, where were you two heading next?"

"We were off to Canalave City before we took a detour and stopped here in Alamos Town." Ash said, "My next gym challenge is there, and then we were going to take a ferry to Chocovine Town for Dawn's next Contest."

"Well, how's about you two ride back in the helicopter with us? We can drop you two at Jubilife City." Johanna offered.

"That would be great!" Dawn beamed, "Ash, are you okay with that?"

"That works for me. It'll cut a couple days on our travel time and we can make it to Canalave City sooner." Ash agreed.

Ash's eye suddenly caught the visage of Darkrai, spotting the fog-like plume billowing above its black head. The Dark Pokémon was standing tall atop the apex of a nearby building, staring at Ash for just a moment before jumping forward from the building's roof. The attention of many people turned to the arriving Darkrai, including Ash.

Ash stepped toward Darkrai carefully, holding the Dark Pokémon's gaze. He noticed Alice and Tonio push their way to the front of the crowd, spotting Darkrai and Ash in the street. The blonde moved to step forward, but reconsidered it and pulled her foot back. Ash finally reached conversational distance with Darkrai, and he wasted no time in speaking, though he wasn't sure what to say.

"Darkrai…" Ash managed.

 _~Ash…~_

"Th-thank you for, uh…showing up when you did." Ash continued, "What happened after Team Rocket ran away?"

 _~Chased...bad men…away…~_ Darkrai said in pieces, _~Bad men got away…~_

Ash could easily see the disappointment in Darkrai's visible eye. "Darkrai, you shouldn't get down on yourself. You helped save a lot of Pokémon tonight!"

 _~Still…failed…~_

"That doesn't matter, you hear me? Without you there, there's no telling what could've happened." Ash insisted, "You're a hero to this town, Darkrai…why have you waited so long to come back out?"

 _~Garden…home…~_ Darkrai grumbled, _~Protect…home…staying…away~_

Ash seemed to get it. Darkrai must've thought that he was protecting Alamos Town by staying away from the people. Even if they now viewed him as a hero, he still felt safer keeping at a distance.

"Darkrai…what are you going to do now?"

 _~I must…stay…protect home…~_ Darkrai groaned, _~Make sure bad men…don't come…back…~_

Ash nodded once. "Okay…I understand. I…I need to leave now. I have to head to the next town."

 _~Ash…~_

Ash held a stone-like, confident face, "Yeah, Darkrai?"

 _~Ash…good…when home…is safe…join…you?~_

It took all Ash had not to gawk. Darkrai was saying that he wanted to go with Ash once he thought Alamos Town was safe? A Legendary Pokémon wanted to travel with him? The idea made him giddy.

"Darkrai…if that is what you want…I would be truly honored." Ash managed, "But how will I know when you are ready?"

 _~You…Aura…Guardian. You…always…know…~_

"I'm hardly a fully-fleshed Aura Guardian…" Ash said with a nervous scratch of his head.

 _~I…speak…to you…when…ready…~_

Ash nodded. "Okay, Darkrai. I understand now…take care."

 _~Take…care…?~_

"Be careful, is what I mean." Ash said, "Make sure that Alamos Town stays safe, but make sure you stay safe, too."

 _~Take…care…~_ Darkrai said, this time rather confidently.

Darkrai turned to look at the crowd of people who'd been watching. The people mostly stood in awe at the Dark Pokémon's appearance. Then, suddenly, people began to clap. The noises initially startled Darkrai, but he saw there was no threatening faces in the crowd. Darkrai's eye settled on Alice and Tonio, both of whom smiled warmly. His life was forever to be intertwined with the two, and now he realized he was glad for it. But, also, his life was intertwined with Ash's. They shared a strange connection, now. Maybe one day soon Darkrai would be ready to leave Alamos Town to travel as Ash's Pokémon.

 _~Alice…~_ Darkrai stirred. Three years ago, when his life had hung in the balance, he'd mistaken the blonde for Alicia, the kind girl who had been his only friend many years ago. Inexplicably, Alice was descended from Alicia. To Darkrai, she was just as special as her grandmother. The Dark Pokémon began to fade into shadows, slowly disappearing from view. From here, it would return to the garden, where it would resume keeping watch over Alamos Town. Darkrai had risen above the public scourge he had been labeled as, becoming a hero to the people of the town where he'd made his home for nearly a hundred years. In this way, the Dark Pokémon felt content. Without another thought, Darkrai vanished, his shadow seeping into the ground and disappearing from sight.

Ash now stood alone, Dawn and Johanna at the helicopter behind him and Alice and Tonio in the crowd in front of him. Next to them, Allegra, Kai, and Maury appeared, and the five walked as one out into the street. Dawn appeared next to Ash as they did so. It was time to say their goodbyes.

"I guess this is it…again." Allegra said, stifling a chuckle.

"Maybe…are you three competing in Contests again?" Dawn asked.

"We sure are!" Maury beamed, "Allegra's ahead of us two though."

"I've got two Ribbons. I'm heading to a Contest in Jubilife City with these idiots next." Allegra explained.

"Hey, who are you calling an idiot?" Kai complained. He held an upset expression for about two seconds before bursting out into laughter with Maury. Ash and Dawn giggled along with them for a moment.

"I've got three Ribbons of my own! But my next Contest is going to be in Chocovine Town." Dawn beamed after she stopped laughing.

"Well then…maybe we'll all see each other again at the Grand Festival." Kai guessed.

"That is, if you guys can qualify." Allegra teased. Kai rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"What about you, Ash? Where are you off to now?" Kai asked.

"We're heading to Canalave City, but we're taking a helicopter to Jubilife right now so we can get there earlier." Ash explained. He then had an idea, "Hey, maybe you guys could ride with us. There might not be a whole lot of room though."

"I think I'm good." Maury said immediately, "I've never been one for heights."

Kai snickered, "Yeah, and besides, walking is way more fun. Jubilife isn't very far from here at all. We'll be fine."

"Well, okay…" Dawn said, "The Grand Festival, then."

Allegra stuck her hand out, briefly closing it around Dawn's hand. "The Grand Festival." She nodded. Allegra then stepped back and turned away, closely followed by Kai and Maury. Alice and Tonio were still there, allowing them to say goodbye next.

"It's been great seeing you two again." Alice said with an innocent smile.

"You two as well." Ash agreed immediately, "I think we had a great time for the most part."

"Things might be a little hectic around here for a few days. But pretty soon it'll all be back to normal." Tonio said, "Take care, you two."

"No need to worry, you two. We'll be fine." Dawn said. She surged forward and hugged Alice while Ash shook Tonio's hand, and then the friends split from each other. Alice and Tonio left the town square, and Ash and Dawn headed towards Johanna to wait for the helicopter's departure.

* * *

Eventually, Officer Jenny returned, and the helicopter took off into the air shortly after. The ride was very short, with Jubilife City's skyline already visible from the sky above Alamos Town. A few minutes later, the chopper landed on the roof of the Jubilife City Police Station, and each passenger quickly disembarked and headed to the bottom of the police station. Ash, Dawn, Johanna, and Rowan soon found themselves on the streets of Jubilife City. Johanna and Rowan would be biking back to Twinleaf Town and Sandgem Town, respectively, on their own, while Ash and Dawn would stay the night in the Pokémon Center and then head west toward Canalave City.

"I'll begin analyzing the Mega Stone you gave me tomorrow morning." Rowan said gruffly, "I should be able to get back to you two in a few days, if you'd like to hear my findings."

"That would be great, Professor." Ash said. Rowan nodded and then hopped on his bike, waiting only for Johanna. The ex-Coordinator stepped over to her daughter and Ash and hugged them both tightly.

"Take care, you two. I'm glad you're safe." Johanna said.

"No need to worry, Mom." Dawn said with a slight giggle.

"Oh, sweetheart, you know full well when you say 'no need to worry', that's when I worry the most." Johanna sniffled.

"Well then, I promise, you have no need to worry—ugh!" Dawn complained, subconsciously unable to avoid her catchphrase, "We will be okay."

"Good. Please call me when you get to Canalave City." Johanna said. With that, she stepped away from Ash and Dawn and climbed onto her bike, riding out of the city with Rowan. They would split upon reaching Sandgem Town, and Johanna would ride alone to her home in Twinleaf Town.

"Well, I guess we should get rooms at the Center." Dawn said, "Unless you want to sleep on the road."

"Nope! Let's go to the Pokémon Center." Ash decided instantly. The familiar red-roofed building was visible on the other end of the block, leaving them with a short walk to comfortable beds and a filling meal. Pikachu agreed with a happy _"Cha!"_ and Piplup gave an eager chirp to show he approved of the idea. With nothing left to discuss, they headed down the road.

Except, there was one more thing.

"Hey, Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Back at the ball, before Team Rocket burst in, you were going to tell me something." Dawn said, "What was it about?"

Ash's stomach dropped. "I-I did?" he said. His mind scrambled as he tried to think of something to say. He wanted to tell her the truth…the truth about his feelings for her. He wanted to be honest with her. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat clenched.

He couldn't tell her.

"I, uh…I wanted to say I was having a great time. It's been really fun traveling with you, and with Corey and Layla, too." Ash said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't what he really wanted to tell her, "And…I'm glad you've stuck with me through everything."

Dawn smiled genuinely, "I'm having a lot of fun with this too, Ash." She then took on a mischievous smile and gave him a shove, "And I'm not holding what you did against you, y'know. I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Ash smiled. "Good. I'm glad."

When he finally crawled into his own bed that night, Ash never would've guessed how sick to his stomach he felt. With a grumble, he hit his head on the pillow, forcing his eyes shut and trying to will himself to sleep.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Location Unknown**_

"Proton. I've been expecting you," said the man on the screen, "Your report?"

"The operation was more or less a success, Giovanni, sir." Proton said. He was kneeling before the huge video screen like a knight before a king. Giovanni, his master, was shrouded in darkness on the screen, the only thing confirming his identity being Proton's use of his name. Every couple of nights, the Executive contacted Giovanni in a private room to report to him. Ever since his arrival in the Sinnoh Region, Proton had been the top dog of Team Rocket's Sinnoh branch, acting as a superior even to Charon. But even Proton was still a subordinate to Giovanni.

Proton more or less revered Giovanni as a deity. He fully believed in the man's 'genius', and had thrown his entire life behind the vision for the world that Giovanni had had since long before Proton was brought into the fold of the organization. The now-Executive had completely earned his high rank in the organization. From day one in basic training, Proton had impressed with his critical thinking skills, which eventually led to a personal meeting with Giovanni. As he grew older and spent more and more time in the organization, Proton became more and more of dark person. He was aggressive in pursuing his goals, and believed that the ends fully justified the means. He even gained a reputation for his particularly cruel methods with prisoners and those who defied him. His only weakness was his ambition. It was the same weakness that had caused what he now considered a failure: the operation in Alamos Town.

"More or less a success, Proton? What exactly do you mean by that?" Giovanni asked, his voice suddenly unhappy.

"Well, sir, we succeeded in taking many Pokémon from the people of the town. Our count is close to fifty. Early analysis of the Pokémon looks promising, and we've identified a handful that are capable of Mega Evolution once given the correct stone." Proton explained, "But…I made a mistake that caused us to bring home less Pokémon than we originally intended."

"Go on." Giovanni said.

"We encountered the Ketchum boy and the girl, as well as a few others, but that was to be expected. We actually managed to defeat them in battle, too, sir! The Mega-Evolved Pokémon performed spectacularly!" Proton boasted, "But then…something went wrong."

" _What do you mean, what went wrong?"_

"T-there wasn't much that I could do. After we defeated the meddlers, the lights suddenly started going out, one by one. And then, a dark Pokémon came out of the floor and attacked us! Its power was indescribable!" Proton explained, "It defeated every other Pokémon we had in a single attack, defeated a Mega Absol in two attacks, and put several others to sleep with the use of a single move! I've never seen anything like it!"

Proton could see Giovanni's eyebrows raise as he listened to Proton's report. "This…Pokémon…what did it look like?"

"Its entire body was black and skinny, except for its head!" Proton stammered, "It had red growths around its neck, and a white plume on top of its head, almost like fog, or a sheet!"

"Ah…I think I know just what kind of Pokémon you encountered, Proton." Giovanni said all too calmly.

"S-sir?"

"Ancient Sinnoh legends tell of a jet-black Pokémon with the power to cause nightmares. It is one half of a duo representing the moon. It's normally a reclusive Pokémon as well. This Pokémon is called _Darkrai_."

"Darkrai…" Proton said, "Giovanni, sir, do you want us to try and capture this Pokémon?"

Giovanni sat calmly in his chair, thinking. "…No." he said, "This Pokémon is not important to us yet. We have bigger things to accomplish right now. Once those goals are completed, then we will consider going after other Legendary Pokémon in Sinnoh. Now, what is your report on your efforts to locate the Adamant Orb?"

"We just determined its location today, sir." Proton said, "The Adamant Orb is somewhere in Canalave City."

"Good. Mobilize search teams first thing in the morning. I want the Orb to be located within the week." Giovanni said.

"Understood, my lord." Proton agreed.

"One more thing. In the coming weeks, I plan to send your fellow Executives to Sinnoh. Almost all of our efforts are being concentrated on our plans there, and we will need all of the leadership we can get." Giovanni said.

"Ariana, Petrel, and Archer are coming?" Proton asked, "I am quite thrilled to hear this."

"Yes, and a few weeks after them, I plan to travel to the Sinnoh Region myself." Giovanni said.

Proton's eyes widened. "We will be honored to receive you, Giovanni, sir!"

"I'm sure of it." Giovanni said, "Now, there is nothing more for us to discuss tonight. Beginning tomorrow, focus all efforts on finding the Adamant Orb."

"Consider it done, sir." Proton said. Giovanni nodded and the live feed cut off, leaving the large screen blank. Proton sighed and walked out of the private room, heading to his personal quarters to get some rest. As he reached the privacy of his quarters, Proton shivered giddily. Soon, everything was going to change for the better. Giovanni's genius would finally come to fruition, and Team Rocket would reign supreme over everything.

* * *

 **And that's it for Alamos Town! Please post a review if you're able, everyone! I want to know what you thought about everything in this portion of the story. What did you think of the reveal of Executive Proton? Did you like seeing all of the old characters from The Rise of Darkrai again? What about Darkrai's appearance at the manor, or the moment between Dawn and the abandoned Absol? What would you like to see in the future? I hope to read a bunch of reviews from as many of you as possible, and I'll see you all again as soon as I can!**


	51. Byron and the Rocket's Ruse

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 51_

 _Byron and the Rocket's Ruse_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Canalave City**_

" _Well, I'm quite glad to hear that you both made it to Canalave City in one piece."_ Professor Rowan said over the videophone.

Ash and Dawn sat in two chairs at a table in the Pokémon Center's lobby. Their table hugged the corner of the complex, allowing them some privacy to speak with Professor Rowan on Dawn's PokéPad. The journey from Jubilife City had been short, being only a few days' walk west of the metropolis. That walk led the teens to a port servicing Canalave City. The largest island, conveniently in the center, was home to the majority of the city, with smaller sections being located on the nearby islands. Ports that serviced the other islands were present at each of the islands in the city, though there was talk of the city council putting a dent in their budget and building a public monorail system around the chain of islands that was faster and more convenient than traveling by sea.

"Thank you, Professor." Ash said, "Did you have any time to take a look at that Mega Stone?"

"I did, Ash, and I've spent quite a bit of time examining it. I've just sent a report on my investigations to Officer Jenny in Jubilife City, but I thought you two would want to hear my findings as well." Rowan explained, waiting patiently for Ash's answer.

"Go ahead, Professor."

"Well, first I should explain that every type of Mega Stone has a name specific to the Pokémon species that can Mega Evolve in response to the stone's natural energy. Since this stone was used for an Absol, we can assume that this particular Mega Stone is known as Absolite."

"Not a very creative naming scheme…" Dawn muttered.

Professor Rowan continued, "Anyway, Mega Stones naturally radiate another energy that is entirely different from the kind that Pokémon respond to by Mega Evolving. We call this radiation Mega Energy. We're not sure where this energy comes from or how it originated, but every Mega Stone we've ever observed has popped up as a blip on radiation sensors. We can also sense places that have lots of natural Mega Stones hidden in them. This is the reason why I sent Gary to the Battle Zone several months ago, because our sensors were picking up abnormally high radiation levels that matched Mega Energy signatures."

Ash blinked a few times. It was a lot of information to take in. "Okay, Professor…I'm not exactly following. What does that have to do with this Mega Stone?"

"The problem, Ash, is that this Mega Stone is radiating absolutely no Mega Energy whatsoever." Rowan explained.

Now _that_ caught Ash's attention. He wasn't exactly sure why it was significant, but he knew that it meant something.

Dawn spoke next, "So then what does that mean, Professor?"

"I'm not sure, but after several hours of analysis I've concluded that this Mega Stone is, well… _synthetic."_

"Synthetic?" Dawn asked, "You mean it was made in a lab?"

"I'm afraid so." Professor Rowan said, "I don't understand how this would be achieved, but it could explain how Team Rocket would be able to bypass the natural constraints of Mega Evolution. Somehow, someway, the Mega Stones they were using were able to _force_ their Pokémon to Mega Evolve completely against the Pokémon's will. It would also explain why the Pokémon were so agitated. I'm afraid something very bad is going on in Sinnoh, you two."

Ash tensed. Bad people like Team Rocket putting Pokémon in great pain really set him off. And not only that, those Pokémon were suffering in order to give the crooks more power to work with. Just the thought of it was truly disgusting.

"We've got to do something about it." Ash insisted.

"No. I won't allow you two to get involved if I can help it." Rowan refused, "You two are teenagers, and you don't deserve to become involved with people like this. You should focus on your League challenge, Ash, and Dawn, you should keep your attention on Contests."

"But, Professor…" Ash protested.

"I'm sorry, Ash, but I promise you that this is for the best. If you two were to get involved and got hurt, I would never be able to live with myself. How would I explain things to Johanna, Dawn?" Rowan asked, "And your mother, Ash? How would she feel about such a thing?"

Ash and Dawn locked eyes, and the older teen sagged his shoulders. Professor Rowan was right.

"…Not good." Ash said.

"I truly am sorry, Ash. I know that you feel strongly about Pokémon. It's this quality that makes you a great Trainer. But there are adults who handle things like these, and not only are they more prepared than you are, but it is their job." Rowan furthered, "For now, you should continue on your journeys."

"I understand, Professor Rowan. You're right." Ash said, "I was going to try and challenge Byron today at the Canalave Gym."

"Excellent!" Professor Rowan beamed, "Also, just so you know, the Gym was relocated to another one of the islands that make up Canalave City. Byron moved it about a year ago, so you'll have to go to the port and ride over in a boat."

"I didn't even know that! Thanks so much, Professor Rowan." Ash said, finally cracking a smile.

"Well, now you do. Byron is a personal friend of mine, so please do tell him hello for me once you see him. Other than that, I'll be in touch with you two as needed." Rowan said.

"Be careful, Professor Rowan!" Dawn called.

"You two as well. Goodbye, and good luck." Rowan answered. The feed then cut out, and Ash released a deep sigh.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…just thinking. I really hope Team Rocket pays for what they've done." Ash grumbled, "If I ever see Jessie and James again, I'm going to go after them. They're not even bad people! And yet they've gladly thrown in with this new Team Rocket and they're perfectly fine with hurting Pokémon and stealing more so that they can hurt those too."

"Ash, you can't get too worked up about this." Dawn tried, "Like Professor Rowan said, we need to stay focused. We'll carry on just fine."

Dawn's PokéPad began to vibrate. She untucked it from her arm and glanced at the now-glowing screen, reading the name that was etched across it. Someone was calling them!

"Hey, look! Corey's calling us!" Dawn beamed.

"What? Answer it, answer it!" Ash insisted.

"I am, I am!" Dawn said, tapping the 'accept' button repeatedly. The device connected and the videophone screen booted up a live feed of Corey.

"Hey guys!" Corey beamed, "How are you?"

"We're great, Corey!" Ash and Dawn said together. They quickly exchanged glances and giggles and then looked back at the screen. Ash spoke next, "Where are you?"

"Layla and I just got to Hearthome City!" Corey said, "Layla's got a Contest today, and I'm going to try and challenge the Gym Leader tomorrow!"

"That's awesome, Corey. Fantina's a tough opponent though, so you'd better be prepared!" Ash warned.

"Where is Layla?" Dawn asked. Corey was apparently calling from a Pokémon Center, and he was all that either of them could see on the screen.

"She's already gone to Contest Hall to get ready. She was looking extra confident today! It's going to be her first Contest since Lake Valor." Corey explained.

"That's wonderful! I hope she does well. If you see her before it starts, tell her we're rooting for her!" Dawn called.

"Sure thing! Oh, I almost forgot! On the way up from Pastoria City, in that stupid marsh, I caught a new Pokémon!" Corey said excitedly.

"That's great! Well, let's see it!" Ash insisted.

Corey immediately pulled a Poké Ball up and tapped the button on the center, popping the capsule open and shooting a white light out into the air. The light formed into a shape and then vanished, revealing a Duskull hovering in the air.

"Woah, a Duskull!" Ash gasped, "Where in the world did you find one?"

"I really don't even know!" Corey beamed, "We were taking a shortcut through the forest to try and get away from all of the rain…" Corey's face scrunched up as he spoke some more, "I swear, guys, it rained like every freaking day we were traveling this way—and a couple of Duskull showed up. They were pretty friendly, and this one even decided to go with me!"

" _Duskull, Dusk-ull!"_ Duskull chanted, doing a little spin in midair. The ghost-type seemed rather pleased to be traveling with Corey, making Ash smile.

"So anyway, where are you guys at right now?" Corey asked.

"We just got to Canalave City earlier this morning, and we were fixing to head out to challenge Byron, the Canalave City Gym Leader." Ash explained, "He's a real tough steel-type Trainer, so it should be a fun battle."

"That's great! Good luck, Ash!"

"Thanks, Corey, and good luck to you when you battle Fantina!"

"You bet! Bye, guys!" Corey waved. Ash and Dawn both waved goodbye and the video chat ended. Dawn slipped her PokéPad back inside her bag and yawned. As Ash involuntarily yawned along with her, Dawn stood up from her seat, briefly stretching her legs.

"Well, do you want to head over to Byron's Gym?" Dawn asked.

"I sure do!" Ash beamed, shooting up out of his seat. Pikachu chattered from Ash's shoulder, eagerly declaring his desire to battle. With that, the pair headed for the door, their sights set on Ash's next Gym rematch!

* * *

"Man, I am so psyched to battle with Byron," Ash said, "I wonder how that Bastiodon is doing."

Dawn remembered. During their experience in the Solaceon Ruins, they'd come face to face with Charon, a former Team Galactic scientist. The old man had unleashed a Tangrowth and a Bastiodon on the pair, intending to overpower them with his own Pokémon. Instead, Ash had used his Aura abilities to resonate with Charon's Bastiodon, turning the steel-type against the old man. Afterward, he had captured Bastiodon and sent the steel-type to live with Byron, where it could be raised by a Trainer that not only understood steel-types, but could protect it from harm.

"I'm sure Byron has taken great care of Bastiodon." Dawn said, "We should ask him once we get to the Gym."

"For sure!" Ash agreed.

" _Give up already!"_ snapped a rude-sounding voice. A man in a light brown trench coat stumbled out of a nearby alleyway, his black hair messy and tangled. He looked as if he'd been through a lot. Two more men sprang out of the alleyway, each of them dressed in identical dark gray uniforms marked with bold red R's. Their faces were masks of malice as they advanced upon the man in the trench coat.

"N-no! I won't give you my Pokémon! Who are you people anyway?" the man in the coat complained. His hand was clutched tightly around a clean Poké Ball.

"You seriously don't know who we are?" one of the Team Rocket Grunts asked with disbelief, "Surely you're joking! We're Team Rocket, and we're going to keep taking and taking until every Pokémon is ours! And then, we'll rule Sinnoh with an iron fist!"

"No, I know who you are! You're nothing but crazy dreamers!" complained the man in the trench coat.

"Dream or not, you're giving us that Pokémon."

Ash burned up and he immediately stepped forward. Energy flowed through his veins, the living Aura inside of him crying to be brought out. Ash managed to quell the energy from bursting into life and he ran over to the crooks and the man in the trench coat.

"Hey, you!" Ash spat, "Leave him alone! Pokémon aren't yours to take!"

"Hey, kid, get on out of here. This ain't none of your business," one of the Grunts grumbled, waving Ash off and taking another step toward the cowering man in the coat.

"Well I'm making it my business." Ash snapped, "Hit the road, or else."

" _Pi-Pika!"_ Pikachu echoed.

The electric-type's chatter garnered the attention of the two Grunts this time, both of their eyes lighting up like traffic lights. The second of the two Grunts nudged his partner, "Hey, this kid's got some guts. Should we teach him a thing or two?"

"Sure thing, brother, and then we can make off with _two_ Pokémon today." The first Grunt agreed.

"Guess again, Team Rocket!" Dawn called, appearing beside Ash. Piplup hopped off of his special perch on her head and landed on the concrete sidewalk, chirping irritably. Pikachu followed suit, landing on all fours and releasing some voltage from his cheeks as a warning.

"Or make that _three!_ I think it's our lucky day! _"_ boasted the first Grunt. He revealed a hidden Poké Ball from inside his uniform and tossed it into the air, "All right, Stunky, get out there!"

"Bronzor, you too!" ordered the second Grunt.

Stunky and Bronzor burst out of their Poké Balls, glancing at their opponents with misinformed confidence. The first Grunt eagerly called for Stunky to use Slash, and the poison-type Skunk Pokémon bounded forward, bringing up its front left paw and extending razor sharp claws from them.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. The mouse speedily hardened his tail into powerful steel and spun around, slamming his jagged tail into the side of Stunky's head and ruining the poison-type's intended attack. The Skunk Pokémon reeled and was thrown back, getting a mouthful of concrete and dust.

"You're gonna pay for that!" the second Grunt snapped, "Bronzor, use Gyro Ball!"

Bronzor purred and spun its small, thin body at high speed. The steel/psychic-type quickly closed in on Piplup, its spinning slicing the air and releasing audible whistles of wind in its wake. Dawn broke a confident grin and called for Piplup to counter, "Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" and Piplup eagerly parted its round, pointed beak to blast a barrage of explosive bubbles. The blast struck Bronzor head-on and caused a small explosion that clouded the visions of the two Team Rocket Grunts and their Pokémon.

"Pikachu, let's send them packing! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. Pikachu bounded forward and surrounded itself in destructive electricity. The Thunderbolt exploded off of Pikachu's body and shot out in a crooked pattern toward the cloud of smoke, and the attack's success was confirmed by the loud shrieking of the two Grunts and two more Pokémon. The Thunderbolt tore away the smoke cloud and left the Grunts, doused in soot and with their Pokémon unconscious, struggling to comprehend their situation. After a brief moment of considering their next course of action, the two Grunts backed up, returning their Pokémon before locking eyes and echoing a single word to each other.

" _Run!"_

The Grunts whirled around and skedaddled, their shoes squealing on the concrete as they fled as quickly as possible. With that out of the way, Ash and Dawn looked over to the man in the trench coat, who was standing stiffly with his back pressed against a streetlight pole. He was watching the Grunts flee out of sight, and once they turned around a random corner, he shook his head and glanced over to the two teens.

"Th-thank you!" the man said, immediately stepping away from the pole and getting close to the two teenagers. He ran a nervous hand through his tousled, short black hair, "You saved me and my Pokémon! I don't know how to thank you!"

"There's no need to thank us." Ash insisted.

"Yeah, we just did what needed to be done!" Dawn agreed.

"But you were in the right place at the right time, and you didn't hesitate to help me out! Surely you must acknowledge that that is something extraordinary in of itself!" the man continued. He then gasped, "Oh, forgive me! My name is Lester. I'm a Pokémon Paleontologist."

"A Pokémon Paleontologist? You mean the guys that dig up Pokémon fossils?" Ash asked.

"Well, actually, I'm not officially one, I'm still studying to get my license. But Pokémon Paleontologists uncover and study ancient Pokémon fossils, and with the technology of today, we can restore them to life and study Pokémon like they once were in their day and age!" Lester spouted.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of restoring Pokémon fossils. I've never owned one that was restored from a fossil, though." Ash said.

"It's been my passion since I was young! Anyway, I stopped in Canalave City to do some research of ancient history, if you will! The Canalave Library is said to be packed with records and myths from ancient times." Lester gushed, "Oh, pardon my manners. What are your names?"

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu. I'm a Pokémon Trainer, and we're training to take on the Sinnoh League!"

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

"And my name's Dawn. This little troublemaker here is my partner Piplup, and I'm a Pokémon Coordinator."

" _Pip-pip-Piplup!"_

"A Pokémon Trainer and a Pokémon Coordinator. How incredible! When I was about your age—perhaps a bit younger—I tried my hand at Pokémon training, but I was never very good at it." Lester lamented.

"Hey, don't sweat it. You should be proud that you've found a passion in being a paleontologist!" Ash said.

"I feel the same way!" Lester agreed. His expression changed, and he squirmed in his place, "Um, I hope it's not a burden, but may I ask a favor of you two?"

"Sure thing." Ash answered quickly.

"Could…could I travel around the city with you today? Team Rocket has been a real problem here lately, and I'm worried that they might come back once I'm alone again. I'd never be able to take them on by myself." Lester explained, "I really don't want to be an inconvenience to you two, but it would make me feel much safer if I were with a couple of skilled Trainers such as yourselves." Lester's face was a mask of hopeful anticipation, as if he were opening a special-looking present on Christmas morning.

Ash and Dawn quickly exchanged glances, deciding quickly and silently how to respond. Dawn put on a smile, "Of course you can, Lester."

Lester broke a relieved smile. Ash spoke up next, "We were just on our way to the Canalave City Gym so that I could challenge the Gym Leader, Byron."

Lester's face lit up like Christmas lights, _"The_ Byron? As in the Byron who is famous for his fossil discoveries and his wealth of knowledge about ancient Sinnoh?"

"Um…sure…?" Ash guessed, cracking a nervous smile.

"Amazing! I have always wanted to meet him!" Lester gushed.

"Well, then, you're in luck. Just follow us, we're heading to the port so we can take a boat over to the island that the Gym is on!" Ash explained. He and Dawn immediately took the lead and Lester fell in behind them, twitching excitedly as he went. The man was…peculiar…to say the least.

It was a short walk to the nearby marina. Since they were on the main island of Canalave City, the port was relatively large, with boats going back and forth to other islands in the city, Iron Island, Fullmoon Island, Chocovine Town, and many more destinations. The port was sparsely populated at this point in the morning, so a quick trip to Byron's island would be both cheap and easy.

"Good morning!" called the harbormaster as Ash, Dawn, and Lester arrived on the port's main deck. He was a large man, and he stood behind a desk directly in the middle of the wide wooden walkway. "How may I help you?"

"Good morning. We were hoping to get passage to Byron's island so that I could challenge the Gym." Ash explained.

"A Gym challenger, eh? Are all three of you taking the ship to the island?" the harbormaster asked.

"That's right."

"Wonderful! Let me see, three people to Fossil Island, that'll be…" the harbormaster murmured as he made his calculations on a sheet of paper, trying to determine the total cost for the brief trip.

Suddenly, a booming shout echoed throughout the port, _"Wa-ha-ha-ha!"_ A loud horn that could've only been from an approaching ship startled the trio, nearly knocking Lester off of his feet from his own surprise. The harbormaster raised an eyebrow and walked away from his desk, causing Ash, Dawn, and Lester to follow him down the deck so that they could see. Indeed, a slim boat was pulling into port. At the edge of the boat's bow stood a stocky man in monotone grey clothes and a black cape, and he was leaning forward as if he were trying to get a better look at the port. He had spiky burgundy hair, and a thick shovel was hefted over his shoulder by one of his arms. There was no doubt who the man was.

" _Canalave City, my beloved home! What a sight for sore eyes you are!"_ Byron boomed, giving a hearty laugh as he finished his sentence. The slim boat curved into an empty slot of the marina and Byron eagerly hopped off, stretching his legs and stamping his shovel into the deck. "Thank you, Captain! I tell you, I'm not quite made for the open sea! The land suits me quite well!"

"Master Byron!" the harbormaster called, waving ecstatically at the Gym Leader, "Welcome back!"

"Good morning, Sully!" Byron greeted with another bellowing shout.

"It is one, sir! Quite a day for seafaring! Oh, and you have a couple of visitors here! They wanted passage to the Gym so that they could challenge you!" Sully explained. He stepped over, revealing Ash, Dawn, and Lester to Byron's eyes.

"Ash, my boy!" Byron shouted. He eagerly trotted down the deck he was on and jogged to the deck occupied by the trio, "What perfect timing! I was just returning from a personal excursion to Iron Island!"

Byron arrived immediately in front of Ash, still only a few inches taller than the teenager. "Hey, Byron. I'm here to challenge your personal team!"

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Byron asked rhetorically, "Let's get you and your friends over to the Gym! Sully, ready us a boat!"

"At once, sir!" Sully declared, shuffling off to do just that.

"Oh, wait!" Ash called. Sully turned around and Ash continued, "We need to pay you the fare!"

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Sully declared, "You're traveling with Master Byron, so it's on us! Just give me a moment!"

Sully whirled around and continued shuffling away. Byron turned to Dawn, "And how are you, Dawn? Is Ash treating you well?" the Gym Leader asked, though he meant absolutely nothing romantically.

"Well enough, I think." Dawn said teasingly. She nudged Ash and he snorted. Byron then turned to the group's newcomer.

"Well, hello there. I don't believe we've met before." Byron greeted.

"Certainly not, Mister Byron. It's a great honor! My name is Lester, and I'm an aspiring Pokémon Paleontologist!" Lester said. He immediately reached out to Byron for a handshake, and the Leader firmly gripped his hand and returned the shake.

"An aspiring Pokémon Paleontologist, you say? I remember those days quite well, when I was so young as you. If you're going to be in the city for some time, I'd be glad to share some of my experiences with you!" Byron offered.

"I would be honored!" Lester agreed.

A moment later, Sully came around at the helm of a slim boat not unlike the one Byron had arrived in. He pressed the horn and gestured for his four charges to board, and within the next minute they had drifted away from the marina. Sully cranked up the throttle and the boat began to race across the water's surface.

"Say, Ash!" Byron said suddenly, "Before we begin our battle, I'll need to pick up my Bastiodon from my ranch near the Gym."

"Ranch? When did you get one of those?" Ash asked curiously.

"Only about a year ago, actually!" Byron explained, "I finally went and _bought_ the island from the city, so now all of the property rights on that little rock belong to me! The first thing I did after relocating the Gym was cut out a big ol' area to let my Pokémon run free and do as they please. They quite like it as opposed to sitting in their Poké Balls all day long."

"I don't doubt it!" Ash said, "It's no trouble to us, Byron."

"Excellent. Another reason I brought it up, too, I thought you might want to check on how that Bastiodon you sent me is doing." Byron said.

"Dawn and I were actually just talking about that on our way to the marina!" Ash beamed, "That would be wonderful!"

In another moment's notice the ride to Byron's "Fossil Island" was over, and Sully slipped into the singular port slot at the island's edge. From the empty port, it was a short walk up an incline, but the makings of some kind of building were visible from the waterfront. Ash, Dawn, Byron, and Lester quickly shuffled off of the boat, and the Gym Leader waved goodbye to harbormaster.

"Thanks for the ride, Sullivan." Byron waved.

"It was my pleasure, sir!" Sully answered before putting the boat in reverse and drifting back out into the open water. As the sailor left them, Byron led his three visitors up the dirt path traversing the hill, revealing his Gym in its full glory to their eyes upon reaching the top.

"There she is!" Byron howled, "Now, quickly, let's head to the ranch and see Bastiodon, and then we can get on with our battle." The group of four walked together into the Gym, whereupon Byron led them through another door and tunnel that opened up at the gates to his "ranch". A fenced-in clearing of cleanly cut grass stretched out to the surrounding treeline, and all manner of steel and rock-type Pokémon shuffled about. On the far edge of the yard, a Bronzong and Golem were battling each other. Groups of Geodude and Graveler, as well as small collections of Shieldon, Cranidos, and even a lone Beldum trotted around the area, sometimes stopping to graze on some overgrown grass. A tall tree provided an excellent amount of shade for the Pokémon at this time of day, and the lone Beldum hammered its metal body into the tree's trunk upon arriving, knocking a collection of apples and various Berries to the ground. The action drew an excited cheer from the young Pokémon and they began a race to gather the most amount of food.

"So, what do you think?" Byron asked.

"It's amazing! Look at all of these steel-type Pokémon!" Ash said, awestruck.

"Most of these Pokémon here were resurrected from Pokémon Fossils. I've hoped to use this ranch as a way to study the behavioral patterns of ancient Pokémon, since this is the closest thing we can get to seeing them in the wild." Byron explained, "And look, over there you'll find some of our evolved Pokémon!"

Byron pointed off to another section of the field, and the group saw that he was indeed correct. Among the group of larger, evolved Pokémon were Rampardos, Bastiodon, Lairon, and more. In particular, two Bastiodon were huddled closely together. As if reading Ash's mind, Byron spoke up.

"The Bastiodon on the left there is the same one I use in battle!" Byron declared, "The one on the right is none other than the Bastiodon I received from you, Ash. Would you like to get a closer look?"

"Sure thing, Byron!" Ash said, "Dawn, Lester, you comin'?"

"Right behind you, Ash." Dawn agreed. Byron and Ash vaulted over the fence and landed in the grass, while Dawn and Lester both climbed over much more carefully and followed. Most of the Pokémon paid the human visitors no heed, though some watched them all carefully. Byron was a universally recognized figure by the groups of Pokémon, though, so they collectively calmed themselves and went back to their usual activities. Byron stopped roughly thirty feet from the evolved Pokémon, stopping Ash with his arm and pointing over at the two Bastiodon.

"Tell me, Ash, what do you see underneath the head of the Bastiodon that you sent to me?" Byron asked, pointing his finger over at the steel-type. Ash followed the fossil-lover's finger until his eyes settled on an odd, ovular object nestled gently underneath the wide, shield-like face of the Bastiodon. The steel-type's huge, powerful legs were curled protectively around the object, and upon seeing the features of the object, Ash gasped.

"It's…it's an Egg."

"That's right." Byron said, "The Bastiodon you sent me is a female, while my own Bastiodon is male. It didn't take long for them to produce an Egg! The opportunity this affords us is incredible! It will be the first natural birth of a Shieldon in thousands of years, at a time when such Pokémon roamed the planet freely! For the first time ever, we will be able to study the parental behaviors of Bastiodon!" Byron gushed. He was genuinely ecstatic about the Egg's existence, and his vibrant happiness passed on to Ash and Dawn. With his declaration of how he was making scientific history now over, Byron called over to his own Bastiodon.

"Bastiodon! Come over here, my friend!" Byron called. His male Bastiodon gave a low grumble and turned, setting its eyes on Byron. The steel-type's mate followed, setting its eyes on the visitors. Immediately, the female Bastiodon recognized Ash, making it smile as best it could. What the female Bastiodon saw next, though, had quite the opposite effect.

The female Bastiodon shot up to its feet, leaving its Egg behind, and suddenly charged at the group. An earsplitting roar came from Bastiodon's throat as its footfalls shook the ground, and it quickly became clear that the Bastiodon was charging Lester. The Pokémon Paleontologist shook and wailed fearfully, frozen by his fear.

"Bastiodon, stop!" Ash shouted, jumping in front of Lester. The female Bastiodon skidded to a stop, its wide face halting just inches from Ash's chest. Ash carefully reached out and caressed the Bastiodon's head, "Hey, what's gotten into you?"

"I don't understand!" Byron gasped, "This Bastiodon is usually quite docile!" Byron's gaze settled on Lester, and the Paleontologist shivered as the tough man stared at him.

"Bastiodon, Lester won't hurt you. He's our friend." Ash said. Bastiodon gave a low, confused growl. Maybe she had mistaken Lester for someone else? Perhaps someone from her past with Team Rocket? Considering the behavior of the abandoned Absol from a few days ago, it would make sense that Bastiodon might behave the same way if it thought it was in danger. Deciding that Ash was right, Bastiodon took a few steps back, murmuring with embarrassment. The female steel-type lumbered back toward her mate—Byron's Bastiodon—before returning to their Egg. From there, Byron's Bastiodon stepped toward its Trainer.

"That is very strange, indeed." Byron pondered aloud, "Anyway, Bastiodon, Ash is here to challenge us again. What do you say to coming inside for a battle?"

" _Bastio-Bastiodon!"_ Bastiodon chattered heartily. Byron chuckled and pulled out the steel-type's Poké Ball, returning it to the capsule. He tucked the Poké Ball back onto his belt and turned to Ash, a wicked smile accompanying the excited fires of anticipation in his eyes.

"So, Ash, what do you say to four-on-four?"

* * *

" _The battle between Ash from Pallet Town and Byron the Gym Leader is about to begin! Each Trainer will use four Pokémon, and…"_

"So, you said that Ash has already earned eight badges in Sinnoh, but he's going around and challenging them again before entering in the Sinnoh League a second time?" Lester asked. He and Dawn were leaning against a railing above the bleachers, watching with equal anticipation.

"Yep! Ash lost in the semifinals of the Sinnoh League a little over a year ago, and he's been training really hard to challenge the League again. But he was interested in challenging the Gym Leader's personal teams rather than their standard lineups for regular challengers, so we'll be seeing the best that both Byron and Ash have to offer!" Dawn explained.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Lester agreed, "This should be quite the spectacle!"

" _Now, are both Trainers ready?"_ the referee asked.

"You bet I am!" Ash enthused.

" _Ah-ha-ha-ha!"_ Byron bellowed, "I wouldn't be too eager, Ash! You got through our rock-solid defense last time, but my personal team is a different animal! _And_ we've been training hard since I learned you'd be coming by the gym all those months ago! Let's see if you can get lucky a second time!"

"It appears we are ready to go!" the referee declared, "Now! Battle, begin!"

Ash and Byron quickly unhooked their chosen Poké Balls and slung them out onto the field, calling on the first of their four selected Pokémon.

" _Bronzong, I need your help!"_

" _Infernape, I choose you!"_

The two very different Pokémon spawned onto the battlefield, Bronzong hovering high in the air and Infernape standing tall on the ground, watching the steel/psychic-type from the dirt.

"This should be quite interesting!" Lester enthused, "Bronzong is a steel-type, meaning it's weak to Infernape's fire-type attacks, but it's also part psychic-type, which means it will have an equal advantage due to Infernape being part fighting-type!"

"You sure know your stuff." Dawn said with a smile.

"I was never a very good Pokémon Trainer, but I did enough studying to commit these things to memory." Lester explained. Down on the battlefield, Ash called for the first move.

"Infernape, let's open this up with Flamethrower!"

Infernape bounded forward and then stretched its back so that its mouth was aimed at Bronzong's hovering form. Infernape opened its mouth and white-hot fire blasted out of its throat, superheating the air as it beamed directly at Bronzong.

"Bronzong, use Gyro Ball to deflect!" Byron bellowed. Bronzong inched toward the oncoming Flamethrower and then spun its body rapidly, its form appearing to turn into a spherical silver ball. The Flamethrower collided with Bronzong's body, but the Bronze Bell Pokémon continued to spin, taking control of the flames and dispatching them in every direction while remaining completely unharmed. Once the blast of fire was dealt with, Bronzong stopped spinning, heeding an immediate follow-up command from Byron.

"Now, Bronzong, use Iron Defense!" Bronzong vocalized and its body began glowing with a silver light. The miniscule cracks in its steel body filled as the powerful energy stirred all around its body, sharply raising its Defense level.

"Infernape, let's meet 'em head on with Flare Blitz!" Ash called. Infernape's feet instantly lit ablaze with fire, and the flames acted as a sort of rocket booster as the fire-type bounded up into the air. From there, the scorching fire wrapped around Infernape's body, forming a protective, damaging blaze. Infernape ascended with lightning speed, crashing into the stationary Bronzong sooner than Byron could engineer a counter. Bronzong was smashed down toward Earth, closely followed by Infernape. The Bronze Bell Pokémon hit the dirt and rolled a few times, while Infernape landed squarely on its feet. A damaging aura circled around Infernape for a moment, revealing Flare Blitz' drawback. Meanwhile, Bronzong hovered back above the ground, though this time it opted to remain much closer to the ground below it.

"Bronzong, use Extrasensory!"

" _Zoooooong!"_ Bronzong howled hauntingly. Its voice sent a slight shiver down Infernape's spine as the red circles on Bronzong's front glowed. Two beams of golden light blasted at Infernape from the circles, swarming Infernape quickly. The fire-type quickly spotted its body being warped in damaging ways, its senses manipulated by the otherworldly psychic aura. Next, the brunt of the attack hit, jabbing a shooting pain into Infernape's abdomen and releasing a howling screech from the fire-type primate as it fell to its knees.

The attack wore off and Byron quickly used the opportunity to call for another attack, which turned out to be Gyro Ball. Bronzong quickly advanced, its body spinning rapidly.

"Infernape, counter that with Mach Punch!" Ash called. Infernape looked up and staggered up to its feet, knocking back a fist and lashing out with brilliant speed. The punch hit Bronzong opposite the way it was spinning, hitting with such ferocity that the Gyro Ball attack failed completely. Bronzong was suddenly left completely unprotected, resulting in another, more accurate Mach Punch directly in its…face? After suffering the back-to-back hits, Byron opted for another approach.

"Bronzong, let's go with Confuse Ray." Byron said sharply. Bronzong's red circles glowed again and a wave of strange energy was instantly emitted outward. The energy wave surrounded Infernape, drawing its attention every which way before finally confusing the fire-type, blocking its vision and causing the Flame Pokémon to stumble aimlessly.

"Uh oh, that's not good!" Ash gasped.

"Now, Bronzong, use Extrasensory again!"

" _Infernape, return!"_

Infernape was quickly sapped back into its Poké Ball, and Bronzong's Extrasensory attack was rendered harmless. Ash took a moment to breathe, his heartbeat slowing to a more normal pace. Byron chuckled, "Smart move, Ash. Now, who will you bring out next to go up against Bronzong?"

" _Zong!"_ Bronzong tolled. The Bronze Bell Pokémon began to ascend high into the air, much like it had been at the start of its battle with Infernape.

Ash glanced at his four remaining Poké Balls, brushing each of them with the tip of his index finger. He could only pick three out of the four options, meaning making a risky choice would eliminate a more feasible option. Despite this, though, he decided, nodding fiercely and unhooking one of the capsules from his belt. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball popped open and Bulbasaur jumped outward in a ball of light. Light glittered around the budding seed on the grass-type's back as he stretched his short legs. Byron couldn't help but snicker, "A little grass-type like that, against a steel-type like Bronzong? What's your game, Ash?"

"No game, Byron." Ash replied, "Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to bring Bronzong down!"

Bulbasaur acted with lightning-quick speed, grabbing a foothold in the dirt and slinging a hidden vine from its body. The vine was incredibly long and wrapped around one of Bronzong's metal arms, tightly fastening around the feature like a noose. Bulbasaur then wrenched its body backward, jerking Bronzong forward and toward the ground. Bulbasaur's vine retracted as Bronzong suddenly fell without any control over its body, crashing into the ground with a thunderous crash. Seeing that the move had been a success, Bulbasaur smiled and chattered triumphantly.

"Bulbasaur, quick, use Leech Seed!" Ash called. Bulbasaur quickly returned to attack position and bent its body forward, aiming the seed on its back in Bronzong's relative direction. An ovular object launched out like a cannonball, landing on Bronzong's body and burying itself in the steel-type's body. Bronzong shot back upward and hovered just a few feet above the ground again, unaware that it had just been seeded.

"Bronzong, use Extrasensory." Byron said sharply.

" _Bron-zong!"_ Bronzong howled, calling upon the psychic power inside its body and discharging it from the two red circles on its front side.

"Bulbasaur, dodge and use Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur tensed and bounded to the side, leaping out of the way of the Extrasensory attack. Once it was safe, Bulbasaur readied itself and then launched a volley of deathly sharp leaves at Bronzong. The leaves made contact, but they bounced right off of the steel-type's body after doing little harm. Ash gritted his teeth. He would have to find other ways to deal damage to Bronzong if he had any hope of winning.

Bronzong suddenly flinched and red energy jettisoned from its body, trailing harmlessly over to Bulbasaur and seeping into the grass-type's body. Bulbasaur instantly felt some renewed strength.

"Bronzong, quick! Use Gyro Ball!" Byron shouted. Bronzong obeyed, spiraling toward Bulbasaur at high speed. Bulbasaur countered with a Vine Whip attempt, but Bronzong's great velocity rendered the attack useless and the Bronze Bell Pokémon slammed into Bulbasaur, grinding its body against its spinning form and then discarding the Seed Pokémon. Another moment later, Leech Seed stole some of Bronzong's energy, giving it back to Bulbasaur and allowing the grass-type to counteract some of the damage it had received.

"Okay, Bronzong, one more time, use Extrasensory!"

"Bulbasaur, let's put an end to this, quick! Use Solarbeam!"

Bulbasaur and Bronzong both readied their powerful attacks, aiming at each other. Bulbasaur took in some of the sunlight coming through the Gym's sunroof, but taking a moment to do so allowed Bronzong to fire off its Extrasensory attack earlier. In the nick of time, Bulbasaur was ready, and the tough Seed Pokémon unleashed its Solarbeam. The brutal blast of light overtook the Extrasensory blasts and nullified them, quickly rushing toward Bronzong and overwhelming it. Bronzong howled with a loud, haunting toll, dropping into the ground with a crash. The blinding light went away shortly after, and Bronzong had slumped over on its side in the dirt.

"Bronzong is unable to battle! The winner is Bulbasaur!" the referee called.

"All right! Awesome job, Bulbasaur!" Ash praised.

" _Bulb-a! Bulba-saur!"_ Bulbasaur cheered. Byron chuckled, returning the fainted Bronzong to its Poké Ball and calling out to Ash.

"I'm impressed, Ash. I underestimated your little Bulbasaur greatly." Byron praised. He pulled out his second Poké Ball, "But…I'm afraid you won't have that advantage anymore. _Steelix, let's ride!"_

Out of Byron's second Poké Ball came what was easily one of the tallest Pokémon Ash had ever seen. Steelix absolutely dwarfed Bulbasaur, and even that was a bit of an understatement. The Iron Snake Pokémon crunched its powerful, metal jaws together, focusing its vision on the miniature Bulbasaur. Steelix then roared, its battle-hungry screech shaking the building and startling everyone in the room. Well, except for Byron. The Gym Leader chuckled, "It sounds as if Steelix is ready. Steelix, use Screech!"

Steelix released another earsplitting roar, although this time there was a much more unnerving quality to the noise. Bulbasaur's knees suddenly buckled and the grass-type shivered. How could it possibly go up against such a titanic Pokémon, it wondered.

"Bulbasaur, don't be afraid! Just relax, we can take Steelix!" Ash called.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Ash!" Byron taunted, "Steelix, use Iron Tail!"

Steelix grinned devilishly and circled the tail end of its gigantic body up towards its head. Glowing energy lit up the Iron Snake's bulky tail, and the steel-type lashed out with surprising speed. Bulbasaur's eyes widened as Steelix attacked, and the grass-type instinctively tried to vault over the crushing tail that was coming at it. Unfortunately, Bulbasaur was unable to jump high enough. The Iron Tail swept Bulbasaur's feet out from under it, knocking the grass-type into the air and leaving it wide open for another attack.

"Ha-ha! Steelix, Dragonbreath!"

Steelix opened its massive jaws and a beam of paralyzing energy launched out, striking Bulbasaur right in its side and sending the grass-type flying away. Bulbasaur slammed into a nearby wall, knocking all of the wind out of the determined Seed Pokémon. Instantly, its energy was gone, and Bulbasaur slid down from its place in the wall and slumped over onto the ground. Ash gasped and ran from his battle box, gently grabbing hold of Bulbasaur as the referee declared the grass-type unable to battle.

"Bulbasaur, are you all right?" Ash asked.

" _Bulb-aaaaa…"_ Bulbasaur heaved. It was truly amazing that such a small Pokémon had withstood the attack, but there were plenty of grievous injuries riddling its body from the two attacks it had suffered.

"Here, let's get you back in your Poké Ball." Ash said. He carried Bulbasaur in his arms, briefly examining the grass-type's body, "Do you think you'll be okay while I finish this battle?

" _Saur!"_ Bulbasaur chattered, giving a confident look as it endured the shooting pain.

"Heh-heh, all right, buddy. You take a nice rest." Ash said, returning the grass-type to its Poké Ball. He walked back to the box he had been standing in. He thought for a moment, glancing up at the gargantuan Steelix. He would need a Pokémon that wasn't short like Bulbasaur, but also one that had a speed advantage. Even though it had attacked rather fast just now, Steelix as a species was remarkably slow.

"I think I'm gonna need your help again." Ash decided, glancing at his chosen Poké Ball, "Infernape, I choose you!"

Infernape appeared on the battlefield for the second time, and the fire-type was clearly more than ready to go. Infernape looked up at the towering Steelix, but there wasn't an ounce of fear in its system. Sure, Steelix's incredible height was daunting, but Infernape welcomed the challenge.

"Steelix, use Dragonbreath."

Steelix opened its massive jaws, spewing crackling energy in a straight-facing beam. On Ash's command, Infernape bounded out of the way. The Dragonbreath exploded on the empty ground, and Ash quickly called for a response.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Infernape chanted and zipped forward, its light feet carrying it at remarkable speed. Upon reaching the Iron Snake's position, Infernape bent its knees and rocketed into the air, clearing the multi-story distance with ease. The Flame Pokémon brought a glowing fist up, slamming it into Steelix's huge chin with enough strength to briefly lift the steel-type up into the air. As a result, Steelix landed haphazardly, briefly losing its balance as it readjusted. That small instant diverted even Byron's attention, so that when both Trainer and Pokémon looked back over to their opponents, Infernape was nowhere to be seen.

" _What the?_ Where did…" Byron started. His eyes then settled on a cleanly cut hole in the battlefield, and he sharply inhaled. Ash took that moment of hesitation and called out.

"Infernape, now!"

" _Steelix, get away!"_ Byron shouted. Steelix felt the instantaneous vibration in the ground and glanced downward, its Trainer's command falling on deaf ears. The earth exploded and Infernape raced up with it, crashing into Steelix's underbelly and throwing the huge Iron Snake Pokémon up into the air. Steelix thrashed as it flew, but Byron remained remarkably calm.

"Steelix, use Rock Slide!" Steelix righted itself and its eyes glowed as it began to fall back to the ground. A sheet of boulders formed out of the thin air, hanging above Infernape damningly. The boulders then fell faster than anvils, catching Infernape before the fire-type could get away and dropping most of their might onto the Flame Pokémon. Infernape screeched as the rocks shattered off of its body and frantically crawled away, struggling to stand up. A loud crash signaled Steelix's harsh landing, but it was of no concern to Ash or the fire-type.

"Infernape just took critical damage!" Lester gasped. The Paleontologist was on the edge of his seat, gripping the railing he was leaning against so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.

"Infernape, can you still battle?" Ash shouted.

" _Infer—"_ Infernape tried. A flash of pain ran through his body and he staggered down to one knee. The Rock Slide really had done calamitous damage. Infernape looked up at Steelix, who had stood back up. Infernape's eyes glowed with fury, and the scorching flames on its head suddenly brightened into a blinding orange. The Flame Pokémon gritted its sharp teeth together before releasing a furious screech.

" _Infer-nape!"_

"That's Infernape's Blaze!" Dawn gasped.

"Blaze?" Byron said aloud, "No matter! Steelix, use Iron Defense!"

Steelix growled and its body hardened as a silvery light formed around its body. Infernape, meanwhile, felt its already titanic power growing, its special ability Blaze feeding even more raw energy into its body. "Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash called. Infernape instantly spat white-hot flame from its throat, prompting Byron and Steelix to counter with a Dragonbreath attack. The Flamethrower and Dragonbreath blasts collided into each other, fighting each other for a moment before the Flamethrower decimated the opposing attack and sped along toward Steelix, eating up the static energy of the Dragonbreath and powering up even more.

"Steelix, dodge!"

Steelix contorted its long body and slithered out of the way, escaping the reach of Infernape's Flamethrower. The Iron Snake briefly watched as the Flamethrower passed by it, feeling the searing heat on its metal body. When Steelix looked back at Infernape, having taken barely a moment to watch the previous fire-type attack, the Iron Snake found Infernape was rushing toward it in a ball of blue flame. Byron called for Iron Tail, allowing Steelix to bring up its huge tail as a shield against the Flare Blitz. Infernape crashed into the tail, slamming the appendage back into Steelix's body and knocking the Iron Snake into the ground, but the counterattack had managed to knock Infernape down as well.

"Steelix, get up and use Iron Tail!" Byron shouted again. Steelix raised its body off of the ground, sweeping Infernape's legs with its bulky tail. Infernape ate dirt and looked up at Steelix, who taunted the fire-type relentlessly. Infernape slowly stood up, its knees buckling the whole way, and glared at Steelix. The Blaze-induced flame on its head continued to burn strongly, and the Flame Pokémon released a guttural roar. Fury coursed through its body, mixing with adrenaline and dulling the shooting pain all around Infernape's body.

"Infernape, keep calm! Let's go with Flamethrower!"

"Steelix, use Iron Defense again!" Byron called. Dragonbreath was useless against Infernape's Flamethrower, so the Gym Leader felt it was better to take the hit with heightened Defense. Steelix took the Flamethrower, its body alight with the glow of Iron Defense, and emerged in good standing. Unfortunately, Flamethrower's secondary effect had taken hold. Steelix cringed as its back burned, a stinging pain of multiple vengeful embers trailing along its body.

"Steelix, quick, use Rock Slide!"

Steelix generated another wave of boulders above Infernape. Ash immediately called for Mach Punch, and Infernape sprinted forward, its right fist glowing powerfully. Some of the falling rocks scraped Infernape's body, but the Flame Pokémon pushed forward, leaping into the air to land a brutal punch under Steelix's jaw.

" _Iron Tail!"_ Byron howled. Infernape arced upward as Steelix's tail whipped around, glittering with energy. The Flame Pokémon reached Steelix first, bringing its fist up in a brutal uppercut that knocked Steelix's head as far back as it would go without causing serious injury. The hit did not land fast enough, though, to stop Steelix's incoming attack, and the Iron Tail collided with Infernape's side and sent the fire-type hurtling down to earth. As Steelix slumped to the ground, Infernape crashed down into a rock formation near the fallen Iron Snake Pokémon. With the wind knocked out of it, and just enough damage being dealt by a few Iron Tails and the critical Rock Slide, Infernape mimicked the fallen Steelix, prompting the referee to blow his whistle loudly.

"Both Steelix and Infernape are unable to battle! The battle is now tied, 2-2, and the Trainers will move on to their third Pokémon!"

"Steelix, you were amazing!" Byron yelled, returning the gigantic steel-type to its Poké Ball.

"Infernape, return!" Ash called. Once the fallen fire-type was safely inside the capsule, Ash curved the sphere around and talked to it, "Infernape, you were awesome out there, too. I'm real proud of you sticking it out and finishing off Steelix. You've earned this rest."

"So, Ash!" Byron called, "It seems that we are now tied, hmm? I hope you are ready!"

"I'm always ready, Byron! Bring it on!" Ash taunted.

Byron pulled another Poké Ball free from his belt, raising it high above his head for the world to see, "All right, Aggron, it's your turn!" Byron tossed the Poké Ball in an arc and it burst open, releasing the tall Aggron into the field. The Iron Armor Pokémon stood nearly seven feet tall, and its full-body armor glittered in the electric lighting from the ceiling.

"All right!" Ash responded, tossing his own Poké Ball into the air, "Hippopotas, I choose you!"

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_ the ground-type chattered as it spawned from the Poké Ball. The Hippo Pokémon stretched its legs, glancing up at the Aggron, who dwarfed it easily. Nevertheless, Hippopotas was not afraid, squinting its eyes into a glare as a way of accepting the challenge.

"A Hippopotas!" Lester gasped, "What a rare Pokémon!"

"Hippopotas hasn't gotten a whole lot of action since Ash caught him. I hope Ash knows what he's doing." Dawn said.

"I'm certain he will be fine!" Lester said, "Hey Dawn, I'll be right back. I'm going to use the restroom."

"Oh, okay, Lester." Dawn said. Lester trotted away without the slightest hint of embarrassment, opening the double doors connecting the lobby and the battle room and disappearing behind them.

* * *

Lester scanned the Gym's lobby. Just how was he going to do this, he wondered? His eyes settled on a snoozing security guard at the front desk. Lester snorted. What a lousy guard.

"Excuse me." Lester said as he approached the sleeping guard, "Hey, excuse me!"

The security guard jolted awake and prepared to lash out at whoever had woken him, but he quickly stopped himself. He was a portly man, and even his small yawn seemed to be difficult for him, "What is it?"

"I, um, I'm here with the challengers, but I was looking for the bathroom. Could you…escort me there?" Lester asked.

The security guard blinked, giving Lester a blank stare for a moment. "All right," the guard grumbled. He forced himself out of his comfortable-looking chair, pushing his way past Lester and walking down the left hallway, "Follow me."

Lester followed the guard dutifully. His eyes quickly trailed down to the end of the guard's untucked shirt, where a security card dangled as if it were holding on for dear life. Lester broke a thin smile. This would be easier than he thought. Quietly, he reached for the badge, making sure that the guard would not turn around and catch him. He gently pressed on the clip holding the badge on the shirt's hem, removing it easily. As gently as before, Lester tucked the badge into a pocket on his trench coat. He rounded a corner with the guard, treading down the hallway some more before finally arriving at a cutout that the guard indicated was the men's restroom.

"Thank you, sir!" Lester feigned. The guard walked away without so much as a response. Lester padded into the bathroom, immediately pressing his back against the wall and listening for the guard's footfalls. After several seconds, he inched his way out of the bathroom, seeing that the guard was gone. With a snort, Lester began walking around the Gym.

"Let's see what's in here." Lester muttered to himself. He dangled the key card in front of the sensor, watching the little red light turn green. The automatic door quietly slipped open and Lester snuck inside. Upon entering, the lights flickered on, but Lester could immediately tell that nothing of value would be hidden there. He immediately turned and walked out, trying another locked room and searching its contents in a matter of moments.

After three or four tries and finding nothing, Lester tried yet another room. He gained entry with the key card and stepped inside, gasping when the lights came on. Hung on the wall was a fossil of a gigantic Anorith, far larger than a typical specimen. Many more special fossils in display cases were hung along the walls, and racks with boxes of various items took up a decent amount of the room's remaining space. Lester immediately dug through some of the boxes, finding nothing useful but various mining tools and a few family photos depicting Byron, a woman, and a familiar-looking young boy wearing a red mining helmet. A search of a few more boxes also yielded nothing, making Lester groan.

He was just about to give up when he thought he saw a flicker of blue light in a box far off to the side of the room. Had he only imagined that? Lester crept over to the shelves of cardboard boxes. No blue light reappeared to his eyes, but he fished through the boxes nevertheless. He pushed aside a few miscellaneous items before his eyes settled on something extraordinary.

It was a perfect sphere, its color a pale, shimmering blue. Lester touched the orb, immediately feeling the diamond-hard surface of the orb. Upon being touched, the orb seemed to glow, but only for a moment. A crushing sensation swirled around Lester's body and made his head spin, but as soon as he took his hand away from the orb, the feeling was gone.

Lester broke a crazy grin. This was it. Without hesitation, Lester rolled up the sleeve of his trench coat, exposing the silver wristwatch that had been hidden under the sleeve. It was the same kind of wristwatch that was given to every Team Rocket member that went undercover in the field. He turned his arm over and raised the communicator piece close to his lips.

"Executive, sir, please come in. Do you read me? Over."

Only a few seconds passed before the response came in, _"This is Proton speaking, I read you, agent. Speak. Over."_

"Sir, I've done it. I've located the package." Lester said.

" _The Adamant Orb? Where are you?"_

"I'm in the Canalave City Gym on one of the islands away from the city. I can send you my coordinates now."

" _The Canalave Gym? How did you even get in there? Are you_ sure _you're looking at the_ real _Adamant Orb?"_

"It's a long story, but I've never been surer of anything in my life, sir." Lester asserted.

"… _All right, agent, send me your coordinates, we will take what we need tonight. Anything else to report at this time?"_ Proton asked.

"Negative, sir. I've got to get moving."

" _Very well. If what you claim is true, there just may be some rewards in order, agent."_

"Thank you, sir. Over and out."

Lester pressed the small button to cut the communication line, and he was then left in another bout of deafening silence. With nothing left to see in the room, Lester walked out, retracing his steps so as to make it appear that he was coming from the bathroom. The man couldn't help but whistle as he walked. When he rounded the corner into the Gym's lobby again, he slipped the security guard's key card from his trench coat pocket, feigning a concerned expression and approaching the desk. The guard was once again snoozing, having wasted no time returning to his nap.

"Sir. Excuse me." Lester tried. The guard snorted in his sleep. Lester clapped his hand on the desk, startling the guard awake, _"Hey!"_

"What? What is it?" the overweight guard asked with irritation.

"I think you dropped this." Lester lied, holding out the key card with the guard's portrait on it, "I found it lying on the floor after I was done in the restroom."

The guard glanced at the card, up at Lester, and then back down at the card before he grabbed it. He attached the card in the far safer place of his shirt pocket. "Thank you," he said quickly and rudely, "Now don't disturb me again."

Lester stepped over to the double doors, the sounds of battle now audible to his ears. He looked back at the guard, who was rapidly descending into another period of sleep.

"Don't worry." Lester said as he opened the door, _"I won't."_

* * *

 **Lester's got a secret, kids. How many of you saw that reveal coming? Thanks for reading, please consider dropping a review in the box below, I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. Ash vs. Byron will conclude in the next update, along with another step in the sinister plans of Team Rocket.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	52. The Orb of Time

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 52_

 _The Orb of Time_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Canalave City**_

" _Aggron, use Iron Head!"_

Aggron released a ringing roar and charged forward. A silver aura grew around the Iron Armor Pokémon as it lumbered forward, its gigantic feet shaking the ground with each step. Slowly, Aggron ducked its head, charging full speed ahead at the underwhelming ground-type on the other side of the field.

"Hippopotas, let's use Dig one more time!" Ash countered. Hippopotas chattered and dug its way under the ground in an instant, leaving only a small hole in its place. Aggron thundered over Hippopotas' previous space as the Hippo Pokémon shuffled about underneath the ground. Once Aggron realized it had missed its target entirely, the tall steel-type came to a skidding stop. At that exact moment, Hippopotas tore its way out of the ground, ramming into the back of Aggron's knee with a full-body tackle. It was enough force to surprise Aggron and bring the steel-type down to one knee, allowing just enough time for a follow-up attack.

"Hippopotas, use Sand Tomb!"

Hippopotas leaped away from Aggron, generating a whirlwind of dirt and sand around its body. Hippopotas flexed its muscles and send the twister at Aggron, wrapping the Iron Armor Pokémon up in the vortex. The sand stung Aggron's eyes and irritated its body, infuriating the steel-type.

"Aggron, pull yourself together!" Byron shouted, "Use Iron Defense!"

Aggron did as asked, and Ash gritted his teeth as Aggron raised its Defense level. The Iron Armor Pokémon had used the Defense-increasing move quite a few times, making it rather difficult for Hippopotas to dish out damaging attacks.

"Hippopotas, use Crunch!"

Hippopotas bounded forward, its little legs carrying it quickly and sending the ground-type to Aggron's legs. The Hippo Pokémon opened its wide jaws and clamped onto Aggron's lower left leg. Aggron roared as Hippopotas' powerful teeth sank in, but the roar was cut short and Aggron easily endured the pain, glancing down at the toiling ground-type below.

"Ah! It's not doing a thing!" Ash gasped.

" _Ah-ha-ha-ha! I love defense!"_ Byron howled, "Aggron, grab Hippopotas! Send 'em for a ride!"

Aggron reached down effortlessly and grabbed Hippopotas by the scruff of its neck. Hippopotas complained as Aggron's claws squeezed it, and Aggron lifted the ground-type up so that it could meet its eyes. Hippopotas stopped its crying as it locked eyes with Aggron, and the ground-type trembled as Aggron's eyes flared. Then, Aggron reared back and slung Hippopotas high into the air. Hippopotas wailed as it flew, its little legs flailing about in the foolish hope that it would cling to some sort of ground.

"Now, Aggron, meet Hippopotas on its fall with Iron Head!" Byron called.

Aggron scraped its foot along the dirt like a race horse ready to take off, taking a charging stance and preparing to go. A sudden vortex of dirt appeared at Aggron's feet and rushed up around its body, swirling about and scratching the steel-type's body.

"Yes! Sand Tomb's taking effect!" Dawn cheered from the sideline. Aggron roared and the Sand Tomb went away, but the damage was done. It had no chance of hitting Hippopotas now. Regardless, the steel-type heeded Byron's earlier command, rushing forth with an Iron Head.

"Hippopotas, quick! Right yourself and use Dig on the way down!"

Hippopotas heard Ash's call and straightened its body out mid-fall. Focusing, Hippopotas crashed into the ground, burrowing underneath the earth easily. Aggron lumbered past once again, allowing Hippopotas to once again dig its way out and slam into Aggron's backside. Thus time, though, Aggron was able to grab Hippopotas before the shifty Hippo Pokémon could dash away.

"Aggron, Double-Edge!"

Aggron lurched forward at maximum power, crushing Hippopotas at point-blank range with the ultra-powerful attack. Hippopotas was thrown far to the other end of the battlefield, landing unceremoniously nearby Ash. Aggron cringed as it suffered from recoil damage. Along with that, another Sand Tomb vortex rose up from thin air to add a little extra damage to Aggron. Unfortunately for Ash, Hippopotas was feeling weak. It had landed some decent hits on Aggron thanks to its double type advantage, but Aggron had been able to withstand the hits thanks to Iron Defense and also hit back even harder than Hippopotas could.

"How's it going?" Lester asked, having finally returned to the battle room. He took his previous spot beside Dawn, leaning against the railing once again.

"It's hard to say." Dawn admitted.

"Hippopotas, can you still battle?" Ash asked calmly.

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_ the ground-type replied.

"Aggron, use Metal Sound." Byron commanded.

Aggron beat its steely chest and then leaned forward, opening its mouth and releasing a screech that could only be likened to long nails scratching a chalkboard. The noise was disturbingly painful to the ears of both Ash and Hippopotas, and both Pokémon found themselves a little disoriented when the noise finally stopped.

Dawn closed her eyes as tight as she could to try and fix her own disorientation. Lester seemed relatively okay as he spoke, commenting on the battle below, "That couldn't have felt good."

"Ugh, no kidding…" Dawn groaned.

"Hippopotas, let's go with—"

" _Hip!"_ Hippopotas objected. Without another sound, the Hippo Pokémon stepped forward, glaring at Aggron. The Iron Armor Pokémon held the ground-type's gaze and gave a toothless grin, as confident as ever.

Hippopotas suddenly reared up on its hind legs. The bottoms of its front feet glowed white, and the Hippo Pokémon leaned forward again in order to crash its feet into the ground. The earth exploded and glowing white waves went outward in every direction, shaking every inch of the battlefield. Dirt broke up into individual sections and churned back and forth, instantly causing Aggron to lose its footing and fall to the ground. From there, the ground ravaged Aggron's body, showing no mercy for all of a few seconds. The ground then suddenly settled, returning to its original undisturbed state as if nothing had ever happened.

Byron's and Ash's jaws had both dropped. "That was…that was Earthquake!" Byron stammered.

Ash's shock turned into elation, "All right, Hippopotas, you learned how to use Earthquake! That's great!" the teenager praised, "Now, let's use Dig one more time!"

Hippopotas burrowed under the ground, and Byron shook as he recognized the sudden momentum Ash was tapping into. "Aggron, quick, watch for Hippopotas to come up and then use Double-Edge immediately!"

Aggron watched the ground carefully, trying to sense the vibrations in the ground that would signal Hippopotas' movements. This failed, though, and Hippopotas came up from directly underneath Aggron, smashing into its belly. Aggron roared and staggered back for an instant, quickly recovering and charging at Hippopotas with a Double-Edge attack. Hippopotas effortlessly rolled out of the way, and Aggron kept running.

"Hippopotas, catch Aggron and use Crunch! Get him behind the head!" Ash shouted. Aggron's head had been ducked forward, suddenly exposing a space in the back of its neck that could be quite vulnerable. Hippopotas raced after Aggron as the steel-type realized its attack had failed. Before the steel-type could stop and stand back up, Hippopotas caught up, hopping up onto Aggron's leg and swiftly climbing up. The Iron Armor Pokémon realized what was happening and tried to thrash about and shake the ground-type off, but it was useless. Hippopotas cleared the distance with ease and opened its wide jaws, clamping down right in the open space underneath Aggron's layered armor.

Aggron's instant reaction threw Hippopotas away, but the damage was done. Aggron stumbled, and Hippopotas quickly stood up. Another Sand Tomb ravaged Aggron's body, and it was just enough to get the job done. Aggron roared as the Sand Tomb disappeared, glanced over at Hippopotas, and then collapsed, shaking the ground a final time as its heavy body crashed down.

"Aggron is unable to battle! The winner is Hippopotas!"

" _Hippo-po-tas!"_ the ground-type cheered. Byron wore a stone glance, unhooking Aggron's Poké Ball and calling the fainted steel-type back inside. After thanking the Iron Armor Pokémon for its help, Byron pulled his fourth and final Poké Ball from his belt, brushing the end of his thumb across the clean red-and-white capsule.

"We're ready, Byron." Ash called. Byron looked up from the Poké Ball and gave a wicked grin.

"You see, Ash, that's the thing. I'm not so sure that you are." Byron taunted. He pulled his arm back and slung the Poké Ball out to the field, _"Bastiodon, prepare for battle!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and familiar white light jumped out from the capsule's insides. The light landed on the ground and shaped itself into the short, wide shape of the Pokémon inside. As quickly as it had come, the light vanished, revealing Byron's Bastiodon in all its glory.

" _Bas…"_ the Shield Pokémon growled in a deep voice.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Byron asked rhetorically. He stiffened as he raised his voice, "Bastiodon, use Flash Cannon!"

Byron had wasted no time in calling for the attack, and Bastiodon in turn launched the attack in almost no time at all. A powerful, silvery blast was thrown from the steel-type's throat, speeding toward Hippopotas' vulnerable body. Hippopotas' eyes widened, and the Hippo Pokémon instinctively tried to dodge, but the attack hit quickly and powerfully, sweeping the ground-type off of its feet and dragging it backward through the air before dropping the Pokémon to the ground.

" _Hip!"_ Hippopotas winced as it stood back up. The attack had dealt a decent amount of damage, and Ash quickly connected the dots. Aggron's Metal Sound had dropped Hippopotas' Special Defense capabilities, making it vulnerable to future attacks from a distance. Byron had planned well in advance.

"Just looking at you tells me that you've figured it out, Ash." Byron commented, "Now, come on! Show me that your power can match my Bastiodon's! Flash Cannon, again!"

Bastiodon opened its maw a second time and the orifice lit up with silver light. Ash tensed and called for Hippopotas to respond, "Hippopotas, let's use Dig!"

Bastiodon fired its attack and Hippopotas swiftly dug its way underneath the ground. The Flash Cannon blast missed easily as Hippopotas escaped to the safety of the underground, giving Ash the element of surprise.

"Okay, then, Bastiodon, use Iron Defense." Byron ordered. Bastiodon relaxed and its body glowed. The light quickly went away, but the Shield Pokémon already looked tougher. Without any other option, Ash called for Hippopotas to attack. The Hippo Pokémon erupted from under Bastiodon's chin, crashing into the steel-type with a full-body tackle. Bastiodon complained and took a few steps back, shaking its wide, shield-like head and blinking.

"Now, use Metal Burst!" Byron shouted. Bastiodon briefly grinned and formed a ball of light inches from its mouth. Hippopotas stood, frozen by its own uncertainty, and Bastiodon threw the light burst at its opponent. The Metal Burst attack struck Hippopotas at full force, dealing devastating damage and slinging the Hippo Pokémon away. Hippopotas hit the ground hard, bounced further away for a few seconds, and finally skidded to a stop near Ash.

"Hippopotas!" Ash gasped.

" _Hiiiiip…"_ Hippopotas whimpered. The ground-type lifted its head, held it there for a moment, and then slumped back to the ground, signaling the end of the round.

"Hippopotas is unable to battle! The winner is Bastiodon!"

" _Bastio-don!"_ the steel-type roared, its deep voice shaking the battlefield for a moment. Byron chimed in, "Amazing job, Bastiodon!"

"Hippopotas, return!" Ash called. The ground-type dissipated into red light and was recalled into its Poké Ball, offering some much-needed rest to the unconscious Pokémon, "Hippopotas, you did a great job taking down Aggron. I'm really proud of you." Ash said truthfully. He tucked the Poké Ball away and immediately grabbed his fourth and final capsule.

"I wonder who Ash will use next." Dawn wondered aloud, "He's going to need a hard-hitting Pokémon to counter Bastiodon's high Defense."

Down on the field, Ash reared up and tossed the Poké Ball into the fray. _"Riolu, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball popped open and a ball of light sprang forward, landing on the ground and reshaping itself into the underwhelming form of Riolu. _"Wah?"_ cried the Emanation Pokémon, glancing at the Bastiodon at the other end of the field. Riolu glanced at its surroundings, its face a mask of confusion.

"Riolu, we've got a battle to win! Are you ready to go?" Ash called.

"W-why would Ash call on Riolu at this point?" Dawn gasped, "Riolu's a tough Pokémon, but he has next to zero battling experience! Surely there's a better choice here."

"Maybe that's what Ash is counting on." Lester offered, though even he didn't seem to believe it.

" _Seems like your Riolu is a bit lost there!"_ Byron taunted, "Are you sure you've made the right choice, Ash? Or did you slip up, perhaps?"

Amid Byron's overconfident jawing, Ash closed his eyes, focusing on the small form of Riolu. Blue flashes of Aura appeared in the blackness of Ash's shut eyelids, and Riolu's shape appeared to him.

" _Riolu, I know this is all a little overwhelming, but I believe in you!"_ Ash said, _"We've been training really, really hard for the last several months, but we don't have a lot of battling experience yet. Bastiodon may be a big foe, but you pack some powerful punches, so let's win this one together!"_

Ash reopened his eyes, returning to the world. Riolu immediately relaxed, making it clear to Ash that the Emanation Pokémon had gotten his message. The young fighting-type shifted its legs and stuck out one of its arms, taking a fighting stance. _"Rio!"_ barked the fighting-type.

"Hmm." Byron mused, "All right, then. Bastiodon, use Iron Defense, and then go with Iron Head!"

Bastiodon's body shimmered as it activated Iron Defense, and the Shield Pokémon suddenly charged forward once the move was finished. A huge flash of silver ripped into reality and surrounded Bastiodon, and the steel-type stormed toward the little Riolu.

"Riolu, dodge!"

Bastiodon quickly arrived and Riolu sidestepped the Shield Pokémon. Bastiodon continued rushing forward, but quickly stopped upon realizing that it had missed. The steel-type skidded to a stop and glanced at Riolu, its two eyes glowing with curiosity.

"All right, Riolu, use Nasty Plot." Ash ordered. Dark energy appeared around Riolu's feet and quickly trailed around the fighting-type's body, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"Bastiodon, use Flash Cannon!" Byron howled. Bastiodon quickly straightened its body and blasted a beam of silver light, landing a smashing hit directly into Riolu's torso. The Flash Cannon dispatched Riolu across the field, and the fighting-type rolled around in the dirt, standing back on its feet with patches of dirt all around its body.

Ash grinned. "Riolu, use Copycat!"

Byron's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. Without hesitation, Riolu retook its battle stance and stuck out one of its paws, generating a beam of light identical to the Flash Cannon it had just suffered. The blast of damaging light rushed out from Riolu's paw, crashing into Bastiodon and acting as the perfect counter. Bastiodon released a heavy _"Bas!"_ and stumbled backward, taking a few steps to steady itself and stand still amidst the damaging blast.

"So Riolu knows Copycat!" Lester observed, "With the ability to copy Bastiodon's attacks at will, this battle is already working into Ash's favor!"

"Bastiodon, use Iron Defense again!" Byron shouted. Bastiodon quickly obeyed, and once that was done, the Gym Leader called for another move, "Now, use Metal Burst!"

Bastiodon formed the familiar ball of energy from its mouth and fired the projectile at Riolu. On Ash's command, the Emanation Pokémon acrobatically dodged the move, turning its head to watch the attack pass harmlessly by.

" _Ah!_ Riolu, look out!" Ash shouted. Riolu snapped its head back the other way, seeing only a flash of silver as Bastiodon ran over Riolu with an Iron Head attack. Riolu cringed as it climbed back to its feet, shooting its adversary a displeased glare. "Riolu!" Ash called again, "Just like we practiced, let's use Aura Sphere!"

" _Hmm?"_ Byron mused. Riolu brought its two paws close together, forming a small yet clean sphere of blue energy in between them. The sphere widened as Riolu's paws shifted apart, and with an outward thrust of its paws, the Aura Sphere was thrown at Bastiodon, slicing through the air with a barely audible hum. Bastiodon stiffened and the attack made contact, dealing staggering damage. The Shield Pokémon staggered several paces backward, its huge legs suddenly beginning to wobble before it could stabilize itself.

"A Riolu that knows Aura Sphere? How is that possible?" Byron asked aloud.

"You could say that Riolu is a special Pokémon, Byron!" Ash shouted back, "And now, we're gonna win this thing! Riolu, use Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed forward at the recovering Bastiodon, one of its paws flexed open and pulsing with glowing energy. "Bastiodon, use Flash Cannon!" Byron shouted. The Shield Pokémon fired off a silver blast, prompting Riolu to jump, vaulting high over the Flash Cannon blast and keep running.

"Riolu, slide under Bastiodon to attack!"

Riolu's eyes immediately shifted to Bastiodon's belly. Its wide, shield-like head offered staggering physical defense capabilities, but the rest of its body was nowhere near as protected. Riolu reached Bastiodon and slid into the ground, skidding across the thin rock. An instant later, Riolu's Force Palm made contact with Bastiodon's underside, skyrocketing the steel-type into the air. Bastiodon howled deeply as it flew, soaring in an arc and crashing down with a loud _boom_ , kicking up a smokescreen of dust.

" _Bastiodon, are you all right?!"_ Byron shouted, lurching forward from his battle box, "Bastiodon, if you can hear me, use Metal Burst!"

A few moments later, there was a noise resembling a sort of moo. A glowing silver projectile arced over the huge cloud of dust, curving its way downward directly at Riolu. The Emanation Pokémon chattered worriedly and tried to sidestep out of the way, but the Metal Burst collided with the nearby ground hard enough to cause a seismic thrashing that tripped Riolu up. The instant Riolu hit the ground, Byron's voice echoed from behind the dust cloud, followed closely by Bastiodon erupting from the layer of dirt in the midst of an Iron Head attack, clearing the dust cloud with its thunderous charge.

"Riolu, up! Get out of there!"

Riolu scrambled to its feet, but Bastiodon was a mere few feet away. Without enough time to adequately dodge, Riolu took a defensive stance, activating two Force Palms, one in each of its paws. Bastiodon collided at full force, driving Riolu back all too easily. As Riolu was pushed back, its canine feet dug deeper into the dirt, ultimately slowing Bastiodon down. Soon enough, Riolu had enough room to counter. With both of its paws lit with the energy of Force Palm, Riolu threw Bastiodon sideways into the ground, somehow mustering the strength to pull off such a move. The counter even stunned Byron.

Byron's arms went limp and the end of his shovel fell downward, stabbing into the earth at the Gym Leader's feet. His lapse in thought gave more than enough time for Riolu to step back.

"Riolu, let's finish this! Use Aura Sphere!" Ash yelled. Riolu yipped and charged up another ball of pulsing Aura, pouring as much power as it could muster into the attack. Bastiodon lumbered to its feet, completely unaware of the impending attack that was aimed straight for it. Ash's shout broke the steel-type from its moment of obliviousness, "Riolu, _now!"_

Riolu gave another yip and did a brief spin, slinging the Aura Sphere after a single rotation. The Aura Sphere spun rapidly as it flew through the air, discharging flares of energy around its spherical form. The attack collided with Bastiodon's exposed side, exploding violently and knocking Bastiodon back off of its feet. The Shield Pokémon roared with panic as it was thrown to the ground, its shout cut off by its landing. The steel-type remained still, signaling the battle's end result.

" _Bastiodon is unable to battle! The winner is Riolu!"_ the referee echoed, _"Which means the win goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

" _Rio!"_ Riolu howled triumphantly, vaulting straight up into the air in celebration. Riolu then ran back over to Ash, speedily latching onto him and clambering up his body up to the teenager's head. Ash giggled, his eyes fixated as far upward as they could go as he tried to look at the Emanation Pokémon. Riolu then tumbled down in front of Ash, landing squarely in the Trainer's arms like a baby.

"Bastiodon, return." Byron called. The fainted steel-type broke down into red light and returned to the Poké Ball, and Byron walked out onto the battlefield with a smile, his shovel hefted onto his shoulders. Dawn and Lester came down the steps by the bleachers as Byron reached Ash, allowing the Trainer and Gym Leader just a few moments to speak.

"Ash, that battle was everything that I had hoped for!" Byron praised, "Your Pokémon are strong, and I can see that they have been raised by the right Trainer. Your power overwhelmed my team's defensive tactics…again!" With that, Byron began laughing loudly. He brought his shovel down from his shoulder and stuck it into the ground.

"Byron, thank you so much." Ash said, "I enjoyed our battle a lot, and some of my Pokémon got some much-needed experience today."

"I must say, both your Riolu and Hippopotas surprised me." Byron admitted, "I was not expecting such little Pokémon to pack such power." Byron reached out to scratch Riolu's chin, something that the little fighting-type very clearly enjoyed. Byron chuckled at Riolu's reaction, and his attention was then drawn to Dawn and Lester as they reached the pair.

"That was some battle, you two." Dawn butted in. Piplup and Pikachu agreed with happy cheers, both Pokémon having been left with the Coordinator upstairs while Ash focused on battling.

"Yes, I was just telling Ash how much I enjoyed it!" Byron agreed, "So, where will you all head next?"

"I think the next stop for us is going to be Chocovine Town so that Dawn can compete in a Contest, and then it's off to Snowpoint City to challenge Candice!" Ash explained.

"Ah, the ice-type girl, correct? She is…peculiar…but an accomplished Trainer without a doubt!" Byron said, "That is a long journey north, though. Taking the ferry to Chocovine Town is a smart move since it'll cut at least half the distance to the city. Lester, what about you? Do you plan to accompany Ash and Dawn to Snowpoint City as well?"

"I haven't really thought about it." Lester admitted, "I just tagged along with them after a run-in with Team Rocket, and once I heard that I would meet you, sir, I was quite excited. I am traveling all across Sinnoh right now, however."

"Would you be interested in heading up there with us, Lester?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, I…I don't wish to be a burden." Lester stammered.

"Nonsense, you're not a burden at all!" Ash insisted, "You should travel with us to Snowpoint City, it would be a lot of fun!"

Lester thought for a moment, "All right, you twist my arm, Ash." Lester joked, "But there are some things that I need to take care of before then, so I'm afraid I cannot go with you to Chocovine Town."

"How about we pull up a map? If you want, you can meet us there or in one of the other towns nearby, and we can travel up to Snowpoint City together from there!" Dawn suggested. Ash and Lester immediately agreed that this was a smart idea, so Dawn accessed the regular map function on her Pokétch, which showed a simple, contemporary map of the region. She scrolled the map until reaching Chocovine Town. "There's not much south of Chocovine Town, but there's a few towns on the way to Snowpoint City. The biggest one would be Sandalstraw Town."

"Sandalstraw Town? That's where we played in the Pokémon Ping-Pong tournament the first time, right?" Ash asked. Dawn nodded and glanced at Lester, who was deep in thought.

"Sandalstraw Town may well work out for me. I have to go to Oreburgh City next, and then I'll be going around Mt. Coronet next to meet with some old friends that are digging for fossils. I could probably catch a helicopter going out of the dig site and get transportation to Sandalstraw Town." Lester said.

"That's a lot of trouble to go to just to meet up with us again." Ash commented.

"Yes, it is…" Lester agreed, "How about we decide later, when I find out what I can make work?"

"That's probably the best option." Dawn agreed, "All this planning ahead is troublesome."

"Sounds like you're all in agreement!" Byron commented. He laughed, "I tell you, if I didn't have the responsibilities of a Gym Leader—or even an adult, really—I'd pack my things _tomorrow_ and run off on a journey of my own! Anyway, I have some things to attend to at the ranch out back, and then I'll be out and about around Canalave City. I'm afraid I need to get going."

"All right, Byron." Ash said. He stuck out his arm for a handshake, "It was great getting to battle you again, I'm glad we got to do this!"

"The pleasure is all mine, Ash, truly!" Byron said, shaking the teenager's hand. He shook Dawn's hand and then moved to Lester, shaking his hand as well, "It was also great meeting you, Lester. Please do give me a call if you're still interested in learning from me about fossils!"

"Will do, sir!" Lester agreed. He shook Byron's hand vigorously, but the Gym Leader didn't seem to mind. He stepped away from the group, hefting his shovel back over his shoulder and padding away, leaving Ash, Dawn, and Lester to themselves.

* * *

The trio disembarked from the boat, having made land back on the main island of Canalave City. The afternoon was quickly dwindling—the sun would set in a few hours, and night would quickly follow that. Ash and Dawn's ferry to Chocovine Town left first thing in the morning. After some walking, the trio of Ash, Dawn, and Lester stopped in front of the Pokémon Center.

"I guess this is where we split." Dawn remarked, "Lester, you have my number on you, so you can give us a call if you're able to make it to one of the towns on the way to Sandalstraw Town."

"I promise that I will let you know!" Lester said, "But please, if you're on your way out of Sandalstraw Town before I do, don't worry about it! I'm glad I got to meet you both!"

"So are we, Lester." Ash agreed, "Good luck with your fossil digging later this week."

"Yes! Good luck to you both as well!" Lester said. He began to walk backwards down the block, his pace quickly turning into an excited run. He waved and then whirled around, his unusual excitement carrying him down the block at a run. He disappeared around the corner of the street, leaving Ash and Dawn alone.

"Hmpf…it's nice to see someone who's just so happy, even though there's a lot of bad stuff going on." Ash remarked.

"Yeah…it is." Dawn agreed. Ash sighed and then trotted into the Pokémon Center, prompting Dawn to follow him inside.

* * *

Night had fallen on the Sinnoh region when Byron finally returned to his island. The boat shuddered as it came to a stop, allowing Byron to hop off and land on the wooden deck.

"Thanks again, Sully." Byron said with a wave as he walked away from the Gym. Sully responded with an _'Aye'_ and began backing the boat up, eventually leaving Byron in total blackness. The Gym Leader trotted up the hill, a large bag of feed hefted over his shoulder. It was a large burlap sack of Pokémon food, but the weight was almost nothing to Byron, for his strength had been forged in the heat of the mines back when he was young. He briefly reminisced to that time, the flashbacks inspired by the excited youthfulness of Ash and his friends.

When he'd finally come of age, there wasn't much out there for Byron to do. He had grown up in Oreburgh City and almost never left. The city was almost entirely focused on the coal industry that had jumpstarted the town decades ago and kept it on the map for so long. Even though coal was _technically_ an outdated power source, Oreburgh City as a whole still took pride in generating a sizeable chunk of resources that powered the entire Sinnoh Region. With this in mind, Byron took to his work in the mines with an almost unreasonable enthusiasm. Never once in many years did he ever get tired of mining coal. One day in those many years, he'd met Suzanne, the woman who would become his wife, as a young adult. She was truly stunning. Together they had a single son, who they named Roark.

One day along that point, Byron had his first encounter with fossils. A laboratory was soon erected in Oreburgh City, and as the foreman of the Oreburgh Mining Company at the time, he'd been invited to tour the new facilities. At first, he had detested the prospect. Science, along with ever-advancing methods of energy, threatened his company and his lifestyle like no other. But upon seeing the lab for himself, and witnessing the amazing things they were doing with Pokémon fossils, Byron's feelings immediately changed. He became incredibly invested in Pokémon fossils, which eventually led to him trying his hand as a Trainer. He immediately became fond of the steel and rock types, thanks to their unmatched defensive capabilities. Eventually, he was named the leader of the Oreburgh Gym.

But these changes had not been all good. Over these years, his marriage to Suzanne soured. They argued often, and about a great many things. In addition, Roark came to idolize his father and his father's new interests, and this did not help the situation. Finally, one day, Byron received an offer in the mail to become the new head of the Canalave City Gym. He had taken the offer immediately, never once hesitating to walk down this new path. He had thought he was doing his family a service, but Suzanne disagreed. Once he was settled, Byron asked Suzanne to come, but she refused. She thought that he was no longer the man she married. To make things worse, she kept Roark in Oreburgh City, which in turn soured the relationship between Byron and his son, something that had held on between them until recently. Until Ash. Now, Byron truly wondered where Suzanne was, and what she was doing. Roark had told him that she'd left Oreburgh City once Roark came of age. Was she still alive? Would she ever be interested in seeing his face again?

Byron was dragged out of his memories by the lights of the Gym as he walked inside. The electric lighting in the front room flickered a bit, indicating that he needed to change the lightbulb soon. Byron sighed and walked through the halls to the back of the Gym, reentering the outside world near the front gate of his ranch. He walked up to the fenced-in area, thrown back into the dark of night. When he reached the front gate, he immediately noticed that something was off. The air was oddly tense. Some bushes began rustling far away from Byron's eyesight, but it didn't stop him from looking. When nothing substantial came from the rustling brush, he turned to look back out at his ranch. None of the Pokémon were out, something that never happened. The 'ranch' stretched back into the deep, unharvested forest that covered most of the island. It was reasonable that they were hiding, but from what? Why wouldn't they come out?

"Bastiodon?" Byron called, "…Bronzong? Steelix? Cranidos?"

Nothing.

Byron slit open the bag of feed as he opened the ranch's front gate, approaching the collection of troughs that hugged the inside of the fence. He whistled and dumped the entire sack of Pokémon food in the troughs, trying to evenly spread them out. The food would last until around lunchtime tomorrow, and Byron would have to head back into town. Once the sack of food had been emptied, Byron hung it over the fence, resolving to deal with it later as he hopped over to the other side of the fence.

"Graveler? Shieldon!" Byron inquired, eventually shouting as he still got no answer, "Beldum!"

Still nothing.

"Shit." Byron cursed. He spat on the ground at his feet. Something wasn't right. Byron whirled around and stormed back to the Gym. There was nobody on the island at this time of night besides him. What would the Pokémon be so afraid of that they wouldn't even come to him? He resolved to scour the Gym. He stepped inside the building and walked to the nearest room, which happened to be his room. He speedily searched the room, finding nothing out of the ordinary. In a moment of thinking about his own self-defense, he reached under his bed and grabbed a wooden bat, leaving the room and moving to the next one. Just like the last room, nothing was out of the ordinary.

Everything was the same until about the fifth room that Byron checked. He exhaled angrily as he once again found nothing suspicious, this time in an unused storage room. In that instant, he thought that he heard a voice, and his head instantly cocked toward the left wall. He remained deathly still, silently training his ears for another sound.

 _Bump._

Byron surged out the door and headed immediately for the next door over. There was one room next to the storage room: his fossil room. It also doubled as an office, really, as he kept both his personal items (such as pictures of young Roark and certain fossils that he deemed special, like the Giant Anorith) and items related to his job inside. He brought his ID card up and scanned it on the electronic lock, causing the door to immediately open.

Byron thundered inside the door, finding a few artificial lights on his desk that had not been there before. Two men were rifling through cardboard boxes on the shelves against the right wall. Barely an instant after he walked in, the two men staggered back, shocked by his sudden intrusion.

In the next instant, a blunt object was slammed into the back of his head. Byron crumpled to the ground with a scream, his vision instantly blurry as excruciating pain ripped through his skull. His bat hit the floor first, hitting with a hollow _thunk_ as he slumped onto the tile floor.

"Byron. Thank you for making this so _nice_ and _easy._ " said an unfamiliar voice, _"Have you found it yet?"_

The two men searching the cardboard boxes moved to the next one, throwing some things out before they stopped cold. Faint blue light trailed out from inside the box, and there was no mistaking what the light was coming from. Even through his warped, blurry vision, Byron knew what they had found.

" _N-no."_ he groaned. Just speaking was uncomfortable for him, but he still tried to crawl to his feet. A boot suddenly pressed into his back, pushing him back into the floor and knocking what little wind had returned to Byron's lungs out of them. A warm liquid dripped from his lips as well.

" _W-what…"_ Byron gurgled, _"What do you want?"_

"Bring it here." The same unfamiliar voice from earlier said. The Grunts scrambled over to the man, handing him the orb that they'd discovered. _"Magnificent._ Tell me, Mister Byron, what exactly are you doing with the Adamant Orb in a _cardboard box_ in your _storage room?"_

Byron groaned, trying to articulate his feelings as best he could. "…Go…fuck yourself…"

In response to the scornful comment, the man kicked Byron in the side of the head, hitting him into the ground.

"You're not really in a position to be insulting me, now are you?" the man spat, "In any case, it doesn't matter why you have this, because we're taking it."

"What…do you…want?" Byron winced.

"What do we want? _We_ want to rule the world," said the man, "and with this, we are one step closer to doing so."

"You're playing with powers you don't know how to control, much less understand!" Byron protested. He blinked rapidly, trying to get some semblance of his vision back.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Mister Byron. We _do_ know how to control these powers, and we _will._ It is only a matter of time…" said the man. He squatted down, speaking more quietly to the downed Byron, "Oh, and, if anyone asks you who did this, tell them…tell them _Proton_ did this."

Byron committed the name to memory, and then he acted. He wasn't really sure where he was aiming, thanks to his blurred vision, but he figured it was worth a shot. Unfortunately, his attempt to attack his assailants failed miserably; he was easily countered by who he assumed was Proton and thrown into the ground on his back. He cursed and heaved in deep breaths, finally accepting that he was beaten.

"Tch. How pathetic." Proton snickered, "C'mon, let's get out of here."

At that moment, Byron inconveniently regained his sight, though he was unable to move. He scanned his attackers, counting three in all: the two men who had been rifling through the boxes, and a third man carrying a blunt object resembling a pipe. Byron looked past the man with bluish-green hair and settling on a man with black hair. His brain scrambled as he tried to understand. There was no mistaking it.

" _Y-you."_ Byron managed, "You're the one who was with Ash and Dawn today. _L-Lester…"_

Lester grinned cruelly. _"Yes,_ yes I was. A pity you had to find out this way. They asked me to stay behind for this, but I wanted to come along on this mission. Just for _this_ moment."

Byron's mind raced. What had happened to Lester's excitable and polite personality? Had it all been a sickening ruse?

"Why go to all this risk? To befriend Ash and Dawn, to come into my Gym, and pretend. Why?" Byron asked.

"It's a long story…one I'm afraid there's no time to tell." Lester said. "Proton, could you deal with this?"

"You should watch how you speak to an Executive, Grunt, don't get so high and mighty because of what you managed here today. But yes, I'll take it from here." Proton said rudely. He locked eyes with Byron, sliding a syringe out from a pocket in his uniform. A strange green liquid had been loaded into the needle, making Byron's skin crawl. Lester and the other Grunt who had been searching for the Adamant Orb quickly appeared at Byron's sides and held down his arms. Without hesitation, Proton slid the needle into a vein in the Gym Leader's forearm, injecting the liquid and sliding the needle out. Byron squirmed, and Proton chuckled, "I was beginning to think we wouldn't get to use this. Don't worry, Byron, we're not going to kill you. As much as I would prefer to keep you quiet the old-fashioned way, we were specifically instructed not to kill anyone."

Byron's head began to hurt, earning another smile from Proton, "Oh, sorry, does it hurt? That would be the brain agent in the serum I just gave you. It attacks parts of the brain related to short-term memory, severely hampering or even destroying your recollection of what you've just seen and heard. You won't even be able to remember our faces or our names! In just a few moments, you'll black out completely. This way, _you_ can't rat us out, and _we_ don't have to get any blood on our uniforms."

" _Y-y-you animals. You won't get away with this."_ Byron managed. His teeth grinded together dangerously hard as he tried to handle the rapidly increasing pain in his head.

"I'm afraid that we already have." Proton retorted, giving an evil smile, "You should consider yourself lucky that your lifeless shell isn't being shoved into a body bag right now. Goodbye, Byron, and thank you _so very much_ for the Adamant Orb."

The three Team Rocket members shuffled out of the room and the automatic door shut behind them, effectively locking Byron inside. Byron gave a prolonged shout as whatever Proton had injected him with burned his head even more. He then began to feel woozy, and instinctively reached for the pocket in his work pants. Inside was his phone, a somewhat outdated device that he could only make voice calls from. Lucky for Byron, most adults at least owned one, including his son. His sight began to leave him, but Byron was more than able to find Roark in his contacts list and make the call. Another jolt of pain ripped through his skull, and he put the phone on speaker, the sound of periodic ringing calling to his numb ears.

" _Hello?"_ Roark said as he picked up on the line.

"Son!" Byron stammered, "It's me, I need your—aagh!"

" _D-Dad, what's wrong? Talk to me!"_ Roark fumbled.

"I-in the Gym…something's happened—aagh—I'm in the…fossil room…stuck…"

" _I'm calling the police, I'll be there as soon as I can! Talk to me, Dad, stay with me!"_ Roark panicked.

"I-I-I can't…blacking…out…" Byron heaved, his breath immediately going short. He blinked slowly, and his exhaustion multiplied in doing so. Numbness traveled across his body, dragging him into unconsciousness until Byron's head finally thumped on the floor.

" _Dad! Dad? Dad?!"_

* * *

Ash and Dawn had settled into their seats at one of the many tables in the Pokémon Center's lobby. Trays of food were in front of them, each packed with different kinds of food for their dinner. Dawn had gone with a healthier setup, spreading out her options into fruits, vegetables, and grains. Ash, on the other hand, was all about the calories, piling steak and breads on his plate while leaving just a small section of the plate for some asparagus. He created a steak sandwich from what he had on the plate, taking in large bites every few moments.

Off to the side of the Trainers, Piplup, Pikachu, Buneary, and Riolu calmly ate their Pokémon food. Pikachu once again praised Riolu for its victory against Bastiodon, slightly embarrassing the fighting-type. Buneary was relentlessly attempting to get Pikachu's full attention, though it only worked about half of the time. Pikachu, oblivious as ever, chattered friendlily to the Rabbit Pokémon, and Buneary in turn cutely buried her face in the fluff on her body.

"The ferry to Chocovine Town leaves tomorrow at 9:00." Dawn said as she scrolled through her PokéPad screen.

"Sweet, then I can get up and do my usual morning stuff before we have to go." Ash answered. He scarfed down another bite of his steak sandwich, chewing rapidly and then making some room for a dash of asparagus.

"And the Contest is just two days later. It's a Singles Contest, so we'll have to work hard on our counters and special moves." Dawn added, "Piplup, Buneary, are you two ready to win another Ribbon?"

" _Pip-lup!"_

" _Bun-eary!"_

The sound of a shrieking siren interrupted Ash and Dawn both. Flashing lights appeared through the Pokémon Center's windows, vanishing as quickly as they had come, but the cause was clear enough. As if on cue, the channel that the TV hanging from the ceiling was on was suddenly pre-empted, airing an emergency TV broadcast. Thanks to the passing sirens, all attention was on the TV. Ash shot up from his chair, leaving his half-eaten sandwich behind and powerwalking to a spot where he could see the TV. Dawn remained at her seat with the Pokémon, watching Ash worriedly. She immediately noticed him tense as he read what was on the screen. Big bold letters were printed on a box at the bottom of the screen:

 _CANALAVE CITY GYM ATTACKED_

Ash went pale. "Byron," he said, "Dawn, I'm going to the Gym. I need to make sure Byron is okay!"

"What?" Dawn stammered in answer. Ash was already on his way out as she called him, "Ash! What are you talking about?" She quickly realized that he wasn't turning around, and she cursed under her breath as she stood up from her chair. She pulled out the twin Poké Balls of Piplup and Buneary, calling them both back in. "C'mon, you two! Pikachu, let's catch up to Ash!"

Dawn bolted out of the Pokémon Center, quickly glancing over to the left to spot Ash's retreating form under the streetlights. She beckoned Pikachu to run with her and they chased after Ash, doing their best to make up their lost ground. Surprisingly, they were able to mostly catch up, finding themselves only a handful of paces behind the older teen as they sprinted through the streets of Canalave City in the direction of the harbor.

"Ash! What's going on?" Dawn yelled. They rounded a corner after him and flashing red and blue lights nearly blinded Dawn and Pikachu. They recovered quickly and ran after Ash again. As they did so, the older Trainer hollered over his shoulder.

"That news report said there was an attack on the Canalave Gym! I've gotta find out why!"

"D'you think Team Rocket did it?" Dawn yelled.

"No doubt about it." Ash grumbled. They reached the harbor together a few moments later. Police boats were speeding along the water in droves, the boats in the back bouncing over the wakes left behind by those in the front. Underneath all of the rapidly flashing lights, Sully the harbormaster looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"Sully! What's happened?" Ash howled as he pushed through the crowd. The sailor recognized Ash and Dawn both and somewhat brightened, although he was still wracked with nerves.

"I don't know!" Sully cried, "Something's happened at the Canalave Gym, the island is crawling with police! But they won't let me head over there and check on things myself! I'm worried about Mister Byron."

"We are too, that's why we came here." Ash said.

"Well, I'd love to help, but I can't leave the harbor and you can't drive a boat." Sully mumbled.

"Leave it to us." Ash said. He unhooked a Poké Ball from his belt, "We don't _need_ a boat."

Sully brightened, understanding Ash instantly, "Really, you'd do that? Thank you so much!"

Ash nodded before looking back, "Dawn, you comin'?"

"Don't exactly have anywhere more important to be." Dawn said with a shrug. She grabbed a Poké Ball of her own, and the two Trainers tossed the capsules into the air, calling on Charizard and Togekiss. They then hopped onto the backs of their Pokémon, taking to the black sky.

Byron's island was easy to point out from the vantage point of the sky. A huge cluster of red and blue lights flashed endlessly from the island and the sea around it. "Charizard, see those lights? Let's get over there, pronto!"

"Togekiss, you too!"

The Pokémon dashed through the air at high speed, clearing the distance to the island in a matter of moments. Charizard and Togekiss then both angled themselves downward, zooming down to the surface of the island and pulling up only when the Trainers on their backs were ready. Ash and Dawn hopped off together, landing cleanly on the ground and returning the two Pokémon with a gracious thank-you. They were immediately noticed by the hordes of law enforcement, but no one stepped off and told them that they couldn't be there. Near the front doors of the Gym, a slim figure was speaking to an unremarkable man in a lab coat. A stretcher had been set up in the grass, and the man sitting on it was none other than Byron.

Ash and Dawn both ran towards Byron. As they got closer, they noticed the red miner's hat on the slim man, who turned around and revealed himself to be Roark. Equal surprise ran through all three Pokémon Trainers.

"Ash, Dawn! W-what are you doing here?" Roark choked.

"Roark! We heard about the attack on the Gym and came to see if Byron was okay!" Ash said a little bit too loudly.

"I'm more or less fine." Byron grumbled with a slight slur from the stretcher. Ash, Dawn, and Roark all looked over. Byron was pressing a wet rag to his head, and there was a red color on the side of his forehead that could only be blood. An ugly cut was also present along his lip, but the bleeding from that wound had apparently been stopped.

"You're _not_ fine." Roark hissed, "You have a concussion, Dad, and you're bleeding!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Byron shouted. He immediately regretted raising his voice and winced, tightly shutting his eyes as he sucked on his teeth in pain.

"Byron, what happened here?" Ash asked.

"Th-they took it." Byron managed.

"What? Who took what?" Dawn pressed.

"Team Rocket. They took the Adamant Orb."

" _What?"_ Ash snapped.

"B-but that doesn't make any sense!" Dawn protested, "How could they take the Adamant Orb if they attacked the Gym? No one even knows where it…is…" Dawn quickly stopped as she made the connection. She and Ash locked eyes and then looked back at Byron, both of them fully understand.

"Unless you had the Adamant Orb…right here in the Gym." Ash said as calmly as he could. He didn't understand. Why would Byron have the Adamant Orb?

"I know what you're thinking, Ash…" Byron heaved. He winced, "The Pokémon League entrusted me with the care of the Adamant Orb. With all of the trouble that Team Galactic stirred up involving the Orbs, they wanted to keep them somewhere safe. So they asked me and another Gym Leader to each take one of the Orbs and hide them away."

"But why in a Pokémon Gym? Doesn't that seem too public?" Ash asked.

"Tell me Ash, if you were looking for the Timespace Orbs, would you go into a Pokémon Gym and look for one?"

"Well…no." Ash admitted, "But Team Rocket did! How did they even get inside?"

"They did…I don't know how." Byron answered, "I'd just gotten back from the city with a big bag of Pokémon food. I always have to buy a lot because of all the rock and steel-types out in the ranch…they can really pack in the chow. I went out back to dump the food in the troughs…they usually don't eat right away. But when I got there, none of them would come out. I called and called…nothing. I went inside the Gym to search for any intruders…I found them. But before I could do anything, someone hit me in the back of the head with a…pipe of some sort. They were digging through my things in the fossil room. Nobody goes in there but me. I don't even know how they got in there."

"Did you get a good look at any of them?" Ash asked quickly.

"I…I…I can't remember. I know that I talked to them…I remember how nonchalantly they talked about the things they were going to do. But I can't remember their faces or their names…and I don't know why." Byron stammered. His inability to remember infuriated him. How could he forget these things so easily? He didn't know.

"Any details, perhaps?" Ash asked next, "I've run into quite a few people in their ranks."

Byron squeezed his eyes shut and thought as hard as he could. He concentrated, trying to clear his mind and scrounge together some recollection. When that failed, the tension in his face vanished and he reopened his eyes, pure sadness on his face. "No...nothing."

Ash's stomach dropped.

"Dad, it's okay if you can't remember anything. I think it's clear enough who did this." Roark said.

"Team Rocket is already the number one suspect." The police doctor said, finally adding something to the scene. Everyone looked to the physician as he spoke next, "Your inability to remember is certainly a side effect of the concussion. Blunt trauma to the head has a habit of knocking some memories loose."

Byron's eyes suddenly lit up, "Wait! I…I think I may have something!"

Everyone shot their attention over from the doctor to Byron, who immediately seemed much more energized than before. "I remember…their leader…he had a weird color of hair. If I remember right, it was a shade of green, maybe a little bit teal, I think…?" Byron managed.

"Teal hair." Ash repeated, "That sounds like Executive Proton. He was responsible for the incident in Alamos Town."

"Captain!" the doctor called. Officer Jenny appeared through the group of police officers, padding over to the doctor.

"Yes, Dr. Cruz? What is it?" Jenny asked.

"Byron has something to report." The doctor—Dr. Cruz—said. Jenny immediately looked to Byron.

"It isn't much, but I've managed one recollection. One of the people with these intruders…I think he was their leader…he had hair that was a teal-like color." Byron repeated. Jenny's eyes lit up and she immediately produced a notepad and scribbled down the information.

"Byron, this is important information!" Officer Jenny said, "Every little bit helps, truly. Now, I need to get back inside the Gym and coordinate the investigation."

"Of course, Officer Jenny. Please, take everything you think you may need as evidence. I'd like nothing more than to see these crooks captured." Roark agreed. Officer Jenny nodded and briskly walked away, slipping through the Gym's automatic doors and disappearing from sight.

"Byron, sir, while you are healing from your concussion, it might be useful to focus some time to remembering things about tonight. I'm afraid you are in no condition to participate in Gym battles at this time." Dr. Cruz said, "I'd recommend you nominate a temporary stand-in."

"I nominate my son, Roark." Byron said immediately.

"W-what? Dad…" Roark tried to protest.

"Roark." Byron snapped. He locked eyes with his son, silently communicating just why he wanted him to lead the Gym during his absence. Roark quieted and stepped back, reluctantly accepting the offer. Hopefully, he wouldn't have too many challengers coming to the Canalave Gym; he already had enough on his plate in Oreburgh City.

Officer Jenny exited the Gym once again, following a group of officers who were carrying boxes labeled 'Evidence'. The officers shuffled along as Jenny walked back over to Dr. Cruz and the Trainers.

"I think we have everything that we need for this. We'll begin investigating right away." Jenny said.

"Excellent. I trust your department will be able to track down these crooks." Byron said. He winced again as his concussion stung his head, "Roark, can you help me get inside? I need to be in a dark room."

"Of course, Dad." Roark said with a smile. He grabbed onto Byron's arm, helping him off of the stretcher and leading him across the grass inside the Gym. Dr. Cruz and his staff began to pack up their medical supplies, leaving Ash and Dawn by themselves underneath the flashing red and blue lights. One by one, police helicopters began to take off and head back to the city, closely followed by the many police boats that were floating around the island.

It was only a few moments until Roark returned. Officer Jenny climbed onto the final police helicopter on the island and her pilot took off into the sky as Roark reached Ash and Dawn. The three Trainers were now alone in the darkness.

"Roark, you think Byron will be okay?" Ash asked as calmly as he could.

"Yes. My dad is strong…but he will need some time to rest in a dark room or two. Exposure to too much light will only make things worse." Roark answered.

"Have Byron's Pokémon come back out?" Dawn asked next.

"Yes, they have. They're all in the ranch right now, but they're a little bit on edge. I'm sure they're all very worried about Byron." Roark explained, "Where are you two going from here?"

"We have a ferry to Chocovine Town first thing tomorrow morning." Dawn answered.

"And then it's off to Snowpoint City for my next Gym battle." Ash said.

"That's quite the journey, even from Chocovine Town." Roark whistled, "Anyway, I should get back inside. I'll likely be staying at the Gym for a few days taking care of my dad."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. We need to get some rest anyhow." Ash agreed.

"It's been great seeing you both again. I'm glad you're all doing well." Roark said.

"I think we all wish it had been under better circumstances." Dawn offered. Ash and Roark nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about it. We must be careful. There is no telling what Team Rocket will try next." Roark lamented, "You two, _please_ …take care of yourselves."

"We will try, Roark. Really." Ash answered with a nod. With nothing more to say, Roark slowly turned around and walked back up the shallow hill to the Gym's entrance, stepping through the automatic doors as they opened. Ash met Dawn's eyes and sagged his shoulders. "We should probably get going as well."

"Yeah…" Dawn agreed somberly. The pair readied the Poké Balls of Charizard and Togekiss, calling upon the pair of flying-types and taking to the night sky. Ash held the bill of his cap down as the wind blew hard against his face, feeling his locks of raven hair billow in the gusts.

Just a few moments later, they landed on the city's main island, heading inside the Pokémon Center and parting ways to go to their separate rooms. In seconds, they had each changed into their respective night clothes, hitting the mattresses of their beds and curling up underneath the blankets. There, separated by little more than a hallway and a pair of doors, they each descended into a fitful, uncertain sleep.

* * *

 **Hey, guys. Sorry for the later than normal update. Things have been busy. I'm still going to try to get in as many chapters on schedule as I can before I have to leave for college. After that, I simply don't know what the update schedule will be like, but it won't be anything like it is now. Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter please leave a review at the bottom and tell me all your thoughts about what happened in this chapter! Thanks everyone!**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	53. The Chocovine Contest

**Happy Friday, everyone, and welcome to another chapter of The Journey Continues. Thanks to all you guys who are always reviewing, I greatly appreciate each and every one of them. To those reading this who don't send in reviews, I'd encourage you to do so. I want to hear all the feedback I can from you, your thoughts and opinions are important to me! Anyway, I've got about a month left until college starts for me, so I'm going to work as hard as I can to get out as many chapters as I can for you guys, since I don't know what the update schedule will be like once I move in. I also have some major chapters planned very, very soon, so I want to try and at least get the ball rolling for that section of the story. I've got it all planned out, and hopefully the way I'm envisioning it will work out well. Thanks again, guys! Remember to post a review at the bottom of the page!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 53_

 _The Chocovine Contest_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Near Chocovine Town**_

"Riolu, let's try that Aura Sphere again." Ash said.

Riolu stood on land while Ash was waist-deep in a pool of crystal clear water. He had changed into a pair of swim trunks for the exercise, stripping his shirt and dropping it into the grass before entering the water. His Aura training had been extremely lax in the past several months, and the incidents at Alamos Town and Canalave City had convinced Ash that he needed to work some more on his powers. As an added bonus, he'd be able to train Riolu in Aura as well.

Trainer and Pokémon both brought their hands close together, activating the well of natural power hidden deep within their beings. Two small spheres of azure energy formed between the palms of the two Aura users, and together they slowly dragged their hands further apart. In response, the Aura Spheres grew bigger and more powerful. Riolu gazed at the energy with a youthful wonder. The little fighting-type had performed the exercise countless times, but it never ceased to amaze the Pokémon. This power existed in every living being, but Riolu was among the chosen few that were able to wield it as a weapon.

And so was its Trainer.

Over the past few months since Riolu's capture, the already-present bond between Ash and the Emanation Pokémon had strengthened tenfold. It was a bond that few could really and truly understand, though Ash shared two other bonds that were uniquely similar to his bond with Riolu. The first was with Pikachu, who Riolu understood had been the teen's first-ever Pokémon. It was no exaggeration to say that Riolu looked up to Pikachu as an older brother. The jolly electric-type both understood and welcomed this theoretical relationship to the fighting-type, helping greatly to train the inexperienced Riolu and also give advice (in their own personal language, of course).

The second of these bonds that Ash had was shared with the other human. The female. _Dawn,_ Ash had called her. She was special to Ash, Riolu knew. But there was far more under that shallow surface. Riolu had spent enough time secretively using its Aura abilities near the two. The attraction between them was as clear as day, yet they never bothered to capitalize on it. Truth be told, it puzzled Riolu. Pokémon were more than happy to procreate with prospective mates. It was a biological necessity that they do so. The same was true for humans, although human mating rituals were quite confusing to Riolu. Regardless, the little fighting-type was certain that _something_ would come out of all of it.

"Riolu." Ash said. The fighting-type was dragged out of its idleness by the Trainer's voice. Ash was watching Riolu expectantly. "Let's send that Aura Sphere flying at that tree over there."

Riolu craned its neck to the right, laying its eyes once again on that big tree they'd been using as a target. The Emanation Pokémon steeled itself and pulled one of its hands away, letting the arm fall slack against its side. The Aura Sphere purred in its remaining palm, brimming with vibrant, tangible power. Without further delay, Riolu spread its legs vertically, taking a fighting stance.

" _Rio!"_ Riolu yipped as it swung its arm backward, still gripping the Aura Sphere in a telekinetic hold. The fighting-type brought its arm forward again and flexed its paw out wide, aiming and launching the Aura Sphere at the large tree. The Aura Sphere collided with the trunk and exploded, leaving another decent dent in the tree's thick body.

" _Wah-wah?"_ Riolu purred, hoping that its attack was good.

"There we go, Riolu." Ash praised, "That was another solid Aura Sphere. You battled great against Bastiodon the other day, but you've got so much more potential. We'll be heading up to Snowpoint City next, but that will take us a month or two, so we'll have lots of time for more training."

They'd taken the ferry to Chocovine Town yesterday morning, leaving the rattled Canalave City behind. They hadn't received any extra word on Byron's recovery, but Ash trusted that he was doing well. Thoughts of Team Rocket now burned in his mind nearly 24/7. There was no telling where they would strike next. In light of that, Ash was determined to be ready. He wouldn't be caught off-guard by them again.

"Enjoying the water, Ash?" Dawn called. Ash looked over, seeing the Coordinator appear from the cover of trees with Piplup and Buneary. Buneary giddily waved at Pikachu, who had spent the time half-watching Ash and Riolu's training and sleeping in the comfortable grass. The electric mouse chattered back with some enthusiasm, but he was certainly not up for a game of chase with the Rabbit Pokémon.

"Yeah, it's great!" Ash beamed, "You should come in!"

"Oh, no thanks, I need to get busy with Contest training." Dawn answered, "Piplup, Buneary, it's a Singles Contest tomorrow, so let's get a practice Contest Battle going!"

" _Bun-eary!"_

" _Pip-Pip-lup!"_

The two Pokémon sprinted off to opposite ends of the open field. A dense forest surrounded the clearing, though the skyline of Chocovine Town was visible from their place on the ground. Ash, Dawn, and the Pokémon had found the clearing on the town's outskirts rather easily, claiming it as their training spot immediately. Once Piplup and Buneary were ready, Dawn took a spot off to the side of the two, calling out commands from several feet away.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" Dawn shouted. Piplup rocketed into the air, opening its round beak and spitting a barrage of explosive bubbles down on Buneary. Immediately, Dawn called to Buneary for a counter, "Now, Buneary, counter with Dizzy Punch!" Buneary purred and leaped up to meet the oncoming Bubblebeam, the tufts of fur atop her ears glowing with a mix of colors. The Rabbit Pokémon tucked its head and threw its ears forward repeatedly, dealing piston-like punches into the individual bubbles. The bubbles exploded on contact with Buneary's punches, releasing countless sparkles of multicolored light into the air.

Buneary tumbled to the ground and landed cleanly on her feet, smiling eagerly and doing a cute pose, _"Bun-eary, bun."_

"Buneary, that was excellent! Now, use Jump Kick!"

Buneary's left eye glittered briefly and the Rabbit Pokémon lunged up into the air, quickly arcing downward with the influence of gravity. Dawn called for Piplup to use Hydro Pump as a counter, and the round Penguin Pokémon crushed Buneary's attempted attack with a high-pressure blast of water.

"Good job, you two. Buneary, come back for now. We're going to try another Pokémon." Dawn called. Buneary looked over and then bounded towards Dawn, only slightly disappointing at the short length of its practice battle. After obediently appearing at Dawn's feet, Buneary bounced over to Pikachu, immediately trying to flirt with the electric-type. Dawn fished another Poké Ball from her bag, enlarging the capsule and tossing it out into the field, "Ambipom, let's go!"

Ambipom appeared from the flash of light that followed the Poké Ball's opening, landing safely on the ground and chattering happily. "Piplup, use Ice Beam! Ambipom, counter it with Focus Punch!" Dawn shouted. Piplup immediately released a jagged beam of freezing energy—a recently learned move for the water-type—and Ambipom stiffened both of its tails. The hands on the normal-type's tails clenched into fists and glowed with powerful energy, and Ambipom waited patiently as the Ice Beam quickly closed in. Without any warning, Ambipom slugged out its two tails, dealing a pair of Focus Punches into the frozen blast and destroying it. The Ice Beam's destruction was followed by brilliant flashes of bright blue energy that danced around Ambipom's form, giving off a gentle glow around the simian Pokémon's body.

"Excellent, Ambipom. Let's use Double Team!" Ambipom chattered and its body flickered. At least two dozen copies of Ambipom appeared and formed a ring around Piplup, leaving the Penguin Pokémon to flick its head back and forth to try and find the real Ambipom. "Now, Ambipom, Swift!"

One of the copies behind Piplup swung its two tails in front of its body, sending a barrage of shimmering stars at the water-type's back and revealing itself as the real Ambipom. Piplup jumped straight up into the air, having become familiar with the exercise since Ambipom's return to the team. The water-type landed and answered with a spinning Bubblebeam on Dawn's command, wiping out Ambipom's copies and even dealing a small amount of damage to the real one.

The practice battle continued in this fashion, with Dawn switching both Pokémon back and forth as she worked through her roster. It was a new training exercise she'd become somewhat fond of, as she was convinced that the drill helped her Pokémon work on their reflexes while also offering some training with Contest moves. Soon enough, Dawn had gone through her full on-hand roster, comprised of Piplup, Buneary, Ambipom, Froslass, Quilava, and Pachirisu. Presently, Togekiss and Mamoswine were at her mother's house in Twinleaf Town, hopefully playing with Glameow and Umbreon.

Ash continued training with Riolu, working on refining the Aura Sphere before working on basic attributes such as speed. Once Dawn concluded her training, Ash decided to call it quits as well. Riolu jumped into the water with a yip and began swimming. Ash called on Buizel, who jumped into the river next alongside Piplup. Dawn shuffled away into the protection of the forest, emerging a minute later in her bathing suit and diving into the water. The end of the morning's training brought an hour of fun for both Trainers as well as their Pokémon, while Dawn's next Contest loomed on the horizon of tomorrow.

* * *

The Chocovine Contest began in earnest, seeing 32 different Coordinators compete for the Chocovine Ribbon, which was styled to resemble Phione, the rare Pokémon that came to Chocovine Town once a year. The last time they'd been in town, Ash and Dawn had spotted Phione in the water along with Brock, and Dawn had claimed her fourth Ribbon soon after. This time, the Phione fixation hadn't been present in town, signaling that the Pokémon weren't in season yet.

"Pachirisu, spotlight!"

Dawn was eventually next up on stage, calling on her excitable electric-type Squirrel Pokémon for her Appeal. Pachirisu quickly posed charmingly, giving a childlike giggle and briefly hiding behind its bushy white tail. The move worked, drawing an _'Awwww'_ from the crowd. As the judges jotted down some notes, Dawn shifted her focus to calling for attacks.

"Pachirisu, spin forward with Spark!" Dawn called. Pachirisu obeyed, lunging forward and rolling in a wheel while activating the blue electric glow of Spark. The result resembled Quilava's Flame Wheel, but the fire was of course replaced by glowing lightning. After a few moments of the move, Pachirisu stopped, bounding forward and planting her feet before rocketing up into the sky.

"Now, Pachirisu, use Sweet Kiss!"

Pachirisu's ascent quickly slowed. Just as gravity stopped her upward motion, Pachirisu put a white paw to her mouth and blew a kiss to the crowd, generating pretty pink hearts out of thin air. The hearts floated over to a section of the crowd before bursting into attractive pink light, and Pachirisu landed safely back on the ground and spun on one of its feet for effect. The crowd applauded enthusiastically, prompting Dawn and Pachirisu to take a quick bow. Pachirisu then bounded over to Dawn, hopping up to her shoulder and perching itself there. Dawn then ran back toward the curtains to head backstage, waving to the crowd repeatedly. Pachirisu waved as well, before they disappeared behind the drapes.

Ash and Pikachu both applauded with the crowd from their seat in the stands. The heads of the Contest wasted no time in moving to the next Coordinator. She was an attractive blonde, her hair straightened and pulled back into a ponytail. She carried herself with natural confidence, though there was an ever-present hint of snobbishness about her.

" _People of Chocovine Town, next up on the stage, please welcome Tara from Aspertia City!"_

"Aspertia City? That's a new one." Ash remarked. He quickly pulled out his Pokédex, pulling up the search function and typing in the city's name. The system ran a search algorithm, but came up empty. "Hmm… that's weird, it's not often that the Pokédex comes back without any data."

Pikachu visibly shrugged, confused but not particularly concerned. The electric mouse yawned, going back to his idle devices. Ash watched this new Coordinator, Tara, with intrigue. She stepped up onto the Performance Stage and revealed a single Poké Ball, calling on her chosen Appeal Pokémon.

"Vibrava, performance time!" Tara shouted. Her Poké Ball burst open in midair, releasing the ground/dragon-type onto the field. Vibrava buzzed vibrantly and hovered by beating its wings at a ridiculous speed. Tara gave a command to start the Appeal, "Vibrava, use Supersonic!"

Vibrava's green eyes glowed, bringing out its obsidian pupils. Its wings began vibrating, producing a faint sound that Ash only barely heard. Vibrava then opened its small mouth and released circular sonic waves, turning its wings to influence where the sonic waves went. When it was all said and done, there were several Supersonic waves pulsing around Vibrava's body, and the audience gave approving applause at the impressive move.

"Now, Vibrava, use Bug Buzz!" Tara called. Vibrava purred and stopped beating its wings, somehow holding its body up in the air as it readied the attack. Its four wings then beat at an interesting rhythm, pulsing with intense vibration and generating colorful waves of energy. The Bug Buzz waves sliced through the collection of Supersonic waves, which changed their color into various different hues and caused multicolored light to glow around Vibrava's body. Once again, the audience approved with applause, though some used their voices to sing their approval. Tara waved graciously to the crowd and then returned Vibrava as the judges jotted notes on their papers.

"That was an interesting Appeal." Ash remarked.

" _Pika-Pika…?"_

* * *

" _And the judges have turned over their results, so it's now time to announce who will be moving on to the next round!"_ Marian said into the microphone. Dawn was listening to the feed from the TV in the dressing room, holding Piplup in her arms as she watched intently. There had been several Coordinators that had turned in great Appeals, most of all the newcomer named Tara. She hadn't heard of the girl before, but she competed with a curious confidence, something that Dawn easily picked up on.

" _The first four Coordinators that will be moving on have been revealed. They are…Lawrence, Olivia, Ronald, and Tara!"_

The Coordinators in the room clapped lightly for the four who had been announced. While the other three celebrated, Dawn noticed that Tara seemed particularly unsurprised, for she had a smug smile on her face.

" _The next four Coordinators are…Tyler, Winona, Dawn, and Adler!"_

Dawn cracked a big smile, immediately looking down at Piplup. "Piplup, we made it through!"

" _Pip-lup!"_ Piplup chirped.

Dawn tuned out the names of the other eight qualifying Coordinators as she fished through her bag for Ball Seals. The ever-familiar collective groaning of the Coordinators who hadn't made the cut washed through the room, and the number of people in the room was cut in half shortly after. On Marian's call, two of the present Coordinators left the room, having been called up for the first match of the Battle Round.

Eventually, Dawn was called up, and she defeated both of her first two opponents with ease thanks to a combination of hard hits and timely combinations. Having punched her ticket to the semifinals, Dawn knew that this was where the going would get tough.

Just before she walked out through the curtains on her way to the Battle Stage, the flood lights in the arena shut off, a single shaft of light shining down on Marian, the Sinnoh Region's Contest announcer. She gave a warm smile and started to address the crowd with all the fire in the world.

" _For the first match of the Battle Round semifinals, we have two talented Coordinators going head-to-head!"_ Marian started, _"In the red corner, hailing from Olivine City in the Johto Region, let's all give a warm welcome to John!"_

Dawn watched from her place in the darkness as a spotlight on the opposite end of the arena flicked on, illuminating the figure of a young man with smooth black hair, heart-throbbing light blue eyes, and an impressive tan. It was one of many remarkable things about his immediate first impression. Dawn had heard the name and sort of seen the face throughout the day, but she hadn't taken a moment to really observe the other Coordinators beyond checking up on their battling styles from the dressing room.

" _And in the blue corner, you all know the name and remember the face! She's taken Sinnoh by storm this Contest season, and she's looking to add yet another Ribbon to her repertoire! Let's hear it for the fiery princess of Sinnoh, Dawn!"_

The raucous applause was familiar to Dawn as she stepped into the spotlight, walking calmly as it followed her to her end of the battlefield. She took a deep breath, zeroing her eyes on John. The well-tanned boy caught her glance and smirked, shamelessly winking at her. The lights in the arena flicked back on, lighting up the whole battlefield as a referee stepped up to the sideline of the field.

John undid the simple tie around his neck and smoothly ditched his suit jacket, tossing it into the air away from him. The suit jacket flew conveniently into Marian's left hand, confusing the crowd. With another swift move, John undid his white button-down shirt from underneath the blazer, splitting the shirt open down the middle and revealing his toned torso. Almost immediately, fangirlish screams came from the lower sections of the crowd. Dawn rolled her eyes. It was all part of the teen's act. How had she never heard of this guy? Considering that he was in the semifinals today, it would stand to reason that he wasn't some incompetent Coordinator who used his body to woo the audience.

The referee on the sideline audibly snorted and turned his attention to Dawn, ensuring that she was ready. With a sharp blow of his whistle, the ref signified the battle's start, allowing the two Coordinators to call on their chosen Pokémon.

" _Froslass, spotlight!"_

" _Kingler, power up!"_

The opposing Pokémon popped out of their Poké Balls in very different ways. Froslass was dispatched in a veil of chilling ice, while Kingler exited its capsule in a burst of visible sound waves that pulsed for a few seconds in midair. The Kingler landed with an audible crash, glaring toothily at Froslass and crunching its oversized pincer together.

"Kingler, use Mud Shot, dude!"

John's Kingler lowered its huge claw, opening it as wide as it could go as it locked onto Froslass. A projectile of mud and dirt flew out from the opening, spiraling in a circle as it closed in.

"Froslass, dodge and use Ice Shard."

Froslass danced out of the way, easily escaping the Mud Shot and focusing on Kingler. A ball of jagged ice formed from thin air, and Froslass eagerly fired the projectile at Kingler. The Ice Shard collided with Kingler and shattered, releasing brief glitters of light into the air around the huge water-type. Kingler grumbled and then scampered a few paces forward, taunting Froslass.

" _Dawn lands an Ice Shard early, but Kingler looks practically unharmed!"_

"Froslass, use Hail." Dawn said quickly. Froslass howled and a dark cloud formed over the battlefield, spilling dime-sized hailstones onto the field. Several of the stones struck Kingler on the head, though they served to irritate the Pincer Pokémon rather than damage it.

"Kingler, use Water Gun!" John commanded. Kingler leered and then spewed a strong stream of water from its mouth. Despite the haze created by the hailstorm, its aim was surprisingly on target. Unfortunately for John and Kingler, though, Froslass' special ability activated before the Water Gun could strike. Froslass' form became hazy and it phased through the Water Gun blast, reappearing completely unharmed.

"All right, Froslass, let's get in close and use Ice Punch!" Dawn called. Froslass teleported, appearing at Kingler's side before disappearing almost instantly. A moment later, Froslass appeared at Kingler's other side, taunting the Pincer Pokémon while never really being nearby. Then, in a move that surprised both Kingler and John alike, Froslass spiraled into existence behind the water-type, landing a clean Ice Punch to Kingler's unprotected back and throwing the water-type forward and into the ground.

" _Impressive! Froslass' use of Hail has activated its Snow Cloak ability, allowing it to strike without Kingler really knowing where its enemy is at!"_ Marian explained with the microphone. Dawn silently cursed. Marian was enthusiastic about Contests, something that allowed Dawn to like her, but the announcer had pretty much explained her strategy with Froslass right then and there, and that wouldn't do any favors for her.

"So, that's the game, eh?" John said aloud, "I guess we'll have to find a way to counter that."

"Don't count on it," Dawn grumbled, "Froslass, use Shadow Ball!"

"Kingler, dude, spin and use Mud Shot! Like we practiced!" John shouted. Kingler gave a toothy grin and began turning its body while spewing mud from the inside of its huge claw. The Pincer Pokémon then began to hover in the air, spinning its body rapidly enough to keep itself airborne just above the ground. The Mud Shot attack began to spin with Kingler, spiraling upward into a sort of vortex. Froslass' Shadow Ball came flying through the hailstorm haze next, but Kingler's defense obliterated the ghost-type move with ease.

"That looks a lot like Counter-Shield." Dawn muttered.

" _Wow! John and Kingler's Mud Shot Vortex was perfectly timed!"_ Marian applauded, _"Can they keep up the counters and land some hits of their own?"_

"Froslass, quick, use Blizzard!" Dawn called. Kingler was still spinning around, giving Dawn an idea to use the move for a combination. Froslass howled and a bitterly cold windstorm suddenly formed from behind the Snow Land Pokémon. The freezing aura passed along the battlefield with ease, reaching Kingler and passing through the water-type's counter. The Mud Shot Vortex froze solid, suddenly trapping Kingler in a prison of its own making. Dawn jumped in the air happily. The move had worked!

"Kingler, dude, you okay?" John asked. His points decreased some more, putting him in a decent hole halfway through the battle. The handsome Coordinator ran a hand through his black hair and gritted his teeth, causing some of the teenage girls in the audience to swoon and chatter amongst themselves.

"He's _so_ handsome…"

"What a guy…"

"Wow…"

Kingler gnashed its messed-up teeth, trying to force its way out of the brownish vortex of ice that had caged it. Dawn shouted for Froslass to use Ice Punch, bringing the ice/ghost-type closer and giving John an idea.

"Ah! I've got it!" John said, "Kingler, use Metal Claw to get out of that ice!"

Kingler obeyed instantly, raising its oversized pincer and cutting away at the ice in a flash of silver light. The ice crumbled bit by bit at high speed just as Froslass was getting close.

"Kingler, once you're out grab Froslass with Metal Claw, dude!" John commanded. Kingler tore its way out of the icy prison and squeezed out into the open, raising its large pincer again and reaching out for Froslass as the Snow Land Pokémon came close. Kingler closed its pincer cleanly around Froslass' body just as the ice-type appeared to attack, trapping Froslass perfectly in between the claws.

" _Lass!"_ Froslass howled, squirming uselessly in an attempt to escape Kingler's clamp.

"Froslass, no!" Dawn cried.

"Kingler, dude, toss Froslass into the air and use Metal Claw!" John called. Kingler snorted and swung its claw up, releasing Froslass just barely into the air. The ice-type spun aimlessly as it tumbled just above Kingler, its sense of direction sabotaged by the throw. Kingler wasted no time in readying its Metal Claw a second time, only this time the water-type struck out as hard as it could, slashing its large pincer as brutally as it could and throwing Froslass down the field.

"' _What a hit!"_ Marian gasped, _"John and Kingler worked their way out of that frozen vortex and countered with Froslass with a smashing hit!"_

"Froslass, get up!" Dawn cried. Froslass cringed and steadily crawled off of the ground, hovering gently above the dirt. The hailstorm suddenly stopped and the dark cloud parted, allowing the floodlights in the arena to shine upon the battlefield again. Unfortunately, it also neutralized Froslass' Snow Cloak.

Something clicked in Dawn's mind, "Froslass, we need a power-up. Quick, ready a Shadow Ball!"

Froslass gave a shrill howl as ghostly energy condensed into a spherical shape between its 'hands'. Any moment now, Froslass planned to fire off the attack, though it wasn't entirely sure what Dawn thought the move would accomplish.

"Now, Froslass, _eat the Shadow Ball!"_ Dawn shouted. Some people in the audience gasped, and Froslass even briefly looked back at Dawn in confusion before looking back at the pulsing Shadow Ball in front of it. John and Kingler watched carefully, equally as confused. The Snow Land Pokémon glanced at its tough opponent, thinking about the prospect of eating its own move. Froslass was familiar with Mamoswine's Ice Armor, but would the technique work the same with Froslass?

Froslass opened its mouth as much as it could and forced the Shadow Ball into its throat, immediately feeling the ghostly energy dissipate into nothing. For a few seconds nothing happened, and the person in control of the scoreboard slowly moved to drop a small amount of Dawn's points, which would even out the two Coordinators' scores. Froslass suddenly shook, gently leaning forward for a brief second. Then, ghostly purple energy protruded out from Froslass' back, forming wing-like structures. Similar energy extended from Froslass' long, irregular arms, forming into spike-like shapes that resembled armor. Finally, a dark glow appeared in Froslass' ice-blue eyes, accompanying ghostly energy that exuded from the ice-type's body.

"That's it, Froslass! Shadow Armor!"

" _Lass!"_ Froslass howled, feeling the powerful energy run through her slim body. The feeling was instantly refreshing, filling the Snow Land Pokémon with a sense of indomitable strength.

"Dude, what is that?" John said nervously.

"Froslass, Shadow Ball Burst!" Dawn called. Froslass howled and brought its arms above its head, creating a larger-than-normal Shadow Ball. The sphere of ghostly energy pulsed violently until Froslass released a chilling screech, splitting the Shadow Ball into an uncountable number of smaller versions that shot out in all directions. They'd first used the move in the Hearthome Contest several months ago, but with the power-up effect of Froslass' Shadow Armor, the attack was infinitely more powerful.

"Woah, Kingler, dude, look out!" John stammered. Kingler was far too slow, though, and was struck by several of the small Shadow Balls. The energy spheres shattered as they raked across the Pincer Pokémon's body, dealing impressive damage and stunning Kingler for enough time to have Froslass follow through.

"Froslass, Ice Punch!"

Froslass sped forward, its shadowy features trailing behind it like a cape in the wind. Its right arm glowed a brilliant icy blue, and the Snow Land Pokémon struck Kingler in its exposed side with a freezing sucker punch.

"Kingler, use Surf!" John called. Kingler reeled back into place and slammed its oversized pincer on the ground. The air around it turned to a tidal wave of water, giving Kingler a ride on the wave's crest. Froslass staggered back in surprise, its mind blank as it conjured up zero ideas on how to combat the move.

"Surf's up, yo!" John chuckled, "Kingler, dude, cut through that Surf with Guillotine!"

Froslass was swept up in the tidal wave as Kingler prepared the especially powerful move. The Pincer Pokémon's large pincer lit up with light, and Kingler quickly smashed the glowing pincer at the water beneath it. The resulting force split the wave cleanly in two, and Kingler dropped with the Guillotine attack still active from above Froslass. The Snow Land Pokémon was being tossed around inside the Surf wave, but Kingler soon attacked with Guillotine and threw Froslass from inside the tidal wave. Kingler landed safely on the ground after that, standing unharmed between the two halves of the Surf. The water on either side of Kingler churned violently, mimicking the sounds of waves crashing onto beaches.

"Froslass, are you all right?" Dawn shouted. It didn't take a detective to tell that the ice-type had taken calamitous damage.

" _Fros…Fros-lass…"_ Froslass groaned. She rested on the ground taking in deep breaths, the flaring energy of Shadow Armor considerably weaker at the moment. Dawn shifted her glance up to the scoreboard. She was tied with John, and the clock had wound down to the thirty seconds now.

"Froslass, I know it hurts, but we're running out of time. We've gotta give it everything we've got right here! I know you can do this, Froslass!"

Froslass turned its head just enough so that it could see Dawn from its left eye. She blinked, and gave only the slightest of nods. The female ice-type then shifted its eyes to Kingler, giving the water-type a cold glare.

" _Froslass, with everything you have! Use Blizzard!"_

Froslass shot upward with renewed life. The ice-type threw its arms back behind it, summoning all of the energy it could. The air and ground just behind it froze over in an instant and a freezing wind howled forward, leaving ice in everything it touched on the field. John and Kingler's eyes both widened and Kingler stumbled backward. The Blizzard reached the divided Surf wave and froze the two halves solid, moving on to Kingler and attacking the Pincer Pokémon with an intolerable cold. Even John could feel the cold, pulling his unbuttoned shirt closed over his torso as he staggered back and shivered from the freeze.

The Blizzard ended barely a few seconds later, but the damage was as clear as day. Kingler had patches of ice all around its body, hampering its movement. The tall tidal waves that the water-type had formed using Surf had been frozen into walls of solid ice, taking away even more of John's remaining points. Right on cue, the time bell sounded, prompting both Coordinators to look to the scoreboard. The result was obvious with Froslass' final attack, but the announcement still made Dawn jump for joy.

" _And with the final bell in this match, the Coordinator that will be competing in our final round today is…Dawn!"_

"You did it, Froslass!" Dawn cried. The ice-type whirled around and floated over to Dawn, genuinely smiling.

" _Lass!"_

"I'm so proud of you, Froslass. You battled so well." Dawn praised. Froslass accepted the praise humbly, and the energy of her Shadow Armor slowly went away, seeping back inside the ice-type's body. Dawn pulled out Froslass' Poké Ball, "Froslass, return."

Over on the other side of the field, John briefly sulked. He glanced back up to his injured Kingler, noting the frozen spots on the orange crab's body. "Kingler, dude…return." John called, sapping the water-type back inside its Poké Ball, "Let's get you to a Center, dude," he added, turning around and beginning to walk away.

"Hey, John!" Dawn called out. The handsome Coordinator stopped and turned around, surprised to see Dawn jogging over to him. She skidded to a stop just a few feet away from him, smiling like a kid on Christmas, "That was a really fun battle!" Dawn beamed.

"Oh, yeah, I-I guess it was…" John said nervously, "You battled well. You deserve to be in the finals."

"Thanks, John." Dawn said, "How many Ribbons do you have?"

"Um, just one. I've been to the finals a few times, but my record isn't very good. I'm not the best Coordinator." John said.

"Nonsense!" Dawn insisted, "You clearly have the potential. Kingler's a strong Pokémon. When I was first starting out, I had a lot of bumps in the road. It's all about smoothing out the kinks and working day in and day out. Once you do that, you'll be a great Coordinator."

"T-thank you." John breathed, "I need to go. Kingler needs to get to a Center. Good luck in the finals."

"Yes, go." Dawn agreed, "Oh, and one other thing…lose the 'hot guy' act. It may work on certain members of the audience, but to everyone else it doesn't look good."

Dawn whirled around and skipped away before John could muster a response. Instead, he shrugged, stalking away with the intent on taking Dawn's advice. As he slipped out of the public eye, he buttoned his shirt back up, running a hand through his black locks and heading for the exit.

* * *

" _And the final round is all set up! Coming to you in fifteen minutes, a power-packed finals matchup between Dawn and Tara!"_

Dawn stood still in the dressing room, her eyes fixated on the TV that was mounted on the wall. Tara appeared in the dressing room a moment later, her face blank and expressionless.

"Tara." Dawn said sharply. She put on a smile and stepped forward as Tara looked up at her, and she stuck out her hand, "I'm Dawn."

"I know who you are." Tara said. She shook Dawn's hand, although her lack of care for the handshake was obvious. She tried to sound less condescending with her next words, "I hope our battle is a good one."

"Me too. So, Aspertia City? I've never heard of it." Dawn said, trying to make some friendly conversation.

"Um, yeah, it's in the Unova Region, a long way away from here. You won't find very many Pokémon living here that also live there." Tara explained.

"Wow, that sounds so cool!" Dawn beamed.

"Yeah." Tara half-agreed. She stepped back, "Look, I'm not really into making conversation. I want to focus on our battle out there."

Dawn flinched, admittedly put off, but she decided not to say anything and let Tara walk away from her. If she wasn't interested in being friendly, that was her problem. Dawn fished through her bag, grabbing an unused Ball Capsule and slapping a Seal in the shape of a star on the front. She then grabbed her already-chosen Poké Ball and closed the Capsule around it, clutching the Poké Ball tightly at her side and taking a seat on the bench. Tara never came back to her side of the dressing room, so Dawn eventually got up and walked out once Marian began announcing again.

Dawn took her place behind the curtains, Marian's booming voice filling her ears. She was assigned to the blue corner again for the finals, so Tara was likely behind the set of curtains on the other side of the arena. Tara's lack of enthusiasm remained on the back of her mind. Dawn wasn't sure if she was like that with everyone, but at the end of the day it wasn't her problem, so she banished the thoughts from her mind and turned to the upcoming match. She was five minutes away from possibly earning her fourth Ribbon, meaning she'd only need one more after that to qualify for the Grand Festival. The lights shut off everywhere in the arena, closely followed by Marian's loud voice on the PA.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, I just want to say once again…thank you all for coming! We've had an amazing time today narrowing our way down from 32 Coordinators to the final 2! When this battle is over, one Coordinator will leave holding her next Ribbon! Please help me give a warm welcome to our Coordinator in the red corner, who's shown us some dominant performances today; from Aspertia City, Tara!"_

The crowd roared and Dawn caught a collection of lights flapping around from behind the curtains. Tara made her entrance, reaching the field quickly and allowing Marian to welcome her opponent.

" _And in the blue corner today, a Coordinator who has no doubt dominated the Contest scene this year. Let's hear you roar for Twinleaf Town's finest: Dawn!"_

It was hardly questionable that the crowd roared even louder for Dawn. Dawn took a deep breath and then stepped out from behind the curtains, her eardrums rattling from the noise of the crowd's support. She stoically walked to her end of the field, not even giving so much as a wave to the crowd as she took her spot in the battle box.

"You can tell that she's in the zone." Ash remarked. Pikachu purred in agreement.

The lights flicked back on, flooding the battlefield with light. Dawn locked eyes with Tara across the field, holding a blank expression. Marian brought her lips back to the microphone.

" _We're just a moment away from our final round! Both Coordinators look ready!"_

The referee stepped up to the sideline, gesturing to the two Coordinators one at a time to confirm that they were ready. Dawn gave a fierce nod, while Tara gave a thumb's up. The referee nodded and then raised his arms into the air, swinging them down toward the ground to call for the battle to start.

"Okay, Vibrava, it's battlin' time!" Tara called. She spun the enclosed Poké Ball out onto the field and it burst open. Pulses of light appeared around Vibrava's glowing white shape, giving a multicolored glow to Vibrava's body once the white light caused by its release went away.

" _Vi-brava!"_ Vibrava chanted, its voice scratchy.

Dawn gave a slight smirk before rearing back and tossing her Poké Ball out. _"Piplup, spotlight!"_

Piplup's Poké Ball burst open, and the Penguin Pokémon leaped out in a vortex of golden stars. _"Pip-lup!"_ the water-type chirped, landing cleanly on its feet. The round-headed Penguin Pokémon locked eyes with Vibrava, who hovered slightly above the ground. Its green-and-black diamond-shaped wings vibrated rapidly, causing a faint buzzing sound.

"Vibrava, use Dragonbreath!" Tara commanded. Vibrava wasted no time, opening its small mouth and firing off a railgun blast of violent energy.

"Piplup, down!" Dawn called. Piplup immediately dove into the dirt, ducking underneath the reach of the Dragonbreath attack. The blast buzzed over Piplup's head, disintegrating shortly after missing.

Tara clenched her teeth, "Vibrava, use Supersonic."

Vibrava somehow beat its four wings at an even faster pace, opening its small, fanged mouth and releasing a shrill shriek that lasted impossibly long. The noise abused Piplup's ears, and the water-type tightly pressed its flippers to its head in a futile attempt to block out the piercing sound. Dawn's points decreased by a small margin in response.

"Piplup, are you all right?" Dawn called, her ears ringing slightly.

" _Lup!"_ Piplup chirped defiantly.

"Great! Let's use Bubblebeam!" Dawn shouted. Piplup opened its round beak and spewed a volley of bubbles at Vibrava, but Tara was more than ready.

"Vibrava, dodge!" Tara called. Vibrava expertly lowered to the ground and then powered its way up into the air, avoiding the Bubblebeam effortlessly. "Now, use Rock Slide!"

Vibrava's eyes glowed a brilliant green and a blanket of boulders formed high above Piplup, each of them glowing with a green aura that signaled Vibrava had control over them. Vibrava dropped the boulders from above Piplup, commanding the boulders in a way that prevented any reasonable out for the Penguin Pokémon.

Left with no other option, Dawn called out to Piplup, "Piplup, use Hydro Pump on the boulders!"

Piplup craned its neck as far back as it would go, feeling the powerful energy of Hydro Pump forming deep within its small body. Its beak was forced open as the energy turned into high-pressure water, and Piplup aimed before givng up control and releasing the explosive energy.

" _Piiiiiiiiip-luuuuuuuuuuup!"_ Piplup howled as the Hydro Pump was freed. The high-pressure blast tore through the air from below, racing up and crashing into the large Rock Slide sheet. The water hit with such ferocity that the boulders were virtually disintegrated by it, leaving only harmless shards of rock to fall to the ground afterwards and forming a thick dust cloud. Tara lost some points after the failed attack, but she had the perfect idea on how to knock out some of Dawn's.

Dawn was too busy in thought to hear Tara's command. The next thing she knew, a Dragonbreath blast ripped through the dust cloud in the air and struck Piplup right in the abdomen, hitting with a crushing force and knocking Piplup away close to Dawn. Vibrava buzzed back into view from behind the dust cloud, visibly pleased with its successful attack.

" _Oh! Dawn lands a couple of well-timed counters to start off, but Tara has enough smarts to work around them! What an exhilarating first minute of battle!"_ Marian narrated. Dawn briefly glanced up at the scoreboard, noting that the judges had Tara winning at this point.

"Piplup, let's give this a shot. Use Ice Drill Peck!" Dawn called.

" _Lup!"_ Piplup chirped. The Penguin Pokémon positioned its body, rocketing off of the ground with surprising strength. Next, Piplup aimed its Drill Peck attack, sticking its lengthening beak upward at Vibrava and spinning rapidly. Shortly after that, Piplup used Ice Beam, spewing a fast-rotating line of ice at Vibrava.

"Vibrava, defend yourself with Supersonic!" Tara shouted. Vibrava growled and opened its mouth, beating its diamond-shaped wings rapidly and firing off a volley of ear-piercing sound waves. The powerful Supersonic managed to stave off the Ice Beam for a moment, but Piplup refused to let up and closed the gap, crashing into Vibrava with a combination of Ice Beam and Drill Peck. Piplup's beak raked across Vibrava's body as he spun, leaving crystals of ice along the Vibration Pokémon's body. After dealing enough damage, Piplup kicked off of Vibrava, somersaulting down to the ground and landing perfectly. The crowd broke out into rabid applause, and Piplup immediately placed its flippers on its hips confidently.

" _Pip-lup."_ The water-type boasted.

"Vibrava, use Sandstorm!" Tara snapped.

" _Vi-brava!"_ the Vibration Pokémon chanted. Its wings vibrated and large amounts of dirt formed out of thin air. The dirt whipped about, churning violently until it turned into a full-on sandstorm. Piplup brought up one of its flippers to try and block the violent sandstorm, but it wasn't very successful.

"Bug Buzz!" Tara called.

Vibrava shot through the thick cloud of sand, pulling up beside Piplup and immediately generating red waves of energy that pulsed outward. Piplup recoiled, and the pulses came together and formed a powerful energy beam that Vibrava immediately blasted at point-blank range, slinging Piplup through the rampaging sandstorm. Vibrava, pleased with its work, fled back into the thick dust, hiding from view once more.

" _As we creep ever closer to the battle's halfway point, there have been no shortage of amazing moves! And now, with a vicious Sandstorm hampering Piplup's sight, how will Dawn try to get out of this one?"_ Marian boomed.

"Piplup, can you see anything?" Dawn yelled. She knew that the answer was almost certainly no, which Piplup confirmed with a half-hearted chirp.

A Dragonbreath blast ripped through the cloud of dust right then, shocking Dawn. "Piplup, Ice Beam!" she stammered. Piplup reacted in the nick of time, blasting a jagged beam of frost at the dragon-type attack. The two attacks collided and released a brilliant glow of light before they both dissipated.

The raging sandstorm roared, preventing any chance of Dawn hearing Tara's commands to Vibrava. Suddenly, the sandstorm rippled and sound waves tore through the raging dirt, forcing the churning storm to move and surrounding Piplup once again in a veil of sand.

" _Vibrava, use Bug Buzz again!"_

Dawn could not hear the command over the raging sandstorm, but Piplup could. Vibrava tore through the layer of sand, appearing close to Piplup with a wicked grin. The Vibration Pokémon vibrated its wings, deciding to toy with Piplup. Vibrava then flew in a circle around the water-type, releasing glowing energy blasts from all around its body. Piplup was knocked sideways by one of the energy bursts and then knocked to the opposite side by another one. Vibrava seemed to snicker, its body vibrating almost violently as it abused Piplup with its Bug Buzz.

Dawn could see the flashes of glowing energy from her battle box, catching the bursts of light off of the sand with her eyes. _"Bug Buzz…"_ Dawn murmured. She then had an idea. "Piplup!" she shouted as loud as she could, "If you can hear me, spin and use Bubblebeam, now!"

Piplup had been cowering until he heard Dawn's call. The sandstorm roared, but it failed to block out her howling shout. Piplup's eyes reopened with a slight flash of rage, and the Penguin Pokémon stood up on the ends of one of its feet. Then, Piplup spun like a top, opening his beak and firing off as many bubbles as he could muster. The bubbles first collided with Vibrava's Bug Buzz waves, striking the walls of the Sandstorm next. Dawn saw the bubbles explode or pass through the sand, indicating to her that Piplup's move was working. Back in the vortex of sand, Piplup continued to spin, missing Vibrava as the ground-type dodged bubble after bubble. Piplup noticed this and stopped, planting his feet and aiming the next set of bubbles ahead of Vibrava's path. The Vibration Pokémon kept going, completely unaware of the impending attack until it was too late.

The bubbles exploded violently and riddled Vibrava's body, slinging the ground/dragon-type through the veil of sand and back out into the open on the battlefield. Piplup glared at the vortex of sand still surrounding him and readied a Hydro Pump on his own. The Penguin Pokémon dove forward into the ground and spun, aiming his open beak upward. The Hydro Pump blast corkscrewed above him in the form of a Counter-Shield move, striking the inner walls of the vortex at full power and spreading outward. Little by little, the sandstorm began to fall apart.

From the outside, Piplup's move looked spectacular. A judge moved to knock away a decent chunk of Tara's points, while the blonde Coordinator and her Vibrava watched with their jaws dropped. The whirling Hydro Pump arced further and further outward, tearing apart the sandstorm from the inside. Finally, after nearly thirty seconds of this, the sandstorm subsided. Piplup stood back up and bent over, breathing in and out hard from exhaustion.

" _Absolutely unbelievable! Piplup has not only repelled Vibrava, but defeated a sandstorm all on its own!"_ Marian boomed, _"We've got just over a minute and a half left, and Dawn has reclaimed the lead! How will this slugfest end?"_

Tara's shocked surprise turned into an unhappy scowl. She reared back and shouted, "With us on top! Vibrava, use Dragonbreath!"

"Piplup, use Ice Beam!"

The two Pokémon fired off their respective attacks, crashing the two energy beams together. The blasts ricocheted off each other, exploding violently away from either of the two Pokémon. Dawn repeated her command, and Piplup blasted another beam of cold energy before Vibrava could recover. The Vibration Pokémon recoiled, taking the full brunt of the Ice Beam. Once the beam wore off, Vibrava moved to fly off of the ground, but it failed. A cold sensation overwhelmed the ground/dragon-type's wings, and Vibrava looked back at them to see tendrils of ice all around its diamond-shaped wings.

" _Argh!"_ Tara shouted, "Vibrava, we'll have to stay grounded for this. Use Rock Slide!"

Vibrava conjured another sheet of boulders, holding them high above Piplup's head. The Vibration Pokémon dropped the volley of rocks, prompting Dawn to call out to Piplup again.

"Piplup, get out of there and use Drill Peck on Vibrava!" Piplup chirped and tumbled forward, pushing off of the ground with its feet and escaping the radius of the falling rocks. Once in the air, Piplup spun rapidly, its beak extending into a spear-like structure as it closed in. Vibrava was more than aware that there was nothing it could do, and simply waited to take the hit.

Piplup drilled its beak along Vibrava's body, spiraling past and landing behind the Vibration Pokémon. Vibrava cringed, its front legs giving out. Its wings were weighed down by the ice that had made them useless, and with a gruff exhale, Vibrava slumped completely into the ground.

The bell sounded as Vibrava fainted. 34 seconds were left on the clock, but Vibrava's inability to keep exchanging hits with Piplup made the result clear. By a decent margin, Dawn would've won to begin with.

" _And Vibrava is down and unable to battle! By Contest rules, that means the winner is Dawn!"_ Marian said. The crowd answered with a roar and Dawn jumped for joy.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's Ribbon number four!" Dawn exclaimed.

" _Pip-lup, Pip-lup!"_ Piplup chirped. The Penguin Pokémon was sprinting toward Dawn, happily chirping away. Dawn bent down to pick Piplup, holding the water-type high above her head.

"And it's all thanks to you, Piplup. You didn't give up, even when I was about to! You're such an amazing Pokémon!" Dawn praised. Piplup accepted the praise about as humbly as could be expected. Dawn looked down the field to see that Tara had already returned Vibrava and turned her back, briskly walking away from the field of battle. Dawn shrugged. She had wanted to congratulate Tara on such a well-fought battle, but it seemed that the blonde wasn't interested in hearing it.

"The famous Dawn lives up to her hype once again," said Mr. Contesta. He had left his seat at the judge's table. With a smile, he gestured over to said table, "Come. We have your Ribbon at the judge's table."

"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Contesta." Dawn said. They walked together, speaking to each other some more despite the supportive roaring of the crowd.

"I'm so pleased to see that you are doing well. Every time I see you compete, you seem to pull something new out of the hat." Mr. Contesta praised, "I understand that this is your fourth Ribbon this season. That would put you at needing one more to qualify for the Grand Festival."

"That's right, Mr. Contesta. My traveling partner and I are heading to Snowpoint City next so that he can challenge the Gym Leader." Dawn explained.

"That is a long way north. The weather will surely be cold, especially at this time of year. Please, be very careful." Mr. Contesta answered. They reached the judge's table, where Chocovine Town's Nurse Joy held an opened, thin box holding a blue Ribbon. Mr. Contesta grabbed the Ribbon gently and turned to Dawn. "And now, it is with great honor that I present you with the Chocovine Ribbon. You have earned it, Dawn."

Mr. Contesta handed the Ribbon over to Dawn, who held it as gently as she could. Piplup nestled himself on top of her head, glancing down at the blue-colored Ribbon. "Thank you so much, Mr. Contesta."

"You're very welcome. Take care of yourself on the road to Snowpoint City." Mr. Contesta said with a nod and genuine smile. Dawn nodded and then turned around, walking briskly to the curtains so she could change out of her Contest clothes and meet back up with Ash.

* * *

"There she is, our four-Ribbon girl." Ash faux-announced. Pikachu and Riolu were with him, the former sitting on Ash's shoulder and the latter on foot below him.

" _Pika-Pika!"_ Pikachu chattered.

" _Rio!"_ Riolu agreed.

"Hehe, hey there, you three." Dawn greeted. She lugged a small suitcase behind her carrying her Contest clothes. She slipped her Ribbon Case out from her bag and popped it open. The four corners of the case were filled in, with only one slot—the center one—still unfilled. The four Ribbons she did have were the red Jubilife Ribbon, the yellow Floaroma Ribbon, the light blue Valor Ribbon, and the darker blue Chocovine Ribbon. "Four down, one to go." Dawn commented.

"We can head off to Sandalstraw Town tomorrow morning then. It's going to be a long journey so we should pack a bunch of cold gear." Ash said.

"We'll make it, just like we always do." Dawn said with a smile.

They headed off to the Pokémon Center, booking themselves rooms upon arriving. There were still a few hours left in the day, so they decided to head to the harbor, paying for a submarine ride to see Pokémon along the coast. This time, there were no Phione, thanks to the species not quite being in season yet, but the ride along the coast allowed them to see all manner of aquatic species, including the likes of Finneon and Lumineon, Octillery, Lanturn, and Mantyke.

The sun was setting when they returned, so they took advantage of the free buffet dinner. Sometime after night had fallen, Dawn's PokéPad videophone began to ring. She slipped the tablet from her bag and read the familiar name: Lester. She motioned for Ash to come beside her and pressed answer. A few moments later, Lester's head popped up on the screen.

"Ash and Dawn! Good evening!"

"Hey, Lester!" Dawn greeted.

"How are you doing?" Ash added.

"Fine, very fine, thank you." Lester said, "What about you two?"

"I just won the Chocovine Town Contest." Dawn said. She popped open her Ribbon Case and showed off the new addition.

"Wonderful!" Lester said, "So then you must be leaving Chocovine Town in the morning, yes?"

"That's right." Dawn answered.

"What's the word on you meeting us in one of the towns on the way up north?" Ash asked.

"The word is good! I met with my friends on Mt. Coronet earlier today, and I'm staying in an inn at the foot of the mountain. I think we can plan to meet in Sandalstraw Town soon! My friends have a few dig sites they'd like me to participate on!" Lester explained.

"That's great!" Ash said.

"It'll take us a bit to make it to Sandalstraw Town." Dawn commented. She glanced down at her watch and pulled up the basic map application, charting the distance from Chocovine Town to Sandalstraw Town. "Here we go. It's not terribly far, but it'll take us around two weeks if we keep our usual pace. The real long haul is the walk up to Snowpoint City, which is about twice the distance from Sandalstraw Town."

"That _is_ a long walk, but I'm sure we will find some way to make it enjoyable!" Lester said enthusiastically, "Anyway, I need to go, but I'll keep in touch with you two! Please call me when you're near Sandalstraw Town!"

"Will do, Lester." Ash affirmed.

"Take care, Lester!" Dawn said.

"You two as well." Lester said. The connection then cut out, leaving Ash and Dawn relatively alone in the Center lobby. Ash sighed and then yawned.

"I think I'm heading up to hit the sack." Ash said, "First part of a long journey tomorrow."

"I'm not far behind you." Dawn admitted, "G'night, Ash."

"G'night, Dawn."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base, Location Unknown**_

Lester sighed as he set down the mobile videophone. The room he was in was dark, but it was the only place that he could call Ash and Dawn without being suspicious. The man stood up from his chair and walked to the door, briefly watching as the automatic door slid open for him. He walked out into the light of the hangar bay and slipped on his Team Rocket cap before grazing his hand against the smooth fabric of his uniform, which was marked with a big red R. In the darkness of the room, Ash and Dawn wouldn't have been able to see his uniform, which is why it was the best place to contact them.

"Ship coming into the hangar! Everyone, to your positions, _now!"_ shouted a man. Lester's head shot up and he bolted over to the back half of the hangar. People were scrambling for the leader's arrival. According to the word in the base, there were four people on the ship, each more important than the one before them. In the middle of the hangar, there were six people, the collective 'heads' of the branch's operation. Everyone else—more than 200 warm bodies—was lined up in the back. Lester took his place with the other Grunts, standing as still as a statue. The bay door began to scroll open, and a large ship drifted through the wide tunnel, hovering above the hangar floor and steadily lowering. Visible air blew out of every possible area upon landing, and the loading door began to steadily open. At that instant, each and every Grunt took up a firm, unwavering salute. The six people: Jessie, James, Meowth, Mercury, Charon, and Proton, fell to one knee and lowered their heads, bowing respectfully.

Four people stepped off of the ship in a single file line. The first man had a thin, pale head that was full of purple hair. The second person was a woman, and she had a slender figure and bright red hair. The third was a man with a short teal hair, and he carried himself with a brutal confidence that hid a cruel genius inside. The final man was the most important. He wore a black suit and had a pale, thick head that hid an unquestionable evil. His black hair was cropped short and unremarkable, but it somehow amplified the man's darkness. The three people that came before him stepped to the side and let him step through.

" _That's him."_ Lester whispered.

" _Shh!"_ someone else hissed.

Executive Proton remained bowed, his face pointed at the ground. "Lord Giovanni. We are beyond honored by your presence."

"Rise, Proton." Giovanni said. Proton did as he was asked and Giovanni spoke further, "I am impressed by this facility…very secretive. There isn't a human presence for miles."

"My lord, we are privileged to hear such praise. We have accomplished truly great things in the time we have been here. I know that you have seen our accomplishments over live feeds, but I promise you that nothing compares to seeing for yourself." Proton said.

"I have no doubt. The rest of you, at ease." Giovanni ordered. Charon and the four Admins stood, but the Grunts held their stalwart salutes.

"Lord Giovanni. It is a great honor." Mercury greeted.

"Mercury. I've heard positive things about you." Giovanni said with a nod. Mercury looked as if he was immensely gratified that the leader of Team Rocket even knew his name, and he said nothing more.

"Tell me about our current pursuits." Giovanni ordered.

Proton spoke up next, "The Spear Key is pointing us to our next target: The Lustrous Orb. The Key points due north from here. There are few settlements that go that far north, the largest being Snowpoint City. When you are ready, we have men assigned to begin moving on these towns one by one and scouring them."

"Excellent. I want those searches begun as soon as possible."

"By your command." Proton agreed.

"And what about the theft of the Adamant Orb? I understand it was a tense affair." Giovanni asked.

"Yes. My lord, I cannot explain to you how much I have wanted you to meet the man responsible for that operation." Proton said, "Lester, come!"

Lester spent a few seconds being surprised before he shuffled his way out of the line of Grunts. He briskly walked forward, his eyes fixated forward into space, and arrived beside Proton. Lester then immediately dropped to one knee and bowed.

"Rise, Grunt." Giovanni said, "I caught that your name was Lester?"

"Yes, sir." Lester said robotically.

"This Grunt was stationed in Canalave City, searching for the Adamant Orb. When all of our leads were exhausted, he successfully went undercover and befriended Ash Ketchum, traveling with them to the Canalave Gym and locating the Adamant Orb." Proton explained.

Giovanni raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? _Very_ impressive. Keep up that level of work, and a promotion may well be in order for you, Lester."

"Thank you, Lord Giovanni, sir." Lester said, giving a firm salute, "If I may, there is more information that I have not yet shared."

"Proceed."

"Moments before your arrival I communicated with Ketchum and the girl. They are heading for Snowpoint City, and I expressed interest in rendezvousing with them in the near future and traveling to the city on foot." Lester reported.

Giovanni mused for a moment before speaking, "You continue to impress me, Lester. Very well. I grant you permission to carry out this next mission. You will be going deep undercover, so make sure that you are prepared. With an operative keeping eyes on the Ketchum boy at all times, it ought to be easier to handle him should it become necessary."

"My thoughts exactly, sir. Thank you so very much!" Lester beamed. He saluted Giovanni once more and the leader non-verbally dismissed him. Lester returned to his place amongst the Grunts, struggling to not grin giddily as he endured various looks from his fellow Grunts.

"Archer! Ariana! Petrel!" Giovanni barked, "Acquaint yourself with the branch's leadership, and make sure the Grunts know they answer to us. I'm going to the office. Charon, if you'll escort me."

"Of course, my lord." Charon agreed, shuffling away by Giovanni's side. It looked just a little bit ridiculous considering that Giovanni dwarfed the round-bodied scientist, but no one dared to laugh. Archer, Ariana, and Petrel walked up toward Proton, quietly conversing amongst themselves before turning to the Grunts and the four Admins.

"As Lord Giovanni said, you answer to us now." Archer told the Admins, "As the highest-ranking Executive, only Giovanni's word overrules mine. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." The four Admins said together.

"This is Ariana. You will show her the utmost respect." Archer explained, gesturing to the red-haired woman. There was a cruel glint in her eye, as if she enjoyed the pedestal she'd been placed on. "You already know Proton, and the old man is Petrel, our master of disguise."

"Old man?" Petrel rasped, "I'm barely older than Lord Giovanni."

"In any case, we are your intermediaries between Giovanni and yourselves, in the same way that you four are our intermediaries to the Grunts." Archer said, ignoring the displeased Petrel. "We are very close to achieving our goals here, and insubordination, among other things, will not be tolerated. You have all performed at a high standard since being assigned to Sinnoh, and I _expect_ that you will continue to do so. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. We are yours to command." The four Admins chanted.

Archer gave an almost evil smile, "Good. Now, disperse. We begin at first light."


	54. Interlude - Sandalstraw Town

**It's a mini-chapter update for today. I'm going out of town for the weekend, so I thought I would just leave this here. There's nothing interesting going on in Sandalstraw Town, so I figured you guys would be just as uninterested to read nothing as I would be to write nothing. So, I'm going with a short little interlude chapter to bridge the gap to Snowpoint City. This will just cover where our main people are at this moment in time. Now for the good news: the next two chapters are HUGE. I've written some of Chapter 55 already since this one was so dreadfully short, and I'm still trying to figure out where to break what I'm writing into Chapters 55 and 56. There is going to be a lot happening regardless, so hopefully it goes as smoothly as I'm imagining it.**

 **Review replies:**

 **Pearl shipper: Don't apologize. What you're looking for is coming much sooner than you may think, I promise.**

 **Lance Curry: Thanks so much for the praise! You have no idea how pleased I am to hear that people enjoy this story. There are plenty of times where I think what I write sucks. It's great to be appreciated. For your other questions, canonizing LagomorphShipping hasn't been something I've thought about. It's just not one of my focuses. And, I'm sorry to say, I am not leaning to a sequel at this point. I have so, so much planned for this story that thinking about a sequel is just exhausting. But a lot can change from now to the eventual end of this story. Thanks again!**

 **DarkerMS, for if/when you get to this point: Gah, sorry. I don't even think Red crossed my mind. But he isn't a canon character in the anime, so what can you do. I do hope that you liked what you got instead, though. Thanks for reading!**

 **Thanks everyone for continuing to read this story! I'll see you all soon with a _much_ bigger chapter!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 54_

 _Interlude – Sandalstraw Town_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sandalstraw Town**_

 _3 Weeks Later_

Sandalstraw Town was bustling when Ash and Dawn finally rolled into the town. October had nearly drawn to a close, and the temperature was dropping by the day. It hadn't quite been enough for the two Trainers to change into their new cold gear, but Ash had replaced his usual undershirt with a black long-sleeve. As they pushed further north, the time would come when they would need more appropriate clothes for the weather. Last time, they'd done so in Shelter Town, the final stop before Snowpoint City. For now, that seemed like a good place to change clothes once again, although the weathermen on networks all across Sinnoh had been warning about an especially cold winter for several days now.

"Well, we're in Sandalstraw Town. It's about time." Ash commented.

"Ugh, let's stop in a coffee shop or something. I could use some hot chocolate." Dawn groaned.

"I thought you'd never ask." Ash said with a laugh. They quickly located the nearest coffee shop and bolted inside, immediately feeling the warm air conditioning in the building and sighing with the utmost relief. They quickly grabbed a seat right next to the large window at the front of the building, setting their things down and taking a second to relax. Ash's natural impatience soon ended this moment of silence, and he surged back to his feet.

"Okay, two cups of hot chocolate coming right up," he declared.

"Oh, here, let me give you some money to pay for mine." Dawn offered, already rifling through her bag.

"No, no, it's okay." Ash insisted. He took a step back and slipped his wallet from his pants, "I've got it." he said before turning his back to Dawn and walking to the line. Dawn had no chance to protest, so she shrugged and sat back in her chair. _That's sweet of Ash,_ she thought for a moment, before shaking her head to try and think of something else.

"Piplup." Dawn said, deciding to put her focus on the little water-type. The Penguin Pokémon had been resting on her head for a few hours now, but he immediately heeded her call and looked down at her from atop her head.

" _Lup?"_

"C'mere, you little troublemaker." Dawn said playfully. She grabbed the water-type gently and set him on his feet on the table, putting them nearly at eye-level.

While Dawn and Piplup played at the table, Pikachu gave a great yawn on Ash's shoulder. The electric-type then sagged forward, obviously tired. Ash snickered, "Yeah, I hear you, buddy. That was a long journey, and there's still a lot more to go. But we're probably going to stay the night here, and we're meeting Lester later today. He's going with us to Snowpoint City."

"Hi, how may I help you?" the lady at the register asked. Ash hadn't been paying much attention, and the line had moved quickly while he'd been zoned out or talking to Pikachu.

"Oh, um, two hot chocolates, please." Ash answered.

"Coming right up." she said, tapping the tablet screen and then moving back to pour two mugs of hot chocolate. When she returned, Ash gladly paid, collecting his change and walking back to the table to give Dawn her drink. He did so and crashed down into his own seat, taking a big gulp of the warm drink and sighing with relief. Then, he settled in for the long haul, starting off by staring into space for an indefinite amount of time.

* * *

Elsewhere, hidden deep within the mountains that cut the Sinnoh Region in two, the evil that had been cooking for months now was nearly at a boil. Only a few ingredients to the culmination of Team Rocket's scheme were still at-large, and each day that passed brought them closer. They, too, were near Sandalstraw Town at this point, covertly combing through each town on the map for a certain orb. Thanks to the Spear Key's natural reaction to the two Timespace Orbs, they knew that they were heading in the right direction. Even when a search of a town turned up empty, it only meant that they were getting closer to their prize.

Giovanni was now the one calling the shots from Coronet Base. His four trusted Executives were each an arm of his dastardly machine, working tirelessly to see his vision fulfilled. Outside of their undercover search for the Lustrous Orb, the organization as a whole was lying low. Security all across the Region was on high alert now, and it was of the utmost importance that _no one_ slipped up.

On this particular night, Giovanni was combing through files, burning a great deal of time scanning individual file cases. There were reports on Pokémon poaching, crime statistics in the Region, the operations on the Spear Key and the Adamant Orb, and even files on each individual member of Team Rocket. The vast majority of this section of files was rather boring, 98% of the Grunts had nothing extra special on their résumés during their time in Team Rocket. Out of the few who did have some worthwhile accomplishments, there was one who stood out above the rest.

Lester.

His file was quite impressive, even if it wasn't very big. On the file sheet, circled by a bold red marker, was his finest accomplishment: locating and stealing the Adamant Orb from the Canalave City Gym. Just underneath the red circle, his personal skills were listed. The most important 'skill' was acting, according to the file. Giovanni snorted as he read. After all, it was true. Lester had befriended Ash Ketchum, chief among the thorns in Giovanni's side. The teenager had caused no small amount of problems, even if Team Rocket's progress in the Region had been relatively smooth. Fortunately, Lester's next mission came with another extra goal, and it involved Ash himself.

Giovanni smiled before sliding Lester's file back inside his cabinet. With a deep breath, he slipped out the keys to his office, leaving the large, open room and locking the door behind him. From there, he headed down to the lab. There were special experiments taking place down there at the moment, and it was imperative that Giovanni see them for himself.

* * *

The chopper produced a noticeable noise as it tore through the cold late autumn air. An endless stretch of various trees populated the northern lands as the mountains receded into foothills and then into flatlands. There were hints of frost on the ground, more or less proving the weathermen's predictions for a colder winter. The sun was about to sink under the horizon, casting an eerie orange light over the wintry forest.

Lester was staring down at the fast-passing trees as he sat in silence next to the helicopter's pilot. He ran through his orders another time. Though he was dreading having to return to the cheery farce of a character that he had put on in Canalave City, there was a hidden part of him that was almost excited to be traveling with Ash and Dawn again. It was a long journey north, and he could not possibly imagine making such a trip by himself.

"We're approaching Sandalstraw Town." The pilot droned. Lester stopped looking at the forest below him and looked ahead, seeing that the pilot was right. The trees opened into a clearing, surrounding a quaint town with a few steeples atop the buildings. Further north was more of the same, with countless trees and flat land stretching northward for countless miles.

In a moment, the pilot stalled the helicopter above a stretch of forest. Lester climbed out of his seat and grabbed the parachute bag hanging by the door, throwing it on and throwing the door open.

"Good luck, Les." the pilot said, flicking a few switches as he prepared to turn the chopper around and return to base.

Lester simply waved to the pilot and then jumped. He pulled the cord almost immediately, activating his parachute so that he could drift safely to the ground. He landed in the trees a short walk from the town, and he quickly abandoned the parachute and dropped the short distance to the ground. Lester rubbed hi wrists subconsciously, and then he started walking to the town. The Pokémon Center was one of the first buildings he saw, and he headed straight for it with a heavy, uncertain breath. For the next several weeks, he'd be eating, drinking, sleeping, and traveling with Ash and Dawn, learning everything he could about them and the places around them in the process. As they traveled, his associates would be scouring the towns and settlements along the way, exhausting any lead they could get their hands on to find the elusive Lustrous Orb. As he reached the Center, the automatic doors slid open with a hiss, and Lester heard his name being called as soon as he walked into the building. He exhaled through his nose and then forced a friendly smile.

He was now deep undercover.


	55. Dawn's Got A Secret

**This is the first of some BIG chapters, guys (and it's also the longest chapter to date). It's been a long time in the making, but we're here. I want to say thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story for so long. It's not going to be all perfect, sadly, since I'm leaving for college in exactly three weeks, but I'm going to continue updating this story, and it won't be months of waiting at a time, I can promise you that.**

 **Darkchaser: Nope, no plans for Mewtwo. Sorry...**

 **Lance Curry: Sorry, that's what I mostly meant. I might mention Unova near the end of this story, but I don't plan to actually write Ash traveling there. There's still a lot left to write, though! Hope you enjoy!**

 **K2: Sorry, no clues. I gotta keep you guys on the edge of your seat :)**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 55_

 _Dawn's Got A Secret_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Shelter Town**_

" _Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"_

Pikachu planted his feet and stiffened. Raw electrical energy exploded from Pikachu's body, forming a jagged bolt of lightning that headed straight for the group of Golbat. The lightning fried the Bat Pokémon, knocking each of them out easily. The Team Rocket Grunts were stunned, and they scrambled to return their battered Pokémon.

"W-w-what do we do?" one of them stammered.

"We retreat! There's nothing worthwhile in this town, anyway!" another one shouted.

"Yeah, I'm behind that idea!" a third Grunt agreed.

"All right then, let's skedaddle!"

The group of Grunts turned tail and sprinted, lumbering through the snow in their boots. One of them screamed something about being cold as they ran, no doubt after getting snow in his pant legs. The Rockets had been sniffing around Shelter Town, but they'd crossed paths with Ash and his friends and brought the beat down on themselves.

"Ha-ha, yeah, you better run!" Ash howled, "And don't you even think about coming back!"

Needless to say, the Grunts heeded Ash's threat, vanishing out of sight in the snow. Ash sighed and briefly shivered, stuffing his gloved hands into the pockets of his warm jacket. December was only a few days old, but frigid weather had been the norm for the entire trek north from Sandalstraw Town. It had snowed more days than it had been sunny, and their daily mileage had gone down sharply recently thanks to the snow and the sun setting earlier with each passing day.

"Well, that takes care of that." Dawn remarked, "Now, should we head back inside?"

"Yes-yes-yes!" Ash stammered, his teeth chattering. He made a mental note to grab even more clothes to put on underneath. Somehow, Dawn and Lester weren't as cold as he was. For the wintry hike north, Dawn had changed into a black ski jacket and pink ski pants, with thick pink winter boots on her feet. Her signature beanie was still tucked atop her head, but on several occasions, she had chosen to let her hair down, claiming that it helped keep her ears warm. Lester had hardly changed, still wearing the same thick trench coat, though he had decided to go with a pair of warm hiking pants and hiking boots that were practically impenetrable.

With Ash's desperate plea, the trio headed back inside the Shelter Town Pokémon Center, spending their last waking hours getting warm through drinking hot chocolate and getting comfortable. One by one, the travelers slipped into their rooms, piling blankets onto their beds and diving into the confines of sleep.

* * *

Lester inhaled sharply as he woke up. He pushed upward and sat up in bed, reluctant to leave the warm bed and the pitch darkness of the room. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table, reading the big red numbers and groaning. He fought his way out of bed, donning his warm clothing as quickly as he could and slipping out of his room. He shut the door to his room silently, ensuring that he had the room key to get back in and then heading down the hall. This had been a ritual, getting up before sunrise and slipping away to send a one-way report back to Coronet Base. It was a wonder that he hadn't been caught doing so by Ash or Dawn yet.

Lester reached the lobby, briefly examining the pristine wood floors and welcoming architecture of the building's insides. In this way, Shelter Town's Pokémon Center was unlike the others scattered all across the globe. Nurse Joy wasn't at her post yet, relieving Lester, as he would've likely had to come up with a false explanation as to why exactly he was going to walk out into the punishing cold of the outside before the sun had even come up. With this urgency on his mind, Lester briskly walked into the outside world, not at all pleased with the brutal winter wind that he was instantly greeted with.

Lester rolled his sleeve up just enough to glance at his watch, ready to activate his communicator. Before he did so, he looked up directly in front of him, and he nearly jumped back and screamed. Ash was standing against the wall of the Center, leaning his back into the wooden frame and looking out on the dark, sleeping town. For once, he didn't seem to be cold, and a wistful smile was on his face.

"A-Ash." Lester managed.

Ash snapped his head over to the right, spotting Lester. He relaxed, "Oh, morning, Lester. Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"Oh, yeah…that's right." Lester lied, "I'm not really sure why I decided to walk out here."

"Me neither. But I'm enjoying just standing here, everything looks so peaceful. For once, the weather isn't awful." Ash said. He looked to his left and pointed, his finger aimed down the lengthy Route 217, "Just a couple miles that way is Snowpoint City. We're almost there."

"It's been a long time coming." Lester said, "When we get to the city, the first thing I want to see is the Snowpoint Temple."

"The Snowpoint Temple, huh? I've been there…they say that the Legendary Pokémon Regigigas sleeps deep inside it." Ash commented. Of course, he knew that it was true, but he knew better than to straight up confirm what was merely a spoken legend.

"Ash, can I ask you something?" Lester asked.

"Of course." Ash answered, turning his full attention to Lester.

"Ever since we first met, you've been fighting Team Rocket like there's no tomorrow. And we've been running into them ever since we left Sandalstraw Town. I don't understand why." Lester said.

Ash sighed. "Lester, there's something that I should tell you." The teen slipped the glove off of his right hand and opened his palm, taking a deep breath. Pristine blue light shimmered to life in the palm of his hand, forming into a perfect sphere. Lester gasped, staring in awe at the energy. "This is Aura. It's a special ability that I was born with. It's the energy that flows within all living things, but few are able to manipulate it. I don't know why, but I'm convinced that for some reason I was chosen to have this gift. I've come to believe that it is because I am permanently tied to Team Rocket."

"Permanently tied? W-what exactly do you mean by that?" Lester asked, finally looking up from the Aura Sphere that Ash had fostered.

"They've known who I am since my first day as a Trainer, a _long_ time ago. It used to just be the usual schemes of trying to steal my Pokémon day after day. But now…things have really been getting heavy." Ash explained, "I feel that I possess the gift of Aura as not only a means of self-defense, but to battle the evils of Team Rocket and beyond. As Team Rocket continues to grow bolder, so too must I continue to grow stronger…to protect myself and those I care for."

"That is a heavy burden to carry." Lester said.

"It is, but someone has to carry it at some point. Might as well be me." Ash answered.

"Another thing. They've stolen the Spear Key, and eventually they attacked the Canalave Gym and stole the Adamant Orb. We both know there is another." Lester said.

"The Lustrous Orb. I know." Ash said, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. The Adamant Orb can summon Dialga, the deity that controls time. The Lustrous Orb can summon Palkia, who controls space. Team Galactic already tried this, with the hope of creating a new world, and they nearly succeeded. I don't know where the Lustrous Orb is being hidden, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before they manage to find it. If they do, things could get really bad."

Lester could only pause. There was nothing that he could say.

Ash focused on a sudden flicker of light directly ahead of him. A giddy smile appeared on his face, "Lester, look! The sun's coming up!"

Lester craned his neck to look where Ash was. Shelter Town was built to face north and south, meaning that the Pokémon Center—which was on the left of the town—faced directly east. A sliver of light eked through the visage of a distant valley, spilling warm light onto the icy evergreen trees. Ash and Lester watched carefully for several minutes, watching the sun creep higher into the sky and drop more and more morning light on the frigid land.

"It's incredible." Lester admitted.

"Yeah, it really is…" Ash agreed, "You know, the last time I really stood and watched a sunrise like this was back on Mt. Silver…when I was training hard to become a better Trainer. I was staying in a small little mountain village a little more than halfway up the mountain, and right outside of the town was this little plateau connected to the mountain trail. I can't even explain how beautiful it was, watching the light creep closer and reflect off of all the ice. It was almost like I'd never seen a sunrise before. It was staggering."

Lester remained quiet, slightly surprised by the teen's wondrous droning. Ash continued, "The sun rises and sets every day without fail. We take that for granted, too. But standing on that mountain so long ago…and standing here right now, watching the sunrise, it makes me realize how much I treasure the world we live in…how much everyone should treasure it. Why anyone would want to destroy it, I could never understand, because even if it's not perfect, our world is precious. There are so many amazing Pokémon out there…I'd bet we haven't even discovered 'em all…and there is so much capacity to do good, to accomplish incredible things. That's why I've worked so hard being a Pokémon Trainer. I want to make my mark on the world…I want to prove that I exist, you know? If I could do that, if I could accomplish something so huge…that'd mean I've lived, wouldn't it?"

Lester thought. His mental gears turned as he processed everything Ash had said, thinking about those ideas long and hard in the silent confines of his brain.

"Well, it's morning." Ash said with a great yawn, "How about some breakfast?"

Lester snorted. No matter what time of day it was, Ash always seemed to be hungry. "After you." Lester said in agreement, stepping out of the way. Ash eagerly strolled into the Pokémon Center. Lester waited for just a few seconds, sliding his wristwatch up near his lips and speaking carefully.

"Coronet Base, this is Lester with a report. We will arrive in Snowpoint City in the late morning. Continue searching for the Lustrous Orb in the city. It has to be there. Over and out." Lester chattered. He then pressed a small button that muted the communicator, preventing anyone from reaching him. Once that was done, Lester tugged on his trench coat, briefly shivering from the cold, and stepped inside the Center.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Route 217**_

The hike north was short, amounting to only a handful of miles that the group was able to cover in just a few hours. Dawn checked her Pokétch as they hiked over a snowy hill, finding that the time was just after 11:00. They walked over an unassuming dirt path that had been carefully cut out through the snow. The land on either side of the bland pathway was as white as could be, with dots of green leaves poking out from the snowy layers around the countless trees that made up the forest. The winter wonderland, combined with the undisturbed tranquility of the scene, made itself into a true picture of beauty, and Dawn marveled at the sight of the endless white.

When they reached the crest of the hill, Ash, Dawn, and Lester stopped, each of them gasping in awe. Snowpoint City sat quietly in a large clearing. The buildings in the main part of the town were close together, but there were several large openings all around town where the small, distant forms of children could be seen playing in the snow. The white powder decorated each and every building in the town. From the vantage point of the hill, they could even see the Snowpoint Gym and the city's Trainers' School, noting the latter building's large, open yard and atypical black roofing. A snowy forest surrounded the northern city, and uncharted, mountainous terrain stabbed up at the sky even further north of the settlement.

"We finally made it: Snowpoint City!" Ash marveled.

"At last!" Lester agreed.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Dawn beamed, "Let's get down there!"

"You said it!" Ash howled, "Let's go!"

The trio raced down the hill in a single file line. Piplup waddled at high speed next to Dawn while Ash led the charge. They reached the foot of the snowy hill and continued running down the path, briefly running under the cover of the forest and once again breaking out into the open. In moments, they were officially within the city limits. Children ran through the snow around them, paying no heed to the weary travelers. A rogue snowball even flew through the air, nearly smacking Ash in the face. The teen laughed, briefly remembering what it was like to be a young, carefree child.

The trio reached the Pokémon Center, eagerly stepping inside and warming up. With the intention of booking rooms to stay in during their time in the city, the trio headed up to the front desk, where Nurse Joy was talking to a patron.

Although, it wasn't just any patron. It was a girl with long black hair tied back into wide-reaching pigtails that were tied with blue bands. Her shirt was collared and the sleeves reached down to the middle of her forearms. Her legs were covered only by a very short pair of brown shorts, but she had a blue sweater tied around her waist.

"Those kids really do adore you, Candice." Nurse Joy agreed. She noticed Ash, Dawn, and Lester and immediately turned her attention to them, indicating that she had just been enjoying a friendly chat with the Gym Leader. "Hello there, how may I help you?"

Candice turned around to see who the people were, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. _"Ash and Dawn!"_ she beamed, "It's so great to see you both!"

Candice swiftly placed her hands on her hips, fiery confidence pulsing through her, "You've kept me waiting, Ash! Ever since I got your challenge letter I've been bouncing with anticipation!"

Ash giggled, "Well, I'm here now, Candice, so your wait is about to be over!"

Candice nodded fiercely, and her eyes moved over to Lester, "And you've brought a new face with you this time! Hi! I'm Candice, Snowpoint City's Gym Leader!"

"Lester." Lester said, bowing his head respectfully, "I'm an aspiring Pokémon Paleontologist and a friend of Ash and Dawn."

"Wow, a Pokémon Paleontologist!" Candice beamed. She then stepped out of the way, "Oh, forgive me, Nurse Joy asked you a question."

Ash turned to the nurse, unhooking his five Poké Balls from his belt and handing them over, "Just a standard rest, please, Nurse Joy." Ash said. Dawn did the same, but Lester opted not to on account of carrying only one Pokémon. Once the Nurse vanished into the back with ten Poké Balls on a tray, Ash, Dawn, and Lester headed to a nearby table with Candice, whereupon the Gym Leader unloaded a wealth of questions on them.

Somewhere along the way, an idea popped into Candice's head. "Oh, Dawn! Have you stopped by Zo-Zo's house yet?"

"Hmm? Zoey?" Dawn asked, "I actually haven't even thought of it! It's been so long…"

"Well, then we should march right over there! She's been keeping tabs on your Coordinating lately, and she's right proud of your _kiai_!" Candice beamed. Dawn's cheeks burned with embarrassment and she forced a giggle, unsure how to really respond. Moments later, Nurse Joy returned with Ash and Dawn's Pokémon, having rested the group to full capacity. Following Candice, they marched out of the Center and headed outside of the main part of the town. Along the way, they passed the Trainers' School.

"Candice, if I may ask…" Lester said with a cough, "What exactly is that building over there? It's noticeably different from the rest."

Candice did not hesitate to answer, "That there is the Trainers' School! In addition to being Gym Leader, I teach a few classes to both kids and adults about everything there is to know on Pokémon!"

"Really?" Lester asked with surprise, "There is an actual crowd for those kinds of things?"

"Yep!" Candice beamed, "Anyone and everyone is welcome, all that we ask is that you come ready to learn! And _hey,_ you know what, Lester? I just thought of something you might enjoy. You said you were a Pokémon Paleontologist back at the Center, and that you had a background in archaeology too. Just outside of the city is the Snowpoint Temple! I'm actually leading a tour for some tourists that have come to the city recently, and you'd be more than welcome to join!"

Lester smiled radiantly, "I have heard of the Temple, and I was very interested in seeing it for myself! There are all kinds of legends associated with the place! Are they really all true?"

"He-he!" Candice giggled, "I'm not allowed to tell you that part, you'll get to decide for yourself! Anyway, Zo-Zo's house is just up here. It's all by itself on the edge of the city! Zo-Zo used a bunch of her Contest winnings to finally buy her own place, and she even comes down to the Trainers' School to talk to the kids about Coordinating. She's a real hit!"

"Sounds like she's really keeping busy." Dawn commented, "I'm glad. I learned a lot from Zoey; she was the perfect rival for me!"

They walked just past the Trainers' School's yard, finding the aforementioned lone house right nearby. It was a moderately large one-story home, with well-kept flowerbeds in the front showcasing all kinds of flora. A thin yet stalwart tree was planted by the front door, and Ash couldn't help but reach out and gently touch the tight, prickly leaves on the branches.

Candice knocked rhythmically on the door, calling, "Zo-Zo! It's me!"

A few seconds passed and the door opened, revealing Zoey to the visitors. She smiled and hugged Candice, briefly unaware of the presence of the others. When she pulled back from Candice, the first thing Zoey noticed was Dawn.

"Dawn!" she gasped, "And Ash too! What are you two doing here?" Zoey quickly moved to lightly hug Dawn, doing the same to Ash and stepping back to her house's doorframe.

"Just traveling up here with Ash and our friend Lester. Ash is in town to challenge Candice, and, well, I've been competing in Contests along the way." Dawn said with a smile and a shrug.

"Well, you all come in, come in." Zoey insisted, pulling the door all the way open and allowing her four guests inside, "You guys can sit anywhere you like. I'll go whip up some coffee for everyone."

Zoey's shoes clicked as she briskly walked out of sight. Candice silently led Ash, Dawn, and Lester to the living room. The three travelers claimed spots on the couch, while Candice sat on the end stretching out from the couch's corner. Zoey returned a moment later carrying a tray of full coffee mugs. The Top Coordinator passed mugs to each person before sitting in her own personal chair adjacent to the couch. Zoey took a quick sip from her cup, curling her free hand around the clay without feeling much of a burn.

"Sorry about the place being a mess. I'd have set things in order had I known there'd be more guests than just Candice." Zoey said. Ash looked around. There were some things out of place, but all in all he was certain that his room back in Pallet Town was far messier. "So, how is everyone?" Zoey asked, "Dawn, I've been keeping up with your Contests since the Grand Festival. I got to watch a lot of your Contests in Johto, and you've really gotten good! How many Ribbons do you have now?"

Dawn was slightly embarrassed but she pulled her Ribbon Case from her backpack and popped it open, revealing that four of the five slots had been filled.

"Four Ribbons. You're almost there." Zoey said with a nod, "And Ash, what about you? What are you doing back in Sinnoh? Candice told me a long time ago that you'd be coming to Snowpoint City someday."

"I'm taking on the Sinnoh League again, but I'm challenging all of the Gym Leaders and their personal teams!" Ash boasted, "After the Sinnoh League I went to Mt. Silver, a really harsh mountain between Kanto and Johto train for a while, and I'm using my whole roster this time around, not just my Sinnoh Pokémon."

"That's awesome, Ash." Zoey said, "I'm rooting for both of you." Zoey then fixed her eyes on Lester, "And you. You're an unfamiliar face."

"My name is Lester!" Lester said, "I traveled up here together with Ash and Dawn, and I'm an aspiring Pokémon Paleontologist!"

"So you dig for old Pokémon fossils to restore them?" Zoey asked.

"That's correct!" Lester said.

"Interesting…" Zoey said. She tapped her fingers on the coffee mug and took a prolonged sip, "Hey, Dawn, I have an idea." Zoey set her cup down on the nearby coffee table and shot up to her feet, instantly giving a wickedly confident grin. "I'm challenging you to a Contest Battle!"

* * *

Dawn and Zoey stood on opposite sides of the yard. Ash, Candice, and Lester stood off to the side, watching carefully. Zoey called over to Dawn, telling her the rules of the friendly match.

"The rules will be standard Contest Battle rules, but the objective will be to knock out the other Pokémon and win by Battle Off!" Zoey explained. She revealed a Poké Ball from inside her jacket, "Now, if you're ready, let's get moving. Glameow, let's go!"

Dawn grabbed her own Poké Ball and tossed it out, "Pachirisu, spotlight!"

The two Pokémon stared each other down for a moment, and Dawn immediately called for the first move. "Pachirisu, use Super Fang!" she shouted. Pachirisu fell to all fours and sprinted forward, the bucktooth at the front of her mouth glowing with white energy.

"Glameow, dodge and use Shadow Claw." Zoey said calmly. Glameow lowered its spring-like tail into the ground and balanced on it, hopping over the short electric-type and landing behind Pachirisu. The EleSquirrel Pokémon realized it missed and looked confused, and Glameow capitalized on the opportunity with a powerful Shadow Claw to the back that sent Pachirisu tumbling forward.

"Pachirisu, get back up and use Sweet Kiss!"

"Glameow, use Fake Out!"

Glameow sprinted forward and Pachirisu stood back up, intending to use Sweet Kiss to knock Glameow into confusion. The crafty Catty Pokémon, though, was moving much faster and reached Pachirisu long before the electric-type could ready its attack. Glameow reached out, threatening to smack Pachirisu across the face, but the normal-type instead clapped its two front paws together inches from Pachirisu's face, successfully stunning Pachirisu and causing the EleSquirrel to flinch.

"Iron Tail!" Zoey called. Glameow moved swiftly once again, whipping its body around and slamming its energized tail across Pachirisu's side. Pachirisu soared sideways across the yard, landing in the snow and struggling to get up.

"Pachirisu!" Dawn gasped, "Come back over here, let's figure this out!"

" _Glam-Glameow…"_ Glameow purred threateningly, readying itself to pounce as it expected Zoey to call for an attack. Instead, Zoey called the normal-type off.

"Glameow, wait. We'll let them regroup." Zoey insisted. Glameow obeyed, relaxing its body and moving to fix some of its tangled fur with a series of licks. Pachirisu reached Dawn after a considerable struggle with the thick pile of snow by the fence, shaking out the water droplets all around its body and shaking rapidly in an attempt to warm itself up. Dawn gritted her teeth. She had gone into the battle headfirst, and Zoey had easily taken advantage of her disorganization. This wasn't the kind of Coordinator she was; she had long since developed past this point. Dawn took a deep breath and she instantly became a little more relaxed.

"Okay, Zoey, we're ready." Dawn said. "Pachirisu, use Spark."

Pachirisu paced forward, quickly picking up into a run and generating a crackling shield of electricity around its body.

"Humph. She's giving us this battle. Glameow, get up and use Iron Tail." Zoey remarked. Glameow purred and sprang into the air, its curly tail glowing with silver energy. The two Pokémon quickly closed in on each other, and Glameow somersaulted forward to put its tail in front so that it could attack.

Dawn smirked. Glameow had played right into her hand. "Switch to Discharge!"

" _Chiiiiiiii!"_

Pachirisu skidded across the icy ground and released huge amounts of electricity all around its body. Glameow had no way of escaping and was caught up in the electrical blast, writhing and struggling as it fell to the ground and ate dirt. Pachirisu whirled around and planted its front legs, successfully stopping its slide across the ground. Glameow took its time returning to its feet as coils of blue electricity surged around its body. The Catty Pokémon growled unhappily at the EleSquirrel Pokémon.

"Glameow, keep it calm and use Shadow Claw."

"Pachirisu, counter that with Super Fang!"

Glameow raced forward, its front right leg encased in a veil of shadows as menacing black claws grew from the energy. Pachirisu enlarged the front tooth sticking out from its upper lip, angling back with the hope of using Glameow's momentum against it. Instead, Glameow moved too quickly, appearing right in front of Pachirisu and swiping its sharp shadowy claws across the front of the electric-type's body.

"Great job, Glameow!" Zoey praised.

"Pachirisu, use Discharge!" Dawn called.

Pachirisu locked up its muscles and released, dispatching the stored electricity from its body in countless arms of lightning. The arcs of electricity curved back toward each other as they closed in on Glameow, but Zoey had a viable counter in place.

"Glameow, use Thunderbolt!"

Glameow relaxed, generating an electrical blast of its own from its body and sending a forked bolt at the Discharge blasts. The Thunderbolt was surprisingly powerful, and the yellow bolt collided with the blue bolts and effectively stopped them, also creating a stunning mixture of blue and yellow electricity that surged harmlessly into the air. Dawn silently cursed. They were at a stalemate.

Zoey recognized it too. Still, though, there were no points to win the battle this time around, so she took the liberty of attacking next. "Glameow, use Fake Out again." Glameow purred and pounced forward, bounding toward Pachirisu.

"Use Super Fang!" Dawn suddenly shouted. Pachirisu lurched forward before Glameow could get close enough to trick it, burying its sharp front tooth into Glameow's leg. Glameow yowled and kicked, but Pachirisu held tightly to the Catty Pokémon's leg.

"Argh! Glameow, use Thunderbolt!" Zoey snapped. Glameow put its foot down and generated another powerful Thunderbolt, electrocuting Pachirisu and forcing the electric-type to let go. "Now use Shadow Claw! Toy with 'em!"

Glameow activated its Shadow Claw attack and tapped Pachirisu harmlessly. Immediately after, Glameow jabbed its shadowy leg underneath Pachirisu's body and tossed the electric-type into the air, opening it up for another attack. Zoey called for another Iron Tail, and Glameow wasted no time in bounding up by Pachirisu's airborne body and landing a clean hit that sent the EleSquirrel tumbling back over to Dawn.

"Glameow, let's finish this! Use Thunderbolt!" Zoey yelled.

" _Glammmm…"_ Glameow growled. The Catty Pokémon planted its feet in the ground and stretched its body, discharging another golden bolt of lightning.

Dawn gulped. Then, she had a last-ditch idea, "Pachirisu, use Spark and charge head-on! Absorb that Thunderbolt!"

" _Chi-pa!"_ Pachirisu chattered. The electric-type dashed forward, a shield of blue lightning around her body. The Thunderbolt tore through the air, filling the frigid wind with static electricity. Pachirisu leaped up into the air toward the electric blast, somersaulting forward without stopping. The blue voltage of Spark spun in response, taking the appearance of a fast-moving ball of blue light. The Thunderbolt collided with spinning Spark, but it was stopped and absorbed into the ball of lightning, mixing the blue and yellow hues with each other and glittering.

"Now, Pachirisu, send it back with everything you've got!" Dawn yelled.

" _Chiii-PA!"_ Pachirisu screeched. The EleSquirrel twisted its body, throwing the ball of blue and yellow lightning back at Glameow. The mixed electricity took the shape of a lightning bolt, shimmering with blue and yellow light as it closed in on Glameow.

Unfortunately, Zoey was barely fazed.

"Glameow, lay down and use Iron Tail to absorb the lightning!" Zoey called. Glameow curled into the ground, sticking its spring-like tail high up into the air and channeling an Iron Tail. The metallic energy hummed and somehow magnetized the electrical blast, which struck Glameow's steely tail and swarmed over the silvery light. Glameow crawled back to its feet unharmed, and its tail was crackling with the explosive lightning.

" _Ha!_ Glameow, send it back!" Zoey barked. Glameow gave a prolonged growl and then turned its body, snapping its curly tail in Pachirisu's direction. The blue-and-yellow lightning detached from Glameow's Iron Tail and flew toward Pachirisu even faster than it had flown at Glameow. Pachirisu went stiff. There was no time for the little electric-type or her Trainer to come up with any possible move besides dodging. Pachirisu surged to its side, but the blast was too quick, striking Pachirisu at full power in her small torso and throwing the electric-type into the ground. Pachirisu rolled backward a few times before slumping into the ground and going limp.

" _Chi-pa…"_ Pachirisu groaned lightly. Swirls marked her eyes as she fainted.

"Oh, no, Pachirisu…" Dawn gasped. She bolted onto the field to the electric-type's side. Pachirisu quickly woke up, though there was hardly any energy left in the squirrel's body.

" _Chi-pa…"_ Pachirisu sighed weakly.

"Oh, Pachirisu, don't get sad. You battled so well out there. We both know how strong Zoey and Glameow are together. I'm proud of you for how hard you fought." Dawn praised. Pachirisu gave a more contented sigh, and Dawn pulled out the electric-type's Poké Ball, "Now, get you some rest. Return." Pachirisu was swarmed by the red energy and returned to the capsule, and Dawn stood back up on her feet.

"Dawn!" Zoey called. She was walking over with Glameow at her side, and a big smile was on her face, "That was exhilarating! It's been so long since I had a good Contest Battle. That lived up to everything I'd hoped for."

Dawn tried to smile. "Thanks, Zoey, but…looks like you beat me again."

"Don't sweat it, Dawn." Zoey insisted, gently slugging her arm, "Glameow's not easy to go up against. She can counter any Pokémon's moves and she packs a real punch to go with it. Pachirisu did a great job of staying up when Glameow knocked her down. Plus, I haven't just been sitting on my butt for a year and a half."

Dawn gave a genuine smile. Candice appeared seemingly out of nowhere, radiantly declaring her presence with a high-pitched shout. "What an amazing battle, you two! You put all your kiai into it!"

"Candice is right!" Lester agreed, "Dawn, even though it didn't work in the end, the way you used Spark to absorb Glameow's Thunderbolt was genius! The quick thinking that took is something to be proud of." Dawn reacted in an 'aw shucks' kind of way and pushed a lock of her hair back behind her ear.

"Well, that tour of the Snowpoint Temple is about to start." Candice said, "Lester, you want to tag along?"

"Absolutely. Ash? Dawn?" Lester answered.

"I'm good." Dawn said with a shrug. She wanted to spend more time with her friend and rival.

"I'll hang back too." Ash added, "Go have fun, Lester."

"Suit yourself." Lester said. He turned and followed Candice off of the property. They quickly disappeared, headed back to the Trainers' School, where Lester would join Candice's tour group before heading north of the city to reach the temple in the mountains.

"Well, what do you guys say we head into town? There's a bunch of places to eat and some shops for the holidays." Zoey explained.

Ash's stomach rumbled, just barely loud enough for Dawn and Zoey both to hear him. He stifled a chuckle, looking down immediately and scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Heh. I guess there's my answer."

Dawn giggled, prompting Zoey to snicker. "Yeah, let's head into town." Dawn agreed.

* * *

"And I'll have the Big Beefy Burger with no onions, and then extra curly fries and toast plus a large drink. Oh, and then some ketchup for Pikachu." Ash said with a big smile on his face.

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu agreed. He _loved_ ketchup.

The man at the register rapidly tapped the touch screen, writing in Ash's bigger-than-average order. He then grabbed all three drink cups—two normal size ones and Ash's much larger one—and handed them to the three Trainers. Ash put down the necessary money to pay for his food and bolted to the drink fountain after collecting his change.

Ash, Dawn, and Zoey sat down at a small round booth, allowing them ample elbow and leg room. Thanks to the abundance of space, Pikachu, Piplup, and Glameow were all present at the table as well, each huddled close to their Trainer in one way or another. A few minutes later, a teenaged boy walked out carrying three trays between his two arms, walking over to the round booth.

"The veggie tacos?" the boy said first. Zoey raised her hand, grabbing the tray from him and setting it down in front of her. "The Big Beefy Burger with no onions, extra curly fries, toast, and ketchup?"

"That's me!" Ash beamed. He manhandled the tray and the boy used his now-free left hand to pull a moderate-sized bottle of ketchup from his apron pocket, popping it open with a finger and squeezing the condiment onto a napkin until Ash signaled for him to stop. The 17-year old Trainer then slid the napkin over to his other side and Pikachu hopped off of his shoulder, immediately licking away at the ketchup. The electric mouse gave a squeal of approval. The ketchup was amazing! The boy carrying the tray of food stared with confusion before shaking his head and turning to Dawn.

"And then, the chicken fingers with sweet potato fries. That must be you." The boy said. He set down the tray gently in front of Dawn and gave her a wink before walking away.

"Ooh, he likes you." Zoey teased once the boy was out of earshot.

Dawn squirmed, "Oh, I'm not really looking to be with anyone right now…" she lied. Ash glanced up—for he had been staring hungrily at his food—but he quickly dove into the burger, taking little to no time to actually savor the taste. Zoey and Dawn ate their food calmly, taking multiple glances up to watch Ash devour the food. At least he wasn't making a mess, they supposed. Even as he ate rapidly, he politely chewed with his mouth closed.

It wasn't long at all before Ash had finished eating the entire burger. Zoey, meanwhile, was only halfway done with her tray of three tacos, while Dawn had finished one of her chicken fingers and eaten some fries. Ash waited as patiently as he could, but they were both eating so slowly compared to him that it was beginning to bug him. He turned his focus to Pikachu, who had made decent progress on the small pool of ketchup he'd been given.

"Good ketchup, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

Pikachu immediately looked up from his feast, gleefully purring, _"Chaaa…!"_

"Glameow, do you want a bite?" Zoey asked. She fished a small morsel of vegetables out from her third taco. Glameow curiously inched forward and sniffed the small vegetable chunk before opening her mouth and tasting it. Almost immediately, the Catty Pokémon snorted and spit the vegetable out, causing the three Trainers at the table to laugh hysterically.

"Well, that's not getting eaten." Zoey remarked. She grabbed a napkin from the dispenser and picked up the half-eaten food, setting it to the side of her tray.

Eventually, Dawn and Zoey finally finished their food, and they walked with Ash back outside. Just down the sidewalk, lit up with multicolored Christmas lights, was a technology store. The lights drew Ash's attention, and it led to them heading inside that store next. As soon as they opened the door, a medium-skinned man with black hair waved at them from the cash register.

"Good afternoon, how are you doing?" he asked with a thick accent, "Can I help you find anything?"

"We're great, thanks!" Ash beamed.

The man spotted Pikachu on Ash's shoulder and he smiled genuinely. "Pokémon Trainers! Do I have just the gadget for you all!"

The man bolted into a back room and returned quickly with a few watches in his hand. He stopped right in front of Ash, Dawn, and Zoey and held out his hand. "It's the Pokémon Watch 3.0! We just received these from the Pokétch Company in Jubilife City. It's a brand new Pokétch with upgrades and new features like you wouldn't believe!"

"New features? Like what?" Ash asked.

"There are too many to count, but my personal favorite is the new dictated messaging feature! You can link this new Pokétch with your Trainer Account and send messages back and forth with your phone number!" the man said excitedly. He continued, "And a close runner-up is the new Location Marker feature. You can enable the service and your Pokétch will pinpoint your exact location in the world using GPS, and you can do all sorts of things with this feature, including send a message to someone telling them where you are! And as for the hardware upgrades, this new Pokétch is stunningly durable under pressure, and waterproof for a depth of up to one hundred meters!"

Ash locked eyes with Dawn and then glanced at his bare left wrist. He had never been the type to wear a watch, but the techie was making a decent argument. The watch could be useful.

"All right. I think you've just made a sale." Ash said.

"Make that two!" Dawn chimed in.

" _Excelente!"_ the techie declared. He shuffled back over to his desk, unlocking a drawer and pulling out another collection of the Pokétch 3.0's, each of them in a different color.

"I'll go with…the red one." Ash decided.

"I'll take pink." Dawn added.

The techie gently grabbed the two Pokétches and placed the rest inside the locked drawer, ringing up Ash and Dawn separately and selling them the watches. "Hope you enjoy!" he added as they left the shop with Zoey close behind. Ash was already tinkering with the new watch, wrapping it around its wrist and powering it up. He gasped with wonder as the Pokétch Company's logo lit up on the screen and the smart watch roared to life, showing several applications on the home screen.

"This is amazing." Ash commented, "Why didn't I buy a Pokétch before?"

"I _told_ you." Dawn teased. Ash snickered and rolled his eyes.

"So, you two, where do you want to head next?" Zoey asked.

" _Zoey!"_ a child's voice called. The three Trainers all looked over together, seeing a child clothed in several warm layers waving at them wildly. It was a young girl, probably no more than seven. _"Come play with us!"_ the little girl called.

Zoey laughed, "Okay, Belle, just a second."

The little girl—Belle—turned and ran back to a group of similarly aged children, each of whom was dressed in similar warm clothing. Zoey glanced over to Ash and Dawn, "I babysit every now and then for some of those kids. Looks like they're ready for a snowball fight. Do you mind?"

"No, not at all." Dawn said.

"Hey, can I go out and play with them? We don't get this much snow in Kanto!" Ash asked. He'd never really gotten the chance to have a good snowball fight with his friends. Kanto had always been warm for most of the year, and while a thin layer of snow managed to blanket Pallet Town every few years, it was nothing compared to the constant snowstorms that besieged Snowpoint City almost year-round.

"I don't see why not." Zoey answered. Ash beamed and immediately ran out into the field, his thick boots sinking in the snow under his weight. Nevertheless, he reached within the earshot of the group of children easily.

"Hey, guys! Can I play?" Ash called out to the kids.

"Woah, look! A big kid!" marveled one of them.

"A big kid wants to play in our snowball fight?" whispered another, though they weren't exactly quiet.

"Sure I do! I'm Ash! What are your names?" Ash asked eagerly.

"I'm Belle!" cheered the little girl at the front of the group. She turned to the other kids—a total of five—and introduced them all quickly, "This is Marcus, Tina, Kyle, Monty, and Brianna!"

The other five kids waved at Ash, and the teenager waved back. "So, when do we start?" Ash asked eagerly.

Belle stalled before a childishly devious smile worked its way onto her face. Ash quickly caught on, but the girl shouted anyway, _"Now!"_

Belle and two of the boys whose names Ash couldn't immediately remember threw hidden snowballs at him. Ash squinted and locked in as he (perhaps unfairly) used his Aura-boosted reflexes to turn his body sideways and dodge the first two errant snowballs before shifting the other way and dodging the third. The children gasped and giggled as they dispersed, taking cover behind a large collection of makeshift blockers made of snow. Ash grinned and ran to the other side of the field, hiding behind his own blocker. Unfortunately, he was far too tall to hide behind it effectively, even when he was squatting down.

Zoey chuckled as she watched Ash and the kids begin their game. She unconsciously looked over at Dawn, who was staring silently at the field. Zoey silently followed her gaze as best she could, but it was clear where she was looking.

"You like him." Zoey said, "…Don't you?"

Dawn blinked several times and looked at the ground, "Uh…what?" Dawn asked.

Zoey only snickered, "I _knew_ it."

Dawn groaned, gripping locks of her blue hair in frustration, "All right, fine. I admit it, I like him…like that."

"And?" Zoey asked.

"And what?" Dawn asked dumbly.

Zoey legitimately laughed now. "Come _on,_ Dawn. You know how this works."

Dawn groaned. She _did_ know how 'it' worked. "Yeah…I know. I'm just…"

"Scared?" Zoey asked, "I get it."

Dawn's head snapped up, "You do?"

"You have every right to be scared. You don't know what he feels for you, _if_ he even feels anything like that." Zoey said, "But you can't let your own fears control you, Dawn. That's the biggest thing that I've learned in life. It's applicable for everything."

"Well what do you want me to do?" Dawn asked, a little bit on edge with Zoey.

" _Tell him."_ Zoey said sharply, "If you continue to let your fear and uncertainty rule your actions, you'll never get anywhere, whether it's winning Ribbons or starting a romantic relationship with Ash."

Dawn's eyes trailed to the ground. Zoey was right, there was no question about it. She looked back up, watching Ash play with the kids. A pang of emotion welled up within her, but she fought back a single tear with silent ferocity.

Ash scanned the field for his six enemies, unable to force down his ridiculous grin. He looked down and began scraping together as many snowballs as he could, tightly packing them together. He ended up with four well-made snowballs when he looked back up. It was good timing, too, for three of the six kids were trying to stealthily move up to a closer snow shield. Ash's reacted with lightning speed, closing a hand around one of his snowballs. He stood up completely and reared back his arm, slinging the snowball like a baseball at the closest kid, a fair-skinned boy with messy black hair. The snowball tore through the air at high speed, smashing into the boy's chest and stunning him, causing him to stumble face-first into the snow. The boy looked up and gasped, unable to believe he had been hit so expertly, and then stood on his feet, putting his hands up to signal that he was out as he trotted away.

 _So, we're playing this like dodgeball,_ Ash thought. It would make his job easier, considering that he could knock kids out of the game entirely one-by-one and worry less about being hit by a snowball of their own.

Just as he was thinking that, a snowball buzzed by his ear, missing him by mere inches. His head followed the snowball's path as it blazed by him and he immediately dove into the ground, ducking behind his shield.

"Okay. Less thinking, more doing." Ash muttered to himself. He looked down at his three remaining snowballs and then back up at the kids, seeing that all five of the remaining ones had moved further up. He clutched a pair of snowballs, slinging the first one at a girl with blonde hair (Brianna?). The girl yelped and ducked, narrowly avoiding the snowball. Ash turned his body without hesitation and fired the second snowball, striking Tina in the shoulder and knocking her out as well.

Ash turned back towards the right, where three of the four leftover kids were hiding. Instead of seeing them, though, his eyes zeroed in on three incoming snowballs, which were only a few feet from hitting him. The time he had taken to knock out Tina had given the kids enough time to launch some more snowballs at him, and in a mere instant he knew the only way that he was dodging all three snowballs was with the obvious use of Aura. Knowing this, he went slack, feeling two of the three projectiles shatter against his layered torso.

The young kids all cheered, running to each other. "We beat the big kid!" shouted the dark-skinned boy, Marcus. Tina and Monty ran out from the sidelines, celebrating with their jubilant friends.

"Great job, kids!" called a familiar voice from the sideline. Ash looked over to see Dawn standing with a smirk directed at the children, "…But can you take down two big kids?"

"Challenge accepted!" the boy named Marcus shouted. The children reflected his mood with a shout, and they all shuffled away to hide behind the snow barricades.

"So, I get a teammate now, huh?" Ash asked.

"Well, there's no way you'd win without one." Dawn teased. She gave him a playful shove.

"C'mon, you know I could've crushed those kids in seconds if I wanted to." Ash protested as they tucked themselves in behind separate barricades of snow.

"But you didn't." Dawn said with a wink.

"Hold it!" Zoey called, drawing the attention of all eight people on the snowy field. Zoey walked calmly over to the side with the six kids, "Let's even the playing field a little bit, shall we?"

"You're going down, Zoey!" Ash howled. Zoey laughed and kneeled down behind a pile of snow, immediately mashing a couple of snowballs together. The little girl named Belle shouted as loudly as she could, her voice carrying over the tranquil snowfield.

" _Ready…set…go!"_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lake Acuity**_

Ash peered through the final trees at the clearing, satisfied with what he saw. He stepped out into the open, marveling at the lake's tranquil surface. Unlike their previous excursion to the nearby lake, snow covered the lake's grassy banks, but the lake remained unfrozen despite the punishing cold. In the distance north of the lake, snow-covered mountains riddled the skyline, stretching to the mountainous uncharted reaches of Sinnoh's northernmost land. Up in the sky, light gray clouds blotted out the sun and slowly inched towards the lake, likely bringing snowfall with it.

Dawn followed Ash onto the lake's snowy shores, briefly gasping at the winter wonderland before her. She settled her gaze on the crystal-clear lake, amazed at its still, undisturbed state. Her boots sank into the thick layer of snow beneath her, but her feet remained warm under the insulated boots.

Ash had suggested that they head to the lake. It was only a mile or two from Snowpoint City, and traveling there allowed them to experience the beauty of the Snowpoint Forest that separated the two. It was an unconventional route to take, considering there was an empty dirt road branching off of Route 217 somewhere down the line and leading to the lake, but that route was much longer and less interesting. The last time they'd visited Lake Acuity, Ash had lost a Full Battle against Paul. At the time, Paul had been significantly above him in skill level, but Ash had caught up well from that point forward and managed to knock Paul out of the Sinnoh League. It was no question that Ash and his Pokémon were all stronger than they'd ever been, but they all believed there was more than enough room for further improvement. He'd wanted to get away from Snowpoint City for two reasons: 1. The city was crowded and 2. To train for his battle with Candice.

"This is as good a place as any to get started." Ash decided, "Dawn?"

"All right, let's go!" Dawn beamed. She pulled two Poké Balls from her bag, slinging her arm up underhand and lobbing the capsules, "Mamoswine, Froslass, spotlight!"

The Poké Balls popped open and spilled two identical waterfalls of light, spawning Dawn's pair of ice-types. The two choices would allow Ash to simulate battling against ice-types. With a grin, Ash grabbed two Poké Balls of his own, calling on his two chosen Pokémon.

"Charizard, Riolu, I choose you!"

The two very different Pokémon spawned from the open Poké Balls. Charizard swished his tail, causing the flame on the end of it to sway back and forth. Riolu put its left leg in front and took up a fighting stance, taking a deep breath and feeling the power of Aura coolly run through its body. Once upon a time, Riolu was scared of Charizard, thanks to the dragon's imposing size and less-than-stellar temperament. Despite these factors, Charizard had been a solid mentor early on for the Emanation Pokémon. Now, fighting side by side, they both held type advantages over the two half-ice-types across the field of snow.

"Ready when you are, Dawn." Ash said.

"Okay, Mamoswine, Froslass, let's start this off with Ice Shard!"

" _Mamoo!"_

" _Lass!"_

The pair of ice-types began forming rocky spheres of ice, Mamoswine between his huge tusks and Froslass between her prototypical hands. The Pokémon sent the Ice Shards flying toward Riolu and Charizard, prompting Ash to call for a counter.

"Charizard, hang back! Riolu, use Aura Sphere to destroy those Ice Shards!"

Charizard reluctantly took a heavy step back and Riolu bounded forward, charging up two azure spheres in its palms. It was fair to say that during their training stops on the way to Snowpoint City, Riolu had mastered its Aura Sphere attack. Hopefully, they weren't too far down the line from seeing the small fighting-type evolve.

" _Rio!"_ Riolu barked, slinging its arms forward and blasting the Aura Spheres directly at the oncoming Ice Shards, shattering the balls of ice into countless pieces. Riolu gave a thin smile, hopping a few paces backwards and stopping at Charizard's side.

"Awesome job, Riolu!" Ash praised, "Now, Charizard, use Flamethrower on Mamoswine!"

Charizard opened its jaws and leaned forward, unleashing a scorching beam of fire at the large Twin Tusk Pokémon. Mamoswine's eyes widened as it felt the heat even from a distance.

"Mamoswine, counter with Hidden Power!"

Mamoswine lifted its head and quickly formed a pulsing orb of energy in between its tusks. With perfect timing, Mamoswine thrust the Hidden Power blast at the oncoming Flamethrower, successfully connecting the two attacks and staving off the Flamethrower.

"Yes! Great job, Mamo—" Dawn started. She was quickly silenced as the Flamethrower pushed back against Mamoswine's Hidden Power and then obliterated it. Dawn and Mamoswine both gasped, and the fire struck Mamoswine and circled around him.

" _Mammoo-swine!"_ howled the ice-type. Dawn staggered back, stunned. The flames were soon choked out by the bitter cold, but the damage was done. Embers were littered in Mamoswine's fur, and the Twin Tusk Pokémon visibly heaved. The raging fire had briefly starved him of oxygen, leaving Mamoswine short of breath for the moment. Dawn glanced over to Ash, noticing that he seemed concerned. He didn't bother to command either of his Pokémon any further, allowing Mamoswine ample time to recover. Once the ice/ground-type was visibly ready, Dawn called to her Froslass.

"Froslass, use Blizzard."

Froslass gave a shrill howl and the air became even colder than it already was. A powerful wind picked up at Froslass' back, speeding toward Charizard and Riolu and dropping the temperature at an alarming rate.

"Riolu, get close to Charizard! Charizard, just like we practiced, point your Flamethrower at the ground and spin!" Ash called. Riolu bounded over underneath Charizard's imposing stature, and the fire-type spat searing flames into the snow around it. Charizard turned its body in circles, spewing white-hot fire around it. The flames rose into the air, creating a cocoon of warmth around Charizard and Riolu. The Blizzard attack reached Charizard's wall of fire, disrupting the flames and leaking frigid air around Charizard and Riolu. Charizard's fiery shield fell down and the Blizzard continued, forcing Ash to tug his jacket upward and cover his nose and mouth. Once the punishing cold subsided, he shivered, breathing hot air into his hands a few times.

"Man, that Blizzard is tough." Ash commented as he rubbed his hands together, "Charizard, don't feel bad! We're in a tough place to use that fire shield move! It'll work better in the real thing!"

Ash hoped he was right. The snow surrounding Charizard and Riolu had mostly melted from the Flamethrower, leaving the pair of Pokémon to wade in puddles of frigid water. They may have been spared the full brunt of Froslass' Blizzard, but Riolu in particular wasn't sure if it was worth it, thanks to the cold water that reached up to its ankles.

"Okay, Riolu, let's hit 'em right back! Use Copycat!"

Riolu yipped and energy lit up in its eyes. In seconds, an identical Blizzard formed in its wake and rushed across the field toward Mamoswine and Froslass. The ice-types grunted as the chilling attack surrounded their bodies, but it was mostly useless thanks to their ice typing. Luckily for Ash, he meant to use the attack as a distraction.

"Charizard, use Steel Wing on Froslass!" Ash called. Charizard lurched forward and forced itself up in the air, flying low to the ground. The fire-type's wings glowed as the energy of Steel Wing poured through its body. Froslass was taken by surprise as Charizard raked its wing against the ice-type while passing, dispatching the Snow Land Pokémon. The Flame Pokémon curved into the air, whirling around and aiming to strike Mamoswine on the way back.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Fang when Charizard comes back around." Dawn ordered. Mamoswine turned its huge head as much as it could and saw Charizard hook around, upon which Mamoswine's tusks glowed a sparkling blue.

Ash was aware that Charizard would be in a bind, but he refrained from calling out to Riolu. In the Gym Battle, he wouldn't have a second Pokémon to bust his first Pokémon out of trouble. Charizard moved to slash Mamoswine with its steely wings, but the ice-type slashed upward with its tusks and instead caught Charizard perfectly, locking the Flame Pokémon's wings between Mamoswine's tusks.

" _Rio!"_ Riolu yipped, looking back at Ash worriedly.

"It's okay, Riolu. Charizard and I need to figure our own way out of this. You just sit tight, okay?" Ash said. Riolu looked back at the trapped Charizard and sagged its shoulders, reluctantly obeying Ash against its own personal instincts. Ash put his focus back on Charizard, who was still trapped between Mamoswine's tusks. Mamoswine released a loud grumble and spun its huge body around, lobbing Charizard high into the air. The dragon roared furiously as it flew back towards the ground. The snow luckily softened Charizard's landing, but the Flame Pokémon was still very unhappy that it had been not only thwarted, but tossed around like a toy.

Charizard scrambled back to its feet and roared angrily, spitting threats and obscenities at Mamoswine. The Twin Tusk Pokémon huffed back at Charizard and lowered its tusks, scraping one of its front feet across the snowy ground in preparation to charge. Charizard likewise readied itself to jump forward and fly out to meet the ice-type.

" _Charizard!"_

" _Mamoswine, no!"_

The two Pokémon broke their angry stare and looked back at their Trainers. Mamoswine mooed at Dawn and Charizard gave a low, confused growl.

"Charizard, you can't go after Mamoswine like that!" Ash scolded, "Remember what we said about keeping your cool? Candice isn't a slouch, and if we behave like this in training, we'll never come out on top!"

Dawn more or less communicated similar words to Mamoswine, and the two Pokémon looked back at each other and nervously apologized. "Charizard, let's take a break. I think it's Riolu's turn now." Charizard groaned, but the fire-type reluctantly walked back to Ash's side. Ash returned the Flame Pokémon and tucked the Poké Ball away.

"Mamoswine, you too!" Dawn called. She returned the Twin Tusk Pokémon, "Should we go one-on-one now?"

"Sounds all right to me. Riolu, we're gonna face Froslass!"

Riolu yipped eagerly, taking a battle stance and leering at the Snow Land Pokémon. Dawn started out the battle, "Froslass, use Shadow Ball!" Froslass howled and generated a sphere of dark energy from its hands, dispatching the sphere and aiming for the stationary Riolu.

"Riolu, dodge that Shadow Ball and get in close! Use Force Palm!"

Riolu zipped forward, sliding easily underneath the passing Shadow Ball and scampering to its feet, whereupon it broke into a full sprint. Powerful energy roared to life in Riolu's paw, causing it to glow, and Riolu leaped up to hit Froslass with the attack, successfully connecting it and knocking Froslass back. Dawn showed no sign of being fazed, calling on Froslass to return the attack.

"Froslass, hit back with Ice Punch!"

Froslass rushed forward and buried a freezing fist into Riolu's torso, stunning the fighting-type. Riolu staggered back, shivering from the sudden cold in its chest, but the fighting-type stood tall, waiting for Ash's next command.

"Riolu, use Nasty Plot." Ash ordered. Riolu grinned and tendrils of dark energy appeared around its body, glowing with power briefly before disappearing. The move raised its Special Attack, which would inevitably make Riolu's only Special move—Aura Sphere—more powerful.

"Froslass, give 'em a good chill with Blizzard!"

"Riolu, use your Aura to protect yourself!"

Froslass sent another freezing gale at Riolu, but the fighting-type dropped down to one knee and summoned Aura from deep within its body. The Blizzard drew close and Riolu unleashed its Aura as a full-body shield, saving the Emanation Pokémon from the full force of the Blizzard. Dawn gritted her teeth and called to Froslass again, "Froslass, use Hail!"

Hailstones began falling as the Blizzard swept the lake's shore, and Froslass' body immediately flickered in and out of reality as Snow Cloak activated. The tactic was all too familiar to Ash, as Dawn often called upon Froslass' special ability whenever the ice-type saw action. The Snow Land Pokémon suddenly appeared at Riolu's side and delivered a clean Ice Punch, carrying through and discarding Riolu into the snow some feet away.

"Riolu, use your Aura to find Froslass when she attacks!" Ash shouted.

Riolu scampered to its feet, cocking its head to look back at Ash. _"Wah-wah?"_ Riolu whimpered.

"Don't be afraid!" Ash called, "Just close your eyes and focus!"

Riolu turned back and looked ahead, its vision horribly obscured by the hailstorm and the haze that came with it. Riolu closed its eyes and breathed, feeling Aura rush through its system. A distorted image of the nearby lake and the forest to the opposite side appeared, with flashes of light blue energy that denoted the presence of living things. Behind Riolu, Ash and Pikachu stood still. In front of Riolu was Dawn. And zipping back and forth through the hazy field…was Froslass. Mirages of the ice-type appeared around Riolu, but it was easy to tell that they were fake as no Aura was present in them. Finally, Froslass came rushing from Riolu's side, invisible to everyone but the fighting-type.

Riolu readied a Force Palm and jabbed its right arm outward, landing a clean hit on Froslass without even looking. Froslass howled in protest and disappeared, reappearing a few moments later behind Riolu and rushing forward to use Ice Punch. Again, Riolu landed a clean Force Palm, rejecting Froslass' attempt. Froslass retreated to a good distance in front of Riolu, charging up a Shadow Ball on Dawn's command. With the knowledge of Froslass' location, Riolu charged up an Aura Sphere, firing the cobalt blast into the hazy hailstorm. An instant later, Froslass yowled as it was struck by the attack. The hailstorm suddenly subsided shortly after, allowing Riolu to open its eyes.

"Riolu, you did awesome!" Ash praised, "Let's finish this up! Use Aura Sphere!"

"Froslass, dodge and use Ice Shard!"

Froslass phased out of the way of Riolu's attack, firing off an Ice Shard. Riolu quickly countered with a follow-up Aura Sphere, shattering the Ice Shard. On Ash's command, the fighting-type sprinted toward Froslass, hardly even slowed down by the snow beneath its feet.

"Finish it with Force Palm!" Ash howled.

"Froslass!" Dawn cried. Riolu leaped up, soaring above Froslass' height and curving downward with a pulsing Force Palm at the ready. Froslass hovered above the ground, unmoving. A crackle of electricity appeared around the ice-type's body, indicating that one of Riolu's earlier Force Palms had also paralyzed the Snow Land Pokémon. With no possible counter thanks to Froslass' paralysis, Riolu landed a head-on Force Palm at full power, sacking Froslass to the ground and kicking up an explosion of snow.

Riolu landed haphazardly in a patch of nearby snow and rolled to a stop, but Froslass never emerged, and once the kicked-up snow settled, it revealed Froslass' unconscious form. Dawn sighed. Froslass had put up a respectable fight, but Riolu's personal Aura abilities had outmatched her. Dawn trotted over to Froslass, squatting down and ensuring that the ice-type was okay. Ash appeared a few moments later with Riolu and Pikachu on his shoulders.

" _Rio."_ Riolu yipped at Froslass. The fighting-type's little eyes quivered and a thin smile appeared on Riolu's face.

" _Fros-lass…"_ the ice-type purred back, congratulating Riolu on its victory.

A few snowflakes began drifting to the ground, drawing Ash and Dawn to look upward. In the heat of their practice battle, they hadn't noticed that the gray snow clouds had finished creeping above them. Ash looked around as the snow began to fall a little harder. For several minutes, the level of snowfall was steady, suggesting that it wouldn't get very bad today.

"I have an idea." Ash started, getting Dawn's attention, "Why don't we stay here for a little longer and let all the Pokémon out so they can play? I'll go look for some Berries and see if we can't get Froslass all healed up right here and now."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Dawn agreed. She reached for her five other Poké Balls, calling out Piplup, Buneary, Mamoswine, Pachirisu, and Quilava. Ash did the same, calling out the remaining four Pokémon on his person: Charizard, Bulbasaur, Buizel, and Heracross. While Charizard and Mamoswine wandered off to find comfortable places to sleep, the other, much smaller Pokémon scampered off to play games.

* * *

Ash returned sometime later with a pouch full of Berries. While Dawn had moved Froslass closer to the shore, Ash had gone scavenging for Berries. He slumped down into a seated position on Froslass' other side, loosening the pouch he had brought with him and pulling a Cheri Berry from the top of the pile.

"Here you go, Froslass. This will help with paralysis." Ash said, offering the Berry to the exhausted ice-type. Froslass gently lifted its head forward and bit off a piece of the Cheri Berry, eventually consuming the whole thing after several minutes. Once the Berry was in the ice-type's system, Froslass' body became noticeably more relaxed. Next, Ash revealed a small stash of Oran Berries. Froslass eagerly ate the healing berries, and soon, Froslass was standing.

"All right, it worked!" Dawn beamed, "Thank you, Ash!"

"Ah, it was nothing…" Ash insisted, "Brock taught me well."

"Well, I would hope so, considering you spent how many years traveling with him?" Dawn said. She smiled and Ash broke into a short laugh, prompting Dawn to laugh with him. They looked up and watched the snow continue to fall, and then their attention turned to their Pokémon, who were still running around and playing. They were playing an apparent rendition of freeze tag. Charizard and Mamoswine were both under their own personal trees. Charizard had curled up in the ground like a cat, careful to keep its flame off the ground and near its head. Mamoswine was much more conventional, tucking its furry legs underneath its body and appearing to look almost like a big furry box with tusks.

Dawn looked at the ground next, getting almost lost in how white the snow was. She involuntarily flashed back to her talk with Zoey back in the city. She'd read her like a book, and remembering that experience only strengthened her resolve to figure things out.

"Ash? Do you ever think about the future?" Dawn asked.

"The future?" Ash repeated, "Hmm…yeah, quite a bit. I mean, I'm always working to become a Pokémon Master. I think about what it would be like to finally be one all the time. You?"

Dawn internally cursed. That wasn't what she meant.

"Yeah, me too," she said, "But, I guess I mean like…what will happen on the way to completing our dreams. We've traveled a lot together in the last three years, and it's been great, hasn't it?"

"Of course!" Ash beamed. There was nothing bad that he could say about Dawn! "We make a great team!"

"Team…" Dawn repeated, looking back down at the ground.

"Well, yeah. We make each other stronger, don't we?" Ash asked, "Without each other, there's no telling where we'd be right now." Ash chuckled, "You know, we're almost like a Slowpoke and Shellder."

Dawn looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

"Oh, I guess no one has ever told you about it. Slowpoke and Shellder are Pokémon native to Kanto. They live separately from each other, but their destinies are tied together, you know?" Ash explained, "A Slowpoke struggles on its own…but when it's ready to evolve, it needs a Shellder to help it."

Dawn felt like she understood. Perhaps in Ash's scenario, she was the Slowpoke? After all, she'd struggled _immensely_ when she was just starting out. She and Ash had butted heads a lot as he tried to mentor her, and she had repeatedly insisted that she didn't need any help. She had drastically underestimated how difficult Pokémon training and Coordinating would be. He had been there to help her, and now that she thought about it, she felt a little bad about how adamant she'd been back then.

"So…how does the Shellder help the Slowpoke?" Dawn asked, suddenly curious.

"It's actually really cool. The Slowpoke wanders out to the shore and sticks its tail in the water. It's fishing for a Shellder. When the Shellder finally bites, the two combine and evolve into Slowbro, and they're both stronger because of it!" Ash explained enthusiastically.

Dawn smiled wistfully as she looked at the snow. The words of the likes of Brock, Johanna, Zoey, and more sped through her head. She settled on the only possible option. No longer would she be paralyzed by her fear of her own feelings.

"They're stronger together. They make the perfect team. And I think…so do we." Dawn said. An invisible weight suddenly pushed down on her, the closeted timid part of her mind silently trying to discourage her. But that weight was no longer enough. She could finally say it! Ash met her eyes, but before he could agree and answer with something typical, Dawn continued with a half-shout, "I like you, Ash, and I want to be with you!"

Ash completely froze. The nearby Pokémon each had various silent reactions, but the sentiment was mostly the same.

Dumbstruck, Ash answered, "Well, um…that was unexpected."

* * *

 **If any of you reading this have read Another Road, yes, the end of this chapter is heavily based on their ending for Ash and Dawn's relationship. I couldn't come up with anything original, so I took a different approach with their idea, which I thought was genius. Anyway, if you liked this chapter please leave a review at the bottom, I really appreciate any and all feedback! See you guys next time!**


	56. The Scorpion

**Hello again, all. I ended up finishing this chapter early, for a number of reasons. I had a completely free weekend, but I also was very excited to write this chapter. After almost sixty chapters, things are beginning to fall into place. A lot is going to be happening in the next several chapters, so I sincerely hope you guys enjoy it. It's been a REALLY long time coming, so I appreciate you all sticking with me and encouraging me to keep writing.**

 **Review replies:**

 **Lance Curry: I'll admit, a humorous review. Your questions will all be answered soon enough, friend. And you reviewed just in time for the next update! Hope you enjoy.**

 **K2: Cynthia is almost here, promise. :)**

 **magic135: Yes, I'm aware of that. The anime has a rather long history of breaking the rules that the games have (see Pikachu damaging multiple ground-types with electric-type attacks, normal-types and ghost-types hurting each other, psychic-type moves affecting dark-types, infallible moves like Swift being dodged, and plenty more). Sorry if I upset you, but I wanted to write some more Riolu battles since the one with Byron was really the first one since its capture.**

 **yungmoneygirl: Haha, sorry for the super long wait! I'm glad that you stuck with the story to this point, though. Thanks for the review!**

 **TheJoker2.0: Thanks for the praise! Keep up the reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 56_

 _The Scorpion_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lake Acuity**_

The Pokémon were about as stunned as Ash was. Dawn's admission had frozen all activities and drawn the attention to the two Trainers on the lakeshore. Even Charizard had woken from his nap, staring in silent shock at the teenagers.

Dawn's hands clenched into fists and she blushed furiously as her next words came out choked up, "Y-you idiot…say something!"

Ash was trying, but looking at his face unfortunately told a different story. His mind was scrambling, preventing him from putting together anything coherent, and as a result he stared at Dawn blankly.

"I knew it." Dawn whimpered. Her arms fell slack at her sides and she turned her back on Ash, "I knew you wouldn't feel the same way."

That knocked Ash out of his daze. He stammered, "N-no, that isn't it, I just…w-why didn't you say anything before?"

Dawn turned her head and glared at Ash with her left eye, a pain-stricken fire in her usually endearing blue eyes. "Why do you think? I was scared out of my mind, Ash…looks like it was for good reason."

"No, Dawn, look…" Ash insisted. His palms became slick with nervous sweat, "…Can I just…can I take a minute to think?"

"Sure…why not." Dawn groaned. She walked away and sat on a dead, discarded log in the snow, hunching forward and keeping her back turned on Ash. The older teenager sat down in the snow, ignoring the sudden cold on the back of his ski pants. He turned his head, glancing at all of the Pokémon. They were pretty much all watching him with stunned expressions. Ash sighed. Their stares were not making this any easier to process.

He turned his thoughts to Dawn, looking at her back from the short distance away. He'd already established that he liked her too, though even right then when she'd spilled the truth about her feelings, he hadn't been able to do it himself. Her physical attractiveness was one thing, but the way that she carried herself was a big part of his attraction to her. She was so stubbornly confident of her own abilities, just like he was. She attacked every day and every training session with vigorous determination, likening her to Misty and May.

Misty and May. Ash's previous two female traveling companions. Both people that he could've been with romantically. The two girls had been total opposites of each other, even if they shared a lot of similar traits. May was hard-headed and, when she was first starting out, hadn't actually been interested in Pokémon training. But she had come around, building a genuine love for Pokémon of all kinds. He had to admit that she was rather beautiful. But if there had been anything there, they never would've been able to make something real. How would they have explained something like that to Max? Moreover, May was like a sister to Ash. He expelled the thoughts of May from his mind, settling on his memories of a hotheaded orange-haired girl from Cerulean City.

Misty was the first. She was as passionate as she was volatile. Looking back, Ash laughed at how their friendship had started. A long time ago, he was certain that she'd kill him before he could even get through Mt. Moon. But instead, she'd tagged along with him and Brock all throughout Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto. For the first time, Ash explicitly wondered why. No, he was pretty sure that he knew why she stuck around for so long. And he was pretty sure that he'd felt the same way. But they'd never acted on it. Maybe if they'd continued traveling together, they could've had something. Maybe he would've wanted that.

Or maybe, he was never meant to be with Misty. Arceus, they'd only been twelve years old when they'd parted ways after the Silver Conference, and hardly 13 years old when they briefly reunited in Hoenn. That was no age for a romantic relationship, and with Ash's heart being on the road, it would've been far too difficult to make it work. Maybe, instead, he was meant for a stubborn, smart blue-haired girl from the Sinnoh Region, who he'd traveled with since he was fourteen. It wasn't an exaggeration to say they'd grown up together in that time.

In that moment, Ash realized that he had his answer.

He stood back up on his feet, treading through the thick snow over to the log where Dawn sat. He slumped down on the dead trunk close beside her, planting his gaze out onto the lake in silence. He silently gulped, finally building up the courage to speak his mind.

"I like you too, Dawn…always have."

Dawn snapped her head to the side and looked at him, scanning the side of his stoic face. He continued, "Guess I never got the guts to say it. I…I was going to that night in Alamos Town. I wanted to. But…you know…"

"Yeah…me too…" Dawn admitted. This slightly surprised Ash, but he didn't comment on it. "Well, this has been awkward."

Ash stifled a laugh and looked at the ground, nervously saying his next words. "Yeah…sorry about…all that. This isn't exactly something I'm good at."

"Well, it's not Pokémon training." Dawn said. She snickered and glanced back out at the pristine, crystal clear lake. The Pokémon behind them seemed to settle down. It looked like things were well, and that was a major relief. Charizard sounded a low, prolonged grumble and set his head back down in the snow. Pikachu, Piplup, and the other small Pokémon went back to playing freeze tag, not a care in the world.

"So, what happens now? What does this make us?" Ash asked. He was genuinely uncertain.

"Well…I guess this makes us…a thing?" Dawn guessed, rather uncertain herself.

"Okay…and what do people who are a 'thing' do?" Ash asked, seriously unsure of the answer.

Dawn's eyes slightly lit up, too little for anyone to notice. She blushed, this time much more positively, "I have one idea."

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for Ash to catch on. He'd seen enough movies in his 16 years of life to know…she was trying to kiss him! She gently inched closer to him, and he unconsciously did so as well. Once again, some of the Pokémon stopped, stunned at what they were about to witness. The distance between Ash and Dawn's heads dwindled, and they each gently angled their heads sideways.

And then, a single ripple interrupted the lake's staggering calmness, coming from the center and reaching out all across the body of water in a perfect ring. Ash and Dawn both saw it and aborted their attempted kiss, both of them secretly displeased. A silhouette slipped out from underneath the lake, its clear body blurry enough to be visible in the cloudy sunset. Snowfall around the lake passed right through the silhouette as it hovered close to Ash and Dawn. It was clear what the shape was: Uxie, the guardian of Lake Acuity!

As expected, the Knowledge Pokémon appeared from the clear silhouette, greeting them with a happy, _"Kyuun!"_

"Uxie!" Ash beamed.

"Is everything going well?" Dawn added with an identical smile.

" _Kyaun!"_ Uxie answered cheerily. The psychic-type hovered in circles around the shore, dancing through the evening air and greeting all of the present Pokémon. There was one noticeable discrepancy in the group, however. Brock, whom Uxie shared a bond with, was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you looking for Brock, Uxie?" Ash asked.

" _Kyuun…"_ Uxie sang sadly.

"Brock isn't with us anymore. He's back in the Kanto Region, studying to be a Pokémon Doctor." Ash explained, "He's going to help Pokémon all over the world!"

Uxie looked up, a happy smile appearing on its face. The Knowledge Pokémon hovered back over to Ash and Dawn. Even if Brock was a special person to it, Uxie felt a great deal of gratitude to Ash and Dawn alike, for they shared bonds with Uxie's two sister Pokémon: Mesprit and Azelf. Plus, thanks to them, the Lake Guardians had been saved from the clutches of the evil Team Galactic, and their world had been saved as a result.

Uxie hovered close to Ash and Dawn, chattering happily with the two for a few moments. Though they couldn't explicitly understand Uxie's language, the sentiment was clear: the psychic-type was happy to see them. Uxie even sensed something different in Ash this time. The energy inside his body was different somehow. It could mean only one thing: he'd unlocked his Aura abilities.

Uxie then stopped, looking concerned about something. The Knowledge Pokémon used its power to feel out into the distance. The energy in the air was different, as if it were charged with tension itself. Uxie then gasped with realization. Something was not right. There was bad energy out there, and it was close.

"Uxie? Everything all right?" Ash asked, picking up on the psychic-type's change in attitude.

"What could be the matter?" Dawn wondered aloud.

There was a sudden _pop_ followed by a brief hiss, and something sped past Ash's head, crashing into Uxie and throwing the psychic-type to the ground. In another instant, the material expanded and wrapped around Uxie, trapping the Knowledge Pokémon inside a net!

" _Uxie!"_ Ash shouted, shooting up to his feet and stepping forward to try and help the psychic-type.

" _A-ha! We're the matter, of course!"_ called a familiar male voice.

"No…!" Dawn gasped.

"Ah-ha-ha, when are we not?" laughed a woman's voice, "Now, twerps, please step _away_ from the Legendary Pokémon and let us complete our errand!" The three Rockets drifted out of the dark forest on their personal Hover-Pads, safely hovering about ten feet off of the ground.

"You guys!" Ash growled. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, "Get lost!"

"No can do, twoip!" Meowth answered, "We's got us a job to do, and we really don't appreciate it when ya stand in da way like dis."

"We're not going anywhere!" Ash protested. He immediately dropped down beside Uxie, trying desperately to pull away the netting and free the psychic-type.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jessie protested. She punched the throttle on her Hover-Pad and zoomed forward. Ash heard the hovercraft's buzzing and scrambled backwards, narrowly avoiding being struck by it. Jessie flew over the trapped Uxie and the net suddenly magnetized to the belly of Jessie's Hover-Pad, and a small hook appeared from a door in the belly, catching on to the net and holding Uxie prisoner.

"So reckless, as always." Jessie scorned. James and Meowth hovered over beside their female comrade, snide smiles on their faces. Uxie shifted inside the net, protesting and readying some kind of attack. The psychic-type howled as it powered up its attack.

"Oh, that won't do!" Jessie said, pressing a button on the panel of her hovercraft. The net suddenly lit up with blue electricity, stunning Uxie and hurting it. The Knowledge Pokémon laid flat inside the net as the electrical charge stopped, exhausted and wounded. The psychic-type then turned to another tactic. The red gem inside its round head glowed brightly, and Uxie released a loud call that echoed through the air. Interestingly, though, neither of the Rockets seemed remotely concerned.

Suddenly, a sensation went through Ash's body, dropping him to the ground and filling him with pain. Only, the pain wasn't his own.

"Ash!" Dawn gasped, kneeling down in the snow and trying to help him, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, how sweet!" Jessie cooed rudely, "Don't fret, darling, it won't last long."

"Ash, tell me what's wrong!" Dawn cried. She tried to help him, but she had no idea what was going on and as a result nothing she did was worthwhile.

" _It's Azelf!"_ Ash yowled. He suddenly stopped seizing in pain and rolled over on his stomach, pushing himself up with his arms and glaring at the three Rockets as he kneeled, "You monsters! Leave Azelf alone!"

Dawn suddenly cringed, feeling a pain of her own. Just like Ash, though, she knew that the pain wasn't her own. "Oh, no, I feel it too! Mesprit needs help!"

"They're stealing the Lake Guardians!" Ash said, "Jessie, James, Meowth! You can stop this, _right now._ Just let Uxie go."

"Mmm, sorry, twerp." James answered, "We've got our orders, and if we don't do our jobs, we don't get paid!"

"Then I'll make you give up Uxie." Ash threatened, "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard shot up from its place in the snow, giving a great roar before spewing orange fire directly at Jessie's Hover-Pad. The female Rocket didn't even flinch, and the attack connected, swarming around the hovercraft in a ball of fire. Charizard finally let up on the fiery assault, and the ball of flame vanished. To the shock of Ash and Dawn, though, a force field was active around Jessie's hovercraft and Uxie's net, shielding both from damage.

"Whaddya think, twoips? Now that da boss is here in Sinnoh, we got ourselves new upgrades to da Hover-Pads! You won't be hurting us one bit!" Meowth crowed. He laughed hysterically after the fact, pleased with his genius rebuttal.

"We'll see about that!" Ash snapped. He thrust his arm forward, generating a perfect ball of Aura in an instant and firing it at Jessie's Hover-Pad. She snorted and piloted the craft out of the way, avoiding Ash's Aura Sphere easily.

"Missed me." Jessie teased.

Dawn suddenly flinched as some snow passed in front of her face. She looked up, noticing that the snow was not the same color it was supposed to be. It was a sickening dark gray.

 _Soot._

"Ash…" Dawn said nervously. He looked at her, noticing the soot falling from the sky. He cocked his head up, noticing that it was falling everywhere. The Pokémon behind them immediately became distressed as they too saw the blackened snow.

"Well, there's the signal. Time for us to go!" Jessie called.

"Heh-heh!" Meowth laughed, "Time to hit Snowpoint City and go get da Lustrous Orb!"

"Goodbye, twerps! Thank you very much for the Lake Guardian!" James howled as the trio flew away, Uxie tossing and turning uselessly inside the net hanging from Jessie's hovercraft.

"No!" Ash yelled futilely. He ran along the lake's shoreline uselessly, eventually sliding into the snowy ground and yelling hysterically. He beat a fist into the cold snow, not even feeling the freeze and sagging his shoulders. He had failed!

"Ash!" Dawn called as she ran after him, "Ash, we have to get back to Snowpoint City!"

Ash looked back up, his eyes flicking ahead to where the trio had flown off to. What he saw horrified him. Dawn hadn't noticed it yet, and he stammered in agreement.

"Y-y-yeah, we've gotta hurry!" Ash agreed. He shot up to his feet and stepped backward rapidly, "If we don't get there fast, there might not be anything left to get back to!"

Dawn opened her mouth to ask Ash what he meant, but he was already running back. She unconsciously turned to look where Ash had looked, and she gawked as she choked on her breath. Past the eastern banks of Lake Acuity and over the snowy hills that hid the visage of the city, a few trails of thick, black smoke were climbing up through the sky. Dawn whirled around and sprinted after Ash, grabbing all of her Poké Balls in her two hands so that she could return all of her Pokémon at once.

Snowpoint City was burning.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Wilderness**_

Absol drove its clawed foot into the snow, scraping back and combing the white powders off of the ground. It took a few kicks of the dark-type's front right foot, but eventually Absol was successful. What was underneath the snow was a true relief to Absol. Lush green grass still survived underneath the piles of snow that covered it, meaning it was perfectly edible for the Disaster Pokémon. Absol bent down and munched on the blades of grass, grazing peacefully as the sunlight around it began to wither away.

Grass wasn't Absol's first choice for food. In fact, since it was freed from Team Rocket, the dark-type had been going consistently north, hoping to find temperatures that were more suitable for it. Along the way, Absol had snuck in and out of cities, avoiding contact with humans and doing its best to swipe food whenever it could. After several weeks of constant movement, Absol had finally found a decent area that it could call home. It was bitterly cold, but the dark-type was perfectly warm thanks to its thick coat of white fur. There was even a cave nearby that Absol had been using as a den.

The Disaster Pokémon gulped down a small helping of grass, bending its neck downward to grab another clump of the plant. In doing so, Absol locked its eyes on something that was moving around a short distance away, seeing only the creature's tail slip out of sight. Immediately intrigued, the dark-type carefully crept away from where it had uncovered the grass, slinking behind an unassuming tree and peering past it to track whatever it had seen. There, out in the open was a Wurmple, wriggling in the snow and crawling along. What exactly the bug-type was doing out here at night by itself, Absol wasn't sure, but a faint grumble in Absol's stomach told the Disaster Pokémon that it didn't matter.

Absol lowered itself into a crouch, holding its belly just above the snowy ground and slowly creeping after the Wurmple. The bug-type had picked the wrong night to wriggle about in the open. It was a tad cruel, yes, but that was simply the nature of the beast that was living in the wild. Animals had to eat, and in the absence of any filling foods like Berries nearby, Absol was being forced to turn to live food. Finally, Absol reached a point in the snowy hills that would make a good pouncing point, and the dark-type wiggled with anticipation as it prepared to leap.

But then, Absol's horn pulsed violently, dashing all of the focus the dark-type had mustered up in its slow pursuit of food. Absol writhed, kicking up snow and giving up its position. Wurmple contorted its body to look behind itself, spotting the predator that had been stalking it. With a squeal of fear, Wurmple burrowed under the snow, disappearing from sight. Absol growled unhappily, but another zap coiled through its body from its curved horn. The feeling was familiar, as innate to Absol as the beating of its heart. The horn was warning it about something.

Absol shut its eyes tight, choosing to accept the vision rather than fight it. Images blazed through Absol's consciousness, but the information contained within them burned into Absol's brain even as the dark-type failed to observe them. From that, the things it needed to know manifested into tangible knowledge. Absol then noticed an image of a particular person, and it send a bolt of concern through its system. Absol saw Dawn, followed by images of fire, blood, and the sound of a scream. A primal, otherworldly sensation then overcame Absol, followed by a faint but powerful cry echoing deep in its ears. It was a Pokémon's cry, though it was no ordinary Pokémon.

The Disaster Pokémon understood when it reopened its eyes, returning it to the tranquil dark forest. Dozens of snowflakes danced past Absol's eyes, but its focus was on one thing and one thing only. The duty of its species from birth was to receive premonitions of natural disasters and warn the people it might affect. Unfortunately, the Pokémon that received such knowledge was often too late, and its sightings after such disasters fixed a bad reputation around the dark-type species. But the disaster that Absol had just seen wasn't rooted in nature. Why it would have such a vision, Absol did not understand, but there was only one clear course of action. Dawn had helped it be free of Team Rocket. It was thanks to her that it had been able to run free. The only thing Absol could do now was try and repay the favor.

Absol succumbed to the will of its mystical horn. The horn pulsed, informing Absol where it would have to go to try and prevent the disaster. After a few more moments, Absol reopened its eyes, now aware of what direction it had to run: north. Absol immediately put its front feet forward, pacing through the snow and weaving past the trees. Its speed increased as it broke into a sprint. Dawn would be only a few miles north of it, but based on the reaction of its horn, there was very little time.

How Absol hoped that it could make it before it was too late.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Canalave City**_

Byron walked through the Gym, opening the door to his quarters with his key card. His concussion had healed several weeks ago, and he'd returned to his regular Gym duties as a result, but he never stopped being paranoid. Every night he searched the Gym, half-expecting to be jumped once again when he walked into his study.

His memories of the night had come back slowly, piece by piece. The details of the events, such as names and appearances, were still foggy, but he spent at least an hour each night trying as hard as he could to regain more pieces of his memory. More often than not he failed, and when he did manage a small recollection, it was never anything worthwhile. During the day, he went to see the doctor in Canalave City once a week, getting regular check-ups to ensure that he wasn't still showing any symptoms of concussion. Also in one of these sessions, he'd had blood taken, and the doctors told him they'd found traces of a foreign substance in his bloodstream. Shortly after that first revelation, they'd learned that the substance appeared to have memory-dulling properties.

That night, he explicitly remembered being injected with something on the night of the break-in, though the people that forced him to take the substance were still merely foggy shadows. Since he couldn't consistently have blood drawn after that thanks to health regulations, he had to wait and devote his own time to remembering.

Byron glanced out the window of the room, staring into the blackness of the night sky and contemplating what he had managed to recall from that night. He'd returned with the food for his Pokémon, but had then found they wouldn't come to him when they called. He'd later deduced that they'd been hiding from the intruders. He'd then gone back in, eventually finding his way to his study and getting hit in the back of the head. He focused on the moments after that, trying to sift through the mental blackness that blocked out his memory.

" _So nice and easy…"_

The words resurfaced in Byron's mind. Yes, he remembered now! The person must've been talking about the theft of the Adamant Orb. Byron pressed harder, shutting his eyes tightly and trying to grab hold of _something_.

" _How pathetic…"_

" _Watch how you speak to an Executive, Grunt…"_

" _The brain agent…it attacks parts of the brain related to short-term memory…"_

This was a wealth of information to Byron. How he was remembering these things now, he wasn't sure, but he had no intention of cutting off his focus now. Finally, after more memories blazed back into his mind, a bombshell recollection surfaced.

" _Tell them Proton did this…"_

In Byron's mental recreation of the events, the people who had broken into his Gym had been mere shadows without any features. But now, with a name attached to one of them, the shadow went away and was replaced by details. He was a slender man with a cruel face, and his bluish-green hair stuck out of his cap and went around his head like a ring. And his name was _Proton._ Ash had said the same name that night, revealing that he knew the man.

Byron smiled. He would have to call Officer Jenny and give her the name. It might not have been much, but he had called himself an Executive that night, meaning he was likely a high-ranking member of Team Rocket. He went for the corded phone on the desk in his quarters, picking it up and preparing to dial the non-emergency number to report the evidence.

Before he could press a single button on the phone's keypad, though, he froze. Another recollection formed in his mind. Deep in his brain, in the memories of the break-in, another shadowy form vanished, being replaced by unmistakable features: black hair, tall, and a familiar face. The same face had been friendly with him earlier that afternoon.

Byron dropped the phone from his ear, listening to it slam against the desk and hang suspended in the air as he powerwalked over to the window. He looked out the glass pane again, absolute horror etched on his face as he remembered individual sentences in quick succession.

" _Why go to all this risk? To befriend Ash and Dawn, to come into my Gym, and pretend. Why?"_

" _It's a long story…one I'm afraid there's no time to tell…"_

There was no mistaking it.

" _They asked me to stay behind for this, but I wanted to come along on this mission. Just for this moment."_

Lester had been there that night. He'd been with Ash and Dawn as a friend by day, and then as a cruel, thieving crook by night. He was a part of Team Rocket, and he was aligned with their goals. His entire personality had been a sham.

And even worse, Ash and Dawn were now out there with the man in Snowpoint City. Snowpoint City, where the Lustrous Orb was being kept.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint City**_

The wind was insufferable. It was icy and as cold as could be as Ash and Dawn raced toward Snowpoint City on Charizard's back, flakes of soot billowing past them the whole way. The powerful fire-type flew impressively fast despite having the two humans on its back, and the flight to the city was short as a result. They flew over the hill to see the burning city, and Dawn choked back a terrified gasp. Where were Candice and Zoey? And what about the children from earlier? Were they safe?

Ash, who had said nothing on the entire ride, finally parted his lips to speak. His voice was monotone and almost dark, "Charizard, take us down," he said. The dragon snorted hot air from its nostrils, curving downward and speeding toward the ground. Ash reached back and clasped his hand in Dawn's and they hopped off of Charizard's back, landing safely in the snowy ground. Charizard swooped back up and hovered, scanning the area for enemies.

" _Ash! Dawn!"_ called a voice.

"That's Zoey!" Dawn gasped. She whirled around, setting her eyes on the red-haired Top Coordinator. She was running with a handful of others and a large group of water-type Pokémon. As the men and women with her commanded the Pokémon to begin putting out the fires, Zoey sprinted over to Ash and Dawn, briefly hugging them both.

"I saw Charizard. I'm so glad you two are okay!" Zoey breathed.

"Where's the rest of the people that live here?" Dawn asked.

"They're safe. Me and some others got them out as fast as we could, now we're here to keep the city from burning to the ground."

"We've got to move." Ash said, "Zoey, they're here for the Lustrous Orb. Do you know where it is?"

Zoey nodded. "Candice showed me a few months back. She must be there now trying to protect it. We've got to help her."

The sky erupted with noise, startling all three Trainers. They looked up into the sky, peering through the black haze. A giant ship cut cleanly through the air, its massive engines pealing deafeningly as it flew. It was flying slowly north, passing over the city at a Snorlax's pace and continuing. If not for a large red R on the ship's belly, there would've been no telling what the ship was there for.

"They're…they're not landing. Not in the city, anyway." Ash muttered.

"But there's nothing north of here except—" Dawn started.

"The Snowpoint Temple." Zoey interrupted.

"What could they possibly want with…" Dawn asked, before stopping herself as she realized. She locked eyes with Ash, and they said the answer together.

" _Regigigas."_

"This is bad." Ash said, "Zoey, go help Candice. Dawn and I will go to the Temple and protect Regigigas."

"Okay!" Zoey agreed, "Be careful, you two!"

Zoey bolted down the street, disappearing out of sight. Ash looked at Dawn, "We should hurry." He said. Dawn nodded in agreement and they broke into a run of their own, heading north down another street on their way out of the city. Charizard followed behind them, his wings beating heavily and causing an audible _thump_ with each flap.

"Why would they want Regigigas?" Dawn yelled over the chilly wind as they ran.

"I don't know! Riley told me all about the Sinnoh myths on Mt. Silver, including a bunch of ones I'd never heard before. It's said that Regigigas has the power to move entire _continents_ at will!" Ash answered. Dawn gulped as she thought about what people like Team Rocket could do if they were in control of a Pokémon that could literally rearrange the planet. Ash continued, "The guardian pillars won't do much to hold them back! J destroyed them easily!"

Dawn remembered. The evil Pokémon Hunter had nearly caused a catastrophe awakening Regigigas, and her Salamence's Hyper Beam had destroyed the three pillars protecting Regigigas' sleep, awakening the titanic Pokémon and endangering everything. After the crisis had been averted, Brandon's three legendary titans had taken up the role as the new pillars. As they ran, her mind began to run on autopilot, thinking over the events of last few hours. Snowpoint City and Lake Acuity had certainly been eventful places for her and Ash, with their first excursion to the Snowpoint Temple, Brock's meeting with Uxie, Ash's Full Battle with Paul, and more occurring in the area. And, there was the matter of her confession. Just about everything had in one way or another been going right for her, too! But Team Rocket, as usual, had to show up and not only ruin the moment, but throw them into a whole new series of problems.

Dawn forced herself to forget all of that as she kept in stride with Ash. They left the burning city behind, lumbering through the snowy forest on the way to the Snowpoint Temple. The race there wasn't terribly long, but it was without a doubt too much time. When they finally reached the entrance to the Temple. The snowy path suddenly became rocky, before the path widened into an ancient walkway made of countless stone bricks. Snow had been shoveled off of the long path, but with the latest bout of snowfall, a decent amount of the white powder was trying to build up on the walkway. Not only that, it was also getting mixed in with the black soot. It had been falling everywhere, from the banks of Lake Acuity all the way up to the mountainside where the Temple was. Jessie had said that it was a signal right before they flew away. The soot had recently stopped falling, though, indicating that the dark flakes had come from the ship that was now parked at the gates to the Snowpoint Temple.

"We're too late. They're already here." Ash said. He was right. The huge ship had landed right in the middle of the stone walkway, not far from the temple doors. In doing so, the pillars on the sides of the path had been knocked to the ground, smashed into countless pieces in the snow.

"We may still have time." Dawn insisted. Ash reached up with Charizard's Poké Ball, returning the fire-type. He would likely need him inside the temple, and he wouldn't fit inside the temple doors on his own.

"Let's not waste any." Ash agreed. They broke into another run, their shoes clapping loudly against the stone bricks. They ran underneath the ship's sides, Ash only taking a brief moment to observe it. Once they were past the ship, the temple doors were only a short distance in front of them. The doors were strangely hanging open, but it was of little concern to either of them.

"No guards. No nothing." Ash grumbled, caution in his voice, "Here goes…"

"Together." Dawn said.

They sprinted forward, blazing through the open doors and speeding down the stairs into the belly of the temple. Halfway down, they could see vestiges of light coming from the floor, presumably from torches. They reached the bottom of the steps, but once they saw what was there, they skidded to a stop.

Standing in the center of the large room were nine people standing closely together. Five Grunts in identical clothing made up the back row of the group, while three strangers made up the second. Finally, a singular man in a dark suit stood at the front. One of the strangers in the second row stood to his right, while the other two were on his left. The man in the dark suit smiled as Ash and Dawn arrived, not an ounce of goodness in his black eyes. His dark brown hair was a strict crew-cut style, and he held himself with a clear superiority complex.

"Mr. Ketchum. I cannot tell you how pleased we are that you have joined us." said the man in front, "Although, I honestly would've preferred that you'd come alone."

Ash skipped the pleasantries, "Team Rocket! You guys have some nerve, trying to burn an entire city to the ground! Do you even care about the innocent people you might've killed? And what do you want with the Lake Guardians and the Snowpoint Temple?"

"Now, now, why so hasty, boy?" the man said, an astounding calmness in his demeanor, "When you move too fast, you miss important details."

A brief popping sound echoed through the room, and something hit Ash's shoulder, attaching itself to his body. Before he could so much as look at the device, a powerful electrical pulse exploded from the device, lighting up the room with a stunning blue glow.

" _AAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!"_ Ash screamed. His knees gave out and he slumped forward, electricity preventing him from doing anything. Even his hair began to lift into the air, the mass amounts of electricity sending plenty of static to his head. Pikachu fell off of Ash's shoulder to the ground, immediately stunned by the harder-than-expected impact with the floor.

"Ash!" Dawn cried, surging forward to his side as he fell down. As soon as she got to his side, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind and dragged her back. Dawn shouted and kicked uselessly, and she was thrown into the ground away from Ash. Before she could do so much as respond to hitting the cold floor, her arms were pulled back behind her and cool metal cuffs were closed around her wrists. She was dragged up to sit on her knees as two greasy men stood guard on either side of her, ensuring that she couldn't do so much as move.

At the same time, two more men appeared from the darkness and grabbed Ash's body, which was smoking from the electricity as it died down to little more than the occasional coil of electricity. They placed cuffs around his wrists as well, dragging him up to his knees so that he looked forward. One of the men then stepped over and grabbed Pikachu on both sides of the mouse's body. The electric-type shrieked and thrashed.

"No! Pikachu!" Ash screamed, "Don't you dare hurt him, you bastards!"

The man who had grabbed Pikachu ignored him, squeezing Pikachu tightly as another hidden Grunt carried a small cage over to him. Pikachu bristled and the slightest flash of yellow lightning appeared from his cheeks. The Grunt holding him stiffened and his eyes widened just before the mouse jettisoned a blinding bolt of lightning from its body, sending staggering voltage through the Grunt's body.

" _UWWWAAAAGH!"_ the Grunt roared, his hold on Pikachu instantly loosening. Pikachu squirmed free and landed on all fours, immediately looking up at the Grunt carrying the cage meant for him. The Grunt cursed and tried to jump on the electric-type, but Pikachu sidestepped him and the Grunt tripped into the ground.

Pikachu frantically looked around for a possible escape route, but it seemed that there were an infinite number of people around him. In his frantic hesitation, the mouse failed to realize the Grunt he had electrocuted had miraculously gotten back up, and the man grabbed Pikachu with his meaty hands once again, holding him down on the ground.

"I got 'im!" the Grunt howled, "Cage 'im, _now!"_

The second Grunt who had fallen flat on his face appeared at the Grunt's side, swinging the cage upside-down toward the ground. The Grunt holding Pikachu let go as he did so, offering Pikachu a split-second of potential freedom before the cage crashed down around him, trapping him in a box of metal bars. The Grunt flipped the cage right side up, slapping the top closed and locking it shut. He then flicked a small switch on top of the cage just as Pikachu readied to release another Thunderbolt. Thin streaks of blue electricity appeared in the spaces between the cage's bars, discharging a decently-powerful electrical pulse into the cage's prisoner.

" _Pi-ka-piiii!"_ Pikachu yowled, tumbling into the floor of the cage and curling up, shaking as he realized the hopelessness of his situation.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. He tried to lunge to the side and help his partner, but the Grunts that had cuffed him simply grabbed his arms and held him in place. When he continued trying to resist, the Grunt to his left let go of his arm and delivered a sucker punch to the side of his face, knocking Ash the other way into the ground. He was then grabbed again and seated back up on his knees, and he finally calmed and went still, knowing that it was no use.

Just then, the sound of a Poké Ball opening filled the room, and an arch of white light traveled from Ash's waist to the floor in front of him. The light formed into the shape of Riolu and the fighting-type yipped, having broken out of the capsule in response to the sudden change in Ash's vital signs. Even while dormant inside the Poké Ball, Riolu's Aura abilities had enabled it to detect the sudden spike in stress and the reaction of several pain receptors. What Riolu saw upon appearing out of the Poké Ball, however, was not at all expected.

" _Get it!"_ shouted one of the Grunts in the room, and the others immediately swarmed like wasps defending their nest.

"Run, Riolu! _Run!"_ Ash howled. Riolu flinched for a split-second, stunned that Ash was turning down its help, but in the next instant the fighting-type understood that the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against it. In response to that, Riolu turned sharply to its right, sprinting forward and diving into the ground, sliding between a Grunt's legs. There was no one in front of it after that, and Riolu bounded to its feet and bolted away, easily finding a staircase that went deeper underneath the temple.

" _Get that Pokémon!"_ the man in the suit snapped, "Do not let it get away!"

" _Yes, sir!"_ a group of Grunts shouted as one, and they ran after Riolu. Ash bit his lip as they disappeared from sight in pursuit of Riolu, and he briefly prayed that the fighting-type would be able to find a hiding place.

The man in the suit sighed and then turned to Ash, frowning. He took a few steps forward, "Take their Pokémon. We can't afford to have another one breaking out and attacking."

Two Grunts stepped forward from the line behind the man in the suit and the three strangers, stretching out their palms and revealing the Ball Magnet devices attached to their gloves. Four Poké Balls of Ash's and all six of Dawn's immediately were called to the Grunt's gloves, and they dumped the collection of capsules into a sack. Ash opened his mouth to protest, but the man in the suit continued speaking and cut him off.

"Well then, Mr. Ketchum. A few bumps in the road, I suppose, but all told I think that was rather easy." The man in the suit said as he stood just a few feet from Ash. The teen had been knocked down to his knees, so the man in the suit towered over him and forced Ash to crane his neck to look up at him.

Ash spat in the man's face, causing him to step back and blink several times as he wiped the phlegm off of his face. "Cut the shit." Ash growled, "I know you guys are here for the Lustrous Orb, but what do you want with the Temple? Why would you try to wake Regigigas? And why do you want the Lake Guardians on top of that?"

"Well, I was honestly hoping that you would be somewhat cooperative, or at least respectful." The man said as he shook his hand to get the spit off of it, "But I guess I shouldn't have expected such things from you."

"Actually, I tend to be respectful towards people who don't put me and my friends in cuffs and then steal my Pokémon." Ash fired back. The man in the suit snorted and waved his hand to the left, motioning for someone to come.

"I see." he said.

The man took two steps back and someone placed their hand on Ash's shoulder. Ash snapped his head to the side to see who it was, only to get a full set of knuckles to the face. His head reeled and his vision blurred as he was rocked backward into the ground, and the pain only increased when his head slammed into the ancient tile floor. Ash shut his eyes tight and sucked on his teeth, forcing the pain out of his mind and looking back up above him. Executive Proton stood above him, smiling wickedly.

"Oh _man._ _That_ felt good!" Proton sighed, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that."

Ash inhaled sharply and grunted, "That tickled." he taunted.

Proton's evil smile turned into a hateful sneer. He stepped up closer to Ash and brought back his leg, delivering a brutal kick to the stomach. This time, Ash reacted, shouting in pain and doubling over. Proton looked down upon him with unadulterated rage, "You and Byron both sure like to talk while you're taking beatings." Proton mused. He delivered another swift kick to Ash's stomach, hitting the bruise that the first kick had already formed. Ash howled in agony and curled over, trying to protect his belly. Anger ran through his veins, energy flaring up inside his body as Proton reared back to deliver another kick, this time aiming for the teen's side.

"Stop! Stop hurting him!" Dawn cried in terror.

" _Proton, that's enough!"_ the man in the suit snapped. Proton immediately halted, turning his head to look at the man. Proton nodded and stepped back, the heels of his boots clicking as he walked back over to the rest of the group. It was clear that the man in the suit was Proton's superior. Ash coughed and hacked up blood, spitting little red droplets on the tile underneath him as the man in the suit gave another order, "Give him the shot."

Ash went still as he replayed the man's words in his head. Shot? Someone walked over, this time a woman with red hair in a white uniform, and stooped down beside Ash. She produced a needle as the two men who had cuffed him grabbed his arms to hold him still. The red-haired woman jabbed the needle into his upper arm a little too forcefully, injecting a bluish liquid into his system. Immediately, he felt the pent-up Aura in his system retreat back into the deep confines of his body. His arms went numb and the sensation of pins and needles steadily overtook both of them.

"Good. Now, get him up." The man in the suit demanded. The two men behind him tugged on his tingly arms, dragging him back up to his knees before releasing their holds on him. The man in the suit stepped up again, this time only about two feet of space between him and Ash. Ash looked up carefully, locking eyes with the man.

" _What did you do to me…?"_ Ash murmured angrily.

"Don't worry about it." the man in the suit said, "Now that that's over with, I believe I at least owe you an introduction. My name is Giovanni. I am the sole leader of Team Rocket. It is my vision and my money that has gotten us to this point. And you, Ash Ketchum, have caused me no small amount of growing pains since our expansion into Sinnoh. At long last, I have decided to finally do something about it."

"So, Giovanni, you're going to kill me?" Ash asked coldly.

"Kill you? Oh, no. Not yet, at least." Giovanni answered, "Not as long as you behave."

Ash moved his eyes around the room, scanning as many faces as he could see. His eyes first fell on Proton, and then to the other three people in similar clothing. Two of them, the woman and a man with short teal hair, wore white uniforms with black trims. The other two, Proton and a narrow-headed man with purple hair, wore black uniforms with white gloves and yellow trim. Based on the fact that they were all together with Proton, Ash guessed that they were also Executives. The five Grunts behind them were all equally unremarkable, but Ash kept looking. And then, he laid his eyes on a face he would never fail to recognize.

"Lester!" Ash gasped. He must've been posing as a Grunt to see what they were up to! "Help us!"

The Executives slightly turned to look at Lester as he left the rank of Grunts behind them. Lester stopped just in front of the red-haired female Executive and kneeled, bowing his head. "My lord, may I?"

Ash stiffened.

"Of course, Lester…" Giovanni said, stepping a few paces away. Lester took the leader's place, glaring down at Ash and wearing a cruel grin. Ash's throat became dry, and Lester opened his mouth to speak, his tone completely different than any kind he had shown in the five weeks they'd spent together.

"Hello, Ash…Dawn." Lester started, "Hope your binds aren't too tight. Well, actually, I do."

"Lester!" Ash shouted, "W-what is this?"

"This is _me._ " Lester answered, "The _real_ me. Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I'm not who you thought I was. I'm with Team Rocket…always have been."

"Th-that can't be!" Ash protested, "H-how?" Ash was quickly losing it, unable to understand how it could be so. They'd first met Lester and _saved_ him from Team Rocket, hadn't they? Lester squinted at Ash, relaxing his eyes a moment later and speaking some more.

"I know what you're thinking, Ash. So, I'll do you the honor of starting from the beginning. It all started that day in Canalave City. We were looking for the Adamant Orb. We'd been everywhere in the city, and we'd found nothing. It didn't make any sense. But then, right before my group and I could head out to search one more time, I saw you and Dawn coming down the street to where I was. Based on the intel that we had, there was only one reason that you'd be in the city: because you were on your way to challenge the Gym Leader. It was then that I realized there was one place that we hadn't been yet; a place that the public couldn't just walk into at will: the Canalave City Gym."

Ash sat there on his knees, his arms pulled tightly back behind him and held in place by cuffs, and listened, his face completely absent of emotion.

"And so I told my team to drop their civilian clothes, and we staged a show. Just in the nick of time, I stumbled out of the alleyway, posing as a mere citizen that was having their Pokémon stolen."

Ash remembered it all too well.

" _Hey kid, get on out of here. This ain't none of your business."_ The Grunt had told him. He'd stepped in and made it his problem, and Dawn had joined him without hesitation.

" _My name is Lester. I'm a Pokémon Paleontologist."_

" _I'm Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu. I'm a Pokémon Trainer, and we're training to take on the Sinnoh League."_

" _Could…could I travel with you around the city today? Team Rocket has been a real problem here lately…"_

He had been so genuine. And it had been a charade from the very beginning.

"I must say, it was quite easy to gain your trust!" Lester boasted, "And on our journey to Snowpoint City, I was reporting to my superiors every chance I got! You failed to even have an _inkling_ the entire time! HA _-HA-HA, HOO-HOO-HA-HA-HA-HA!_ And Ash, you even revealed your Aura abilities to me, because you trusted me so much! Oh, what a rude awakening this must be! _HA-HA-HA-HA!"_

Ash flinched, his eyes watering from the anger. He pushed against his handcuffs, though it was no use at all. His anger bubbled to the surface, but he was completely unable to manifest any Aura. Just about everything Lester had said to him in the past two months blazed through his mind, every word echoing in the currently blank chamber of his brain. He simply couldn't believe it. Everything he had said, everything he had done, had been a complete and total lie. And he had pulled it off so unbelievably well. He saw red and looked back up at Lester's eyes, his irises glowing with a brilliant bright blue color. The raw power running through his system was so immense, that if his Aura was working outside of his own body, he'd likely be able to decimate the entire building.

"Lester!" Ash shouted, his voice warped and distorted, "You bastard! I'll make you pay! You will _never_ get away with this!"

"Quiet him down." Giovanni said sternly. One of the men holding Ash's arms let go of him and produced a needle. Ash thrashed in a futile attempt to escape, forcing the second Grunt to put both hands on him and hold him down. Ash continued to spit venom at Lester as the first Grunt stuck the needle in and injected its contents, and Ash immediately silenced once it was done. He went still and passed out, the only indication that he was even still alive being the steady back and forth movements of his chest.

"Ash!" Dawn cried. She then looked up at Lester, "You! You should be ashamed of yourself, Lester!"

Lester looked at her coldly, saying nothing. Giovanni spoke up again, "All right. Prepare to pull out. We need to be back at base before he wakes up."

"What? What are you going to do with him?" Dawn stammered.

Giovanni ignored her, turning to one of the Executives. It was a man with short teal hair and a cold, calculating face. "What's the status on the package?"

"Nothing yet, sir." The Executive said. Giovanni noticeably frowned.

"Lord Giovanni, sir!" called a voice. The platoon of Grunts who had been sent after Riolu reached the top of the steps on the first floor. "We could not find the Riolu, sir. It's gone."

Giovanni blew air through his nose, but he prevented himself from getting angry. "All right. Leave it be. We don't have the time to scour the entire mountain for one Pokémon." Giovanni said, "Besides, the Temple runs so deep into the mountains, there's a good chance that the little rat ran so far that it will never find its way out."

Just then, a radio on the teal-haired Executive's belt came alive with noise, filling the temple room with garbled words.

" _Calling all Executives, do you copy? Over."_

The Executive unhooked the radio from his belt, speaking into it, "This is Executive Archer, we copy, over."

The radio crackled with noise immediately, _"We are pleased to report that the package is secure. I repeat, the package is secure. Over."_

"Excellent work. Disperse and return to base. _Ensure_ that you are not followed." Archer said. He then put the radio back on his belt, nodding to Giovanni.

"Good. Get the boy in the ship, _now._ We're leaving." Giovanni ordered.

The Grunts by Ash lifted the sleeping teen up, hoisting him over their shoulders and walking toward the steps. On the way, they passed Dawn, who frantically tried to stop them. "Please, please don't take him. Please!" she stammered, but the men ignored her and kept walking, their shoes clicking as they went up the stone steps and disappeared from view. One by one the Grunts filed out, including the men on either side of Dawn. They conspicuously left her sitting on the tile floor, as if she didn't even exist. The four Executives filed out next, ignoring her as well. Finally, Giovanni was the last one in the room. Unlike the others, he stopped beside Dawn's curled-up form and looked down upon her, not an ounce of pity in his dark eyes.

"I'm sorry that it has to be this way." Giovanni said, "But the fact is that I cannot allow you and your friend to continue roaming about and making trouble for us."

Dawn resorted to pleading, "Please, please, listen to me. Just give us back our Pokémon, and let us go, and then we'll be on our way. You don't have to take him."

Giovanni frowned, "I'm afraid that is not an option. Ash is far too dangerous to my operation. Furthermore, I am not a fool. People will say anything to save their skin. You are too smart to be allowed to walk. But I will show you mercy. Instead of coming with us, you will remain here inside the Temple to die."

Giovanni turned his head to look forward and began walking away. Dawn realized she was being left behind, and she immediately became panicked. _"Wait!_ Wait, you can't be serious!" Giovanni kept walking, showing no regard for her cries. Dawn scrambled to her feet, struggling thanks to the cuffs that made her arms useless, but she managed to stumble to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the exit. By then, Giovanni was already at the top, and he slipped to the outside of the door. A frigid wind blew into the temple, making Dawn shiver.

" _Good night, Miss Berlitz."_

Giovanni slammed the heavy temple door shut, and the sound of a heavy block falling into place echoed through the empty temple, signaling that the door was now barred shut from the outside. Dawn whimpered and stumbled up the stairs, nearly falling flat on her face several times before she reached the door. With her hands tied behind her back, she slammed her shoulder into the door.

" _Stop! You can't just leave me here!"_ Dawn shrieked. She continued ramming her body into the doors, though they barely moved at all.

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

" _Please!"_ she screamed, _"Let me out! Please!"_

The sound of roaring engines came from the other side of the door, and another series of sounds indicated that the ship was taking off, with a single occupant trapped inside the ancient temple. Dawn rammed into the door a few more times, making her left shoulder incredibly sore, until the sounds of the departing ship became more and more distant before she could no longer hear it. Tears streamed down her face and she sobbed, her attempts at bashing the door open becoming weaker and weaker until she finally stopped and slid down to the floor, her back scraping against the ancient door.

She was alone.

* * *

 **Was that a tad too dark? I hope not. But hey, finally some exposure to Giovanni, so that's gotta be good, right? If you liked this chapter, tell me all about it in a review at the bottom! I'd be so happy if I got as many reviews this time as I did for the last chapter, so come on, everyone! Anyway, what do you guys think will happen next? Dawn's stuck in the Snowpoint Temple, Team Rocket's kidnapped Ash and the Pokémon, and things are starting to fall into place.**

 **Bonus: Where does this chapter get its name from?**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	57. The Aftermath

**Hey everyone, welcome to Chapter 57: The Aftermath. Last week's chapter was pretty big, with a lot finally happening in regards to things that have been in the making on both sides. I received mostly positive feedback on that, so I'm mostly pleased. Though, I do understand that there are those who disapproved or are confused at some parts in Chapter 56. I hope that details in this chapter can clear up those issues. In my author's note at the end, I wondered if the chapter was a bit "dark". Dark may have been the wrong word, perhaps "different" would've been more accurate, as what happened in Ch.56 is rather different than most of what else we've seen thus far. Also, I didn't get a correct answer on my bonus question after the last chapter, in which I asked if anyone could guess where the title "The Scorpion" came from. I'll admit, I'm a little surprised no one could guess it, but no matter, I'll reveal the answer. In Chapter 56, _Lester_ is "the scorpion", the traitor. Ash and Dawn both trusted him, and he stabbed them in the back.**

 **KakeruPB: You have very valid concerns, but I'm a bit confused as well. Yes, Ash's team would crush most if not all Team Rocket squads if they were all sent out. But they weren't expecting to be met by Team Rocket right inside the front door. They went to the Snowpoint Temple, chasing the ship under the impression that Team Rocket was also going after Regigigas, as there's nothing else there. Yeah, it's a bit forced to send them there, but Zoey thought she and Candice would be able to handle things on their end. So, with the expectation that they wouldn't run into the enemy right at the door, they were caught off guard, and both Ash and Dawn were incapacitated before either of them could've had the chance to call on their Pokémon. Plus, none of the Team Rocket members had theirs out ready to battle. In the same vein, where do you feel I am down-powering Ash's team? I'm genuinely confused. I included details in the chapter that should hopefully answer your confusion about the Aura stuff, although the science may be a stretch. But, considering the incredibly advanced tech in the Pokémon world, I think it is fair. Lastly, the nightmares thing, what happened isn't in any of his nightmares, and what will happen isn't in any of them. But, the inclusion of such things earlier in the story was probably a poor choice, and I believe I should revise or even exclude his nightmares from the story if possible. I wrote and posted those things at a time when I was still figuring out where I was going to go with the story. At this point, I feel that I know where I want to go and how I want to do it. Apologies if the last chapter upset you, but I hope you can enjoy what will come in the future.**

 **Remisolleke, K2, Guest, & Lance Curry: As always, thanks for reading, guys. Your enthusiasm for this story is a real treat. Hope you can continue to read, review, and enjoy.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 57_

 _The Aftermath_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint Temple**_

Dawn shivered periodically on the floor of the Snowpoint Temple, her breath condensing into fog-like vapors in front of her face. She had curled up as best she could, tucking her legs close to her torso in a desperate attempt to keep as much warmth close to her as possible. It was disturbingly cold inside the ancient temple, thanks to the frigid weather outside.

She had spent the entire night only a matter of feet away from the outside, but she had been unable to do anything about it. She had spent as much as two hours beating on the door, but it had been locked shut from the outside by a heavy plank. Her arms had gone numb thanks to being pulled back and cuffed together at her wrists, and the rest of her body wasn't faring much better. At this rate, her chances of survival were noticeably dwindling. She prayed desperately that someone would come looking for her. Surely Zoey and Candice would wonder where she and Ash were!

Just thinking Ash's name made her angry, though not in any way at him. The bastards at Team Rocket had knocked him out and taken his Pokémon, while stealing Dawn's as well and leaving her to die inside the freezing building, cuffed and unable to do anything for herself. It was Giovanni's own twisted way of exacting revenge on Ash and Dawn for meddling with his organization.

Speaking of Ash, where had they taken him? Was he alright, Dawn wondered? She hoped that they wouldn't hurt him, but her hopes weren't exactly high about that.

A bark suddenly echoed through the room, seemingly coming from somewhere down the nearby stairs. The high-pitched yelp bounced off of the walls hauntingly, fading away in an eerie fashion. Dawn, though, could not mistake the cry for anything. It was Riolu!

"Riolu!" Dawn howled, "I'm here!"

" _Rio!"_ the cry came again, this time closer but still well on its way down the stairs.

"Riolu, follow my voice! I'm upstairs!" Dawn called. Optimism seemingly warmed her body and she called out again, being quickly answered by Riolu's barking. Eventually, the fighting-type appeared at the top of the final staircase, standing on the opposite side of the room from Dawn.

Riolu yipped, sprinting over to Dawn. A single tear had welled up in one of its eyes, a physical manifestation of the hopeless fear it had been feeling for the past several hours. The Emanation Pokémon skidded to a stop beside Dawn, offering a small, affectionate lick to her cheek. Dawn on the other hand had completely forgotten about Riolu's narrow escapade from the Team Rocket Grunts, in part thanks to the pile of traumatic events that had happened immediately after the fighting-type had disappeared down the stairs with a half-dozen Grunts in tow.

"Riolu, I'm so glad you're okay. I need you to help break these cuffs off of me." Dawn said, shivering. She turned around and wiggled her hands, showing Riolu where the binds were. The fighting-type dutifully answered, raising its right paw and readying a Force Palm. Dawn felt Riolu's furry paw slide between her arms, and raw energy scraped against her wrists, hitting the cuffs and smashing them. Relief flooded over Dawn and she violently shook her hands, managing to shake the handcuffs off of her wrists.

"Riolu, thank you!" she cried, grabbing the fighting-type gently and pulling it in close. "How did you get away…?" Riolu yipped and pressed its paw to Dawn's temple, confusing her. In an instant, Riolu's eyes lit up with a blue color and Dawn's sight was washed away, quickly being replaced by a vision.

 _Riolu sprinted down a set of stone stairs. As the fighting-type ran, a group of people were shouting close at heel. Riolu barked and leaped down the next set of stairs, clearing the distance easily and landing on the next floor below. Riolu whirled around powered up an Aura Sphere just as the Team Rocket Grunts appeared at the top of the staircase, slinging the blast of energy at them. The Grunts yelled in a panic and scrambled out of the way of the attack, and Riolu started running again. The Grunts shouted randomly and followed, their combined footfalls on the set of stairs creating a loud roar in the hollow chambers of the temple._

 _Riolu lost count of how many flights of ancient stairs it had run down before finally reaching a wide corridor. The Grunts were once again close at heel, catching up thanks to their strides being much longer than Riolu was capable of. Knowing this, Riolu skidded to a stop, spinning around on its toes to face the group of Grunts. The Grunts reached the corridor, coming to a sudden stop as they spotted Riolu standing in place._

" _Heh-heh-heh. We got 'im, now, boys." one of them said with a snicker._

 _Riolu barked, bringing its two paws close together and forming an Aura Sphere, closing its eyes to focus._

" _Get it!" one of the Grunts roared. The group surged forward and Riolu's eyes shot open, fury in its red irises. The Emanation Pokémon threw the Aura Sphere into the ground, narrowly missing a Grunt's foot and causing the floor to explode, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and ancient rubble. The Grunts shouted as one and Riolu spun around, sprinting away as the men stumbled through the dust cloud._

" _It's getting away! After it!"_

 _Riolu kept running and the Temple became darker and darker. Luckily, Riolu's eyes were well-trained for the dark, and the increasing darkness hardly affected it. What did affect Riolu though, was the sudden change in the tunnels. The Emanation Pokémon came to a stop as the corridor widened into a circular room. From there, one tunnel became four. Riolu snapped its head back and forth, examining each tunnel before making a split-second decision and diving into the tunnel furthest to the right._

 _The Grunts were not far behind Riolu, and their voices echoed down the tunnel behind Riolu, prompting the fighting-type to peek back behind it as it ran._

" _Dammit! Which way did it go?"_

" _Split up! Use your lights and find the thing!"_

 _Riolu picked up the pace, running as fast as it could down the corridor. Unfortunately, the tunnel eventually ended, coming to a close with a large metal door. Riolu skidded to a stop and looked up at the huge door, pushing on it with all of its little might. The door failed to budge, and Riolu frantically looked back behind it. A pair of flashlight beams were shaking back and forth as two Grunts came down the tunnel, searching for the little fighting-type. Riolu gulped and pushed on the door once more, not at all surprised when it didn't budge. Now cornered, Riolu shut its eyes tight and focused, channeling its Aura and projecting it outward through the dark tunnel._

 _Something along the ancient rock wall caught Riolu's attention. There were countless cracks in the rock, but just close by there was a medium-sized crevice in the wall, with an opening just large enough for the fighting-type to slip inside. Riolu bolted to the wall and gently placed its left leg inside, locking up its body and shimmying deeper inside the crevice. Once inside, Riolu exhaled with relief at the stroke of luck. Not a minute later, the two Grunts arrived at the metal door, their flashlight beams flapping back and forth through the tunnel._

" _What the hell is this?" the first Grunt asked aloud._

" _Hell if I know. Archer said the doors block off extra areas of the temple. The Regigigas chamber is supposedly around here somewhere."_

" _Whoa-ho-ho, could you imagine Team Rocket with the power of Regigigas? No one would stand in our way."_

" _Yes, but Lord Giovanni wants to wait for awhile before capturing it. There's been some gossip going around about a super-awesome Poké Ball in development."_

" _Is that so?"_

" _Something like that. Anyway, let's head back, that Riolu must not have come down this way."_

 _The pair of Grunts turned around and trotted back the way they'd come, the glow from their flashlights slowly receding with them. Riolu stood perfectly still, not even taking the time to breathe, until the flashlight beams were no longer visible. The fighting-type then heaved, giving a yawn of relief._

The vision went away and Dawn sighed. She carefully grabbed onto Riolu and hugged the fighting-type, "I'm so glad you're okay, Riolu. You must've waited down there for so long because you weren't sure if they were gone. But it's so good to see you. Team Rocket hightailed out of here with Ash while you were gone."

" _Rioooo…"_ Riolu whined.

"I know, I know. It's not your fault that they got away with Ash. Don't worry, we're going to get him back, I know it, but first we need to get out of here." Dawn said.

Riolu yipped in protest, confusing Dawn. The fighting-type begged to be put back down on its feet and then rubbed a paw on Dawn's arm, feeling how terribly cold she was. Riolu growled at the cold sensation, deducing what Dawn had been put through, and then fired up a wave of Aura between its small paws. The Emanation Pokémon commanded the azure energy and placed it on Dawn's arms, doing some strange motions with its paws and guiding the energy around her body. Warmth instantly returned to Dawn's body, banishing the bitter chill around her. It became comfortable for her to breathe again, and her senses strengthened as she instantly felt better. The blue glow then went away, but Dawn's healthy feeling did not.

"R-Riolu…your Aura…" Dawn gasped. "Thank you, Riolu."

" _Rio!"_

"Now, we've got to get out of here." Dawn insisted, "Let's go try to bust that door open!"

Riolu yipped in agreement as Dawn stood up on her feet. She relished the feeling of being able to walk normally again, clenching and unclenching her fists as she made sure that she could feel everything again. In doing so, though, one of her legs gave out and she stumbled. Riolu ran over to help Dawn as she stuck out an arm to break her fall, and she smiled weakly at him.

"I'm okay, Riolu. Just feeling a little weak in the legs." Dawn insisted, "Thank you, though."

 _Bang!_

Dawn and Riolu looked up as the noise came from the doors of the temple, and they exchanged a confused glance. They nodded to each other and walked over to the foot of the staircase, Dawn having to move slowly so as to not trip. There was another banging noise at the door, followed by a third once they reached the bottom of the staircase and could see the locked doors.

"What could that be, Riolu?" Dawn asked. The fighting-type chattered with equal confusion.

Then, purple energy slashed through the thin space between the doors. There were two heavy _thunk_ 's from the outside, and then the door was rammed again. This time, the doors flew opened, smashing into the walls on either side of them and nearly breaking. Through the open space, a white Pokémon barreled through the air, landing cleanly about halfway down the tall staircase. A curved black horn protruded from the side of the Pokémon's head, and the mysterious creature released a piercing roar.

Riolu immediately became defensive, charging up an Aura Sphere between its paws. The intruding Pokémon saw the move and its curved horn glowed a menacing purple, growling threateningly at Riolu in the process.

"Riolu, stop!" Dawn cried. Riolu flinched and looked up at Dawn, confused. Dawn, though, wasn't looking down at Riolu. Instead, she was fixated on the Pokémon that had just thrown open the doors.

" _Absol?"_ she whispered.

Absol released a cry and the purple energy around its horn went away. The dark-type padded down the rest of the steps, stopping just a few feet from Dawn. Dawn gasped, "It is! You're the Absol that we freed from Team Rocket. What are you doing here?"

Absol purred, not giving a conclusive answer. Dawn then remembered the species' entry in the Pokédex, which explained that the Pokémon could sense disasters and react to them.

"Could…could you have come…f-for me?" Dawn asked carefully.

" _Sol!"_ Absol answered.

Dawn brightened until her muscles cried, aching from the idleness they had suffered through for so many hours. She stumbled and Absol immediately surged to her side, preventing Dawn from tumbling into the floor. Riolu relaxed, now convinced that the mysterious dark-type was here to help.

"Let's get out of here, you two." Dawn decided. She walked, supporting herself on Absol. Riolu gently reached up its paw and grabbed Dawn's hand, hoping to find some comfort. Even if things were going to be all right for them, it was still very nervous. Riolu's beloved Trainer was missing, and that wasn't something it was supposed to just adjust to. But with Dawn being very close to Ash, Riolu felt that it was in some way connected to Ash by being near Dawn. Together, Dawn and the two Pokémon walked up the steps, and for the first time in too long, Dawn was finally able to see the outside once they reached the top.

On the floor at the front of the temple were the split halves of a very thick and very long wooden block. The thickness was at least double, possibly triple, the width of Dawn's arm, and it was longer than she was as well. No wonder she couldn't break the doors open, she thought, the plank was longer than the doorway and likely quite heavy. Absol, though, had slashed it apart with ease after ramming the door had failed.

 _Absol must've used Night Slash to break the wood,_ Dawn thought. The dark-type had been preparing to use the same move when it nearly got into a fight with Riolu. Dawn looked up as they walked down the temple's front steps and into the open. Snow was everywhere, riddled with dots of soot that the big Team Rocket ship had been dropping on the area during its arrival. The sun was inching up into the sky, only a short distance above the horizon. It was morning, meaning she'd been locked inside the Temple for several hours.

" _Sol."_ Absol grunted.

" _I see someone!"_ a voice called through the forest. Dawn, Riolu, and Absol all looked up, seeing no one in front of them. A moment later, though, four people dashed out from the forest, arriving at the clearing leading to the Snowpoint Temple. The group was made up of two men and two women. The men were both unremarkable, the similar brown stubbles on their faces being the only significant feature about them apart from their large bulk and thick layers of clothes. The women were none other than Candice and Zoey.

"It's Dawn!" Zoey shouted. The group ran closer. Dawn tried to say something, but she immediately became disoriented. Absol, meanwhile, became very defensive and growled, the hair on its back bristling and standing on end.

"Absol…it's okay…" Dawn heaved weakly, "They're friends."

" _Sol?"_ Absol purred, looking back at Dawn. The Coordinator weakly shifted her gaze up to her friends as they closed in.

"Dawn! Are you okay?!" Zoey shouted.

Dawn failed to answer, her mouth becoming dry. She then slipped forward, Absol's support becoming useless. She fell into the snow just before Candice and Zoey reached her, and they immediately went into overdrive. Zoey fell down to her knees and lifted Dawn up to sit on her rear while Candice stripped off her blue sweater, offering it to Dawn as an extra layer. The two bulky men moved toward the open Temple.

"W-won't…find anyone…in there…" Dawn managed.

Zoey and Candice looked at her, "What are you talking about? Where's Ash?"

Zoey swung the backpack off of her shoulders and unzipped the top pocket, sliding a canteen of water out from it and popping open the top. Dawn groped for the canteen and Zoey helped her pour water down her throat. Dawn downed the water ravenously, for her body had been thirsting for it in the last countless hours she'd spent in her prison.

Dawn groaned and pushed the canteen away, spilling some excess water into the snow as Zoey worked to close the canteen again and stuff it inside her backpack. Dawn swallowed the remaining water in her mouth and groaned, a small amount of strength having returned to her. She looked up at the two girls worriedly, a mix of negative emotions clouding her eyes.

"I don't know where he is…" Dawn said, "They took him."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base**_

Ash's eyes hurt.

In fact, several parts of his body hurt.

Ash carefully opened his eyes, recoiling as they stung during the act. All manner of dirt and grime were pulled apart by his separating eyelids, grossing him out. He then blinked several times in an attempt to cure his blurred vision. He lost count of how many times he blinked before he was finally able to see things clearly. Once that was done, he examined the room he was in.

He was sitting down against a wall. Three more walls closed him inside a box. The walls were all made of concrete, with metal pieces bolted in at various places. Directly in front of him was a tall door made of discolored metal, with a single opening near the top. There was a handle on the inside of the door too, meaning he could theoretically leave.

With this idea, Ash made to move forward, naturally curious about what was on the other side of the door. As soon as he pushed his limbs, out, however, they were gently tugged back. Somehow, for the first time, Ash noticed the binds on his wrists and ankles. The ones around his wrists were very complex, having multiple thick steel rings that prevented the use of his hands beyond the simple flexing of his fingers. Tight chains extended from them and ended along the wall onto hooks that were impossible to reach, ensuring that he wouldn't be going anywhere. The memories then flooded back, and he squirmed with a mix of indescribable emotions. Everything, from Dawn's confession to the Lake Guardians being taken to being tricked and knocked out by Team Rocket. And now, they'd thrown him in a cell in Arceus knows where.

"Dammit!" Ash snapped. He kicked at thin air, but the chains yanked back and prevented him from pulling very much.

The sound of a huge lock sliding open tolled through the tiny cell like a damning bell, and not an instant later the door slid open, scraping loudly against the cheap floor. Ash winced in response to the unpleasant sound as two Grunts in grey uniforms walked in first, walking and putting their backs against the wall to Ash's right and standing at attention. A third person walked in, and Ash was met with the face of the short-haired Executive from the Snowpoint Temple. He involuntarily fought against the chains, every instinct in his body exploding.

"I see we have ourselves a fighter." Archer said, "Good. Maybe this was worth the resources it took to bring you in. Our leader apologizes that he could not come to you in person. He is a very busy man."

Ash didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. Archer strolled to one side of the cell, speaking to Ash next like a disappointed father, "Ash Ketchum, do you know why you are here?"

Once again, Ash didn't bother to answer.

"Fine." Archer scowled, "You are here because you have proved yourself a threat to our leader's goals here in Sinnoh. We have spent a great deal of time in the past two years keeping an eye on you, and I speak for everyone involved when I say that we are impressed. In the Sinnoh League two summers ago, you took down two Legendary Pokémon in the semifinal round. Considering how unfairly the odds were stacked against you, you should be proud. There are few Trainers of your caliber in this world. Your constant attempts to prevent our progress has worn our leader's patience like you wouldn't believe."

Ash still remained silent. Archer's eyes narrowed and he gestured to the two men along the wall. "All right, give him another dose. That should get him to talk."

The Grunts immediately surged forward, one of them grabbing his arm while the other produced a needle. The first Grunt lifted the sleeve of Ash's jacket, locating a vein in his arm with impressive precision. The second Grunt placed the rather thick syringe against the vein and then slid it inside, making Ash tense. The bluish serum inside was carefully injected into him, and he released an uncomfortable grunt. Immediately, his arms and legs went numb. He moved his fingers back and forth in an attempt to regain some feeling in them, but it was useless.

" _What is that?"_ Ash grunted, "What are you doing to me?"

"It speaks…" Archer remarked, wearing a dark smirk for a moment before continuing, "Very well, I suppose you deserve to know what's going through your body at any given moment. It's a specialized serum derived from anesthetics. The agent inside circles through your body and does damage to the muscles in and around your extremities, preventing them from getting what they need to be useful. As a result, numbness sets in and the muscles become temporarily nonfunctional as the serum resists the body's attempt to send blood, oxygen, and energy to those muscles."

"And because of that, my Aura won't work." Ash concluded.

"Smart boy." Archer said, "We initially searched for a way to seal your ability to use Aura altogether, but that was simply not feasible. This is the next best thing, keeping you from using your own body to manifest and manipulate Aura."

"So, what happens now?" Ash asked, adding a drawl of sarcasm to his next words, "I don't suppose you're going to tell me your boss's grand scheme, eh?"

"I wasn't planning on it, no." Archer answered, "You're going to sit in this cell for as long as we want you to. While you're doing that, I think we'll do a little work on your Pokémon."

Ash tensed, "Don't you dare."

Archer snorted, saying nothing. He turned to the Grunts, "Come." The two men silently obeyed and followed him out of the cell. They closed the cell door behind them, allowing it to screech painfully across the floor before locking it shut. As they did so, Ash shouted after them.

" _Cowards, all of you!_ I'm gonna get outta here, you hear me?!" Ash roared, "I'm gonna get out of this cell, and the second I get my hands on you, you're gonna wish you'd never locked me up!"

* * *

Bright light seeped through Pikachu's closed eyelids, causing the electric-type to stir. The mouse's eyes slightly opened, allowing more white light to pierce through. Pikachu groaned and rolled around onto its belly, sticking its four legs out underneath it and standing to stretch its body. After smacking his lips together a few times, Pikachu jolted awake, scanning his surroundings through squinted eyes. The room was uniformly white, with four white walls and countless super-bright bulbs spilling white light everywhere. Even the small cage he was currently housed in was white.

Pikachu didn't understand. Little by little, memories from the Snowpoint Temple rushed back and Pikachu remembered. Where was Ash?! And what about the other Pokémon? Team Rocket's goons had taken all of Ash and Dawn's Poké Balls, meaning the others were likely nearby.

Just then, the door into the room opened, and a round man with red glasses walked in. He laid his droopy eyes on Pikachu and gave a crude smile. The wrinkled, flabby clumps of skin around his mouth sagged as he did so, giving his skin an ugly, deformed look.

"You're awake. How convenient." Charon said. He walked over to the cage and Pikachu immediately tensed. His hair stood up on end and he growled, baring his teeth at the old scientist. He'd seen him a few times before, and their encounters had been less than pleasant.

"Now, now, I'm not going to hurt you." Charon rasped. Pikachu didn't buy it one bit, but Charon opened the top of the cage anyway, reaching down to grab the mouse. Pikachu bristled, but allowed Charon to lift him for just a moment. Once he was dangling in Charon's grip and out of the cage, Pikachu contorted his body and clamped his little jaws around one of Charon's fingers.

" _Agh!"_ Charon shrieked, nearly dropping Pikachu. Pikachu bit down even harder, tasting just a hint of the man's blood through the punctured rubber glove. Did the old man seriously think that he wouldn't resist? Charon's surprise instantly went away and his demeanor turned to a furious anger. He narrowed his eyes at Pikachu. _"You insolent little…"_ he started, trailing off. He brought his other gloved hand to the mouse's belly, tensing and releasing a pulse of blue electricity from a small machine on his wrist that stunned Pikachu. The mouse briefly went limp and Charon carelessly dropped him back into the white cage. Pikachu sucked in a series of rapid breaths, stunned by what had just happened. He had felt the shock of the electricity, but it had taken his strength away with one blow!

"Fine." Charon sneered, "We'll take you to the observation room in your cage." This time he grabbed the two handles on the top of the cage, holding it just far enough away from his body so that the mouse wouldn't be able to attack him. With that, the old scientist left the white room, heading down the uniform hall to who knows where.

Pikachu looked around with worry as Charon hefted his cage with him. Everything was the exact same, and it was horribly unsettling. After some walking, Charon pushed open a set of double doors and entered a much larger room. Immediately, Pikachu noticed that there were many more Pokémon in the room.

"Sorry I'm late!" Charon called. Several scientists in identical clothing turned to look at the older man, "This one didn't want to cooperate on the way here."

"Most of them never do, it seems." commented one of the other scientists. Charon didn't answer and carried Pikachu's cage over to a large counter that was lined with similarly-sized cages. The scientist slammed the cage down onto the counter, startling Pikachu. Charon then stooped down so that Pikachu could see his face.

"You wait here. No acting up, alright? Or you'll be the first one to get shock-lashed." Charon threatened. The man stood back up and walked away, leaving Pikachu to wonder what in the world a shock lashing was.

" _Pip-Piplup?"_ chirped a familiar voice.

Pikachu cocked his head to his left, spotting a familiar Pokémon that just so happened to be his current neighbor in the line of cages. Piplup shivered, a small tear present in one of his eyes. Pikachu scrambled up to the side of his cage, standing up as best he could and closing his paws around the bars.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu answered, relieved to see the water-type.

" _Bun-eary?"_ gasped a certain normal-type Pokémon. Buneary popped up into Pikachu's line of sight, being housed in the next cage over on the counter. The Rabbit Pokémon in particular looked to be in poor condition. The tuft of fur atop one of her ears was mangled and twisted up, hinting at some not-so-careful treatment at hands of the Rockets. There were more cages further to Buneary's left, but Pikachu couldn't see any of the Pokémon that might've been inside them. If it had been anyone familiar, Piplup and Buneary's cries would've tipped them off that Pikachu was there. So where were the rest of Ash and Dawn's Pokémon?

Pikachu looked around at his surroundings next, hoping to lay eyes on other familiar faces. A loud roar caught his attention as well as all the others in the room. Across the way, trapped inside a peculiar prison comprised of two rotating metal rings around a field of energy was Charizard. Two scientists stood on the other side of the unique cage, scribbling down notes. The fire-type was not at all happy, roaring and spewing fire almost constantly. The force field repelled the flames easily, keeping the hot fire inside it and doing no harm. To Charizard's left, sitting idly in a similar prison was a disgruntled-looking Armaldo. The Plate Pokémon looked particularly annoyed with Charizard's ferocity, for it had learned a long time ago that such an attitude only made things worse. If Pikachu had to guess, the Armaldo must've been in this place for a while. Eventually, Armaldo noticed Pikachu staring at it, and the rock/bug-type met the mouse's eyes and bared its teeth briefly.

"This one's passionate…" said one of the scientists observing Charizard.

"Yeah, he is. He'll be a promising fighter in the ring." said the other.

" _Piiiip."_ Piplup whimpered. How had they gotten into this situation?

" _Pi-ka-chu."_

" _Bun…"_

Charon returned, setting down a metal stool that he promptly sat on before leaning in to give Pikachu a once-over with his eyes. Pikachu bristled and bared his small teeth, but Charon simply snorted. He moved his arm up to reveal his hand clasped around a small remote, and he pressed the only button on the device. The white cage lit up with blue electricity, and Pikachu immediately cowered.

"Good little mouse." Charon said through narrowed eyes, "Now, be a good Pokémon or I'll have no choice but to zap you."

Charon set the remote on the table and then revealed a syringe. He opened the top of the cage, clicking the button on the remote and causing the electricity to crackle and pop, successfully distracting Pikachu for just as little time as he needed. He stuck the needle into the back of Pikachu's neck, injecting the liquid inside of it. The mouse's legs wobbled and he collapsed, suddenly exhausted beyond description.

"There. That should keep you idle while I run my tests." Charon remarked. He clicked the remote again and the cage's electricity went dormant, clearing the static in the air. Pikachu's breathing quickened as Charon's words echoed in his little head. Tests!? What kind of tests? The mouse grunted, wanting desperately to resist, but he felt like a big gelatinous blob. His entire body rejected his will, causing him to remain still as a result of whatever the scientist had injected him with.

Charon hummed as he readied all manner of devices and tools. Once that was done, he opened the cage and grabbed onto Pikachu's limp body, pushing the cage out of the way and setting the unresponsive mouse on the table. He went through the usual procedures, checking the electric-type's temperature and heart rate before forcing the mouse's mouth open and examining his teeth.

"You're quite healthy." Charon remarked absently. Once he was done with the routine tests, he moved onto the more specific parts.

Charon placed an electrical monitor beside Pikachu, hooking it up to a thin metal tool. Pikachu watched the tool with his eye. "I'm sure it's no secret to you and your Trainer that you're a rather powerful Pokémon." Charon said to Pikachu, "But your species is so common all over the world that we're interested in what makes you so special. It's our goal to find out what makes your Thunderbolts so tough."

Pikachu gulped and Charon pressed the thin metal tool to one of his bright red cheek sacs. On contact, Pikachu complained and tried to pull away, but his muscles refused to act and he was forced to accept it. A gentle electrical pulse crackled out from his cheeks, conducting onto the thin metal rod and racing down it. The monitor beeped and read a series of numbers. Charon's eyes widened.

"Incredible…" the old man rasped, "That was only a small shock, and yet the readings are off the charts!" Charon then pulled out a drawer and produced a small pad. He forcibly rubbed it on one of Pikachu's cheek sacs, upsetting the electric-type. "Now, now, calm down. I'm just taking this sample to see if we can't find anything interesting in the cells on your cheek sacs! If my hypothesis is correct, we'll be understanding what makes you tick within a few hours! I must report my findings to Giovanni."

Charon unhooked the monitor and lifted Pikachu again, carelessly dropping the mouse back into the cage and locking it shut. The old man scampered out of the lab, and barely a minute later the feeling in Pikachu's body began to return. The numbness went away and little by little the mouse stood up on his legs, heaving exhaustedly.

" _Pi…Pi…Pika…Pi…"_ the electric-type sighed, sucking in as much air as possible.

" _Pip-lup-Pip-lup…"_ Piplup chirped worriedly. What were they going to do now?

Pikachu, recognizing the sheer hopelessness of their situation, sagged and sat down on his belly, tucking his legs underneath him in an attempt to keep them warm. There were no openings right now, so there was nothing that could be done but wait. His newfound energy began to leave him and he became tired, so the mouse shut his eyes, tuning out another furious roar from Charizard and trying to get some sleep.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint City**_

Dawn carefully spooned the oatmeal into her mouth. She was feeling better after some desperately-needed sleep in a warm bed, and the oatmeal was her first taste of food in nearly 24 hours. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was shining on the ravaged Snowpoint City. She'd taken up residence with Zoey for the time being. At the foot of the chair Dawn sat in, Riolu was curled up on the floor, calmly snoozing away. Absol had followed them back as well, but the dark-type had chosen to stay outside and stand guard, preferring the solitude of the outdoors to people.

Zoey walked into the dining room from the kitchen, clutching two warm cups of coffee. She set one down carefully at the side of Dawn's bowl and then sipped from her own, taking a seat in a chair across the table from Dawn. She wanted to talk to Dawn about what had happened, but she chose not to simply out of respect. Perhaps Dawn would come around and tell her about it soon. She kept an eye on Dawn as the girl ate her oatmeal, slurping down sips of coffee every few seconds.

"…You want to know what happened." Dawn said somewhere down the line in between bites.

"Dawn, if you don't want…"

"It's fine." Dawn interrupted, "It's no use keeping it to myself."

Zoey shrugged. She had only just decided to keep to herself and not pry, but Dawn had taken a guess and outed her. She really did want to know. The Top Coordinator took another sip of coffee and then sighed, "All right. Hit me."

"They were waiting for us at the Snowpoint Temple. It was a trap." Dawn said, "We played _right_ into their hand."

"What did they do?" Zoey asked.

"They zapped Ash with this…thing…and they dragged us away from each other and put us in cuffs. They caged Pikachu after that too, and…they had some way of keeping him from fighting back. And then Riolu popped out of his Poké Ball out of nowhere, but Ash told him to run and hide." Dawn explained, "And then we met Team Rocket's leader, and…and then…" Dawn became choked up.

"…And then what…?" Zoey asked.

Dawn steeled herself, fighting any tears that tried to escape and gritting her teeth, "Remember our friend, Lester? He's with them."

Zoey nearly dropped her coffee mug. How could that be?! Lester had seemed so genuine!

"Yeah, he had us fooled too." Dawn said, reading Zoey's expression, "He'd been tricking us from the beginning. Their leader, Giovanni, he told us that he couldn't have us meddling in whatever his plans are, and so he gave Ash some kind of shot to make him sleep, took all of our Pokémon, and dragged Ash with them. They left me to die inside that temple."

"Oh, Dawn…I'm so sorry."

"It isn't your fault." Dawn said.

"But I let you two go to the Temple to see what they were up to. And because of that, they have Ash and your Pokémon." Zoey said, "So it is my fault."

Before Dawn could say anything to try and convince Zoey otherwise, Zoey's home videophone began beeping, signaling that she'd received a message. The Top Coordinator got up from her seat and walked over to the tall machine, tapping the screen a few times until she could read the text message she'd gotten. She stood deathly still as she read it, creating an air of suspense around Dawn.

"We should go." Zoey said suddenly, "Candice and the mayor have called a town meeting."

Dawn nodded and scarfed down a few more bites of oatmeal. Her erratic motion startled Riolu, waking the fighting-type and confusing him.

"C'mon, Riolu, we've got to go into town." Dawn said. Riolu responded by leaping up onto the table and then crawling onto Dawn and perching himself atop her head, similar to what Piplup was fond of doing. Dawn sighed as she thought of Piplup and her other Pokémon. Were they alright, she wondered? She blinked a few times and then followed Zoey, who had strapped on her boots and was heading for the door. As soon as she opened the front door, Absol shot up from his place in the snow, standing at attention.

"Relax, Absol. We're going into town, you wanna come with us?" Dawn asked. Absol grumbled as he processed the thought. With a gruff _"Sol."_ the dark-type stood at Dawn's side, walking perfectly in pace with her as they headed down the dirt path into downtown.

A horde of people had already gathered in the town's main square. Dawn looked back and forth around the square, examining countless buildings that had been partially burnt. There was even a building on the left side of the square that had burned down completely, the only part left of it being the charred remains of its foundation. The townspeople chattered amongst themselves loudly. Dawn and Zoey were some of the last people to be filtering into the square. Zoey tapped a man in the back of the group and maneuvered past him, gesturing for Dawn to follow. In a moment's notice, they were now on the innermost row of the circle of townspeople. Candice and an older man in a brown tweed suit stood in the center of the circle, waiting and watching as the people of the city poured in. The man in the suit had a bushy gray mustache and a monocle over one of his eyes, making him seem quite out of place with the rest of the people. He must've been the mayor of Snowpoint City.

A few minutes later, the same old man raised his hand, commanding the attention of everyone present. The loud chatter died down gradually until everything was silent, and the man brought his hand back down, opening his mouth to speak.

"My friends. It is no secret what has happened to our beautiful city." the man said, "As your mayor, it saddens me deeply. Last night we suffered a cruel attack from Team Rocket, a coven of criminals and evildoers who claim to seek world domination. They attacked our city with the intention of burning it to the ground. Why they would do something so bold, we are unsure, but thanks to the amazingly quick work of some esteemed individuals, we did not lose a single soul last night."

The crowd applauded and cheered, and the mayor continued, "Furthermore, those same people worked dutifully to save our city, putting out the rampant fires once everyone had been evacuated!" The crowd applauded even more. Someone whistled loudly in approval. The mayor then grew sad, "Alas, I wish that was the only news that I had to give. We now understand that this _malicious attack_ was meant only as a diversion. It is a dark day for the Sinnoh Region, I'm afraid. Operatives of Team Rocket also attacked the three great lakes of our beautiful region, including our beloved Lake Acuity, and captured the legendary Lake Guardians from within. Furthermore, their men strolled into our burning city to steal something else of immense value."

The mayor trailed off and Candice stepped forward, following the mayor to speak her part. In a loud, passionate voice, she called, "Here in Snowpoint City for the past two years, we have watched over the Lustrous Orb, one of the two famous Orbs that are part of the deities Dialga and Palkia!"

The crowd began to murmur. It was clear that the general populace had had no idea of this. Candice spoke further, "We have intentionally kept this a secret from you in order to protect the Lustrous Orb, but for that, I am truly sorry. Team Rocket's objective in Snowpoint City was to steal the Lustrous Orb for themselves, and unfortunately, they succeeded. They succeeded because they defeated me, your Gym Leader, in battle. For that, I am truly sorry. I have failed you all."

The crowd's murmuring continued. Someone shouted from the crowd, "That's not true! You must have tried your hardest! No one could've known this was coming!"

Candice tried to give a smile, but it quickly vanished. "I wish that were the full truth of it. I tried my best to defend the Orb, yes, but we had some idea that something was going to happen. Everyone knows that the Adamant Orb was taken from Canalave City recently, and before it the Spear Key from Veilstone City. It only makes sense to complete the set. The bottom line is that we were woefully unprepared."

The mayor spoke up again, "Now, why are we telling you these things?" the mayor asked the people, "Because I have decided that there will be no more secrets. The entire Sinnoh Region is now on high alert. Government forces will be arriving in Snowpoint City shortly to aid with damage control as well as formulate a plan to counteract Team Rocket's ambitions. In this same vein, I plead to everyone that hears me now to help us in this endeavor. If we work together, we can overcome any threat. Let's not let Team Rocket be exempt from that! Let us combine our hands and our minds and avenge our city! Let us _unite!"_

The crowd roared, and many people stomped their feet approvingly. Some people began cheering the mayor's name, and the old man looked down at the ground with a hint of embarrassment. Candice left him and trotted over to Dawn and Zoey, a big smile on her face.

"Dawn, Zo-Zo?" Candice said, "Are you two ready?"

"Always." Dawn said fiercely, sticking out her arm.

"I'm ready too." Zoey agreed, putting her arm in and touching her hand to Dawn's. Candice grinned and did the same before looking to the sky and yelling for everyone to hear.

" _Snowpoint City, let's put our kiai into this!"_

* * *

Dawn watched as the government ships landed just outside of Snowpoint City. People poured in and out of the ships as they landed, many of them setting up large open tents. Cargo was unloaded and men and women flocked in and out of the city. Many of the people coming off the ships were clad in padded body armor from head to toe, which was admittedly concerning to Dawn. It looked like a war party was unloading.

"Strange, isn't it?" said Candice. The Gym Leader planted her boots in the snow and stood beside Dawn, her hands on her hips, "Most people don't even think about having a military, considering that we've been at peace for so long. And now, they're right here on our doorstep, coming out of the shadows because of Team Rocket."

"Things were simpler back then. Now we can't predict what's going to happen." Dawn said.

"Agreed. It's unfortunate. But so long as my city doesn't turn into a battleground, I suppose I can tolerate this."

A flash of blonde caught Dawn's eye, drawing her attention immediately. A tall woman with long, flowing blonde hair padded down the ramp leading into one of the ships, her usual black outfit billowing behind her in the chilly wind. She had a stoic look on her face, any sense of emotion completely absent.

"The Champion's come all the way out here." Candice remarked, "They must be worried."

Dawn stepped forward, heading into the camp. Candice tried to call her back, but Dawn kept walking towards Cynthia. Some of the men unloading the ships gave Dawn weird looks, but she didn't bother returning them. It only took a few moments for Dawn to reach her. The Champion of Sinnoh stood with her back to Dawn, speaking to a soldier.

"Cynthia?" Dawn asked.

The Champion turned around and her eyes lit up. "Dawn!" she gasped, before she surged forward and hugged the young Coordinator. The action surprised Dawn, but she returned the hug. "What are you doing out here?" Cynthia asked when she let go of Dawn.

"Cynthia, it was awful. Those crooks kidnapped Ash last night." Dawn said.

" _What?"_ Cynthia asked, stunned. "I hadn't heard. You must've been in town so that he could challenge Candice."

"You know about his challenge letters?"

"Of course. We keep in constant communication with Sinnoh's Gym Leaders. I was rather intrigued to hear that Ash was going around challenging the Gym Leaders' best Pokémon." Cynthia explained, "But you say Team Rocket has kidnapped him? How?"

"We were tricked." Dawn said with a sniffle, "They led us to the Snowpoint Temple, and they cuffed us and took all of our Pokémon. I don't have any of mine left." Dawn decided to leave out the part about being locked up inside the temple to die. She was fine now, and it wasn't important. The same likely could not be said for Ash and their Pokémon.

"I see." Cynthia said, "This is terrible."

"What are we going to do, Cynthia?" Dawn asked, her voice full of desperation.

"I don't know." Cynthia answered, "But we will figure it out. And we will rescue Ash and your Pokémon. I swear to you."

"Okay…" Dawn said.

"In the meantime, do you think you can recall anything about where they might've gone?" Cynthia asked. The reason for the question was two-fold. The government had declared that the number one goal was to locate Team Rocket's base in Sinnoh, the idea being that they would stop them from accomplishing the rest of their plan before they could even get started.

Dawn shook her head, "No…they never said anything specific. I wouldn't even know where to start."

"That makes things a tad more difficult. We have no leads to go off of." Cynthia admitted.

Dawn then had an idea. Color returned to her face as she thought about it. It wasn't perfect, but it could be their best chance at locating Ash. "Cynthia, I think I have an idea. But I won't be back until tomorrow."

"What is it?" Cynthia asked.

"It's complicated." Dawn said. She unlocked her Pokétch and found the number of a certain ex-Gym Leader in the Kanto Region. She flipped her arm around and showed Cynthia the number, "I need you to call Brock for me. He'll want to know about what's happened."

"Got it. But what could Brock help us with?" Cynthia asked, "Furthermore, isn't he all the way in Kanto?"

"Yes, but it's worth a shot." Dawn insisted, "He has medical experience on both people and Pokémon. We could need him. While I'm gone, I need you to call him up and fill him in. He'll come, I know he will."

"All right. And what about you?" Cynthia asked.

Dawn smiled, "I'm going to Iron Island."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – High in the Sky**_

Dawn floated through the frigid night air on Togekiss' back. Riolu was in her lap, sleeping soundly as they coasted on the wind over the open sea. Luckily for Dawn, Togekiss had been back in Twinleaf Town with her mother for the past few days, so the Jubilee Pokémon hadn't been taken by Team Rocket.

They'd been flying for a few hours at this point, and night had long since fallen on the sea. The island was hopefully not too far off now. Dawn felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. In getting Togekiss from her mother, she had deliberately lied to Johanna's face. Since she could only carry six Pokémon with her at a time, Dawn would've had to switch one of her on-hand Pokémon to bring Togekiss. Instead, though, Dawn had told her that Mamoswine was in the care of Professor Rowan at the moment, so she had an extra space for Togekiss. She hoped that the lie would hold up.

 _No need to worry._

It was Dawn's catchphrase, and had been for as long as she could remember. A lot of times, she didn't even realize that she was saying it. The sentence was a part of her, even when it wasn't true. Although…she couldn't think of a time where such a phrase was as untrue as it was today. When Johanna had briefly attempted to pry on the phone earlier, Dawn had insisted that there was no need for her to worry, even though there was a long list of reasons to do exactly that: worry.

Dawn gulped. She hated lying to her mom. But at the moment, she felt it was the best course of action. She looked down, watching Riolu breathe in and out while he slept. The fighting-type had done pretty much that for the entire day, and Dawn was glad for it. This way, Riolu didn't have to fret about Ash like she was, even though she had refused to show how scared she was. If she couldn't be calm and at peace, it was better that Riolu got to feel that way. Next, she glanced at the open sea below her. The water was calm and icy. If she were to fall in the water, she'd probably be shivering for days, and that was if she even made it out. Realizing the darkness of such a thought, Dawn forced the idea out of her mind and focused her attention straight ahead.

On the black horizon, a blur came into view. As Togekiss continued flying toward it, Dawn's sight became more and more clear. What started as a blur became a rugged island. Short mountains made up nearly the entire terrain, with small stretches of forest at their feet. The last time she'd been here, Team Galactic had attempted to blow up the entire island with bombs after their schemes there had been thwarted. Thanks to the help of Riley, the crisis had been averted, and as far as Dawn knew, the old mining island had remained peaceful since then. Ash had mentioned a few times before that Riley had taken up permanent residence on the island, far enough away from established society that he could live in peace while also being reachable should his help be needed. Unfortunately, his help was desperately needed tonight.

Dawn stared at the island and blinked, stroking her Pokémon's head. "Togekiss, take us in. We're going to find Riley."

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Pewter City**_

Brock tossed a handful of popcorn kernels into his mouth, crunching them to bits as quietly as he could. He sat on a large couch, surrounded by all nine of his brothers and sisters. They were watching an old movie that was a favorite of Brock's. In his lap sat the bowl of popcorn, the occasional hand of one of his siblings diving into it to grab a fistful of the buttered snack.

A faint buzzing in his pocket pulled his attention away from the movie. He fished through it and grabbed his cell phone, seeing a number that he didn't recognize. He contemplated ignoring the call and slipping the phone back in his pocket, but he had learned after several years to answer any time he could when he was getting a call. This would be especially true once he became a licensed Pokémon Doctor.

"Sorry, kids, I need to take this." Brock said. He shifted and climbed off of the couch, eliciting an unhappy groan from his siblings, and he headed to the privacy of the outdoors before answering the phone, "Hello?"

" _Brock, is that you?"_ asked Cynthia over the line. Brock stiffened. _Cynthia_ was calling him? Brock's imagination ran wild. Things hadn't worked out with Gardenia for obvious reasons, so he was on the market as usual. What if Cynthia had realized how much she loved him and was calling to tell him this?!

" _Hello? Brock?"_ Cynthia asked again, knocking Brock out of his imagination. He scrambled to recover and answered frantically.

"Yes, I'm here, sorry. Cynthia, what are you doing? How did you get my number?" Brock asked.

" _I wish it was under better circumstances. Dawn asked me to call you."_

"Dawn? Why would Dawn need you to call me?" Brock asked, suddenly suspicious.

" _There's been an incident in Sinnoh. The Lustrous Orb has been stolen, meaning Team Rocket now has both of the Spacetime Orbs as well as the Spear Key."_

"That's everything they need to get into Spear Pillar." Brock remembered, "But, wait, I haven't heard about the Lustrous Orb being taken!"

" _We've been keeping a lid on the news getting out. But that will only last so long. I'm in Snowpoint City right now, at a government encampment just outside the city."_ Cynthia explained.

"Why are you telling me this?" Brock asked.

" _Because it gets worse. Team Rocket has taken Ash as well, and we don't know where they've gone."_ Cynthia said.

" _What?_ Why would they do something like that? They've never tried to kidnap any of us." Brock stammered.

" _I'm afraid things are changing. Dawn said that you had experience as a doctor for people and Pokémon."_

"Well, yeah, but…I'm not exactly licensed."

" _Doesn't matter. I can authorize you to be here. Your friendship with Ash and Dawn is unlike anything I've seen. I know any one of you would do anything to protect each other."_ Cynthia said, _"And I'm certain that you would want to help rescue Ash, once we find him. I know that I'm asking a lot of you..."_

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Brock cut her off, his mind already made up.

" _You've already decided?"_ Cynthia asked, surprised.

"Yes. Like you said, we'd do anything to protect each other. It won't be cheap, but I'm in. I'll do what I can to get on the first flight to Sinnoh." Brock said.

Cynthia sighed, _"You're a brave soul, Brock. Don't worry about the cost, I'll find a way to get it covered. Just get here. The closest airport in Sinnoh is in Eterna City, so I'll send someone to get you to us once you land."_

"Thank you, Cynthia." Brock said, "I'll see you soon."

" _Good night, Brock."_

The phone line went dead, and Brock sighed as he pulled the phone back down from his ear and hung up as well. He looked up at the night sky for a moment before turning to head back inside. He would have to find a way to explain to his siblings and parents that he was needed in Sinnoh, and then he would have to get to the airport in Viridian City. His week had just gone from carefree to stressful.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Iron Island**_

Riley dumped out the bowl of water into the sink, listening to the pipes sing as they drained the water. Once that was done, he tweaked his hat and stepped back over to what passed as a living room in his small home. He'd been living on the island for years, leaving only when necessary. His only companions were Lucario, his best friend, and the other Pokémon he owned.

Lucario was deep in a meditative state, his chest rising and falling at a constant, calm pace. The fighting-type's eyes were shut tight, yet Lucario was remarkably relaxed. He did this every night, restoring his energy through meditation. Riley knew better than to disturb him in this state, and he curiously felt out for the Pokémon's Aura, quietly analyzing the patterns and recognizing that Lucario was dreaming. Perhaps he was actually asleep, even while sitting straight up. Riley smirked and sat down on the floor, mimicking Lucario's stance and attempting to enter his own bout of meditation.

Riley reflected on a lot while doing so. In particular, he wondered how Ash was doing. They'd parted ways one year ago when the older Aura Guardian decided that Ash's training was complete. Had he been keeping well? Had he continued to train and hone his own Aura? Riley was sure that he had, for Ash had an air about him that he didn't give up on things easily. Riley had been vaguely aware that his teenaged protégé had been traveling through Sinnoh again with Dawn, but he hadn't been able to sense his Aura nearly at all in that time. He hoped that they'd come visit him soon. As much as Riley loved his personal solitude on Iron Island, it was admittedly lonely. Training Ash for those several weeks on Mt. Silver had been an experience unlike any other, one that Riley had been certain that he'd never get to have. Perhaps he would try reaching out to him and Dawn on his own soon.

The appendages on the back of Lucario's head lifted into the air, vibrating violently. Riley opened his eyes to see Lucario directing a growl at the front door of the small house. The Aura Pokémon's upper canines glistened in the dim light. Riley threw a confused glance at his Lucario and then got up to his feet. Lucario did so as well.

Someone was here.

Riley carefully stepped toward the door, feeling out with his own Aura as he got closer to the door. Once he focused on the person not too far outside of their humble home, he gasped. Riley's guard completely vanished and he surged toward the door, flinging it open.

" _Dawn!"_ Riley yelled. What was she doing here? He searched out with his Aura again, finding no sign of Ash. He was confused only for a second. Something wasn't right.

"Riley!" Dawn called. She had just landed and dismounted Togekiss about 30 yards from Riley's front door. She had only been able to guess that he was living in the house, considering it was the only human structure on the entire island besides the small, unoccupied port. Luckily, she had been right. Dawn helped Riolu off of Togekiss' back and placing him on her shoulder. The Emanation Pokémon squatted and grabbed onto her shoulder for support as she ran to meet Riley.

"What brings you here?" Riley asked nicely, ignoring his own better judgment in order to put on a friendly face.

"Riley, it's bad. I need you to come with me." Dawn said, almost exhaustedly.

Riley stared at her for only a moment, "What happened to Ash?" he asked.

"He…he was taken." Dawn revealed, "Team Rocket attacked Snowpoint City, and they took him with them. We don't know where they went, and we need your help. Will you help us?"

"Absolutely." Riley answered, not even slightly hesitating, "Wait here. I'm going to pack my things."

Dawn nodded fiercely and Riley slipped back inside the house. The Guardian's Lucario stood solemnly in the open doorway, its eyes locked onto the Riolu sitting on Dawn's shoulders.

" _Wah?"_ Riolu purred, awestruck by its evolved counterpart.

" _Lu."_ the Aura Pokémon greeted.

Riley reappeared in the doorway a few moments later, a duffel bag slung lazily over his shoulders. He tipped his hat at Dawn and called for Lucario to return to its Poké Ball, immediately swapping the capsule for another one that was hidden inside his jacket.

"Pidgeot, I need your help!" Riley called into the darkness, lobbing the Poké Ball into the air. The capsule ball popped open and spilled energy that shaped into the form of the regal Bird Pokémon.

" _Pidgoo!"_ Pidgeot screeched, hovering off of the ground and beating its wings violently to create a harmless gust of wind. Dawn gasped, impressed.

"Shall we be off?" Riley asked. For the first time, he noticed the Riolu sitting on Dawn's shoulder. He decided to ask once they were off in the air, aware that urgency was of the utmost importance.

"Yes. Let's go!" Dawn agreed. She broke into a run, hopping onto Togekiss' back. Riley stepped over to Pidgeot, generously scratching the flying-type's neck and briefly combing the long plumage on its head.

"Hello, old friend. Can you carry me where we need to go? We need to follow that girl." Riley asked. Pidgeot looked over and examined Dawn and Togekiss and then chirped agreeably. Riley thanked the Bird Pokémon and climbed onto its back, situating himself and then ordering Pidgeot to take to the sky. Pidgeot cawed and obeyed, lofting into the night winds above. Dawn followed suit, taking the lead and flying due east. Riley and Pidgeot followed, picking up enough speed to fly side-by-side with the pair. In a moment's notice, they left Iron Island behind, heading directly for an uncertain future.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading this edition of The Journey Continues. If you liked this chapter, post a review in the box below and tell me all about it. If you didn't like this chapter, go ahead and post a review anyway! All feedback is especially important to me.**

 **Now, here comes the bad news. It's August, which means college is calling. I'm going to post Chapter 58 as soon as I can, but after that, I can't promise consistent updating or even begin to guess when I'll be able to update. It will take me some time to settle in and find times where I can sit down and write. I hate that this is happening as we finally reach some of the most exciting chapters this story has ever had, but all things change at some point. So thanks for the constant support, you guys. I'll speak to you all again soon enough. Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	58. Alone and Forsaken

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 58_

 _Alone and Forsaken_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base**_

Ash groaned as the cell door was unlocked, wresting him from his uncomfortable sleep. A trickle of drool fell from the edge of his lips and he squinted at the shaft of light that was created by the cell door being pushed open. Two figures appeared in the light, sparing Ash from much of the glare.

"Rise and shine, maggot! Brought ya a present," rasped a Grunt. From their silhouettes, Ash reasoned that the second figure was a female. The Grunt tossed the second figure into the cell, grabbing the cell door's handle and tugging it back shut. There was a loud whirring noise and a single light bulb lit up with a yellow glow, somewhat illuminating the cell. Ash focused on the girl who was now lying flat on the floor. She wore a tight a red shirt with blue trim and a pair of dark blue bike shorts. Most importantly, though, there was a crumpled bandana on her head, tied just tightly enough to keep it in place without hurting her.

"M-M-May…?" Ash heaved with a shudder. He coughed, a combination of bodily gunk blocking his throat for a brief moment.

May's ears twitched and she looked up, partially pushing herself up with her arms. Her eyes lit up and she scrambled toward him, "Ash!" she enthused, getting up close to him. She glanced at the grime around his face and in his hair.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"Ash, I'm so glad you're here…I was just trying to help find you." May said.

"W-what?" Ash stammered, confused, "What would you even be doing in Sinnoh?"

"Dawn got ahold of me in Hoenn and I came right over. We've been looking all over the Region for you." May explained.

"Dawn…" Ash said to himself. He knew she'd hatch a plan to find him. Although…it seemed like it didn't work very well. "So they caught you." Ash said.

May shrugged, "Looks like I managed the first part of my job: find the Team Rocket base. But they got to me before I could get the word out. And, well…here I am."

"They didn't even bother to cuff you." Ash answered, seeing as they'd thrown May in his cell.

"I guess they're not worried about me getting out…must not be able to say the same about you." May observed.

"Yeah, I've been trying to figure out a way to get out of these for a while now. No luck." Ash said, "They sure as hell don't want me going anywhere."

"Well then, considering we've got all the time in the world…" May started, sitting down and leaning against the metal wall, "How was the Gym challenge going until…you know, all this?"

"It was good. I was hoping to challenge Candice, the Snowpoint City Gym Leader. I've beaten everyone else until then. My team's gotten a lot stronger over the course of it too." Ash answered, "What about you? What have you been up to?"

"Oh, not much, really. Helping around the Gym every now and then and stuff." May said.

"Sounds exciting." Ash said, rolling his eyes. The two Trainers chuckled together, their voices trailing off eventually as they fell into an uneasy silence.

"…Ash? Can I ask you something?" May finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Sure." Ash answered, "Anything."

"Why did you leave me?"

Ash was dumbfounded. "Um…what?"

"Back in Hoenn after our journey was done, and then after the Battle Frontier in Kanto. We didn't have to say goodbye." May insisted sadly, "We could've stayed together and kept traveling!"

Ash gulped, "W-Well, May, I would've loved to, but…we were on different paths. I-I-I don't really know how else to explain it…"

"I care about you _so much,_ Ash." May said, "Like you, even."

"May, what's wrong?" Ash said, subconsciously raising his guard.

"Nothing, Ash. Nothing is wrong. I'm just relieved to have finally said it." May answered with a smile.

Ash gulped again and looked at the intricate manacles covering his hands. I mean, sure, he liked May too, but…not in that way! He liked Dawn, he was certain of it by now. May spoke up again, "Ash, are there other Aura Guardians who will fight Team Rocket?"

Ash snapped his head to look at May, stunned. "What?" They'd learned about Aura together at Cameran Palace in Kanto, but he'd never revealed his own Aura abilities to her, even when they traveled together again briefly in Johto. He had, however, revealed his gifts to Norman. Could he have told her about it?

"Aura Guardians. Are there others? Where are they? Can Team Rocket be stopped?" May said rapidly. She was suddenly spiraling out of control, and Ash tensed. Why would she ask such things? This wasn't in May's nature, and neither were sort-of romantic confessions. And the nonsense about Aura? She would never act like this, unless…

Unless he wasn't really talking to May.

Ash gasped and recoiled away from May, though he wasn't able to move very much thanks to the chains he was in. Still, he got his point across. Ash's face contorted with disturbed rage. "Get away from me." Ash rasped, "Who are you?"

May stared at him for several seconds, and then she burst into full-on laughter. Only, it wasn't her laugh. The laugh was disturbingly masculine and scratchy. "Well, that took you long enough!" said 'May'. The imposter ripped off the bandana and pulled the uniquely-styled hair from their head, revealing it to be nothing more than a well-made wig.

In a moment, the imposter had revealed his true self. Ash bucked against the chains, clenching his teeth together furiously. In May's place stood a slim man with a narrow head and purple hair. The hair was unique to say the least, styled to run along the outline of his head. The thickest portion of the hair was at the center of his head's crest, and his eyes were somewhat droopy. Based on that analysis, Ash guessed that the man's best years were well behind him, though he wasn't quite as old as Charon. The man unbuttoned the red shirt that May traditionally wore, tugging it off and revealing a sleeveless black shirt marked with a big red R.

The imposter laughed again, "That was fun! We should do this again sometime! Oh, but where are my manners? The name's Petrel, sonny; one of the four Team Rocket Executives and our great organization's very own master of disguise! Sorry to use your feminine friend's likeness there for a few moments, but _ooh,_ I just couldn't resist the opportunity! Poor you."

Ash pursed his lips and spat at the man, though he missed miserably. "When I get out of here, I think I'll kill you first." Ash growled.

Petrel laughed again at the prospect. "Kill me? You don't have it in you, boy."

"Are you eager to find out for sure?" Ash taunted, "Imprisonment like this doesn't exactly make people friendly."

Petrel's eyes narrowed, _"I suppose so…_ in any case, you'll find I'm not worth the energy. You see, I'm a nice guy most of the time. Unless, of course, you do something to provoke me. I'd suggest you steer clear of that idea."

"Noted." Ash said through clenched teeth.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Petrel said with a sudden realization. He reached his hand behind his back and revealed a gleaming syringe, packed with that accursed blue serum they'd been using to incapacitate him, "It's about time for your supplement!"

"No…please…" Ash protested weakly, "Don't…don't give me that stuff."

"No can do, sonny. We can't have you tearing yourself out of your chains and tearing apart our base like a one-man army, now, can we?" Petrel said mockingly. He stepped up beside Ash, forcing the teen to look almost directly up at him from his place on the floor. Petrel twirled the syringe in between his fingers, "No hard feelings?" he said sarcastically. He then jabbed the needle into a vein in Ash's upper arm, injecting the serum quickly. Ash was immediately hit with a wave of vertigo and his vision blurred, staying blotted for several seconds.

Petrel retracted the needle and then limped to the cell door, knocking on the heavy steel. "Gah, now that that's done, I need to get out of here and change out of these insufferable shorts! How do you children wear these things?" Petrel complained both to himself and at Ash, referring to the blue bike shorts that he still had on from his May disguise. The cell door was opened and he eagerly exited the cell, allowing the guard on the other side of the door to pull it shut. Ash's crushing vertigo ebbed away and his muscles burned with perpetual pain, the anesthetic-based serum circulating through his body and shutting down many of the muscles he used to manipulate his Aura. He looked up at the locked cell door in front of him, heaving haggardly. He sagged his shoulders and sniffled, his stopped-up nose once again bothering him, and shut his eyes, hoping to pass as much time as he could by sleeping some more.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint City**_

The morning sun was arching over the horizon as Snowpoint City came into view. Dawn and Riley were both horribly tired, and the same could be said for the two flying-types carrying them. They'd been flying all night, their only rest break being a few hours long in a small town on the coast, the name of which Dawn and Riley had already forgotten. The minimal rest that they and their Pokémon had gotten was evident. Out of the group, though, Dawn had slept the least, for obvious reasons.

"Almost there, Togekiss." Dawn murmured.

" _Tooooge."_ chattered the Jubilee Pokémon.

They landed just off of the edge of the government encampment outside the city. Dawn and Riley both returned their Pokémon, and Dawn gestured to the camp.

"We should go see Cynthia for a few minutes." Dawn suggested, "She'll want to know who I've brought with me."

"Fine by me." Riley conceded. He fell in behind Dawn, walking across the encampment's boundary. The Aura Guardian eyed the soldiers with instinctive wariness, knowing how much he must've stood out in the sea of black body armor. His skin continued to crawl until they finally reached the largest tent in the camp, which was aptly placed in the center of everything. Dawn reached out and peeled back one of the flaps leading into the tent, and she walked inside with Riley.

" _I need more information, Sergeant."_ Cynthia said anxiously.

"I understand, Cynthia, but we just don't have anything to go off of."

" _Then find something!"_ Cynthia snapped. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to cool off before continuing, "There are countless lives at stake right now, Sergeant. Every minute we waste is valuable time."

The Sergeant noticed the two newcomers to the tent, and Cynthia caught on as she noticed his eyes were not on her. She turned around, smiling with relief as she recognized Dawn. "You can go, Sergeant." said the Champion, and the soldier nodded before retreating from the tent. On his way out, the man eyed Riley, noting his odd attire.

Once the tent was clear, Cynthia sighed, "So, Dawn, you went to Iron Island to bring us an Aura Guardian."

Dawn and Riley stiffened, stunned that she had been able to tell. Riley managed to speak up first, "H-how did you know that I was—"

"The clothes tipped me off." Cynthia interrupted, "Although, it's a tad different from what I'm used to seeing in the old texts."

"You've read some of the ancient texts?" Riley repeated, "I'm impressed. It's unlike most modern peoples to know about my kind."

"You might find that I am most unlike many modern people." Cynthia said.

Dawn cut in, "Er, well, now that that's out of the way, uh…Cynthia, this is Riley. Riley, Cynthia."

"Of course! That's where I've seen you before." Riley said with surprise, "You're the Champion of the Sinnoh Region. It's a great honor."

Cynthia smiled, "Likewise, it is an honor to meet a practitioner of Aura. The powers that be would have it that your kind is extinct."

"We practically are." Riley agreed, "Dawn tracked me down to my home and asked for my help. Ash was a student of mine for a time."

This detail surprised Cynthia. The Champion was speechless for only a moment before she mustered a response, "Is that so? Just when you think you've seen it all, Ash continues to surprise."

Riley smiled, "In any case, I will need some time. My plan is to meditate and try to pin down Ash's location by sensing his Aura. It's not exactly foolproof, but I've never had trouble with the technique before."

Cynthia nodded, "We will find you a private space to do that. Oh, and Dawn, I spoke to Brock last night. He should be here later this evening."

Dawn smiled, "Really? Thank you, Cynthia!"

"Of course." the Champion said with a nod, "Now, Riley, let's see about vacating a tent for you to use."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base**_

Pikachu tensed as a scientist walked into the white observation room, watching her with narrowed eyes. This scientist had short pink hair, and her heels clicked annoyingly as she walked. With way too much enthusiasm, she sat down in a rolling chair and slid over to Pikachu, catching herself on the desk and nearly putting her face against the bars.

"Good morning, little Pikachu!" the female scientist crowed, "Today's a big day for you!"

Pikachu was unsurprisingly wary of her words. Their definition of big day was likely far different from his. The excitable scientist produced a syringe and injected its contents into the back of the mouse's neck, immediately making Pikachu woozy and unresponsive. After that, the scientist opened the cage and brought Pikachu out into the open, checking his vitals.

"Heart rate looks good…breathing is clear…" the scientist muttered as she checked off boxes on a sheet attached to a clipboard, "Very good! You seem to be healthy. Let's get you back in your cage and I'll go get your breakfast." The scientist picked Pikachu back up and dropped him back into the white cage, locking it shut before disappearing. In the next few minutes, Pikachu regained the feeling in his body, once again able to move as the serum was flushed out of his system. The female scientist then returned with a Sitrus Berry in hand, which she dropped inside the cage for Pikachu to eat. Pikachu cautiously approached the Berry, as if expecting it to attack him, and he pulled a small chunk off of it, chewing it slowly.

"Yes, yes, that's it!" the scientist cheered, "Eat up, eat up."

Pikachu suddenly grabbed the Sitrus Berry and bolted to the back corner of his cage, slumping into the ground and chewing ferociously on the Berry. The scientist sat in her chair and scribbled notes on her paper while Pikachu devoted one of his eyes to watching her. She seemed nice enough, but that didn't mean he trusted her or even liked her. She still worked for _them._ Eventually, Pikachu was finished eating, having consumed the entire Sitrus Berry. The scientist praised him and then grabbed the cage's bars, lifting it up and bringing Pikachu with her.

"All right, it's time to go!" she said eagerly, "We're taking you to the battle ring."

" _Pikapi?"_ Pikachu stammered, stunned.

"Oh, don't fret. If you're half as special as they say, these exercises won't be troublesome to you." the scientist said, "All you have to do is survive and advance."

The hairs of Pikachu's neck bristled. They wanted him to fight for them. The prospect of it was absolutely absurd. But then, Pikachu remembered Charon's words from before. It had surely been several hours ago, but thanks to being prevented from seeing anything of the outside, the mouse wasn't sure if it had been hours or days ago. The old man had threatened the mouse with a 'shock-lashing' if he acted out. Now, Pikachu suspected that refusing to battle would be the easiest way to get a few free lashes. With that in mind, Pikachu made his choice. He would fight, and he would survive and advance. But while he did so, he would do everything in his power to look for an escape route, and once he had his opening, he would bolt.

* * *

Giovanni sipped from a glass, tasting the slight sting of alcohol inside it. He was waiting in his own personal suite, watching the battling ring from above. The ring itself was built like a traditional gladiator ring, with a pair of heavy metal gates serving as the pathways in and out of it. Around the ring, countless cages housing all different kinds of Pokémon stood around the outside of the ring, many of them watching the carnage occurring below with horrified eyes. Grunts clad in gray uniforms stood watch in various places along the outside of the ring, ensuring that the subjects battled and taking action if anything went wrong.

At present, Ash's Charizard was going up against a Golem. Giovanni watched the battle with narrowed eyes, keeping his focus on Charizard and admiring the fire-type's speed and power. In the room with Giovanni was Archer, his chief Executive. The man had been by his side for several years, devoting his entire heart and soul to Team Rocket.

"This Charizard is very impressive." Archer remarked, watching the battle with equal intensity.

"Yes…the boy's Pokémon are very powerful. It will be a pleasure breaking them and repurposing them." Giovanni answered, "Have we started working on a Mega Stone for Charizard?"

"The lab is working around the clock. We actually happen to have an authentic Charizardite stone that we recovered from the Battle Zone, but this Charizard is particularly volatile. I wouldn't expect it to accept the natural stone and Mega Evolve for us." Archer said.

"I suppose not. And what about the boy?" Giovanni asked.

"Seems to not be much of a problem." Archer answered, "Petrel gave him another dose of the shot a few hours ago, so we'll need to send someone else there soon to give him a shot after a meal."

Charizard released a scorching Flamethrower that overwhelmed Golem back in the ring. When the vortex of fire finally subsided, Golem had doubled over and fainted. The Flame Pokémon roared triumphantly and beat its chest, beckoning for Team Rocket to send him another challenger. One of the metal gates roared and opened up, sliding upward. Charizard blew a cloud of smoke from his nostrils, ready to fight another Pokémon. Instead, though, hidden Grunts came running from the dark tunnel into the ring, throwing black cables and latching them onto various places around Charizard's body and producing a powerful electrical shock. Charizard roared angrily and hunched over, falling to one knee as the electricity coursed through his body, weakening him severely. Once Charizard was down, the horde of Grunts began dragging the unconscious fire-type with them. The effort took a few minutes, but they were eventually finished and locked Charizard away in his own personal cage away from prying eyes.

"Who's next?" Giovanni asked Archer. The Executive tapped an electronic tablet a few times, smiling when he found his answer. Archer glanced up, a wry grin plastered on his face.

"The boy's Pikachu, sir."

* * *

The metal gate opened, creaking loudly as it did so, and Pikachu ran down the short tunnel, for there was nowhere else to go. The scientist had thrown him into another cage for some time, and a few Grunts clad in gray had appeared later on and dragged his new cage into a tunnel, unlocking the cage and leaving the mouse there. Pikachu followed the light at the end of the tunnel and eventually ended up inside the battle ring. Stunned, Pikachu stood up on two legs and looked around, his nose twitching every few seconds. Countless Pokémon dangled from cages around the ring, locked up with nowhere to go. Several bright lights lit up the ring, drawing all attention to it.

Before Pikachu could process much more, the second metal gate on the other end of the ring opened with a loud roar, and the ground suddenly shook as whatever Pokémon the tunnel was hiding walked slowly into view. A towering Rhydon lumbered out from the darkness, dwarfing Pikachu. The Drill Pokémon sneered at Pikachu.

" _Pika-chu!"_ the electric-type yowled. They didn't have to fight, said the mouse. The Rhydon disagreed, letting out a threatening grumble. Pikachu flinched. There would be no getting through to Rhydon, that much was clear. Without warning, Rhydon roared and thundered toward Pikachu, the ground literally shaking with every step that the Drill Pokémon took.

Pikachu dropped down to all fours and readied an Iron Tail, waiting and then sidestepping to the right. Rhydon blazed past, and Pikachu reacted with a nearly instantaneous speed, somersaulting and slashing a steely tail into Rhydon's side. Rhydon roared with surprised pain and stumbled into the ground, sliding through the dirt before climbing back to its feet. Rhydon roared angrily at Pikachu, who couldn't help the smirk tugging at its mouth. In response, Rhydon formed a decent-sized rock out of thin air, readying its Rock Blast attack.

Rhydon launched the first stone, and Pikachu immediately countered with a powerful Thunderbolt, repelling the rock and destroying it. Rhydon responded with two more quick throws, but once again Pikachu deflected them with attacks of his own. Rhydon sneered and then fell to all fours, the thick horn on its head suddenly glowing and spinning. Rhydon surged forward, breaking into a run and powering up its Horn Drill attack.

Pikachu tensed, summoning the ultra-powerful electricity inside. Bright golden lightning surged around the mouse's body, coming together in the electrical aura of Volt Tackle. Rhydon narrowed its angry eyes and locked onto Pikachu, stifling a snicker when the electric-type ran forward to meet it head-on. Pikachu sprinted much faster than Rhydon was capable of, forcing the Drill Pokémon to attack earlier than expected. Boldly, Pikachu jumped, aiming to strike Rhydon's horn. In response, Rhydon leered and lurched upward, surprising Pikachu. The horn raked across Pikachu starting under his chin, rocketing Pikachu in the air and foiling his Volt Tackle. Pikachu soared over Rhydon and landed face-first in the dirt. Rhydon whirled around and beat its chest triumphantly, releasing a roar that shook the ring as Pikachu staggered back to his feet, cringing from the sizeable damage he'd just taken.

Pikachu glanced up at Rhydon and shouted angrily, powering up a wicked Thunderbolt. Rhydon stood deathly still, staring down Pikachu as the bolt of lightning struck out toward it. Rhydon's horn gleamed and the bolt curved toward it, striking the horn cleanly and doing nothing. When the brilliant electricity subsided, Rhydon stood tall, breaking a toothy grin. Raw strength flooded through the Drill Pokémon's body, and it readied another Rock Blast to attack Pikachu.

Pikachu gritted his teeth together. Rhydon was part ground-type, and its special ability Lightning Rod had given it an added effect when struck with a move that wouldn't have done anything in the first place. Rhydon roared and threw three jagged rocks with impressive speed, forcing Pikachu to dodge with the help of Quick Attack. Rhydon launched another projectile at the mouse as he stopped running, and Pikachu readied an Iron Tail. Just as the spinning rock closed in, Pikachu spun around, slapping the rock with the wide part of his tail with every ounce of might he had. The blow crunched the face of the rock, but the force was enough to send it flying back at Rhydon like a boomerang. Rhydon froze out of surprise and the rock struck it right in the chest, stunning the Drill Pokémon.

Rhydon stumbled back and blinked several times, its eyes stinging as the dust from the shattered rock clouded its vision. With a swipe of its heavy arm, Rhydon banished the dust cloud. In doing so, Rhydon spotted Pikachu racing toward it, though its vision was far too blurry to do anything about it. Pikachu sprinted until he was right at Rhydon's feet, leaping directly up into the air and raking an Iron Tail up the length of Rhydon's body. Rhydon roared and fell into the ground, scrambling to get back up to his feet as Pikachu bolted away as quickly as he had come.

Rhydon growled angrily and lumbered forward, bringing back its huge arm for a Hammer Arm attack. Pikachu grinned, rushing forward to welcome the challenge with Quick Attack. Rhydon snorted, for a normal-type attack would do almost nothing. Instead of attacking, though, Pikachu shifted to the side, avoiding Rhydon's attack as the rock-type threw down his arm, slamming with brute force into the ground and shaking the ring. Before Rhydon could recover from the miss, Pikachu zipped back toward it, bounding forward with another Iron Tail and slashing across Rhydon's chest. The Drill Pokémon howled and stumbled backward, the strength leaving its body before it finally fell to the ground, out cold.

Pikachu heaved in and out, doing his best to recover. A thin red beam appeared from the darkness of the tunnel Rhydon had come from, breaking down Rhydon into energy and returning it to a hidden Poké Ball. Just a few moments later, the sounds of another Pokémon on its way out of the tunnel echoed through the room. Pikachu breathed in and then out carefully, shutting his eyes for a moment and focusing. When the electric-type opened his eyes, he was ready. Whatever Team Rocket had in store for him, he could handle.

That was, until he laid his eyes on one certain Rabbit Pokémon.

* * *

Giovanni smirked, watching intently. His underlings had sent in a Buneary to battle Pikachu. Even better, it had been the girl's Buneary, the one who had been with Ash. He had no doubt that Pikachu would win the battle handily. The question was, though, about whether or not the pair would actually attack each other.

Down on the field, Pikachu and Buneary were equally unresponsive. They were expected to battle each other!? Pikachu shook his head. There was no way he was going to attack Buneary. He already didn't want to be here fighting, and he certainly had no desire to attack his friends.

A hidden Grunt slapped something made of metal on the edge of the ring, releasing a sharp ringing noise that startled Pikachu and Buneary both. _"Git goin'!"_ snapped the Grunt, "Don't make us come out there!"

Pikachu shivered and looked back at Buneary. Then, an idea took shape in his little brain. He knew how they could get out of here! It was going to be incredibly risky, but it had to have been better than the alternative. Without warning, Pikachu dashed forward with a Quick Attack. Buneary gasped and cowered, legitimately scared of Pikachu. What had she been subjected to, Pikachu wondered? The electric-type reached Buneary and lunged forward, hitting as lightly as he could and knocking Buneary to the ground.

" _Bun!"_ the normal-type complained as she hit the ground on her back. Pikachu stood threateningly over the Rabbit Pokémon. And then, while still managing to keep up his threatening posture, Pikachu whispered.

" _Pika…Pika-Pika-chu…"_

" _Bun-eary?"_

" _Pika."_ Pikachu insisted. Then, he prepared a Thunderbolt, showing off flashes of brilliant electricity from his powerful cheek sacs. Buneary acted fast, kicking out of one of her feet into Pikachu's stomach. Pikachu gasped and rolled over, pretending to have been hurt. Buneary then shot back up to her feet, but instead of aiming to attack Pikachu, she stood up on of her toes and spun like a top, readying an Ice Beam. The Rabbit Pokémon fired off a wicked beam of freezing energy, and Pikachu looked up with a confident smirk. The ice struck the metal rings, startling the Grunts and instantly coating the steel in a thick layer of ice.

" _Pika-chu!"_ the mouse yowled at Buneary. The normal-type cut off its Ice Beam and sprinted at Pikachu, doing her best to grab onto the electric-type's body and then leaping high into the air with Bounce. Pikachu looked straight up as Buneary's Bounce brought them close to the top of the ring, where the frozen metal bars and chains all met in a single point. Pikachu's tail turned white and glowed with powerful energy, and Buneary lobbed the electric-type up as she reached the peak of her ascent. Pikachu soared further up through the air, reaching the top of the ring easily and spinning rapidly, the Iron Tail attack cleaving clean through the frozen steel. The ice shattered instantly along with the metal, and Pikachu hooked his body and descended down one side of the ring, tearing apart the metal bars with multiple Iron Tails. Before the Grunts around the ring had even processed what was happening, Pikachu unleashed a shimmering Thunderbolt, blowing open the ring's side. On the opposite side of the ring, Buneary used Jump Kick and tore her way through a set of frozen bars, landing near the cage of an imprisoned Magneton.

The Magnet Pokémon bleeped repeatedly, and Buneary readied another Jump Kick, smashing the intricate lock on the cage. Magneton immediately barreled forward and slammed the door open. Its body then glowed and several spheres of energy appeared around its body, launching out and striking a nearby Grunt that had come running in an attempt to stop Buneary. The Magnet Bomb attack stunned the Grunt and knocked him out cold.

" _Bun-eary!"_ Buneary sang thankfully.

" _Mag-ne-ton!"_ the steel-type answered.

" _Bun-Bun-eary!"_

" _Mag!"_ Magneton said, understanding what was happening. The Magnet Pokémon hovered high into the air, readying another Magnet Bomb and launching the projectiles everywhere, cleanly destroying several more locks on cages and freeing the Pokémon inside them. Buneary watched with awe as Pikachu freed Pokémon as well. She spotted species like Murkrow, Geodude, Koffing, Machop, and countless others spilling from their prisons, more prepared than ever to attack as they freed their fellow imprisoned Pokémon. Grunts poured in from hidden entrances, many of them armed with various non-lethal weapons.

"There's one! It's that Buneary!" a Grunt's raspy voice shouted. Buneary whirled around to see a Grunt sprinting toward her with a nightstick raised high above his head. Buneary snorted and sidestepped the Grunt, slipping behind him and readying a Dizzy Punch. The Rabbit Pokémon bounded up onto the Grunt's back and landed four swift punches with her strong ears, knocking the Grunt to the ground. Buneary stood back up and sighed, relieved when the Grunt didn't move, and she looked around. A familiar cry then caught her attention.

" _Piiiiip-luuuuuup!"_

Buneary whirled around and looked up along the rows of broken cages, finding more trapped Pokémon higher up. Among them was none other than Piplup. The Penguin Pokémon was bucking against the cage, trying to bust his own way out. Buneary tensed and then rocketed into the air with Bounce, arcing down onto another destroyed cage and using Bounce again to clear the rest of the distance. Buneary landed on the top of Piplup's cage with a _bang_ , startling Piplup. The water-type looked up angrily, but immediately relaxed upon recognizing Buneary.

" _Pip-Pip-Pip-lup!"_ the Penguin Pokémon complained. He wanted out!

" _Bun-eary!"_ Buneary answered. The normal-type readied another Jump Kick, grabbing onto the edge of the cage and dropping down to smash the lock on the cage's door to pieces. Piplup quickly flung the cage door open and thanked Buneary profusely. Then, Piplup looked around at his surroundings. There were many more Pokémon higher up above him that needed to be freed. Piplup found his footing, readying a Bubblebeam. He would see that they got out! One spiraling Bubblebeam later, many of those Pokémon were freed, and they immediately worked together to release those who hadn't been so lucky.

" _Bun-eary!"_ Buneary howled, gesturing to the hordes of Grunts spilling into the arena. Many of their fellow Pokémon fell to onslaughts of darts, many of them almost immediately collapsing into unwanted sleep as whatever the darts were loaded with took effect. Piplup nodded and chirped fiercely. They would fight back! As one, the Pokémon, led by Piplup and Buneary charged, vaulting down row after row of busted cages to the ground.

Pikachu stood in the middle of a group of Pokémon, flanked on either side by types such as Shieldon, Ponyta, Zangoose, Rhyhorn, and more. Everywhere else, Grunts were trying to contain hordes of rioting Pokémon, and in some cases, they were succeeding. Darts whizzed back and forth, sinking their needles into random Pokémon and incapacitating them. Buneary watched as one Grunt unveiled a bulky-looking firearm, spitting a small sphere that latched onto a Machop and released stunning, bright blue voltage that knocked the fighting-type out. Some Grunts had even begun calling on their own Pokémon to fight.

" _Bun-eary!"_ Buneary called to Pikachu. The electric mouse dealt a brutal Thunderbolt to a Grunt's Golbat and then whirled around, relieved to see Buneary and Piplup both.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu ordered, gesturing quickly to hostile Pokémon. Piplup bounded into the fray and unleashed a Hydro Pump on a group of Golbat, knocking them to the ground. Pikachu complimented the water-type with an impressed chatter, and Piplup predictably placed his flippers on his hips, proudly accepting the praise. Buneary fired off an Ice Beam at a hostile Stunky, stunning it for just enough time for a nearby Rhyhorn to knock it out with a Rock Blast volley.

But, unfortunately, their victories were short-lived. Even as they managed to take down hordes of the Rocket Grunts' Pokémon, twice as many of their allies were knocked out in various ways. The battle for their freedom was failing.

Pikachu looked around and spotted Buneary finishing off an enemy Graveler with a combination of Ice Beam and Jump Kick. The Rock Pokémon stumbled into the ground and lost consciousness, allowing Buneary a brief moment of celebration. In that same moment, though, a Grunt launched another projectile at Buneary with his cannon. Blue electricity exploded into being as the object latched onto Buneary's side, forcing a shrill scream out of the normal-type. Pikachu bolted over on all fours, reaching Buneary's side and preventing her from slumping into the ground. The damage, however, was done. Buneary was completely unconscious, the only signs of life her slow heartbeat and her steady breathing.

Pikachu looked around him next, watching as many more of the freed Pokémon were knocked down by sleeping darts and the electrical explosives. An endless horde of Grunts filed in, stacking the odds against Pikachu and the others even more than they already were. He then saw Piplup across the ring, the stubborn water-type spitting a beam of ice at a Grunt that locked his knee in a block of chilling ice. Another Grunt replaced him and blasted Piplup with one of the explosives that had knocked out Buneary, giving Piplup the same fate. A single tear slipped down Pikachu's cheek as he recognized that they had lost. Then, without warning, a pair of greasy hands grabbed him from behind, dragging him away from Buneary and lifting him into the air. He struggled and turned to face a Grunt, who was slinging his arm up to bury a sleeping dart in the mouse's body.

Pikachu reacted impossibly fast, jettisoning a blinding Thunderbolt. The Grunt shrieked as he felt the full force of the electricity, and he dropped Pikachu before slumping to the ground in a ring of golden voltage. Pikachu breathed in and out rapidly, and whirled around to find himself faced with a pair of Grunts. The mouse spun around and spat an Electro Ball at the first one, knocking him down the same way as the first, but a replacement seemed to appear just as quickly as the Grunt had gone down.

"There, there, little Pikachu. We won't hurt you!" chattered one of the Grunts. The second Grunt snickered, and two more appeared at Pikachu's back.

"Be a good Pokémon and just give up." snapped another Grunt. One of them took three steps toward Pikachu, and the mouse reacted. His tail glowed with energy and he lunged at the Grunt, smacking him to the ground with a brutal Iron Tail that drew blood.

" _Get 'im!"_ howled one of the other Grunts. Two of them unhooked the electric launchers that they'd used on the other Pokémon, but Pikachu dodged both of their first shots. The third Grunt grabbed onto Pikachu from behind, shouting, "I got 'em, I got 'em!" In response, Pikachu let him feel the wrath of his Thunderbolt. The Grunt surprisingly held on for just a few seconds before dropping Pikachu and staggering back, and Pikachu bolted out of the others' reach. He reached the edge of the destroyed ring, skidding to a stop as he suddenly had a moral dilemma. He looked back, eyeing Piplup and Buneary's limp, unconscious bodies. He didn't want to leave them behind, but he had to. Maybe, just maybe, he could manage to find Ash! If he could find Ash, they could bust out together and rescue their friends! It was worth a shot, the mouse decided, and he bolted through the opening in the ring's destroyed bar, sprinting into the darkness of the hallways and searching desperately for an escape.

The hallways were unsurprisingly dark, and Pikachu's fast footfalls eventually left the floodlights of the arena behind. Somewhere along the way, he finally reached another well-lit hallway and bolted around a corner. As he sprinted down this new hallway, he found that the hall eventually intersected with another, giving him three possible routes. He bounded to the left and ran down the next hall, passing through several other intersections and turning down many of them. But each one, he eventually realized, only made him more lost. Where in the world was he? Knowing that he'd eventually be caught if he stalled for too long, he broke into another run. A few hundred yards later, he reached a dead end, and his heart weakened.

Pikachu turned around to try and retrace his steps, only for a pair of boots to slam into the floor in front of him. The mouse jumped back and looked up, finding a man in a white uniform with a cruel smile. Pikachu recognized him instantly, remembering his face from the Snowpoint Temple and Alamos Town. _Proton._

"Impressive, Pikachu. Impressive." the cruel Executive said with an evil smile. He unhooked one of the electricity launchers from his belt, hefting it in his arms. Proton then pointed it directly at Pikachu, uttering his next words, "You're easy to track. I'm afraid your little escape attempt is at an end."

Proton squeezed the trigger, and the last thing Pikachu saw was blue lightning.

* * *

Ash looked up as the door to his cell opened, bringing in new light to the small room he'd been imprisoned in. A man walked inside, carrying a bowl of something, but he bore a face that instantly drew a reaction from the teenage prisoner.

" _You…"_ Ash growled at Lester. He bucked once against his chains. Lester stood still and bent down to set the bowl on the ground, allowing Ash to see the contents. Lester walked to the hooks where Ash's chains had been attached to, and he swiftly unlocked them with a small key in his hand. After doing that, he tugged on the hooks, dragging them along hidden elevators to lift them up. Ash was forced to his feet as a result, and once the hooks were locked back in place, he was being held in a standing position, so that the only movement he was capable of was moving his neck.

Lester then walked back to the bowl, stepping over to Ash and then halting a few feet from him and putting the bowl in front of him.

"Eat." Lester demanded.

"Go to hell." Ash answered.

"You haven't had any food in a day. I know you're hungry, now _eat."_ Lester said, wobbling the bowl in his hand for emphasis.

"…What's in it?" Ash asked after a pause.

"Slop from the cafeteria, really. But I sneaked a few shreds of chicken out of there and added them in. Figured you'd at least like something that had a taste." Lester said.

Ash failed to stifle a snort, "So…you steal food for me, yet you claim to hate me?"

"Shut up. Eat." Lester answered calmly.

Reluctantly, Ash bent down his neck, slurping at the dark slop in the bowl. He immediately wanted to spit it back out on account of the horrible taste, but he swallowed it anyway. Lester was right, he was hungry. As he slurped down the bad excuse for food, he managed to find a few shreds of chicken buried underneath it, and he eagerly munched on those. The slop had soured the meat's usual flavor, but once again, Ash continued to eat. After a few moments of slurping down the meal, he laid back, resting his neck and watching Lester carefully.

"Why did you let this happen, Lester?" Ash heaved groggily.

"I followed my orders. I wasn't lying back there at the Snowpoint Temple. This time, I'll be more explicit. I really despise you, Ash. Truth hurts." Lester answered.

Ash flinched, but he continued to press, "I don't think you do, Lester. I don't think you're bad. I just think you're lost." Ash bent down again and ate some more of the rancid slop, managing to uncover some more chicken in the grimy broth.

"You don't know anything about me." Lester snapped, "All you know are the lies I fed you."

"Wrong." Ash disagreed as he pulled away from the bowl, "You say you despise me. In my current situation, I should despise you too, no? Except I don't."

Lester scoffed mockingly, but Ash continued, "I've had more than enough time to think while I've been down here. And more than anything, I've been thinking about you. You can _stop this,_ Lester. All you have to do is let me go."

Lester appeared to be listening, but he suddenly scowled, his eyes narrowing at Ash. He shoved the bowl in close and tilted it, spilling more of the slimy food down Ash's throat and forcing him to ingest it. Then, he set the bowl on the floor and rose back up, socking Ash across the face. The teenager yelped, his head turned to the side, and he breathed in before turning to look Lester in the eye.

"I am tired…of hearing you talk." Lester growled, his blood boiling. He reached into his uniform and withdrew another syringe of the blue liquid that cut off Ash from using his Aura.

" _Is everything alright in here?"_ said a familiar voice. Lester tensed and turned, moving just enough out of the way so that Ash could see the newcomer. The woman Executive, the one with the red hair, stood in the doorway, the darkness of the cell casting a sinister shadow on her.

"Quite alright, Executive Ariana. He's just fighting me a bit. Doesn't want to take the stuff." Lester said, wiggling the syringe. He turned back to Ash, grabbing his shoulder tightly and then rolling up his sleeve. He easily laid eyes on where they'd been injecting him each time, and he slid the needle into the broken skin and injected the next dosage. Ash grunted and squirmed, but his body went slack once the injection was done.

"Very good." Ariana said, "Now, help me get him out of here. The boss has something special to show him." Lester nodded and stepped over to Ash's side, holding his arm tightly in place and unlocking the thick cuff on his wrist. Before Ash could do much of anything with his sudden freedom, Lester closed a new set of handcuffs around the wrist, handing the key to Ariana so that she could unlock the other wrist. Ash's other arm was moved into the second half of the new handcuffs, locking him together with the simple turn of a key. Once they unlocked his ankles from the manacles, Lester and Ariana began to walk him, heading for Arceus knows where.

* * *

The door opened and Ash was thrust inside the room. He narrowly caught himself on a silver chair in the center of the room. Before he could regain his composure, he was grabbed by a new set of hands and forced to sit down in the chair. His legs were pulled back against the chair and tied down to it, preventing him from moving his legs, and the same thing was done to his arms, forcing him to hold them at his sides as his captors locked a metal band around him to keep him in place. He recognized Archer and Petrel in the room with him, but there was nothing else remotely remarkable except for the large glass window that allowed him to see in the next room over. Through the mirror, tied down against a table with a series of restraints was a certain Mouse Pokémon.

"P…Pikachu?" Ash gasped.

The door opened again and Giovanni walked in, clad in a full navy-blue suit with a red tie. He threw a rude smirk in Ash's direction and stepped over to the window, stopping and turning to face the teen.

"Why have you brought me here?" Ash asked.

"We thought you might enjoy a front-row seat to one of our routine punishments." Giovanni said.

"Punishment? For what?" Ash asked. He laid his eyes on Pikachu, and a dark idea came to his mind.

Giovanni answered, confirming Ash's fear, "Just recently today, your little friend instigated a little rebellion in our base. He worked with a few others to free a large amount of our captive species to try and break open an escape route. Of course, it failed, and we recaptured every offender. But we will not take an act such as this lightly."

The door to the room holding Pikachu opened, and Proton walked inside, wearing protective gear all over his body. A whip was tucked at the side of the outfit, curled up into several loops. The Executive walked in a circle around the table holding down Pikachu. Ash called out Pikachu's name, and Giovanni snickered.

"You don't actually think he can hear you, do you? Surely you must know better." Giovanni insisted. Ash gave him a glare and then looked back at Pikachu through the window, suddenly realizing that it was a two-way mirror. He was looking into an interrogation room.

"What are you going to do to Pikachu?" Ash asked demandingly.

"Nothing that he won't recover from, at least physically." Giovanni said. He turned around to look through the two-way mirror, an evil smile tugging at his lips, "We like to call this…shock-lashing."

As if on command, Proton pulled the whip from the side of his gear, holding it tightly by the handle. He stood on the far side of the table holding down Pikachu, so that he could look through the two-way mirror, even if he couldn't see the people on the other end. Proton flicked a button on the whip's bulky handle to the 'on' position, and the whip buzzed loudly enough to be heard in the room Ash was in. Tendrils of blue lightning circled around the length of the whip as Proton let it fall and touch the ground. He then stepped back, readying to strike Pikachu with the electrified whip. Pikachu was fully aware of the buzzing, and he tried his best to look and find the source, but his neck had been restrained, keeping him from turning his head much further than a few degrees on either side.

Ash sucked in a breath and desperately looked to Giovanni, "Please, don't do this."

"I can't do that." Giovanni refused. Executive Proton reared back the whip and cracked it, snapping the whip into Pikachu's back. The mouse stiffened and howled as the energy circled through him. The pain was indescribable. Once Pikachu's quaking stopped, Proton cracked the whip again, barely giving the electric-type a second to breathe.

Ash couldn't stop himself from tearing up. "Please! How many times are you going to hit him!?"

Giovanni didn't do him the courtesy of answering, and Ash looked back at Pikachu and watched Proton hit him again. He shut his eyes tight, scrambling through his brain and trying to think of something to do. He couldn't move, so any kind of physical retaliation was impossible. He couldn't call out to Pikachu and tell him he was here, or at least not in any way that the electric-type would hear him. He then suddenly remembered. No, there _was_ a way he could talk to Pikachu. Ash shut his eyes and reminisced to one of his early lessons with Riley, about an aspect of Aura that the Guardian had taught him shortly after he'd first gained control of it.

He'd come to understand as the 'Aura Channel', what Riley had sometimes referred to it as; a way of diving into another being's consciousness through Aura. Ash had only really used it twice, before capturing Gengar and when communicating with Charon's Bastiodon back in Solaceon Town. The drawback of the ability, though, required Ash to be within sight of who he was trying to reach. Riley had explained, though, that with practice, it was possible to communicate with Pokémon from long distances through Aura, but it was quite difficult. Unlike the Aura Channel, this other method of communication happened in real-time.

Ash shut his eyes tight, thinking of his beloved partner Pokémon. Once he had a mental picture of the electric-type, he moved forward, Riley's words echoing in his blank mind.

" _Pokémon cannot learn our languages naturally. However, the Aura that flows within all of them can allow them to set up mental links, even without ever knowing it."_ Riley had said, _"These mental links have several ways of being used, but to someone with talent like a Lucario, or hidden abilities honed through great amounts of practice, such as yourself, they can be easily penetrated and used to communicate in any language with people and Pokémon."_

" _Really? So, I can talk to my Pokémon at any time?"_ Ash asked.

" _Yes. I talk with Lucario on a regular basis in this way. It allows me to truly understand what he is feeling."_ Riley admitted.

" _But you said it's not just Riolu and Lucario that can do those things."_

" _Correct. Any Pokémon, if they are willing, can engage in such conversation with people. The key to it all that you must remember is empathy, Ash."_ Riley explained, _"Once you can do that effectively, communicating with Pokémon will be as easy as walking."_

The memory faded away and Ash thought even more of Pikachu, searching his head for a way to connect to Pikachu. Suddenly, he thought he felt a tingle in his back, just as Proton cracked the electrified whip into the mouse's back.

 _~Pikachu!~_

Ash watched Pikachu's eyes shoot open, and his ears twitched, _~A-A-Ash?~_

It had worked! Ash kept himself from shouting gleefully and kept talking in his head, relaying his every word in his mind and feeling as his Aura pulsed inside of him. Team Rocket had found a way to keep him from using the energy externally, but they would never be able to stop it from flowing inside his body!

 _~Yeah, it's me, buddy. Play it cool.~_

Pikachu tried to relax, _~I-I don't understand. Where are you!?~_

 _~I'm behind the mirror. They're making me watch.~_

Ash felt Pikachu's convulsion as the whip hit him again, stinging the mouse with even more painful electricity.

 _~Ash, it hurts. All I did was try to escape.~_

 _~I know, I know. And I'm so proud of your fight, buddy. You've done way more than I've been able to. We're gonna get out of here soon.~_

 _~…I saw Buneary. And Piplup too.~_

Ash tensed, _~What? Where?~_

 _~They have an arena in here somewhere where they make Pokémon fight. They were with me for a little bit getting observed before that, but then…they wanted me to fight Buneary.~_

 _~Pikachu, I'm sorry. This is my fault.~_

Pikachu took a moment to respond, recovering from the crack of Proton's whip. _~It's not your fault, Ash. We didn't know what to expect! Please don't blame yourself, I brought this on myself!~_

 _~Whatever you say, Pikachu. I wish there was some way to tell our friends where we are. I bet they're freaking out trying to find us.~_

Something clicked in Ash's head, causing him to pause. Pikachu was hit again by the whip, and the mouse finally let out a pained cry. Proton gave an evil smile of satisfaction at the electric-type's pain, and he cracked the whip for what seemed like the hundredth time, furthering Pikachu's agony.

"That's enough." Giovanni said, his finger pressed on a control panel button. Proton stepped back and deactivated the whip, rolling it back up in circles and hooking it to the side of his gear. Archer and Petrel removed Ash's restraints and grabbed him by the arms, cuffing his wrists together as Giovanni turned to face him.

"Take him back to his cell." Giovanni ordered. The two Executives nodded fiercely and did just that.

 _~Pikachu, I know what to do. Just hang in there, buddy.~_

Pikachu didn't respond, but somehow Ash knew that the electric mouse had heard him loud and clear in his head. The teen remained silent and didn't resist as Archer and Petrel took him back to the dungeon level, flinging open his small cell and throwing him inside. They locked his wrists and ankles inside the intricate cuffs on the floor once again, allowing him to sit with his back against the wall, and the two Executives left, locking the door shut behind them. Ash listened intently for their retreating footsteps, waiting until the noises faded away. Then, he went to work, tugging his left wrist as close to him as his chains allowed. The chains finally resisted as he got his wrist just off the center of his chest. Then, he moved his right arm, wiggling his fingers and reaching for his wrist. Planted on his wrist was his Pokétch, just recently bought from the small tech store in Snowpoint City. Team Rocket hadn't given one damn about the device in his entire time here.

"What did that techie say…something about Location Marking." Ash muttered to himself. His fingers just barely were able to reach the screen of the smartwatch, a stroke of luck that Ash met with a sigh of relief. The screen lit up as he touched it, and he squinted to see the details of the screen behind the intricate, layered cuffs around his wrists. The watch responded to his touch as he clicked on 'Contacts'. Since he'd only bought the Pokétch a few days ago (and he'd spent every day since locked up in the cell) he only had one listed contact.

 _Dawn._

Her name popped up on the screen, and he eagerly tapped it. He couldn't place a voice call, as that would give him away before he could even say a word. Plus, his service down in the dungeon was incredibly poor, with only a single small bar popping up in the corner of the watch's screen. With this in mind, Ash returned to the home screen, clicking the icon labeled "Location". A gray screen came up, with a compass in the center of it. The words _'Finding Location'_ were scribbled on the background, and the watch vibrated every few seconds as it did so. He waited for a good two minutes before the screen lit up and read _'Location Found'._

"Yes!" Ash whispered to himself. He then moved over to text messages, opening a new conversation with Dawn. His fingers ached as he strained to press the screen. The cuffs were beginning to hurt his hand. Ash grunted and pressed on the touch screen, tapping the icon for voice messaging.

" _Send…location…"_ Ash said carefully, hoping that there wasn't a Grunt on the other side of the cell door.

The Pokétch picked up the sound of his voice, and a miniature map icon appeared on the screen, sending to Dawn. A bar scrolled across the screen, indicating how close the message was to being sent. The poor service caused the bar to move horribly slow, worrying Ash that it wouldn't get sent at all. He sucked on his teeth, resting his arms as he stared harshly at the small screen on his wrist.

It had to work.

And then, just before Ash could give up, the message went through. The screen darkened and a message box popped up.

 _Location Sent_

Ash narrowly stopped himself from shouting happily, instead breathing really fast. They'd know where he was now. Ash closed his eyes, thinking of Pikachu and tapping into their mental link.

 _~Pikachu?~_

The teen couldn't help but smile when he heard the mouse's voice in his head, _~Ash?~_

 _~It's gonna be okay. Sit tight. Help is on the way.~_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint City**_

Dawn walked in the direction of the government camp, Brock close at her side. They remained silent, every piece of information they needed to know already shared between them. Brock had arrived a few hours earlier in the early afternoon, and he had very much gone with the flow since then. They were headed for Riley's tent in the camp, where the Guardian had taken up residence to meditate and try to search for Ash with his Aura.

The tent was unassuming, planted along the outskirts of the camp. Dawn reached the entrance first, pulling back one of the flaps that served as a door and heading inside with Brock. Riley was sitting on a mat beside Lucario, both of their backs turned to Dawn and Brock. It was at first clear that Lucario knew they were there, as his left ear twitched, but Riley didn't give them any sign that he knew of their presence.

" _Lu."_ Lucario huffed at Riley.

"Yes, Lucario, I know." Riley said calmly. The Guardian opened his eyes and turned around on his mat, a distant look on his face. Already, Dawn's heart sank.

"Riley…you haven't been able to find Ash, have you?" Dawn reasoned sadly.

Riley frowned. "I'm sorry, Dawn. The answer is no. I cannot see him."

Brock stiffened, "But…h-how? You said you'd be able to find him."

"I _know_ what I said." Riley answered sharply, "But I was wrong. I can't find him. The only thing I can think is that they have him somewhere deep underground, or maybe in a different section of the world entirely. For whatever reason, I cannot sense him anywhere in Sinnoh."

Brock became slightly embarrassed, "Sorry, Riley. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Don't apologize…you are worried about your friend, as you should be." Riley answered.

"Riley? Can I ask you something?" Dawn asked carefully.

"Of course."

"I…I guess I'm just confused…there's so much I don't understand about Aura. I'm wondering how you would be able to sense Ash in the first place."

Riley smiled, "Well, Dawn, the best I can say to explain is that…Aura is a measure of our very life force, if you will. Everyone has it, though a miniscule few can manifest it outside their bodies. Through Aura, you can sense vitality, movement, emotions…it can even allow one to perceive thoughts. In this way, I can communicate with Lucario as if we spoke the same language. By using this same tactic, I can sense the Aura of living things at will. I had hoped to be able to sense Ash's Aura in doing so. But my senses can only reach out so far. For whatever reason, I cannot detect Ash's presence."

There was an altogether obvious, singular dark thought shared by all three of the people in the room. Lucario sensed the changes in their attitude, immediately picking up on their thoughts. They were unsurprisingly concerned that Ash could be dead. After all, they'd tried to kill Dawn via exposure. What could honestly be stopping them from killing Ash?

Dawn gave a faint sniffle that seemed to boom through the tent, and a few tears dripped from her eyes as she looked down at her feet. He couldn't be dead, she thought. Not after she'd finally mustered the courage to tell him how she felt about him…after they'd realized that they shared the other's feelings.

Dawn's Pokétch buzzed, vibrating against her wrist. She sniffled and ran a finger across her eyes, wiping away the tears as she focused on the screen. Her breath caught in her throat as she read who the message was from.

 _Ash Ketchum_

"G-Guys, I just got a message from Ash." Dawn stammered. She hastily opened it, finding the message to be nothing but a location marker.

"What?" Brock and Riley echoed.

"It's a location message! And it's from Ash…he's gotta be trying to tell us where he is!" Dawn gasped, "Someone get Cynthia!"

The three Trainers ran out into the cold air with Riley's Lucario at their heels. Torches and lanterns were the only sources of light in the camp as night quickly began to fall. Despite that, it was all too easy to find the Champion. She was speaking to the Sergeant from earlier when Dawn, Brock, and Riley reached her, making enough noise on the way to catch her attention.

"Cynthia!" Dawn said, exhausted.

"What's wrong?...Did you find Ash?" Cynthia reasoned.

"We think we might have." Dawn said. She showed her the Pokétch screen, which bore Ash's location marker.

Cynthia's grey eyes lit up, "Amazing…we should move. Sergeant, rally the troops. We're going to follow this marker."

The Sergeant made to protest, shuffling his feet uneasily, "But, Cynthia, shouldn't we consider how we got this…message? What if it's a trap?"

Cynthia stood still, processing the Sergeant's objection. She nodded, "You're right, Sergeant. It very well could be a trap. But we have nothing else to go off of. This is our first real information that we've come across. The bulk of our forces will follow us from a distance, keeping in constant contact with us. If it's indeed a trap, we'll want to have reinforcements close at hand. Now, ready the cruisers and rally the men. We're moving as soon as we're ready."

" _Yes, ma'am!"_ the Sergeant answered, rushing off to the heart of the camp to spread the word. Cynthia turned back to Dawn, Brock and Riley, a sincere smile on her face.

"You three will ride with me and a small contingency of troops in the command cruiser. We're going to see where this leads us, and we will formulate a plan of action on the way. Pack your things at meet me in the center of camp in an hour." Cynthia ordered. The Champion then stalked away, a new resolve in her step. Dawn, Brock, Riley, and Lucario turned to each other, standing in a circle.

"So, we're going to do this?" Brock asked.

"No doubt. We're rescuing Ash and putting an end to Team Rocket's plans." Dawn answered.

"Ash was my student. I know that he'd do anything to find me if our roles were reversed right now. Lucario and I are with you." Riley added.

" _Lu."_

"All right, then." Brock said, pride swelling through him, "Let's go get our boy."

* * *

 **Well, this is it, the last update before I have to leave. As I've said, I'm going to continue this story, but my updates just won't be as frequent. I'll do what I can to keep this story going at a decent pace. I hope you've all enjoyed reading my story, because I've really enjoyed writing it, even though there have been bumps in the road. I never would've expected to be here right now, with the 60th chapter just around the corner. It's been a ride, and I have you guys to thank for it.**

 **If you enjoyed this chapter, please think about posting a review at the bottom. Tell me what you thought of certain events in this chapter, what you think will happen next, and more. Any and all feedback is much appreciated. I'll be open to receiving PMs from anyone who's interested in contacting me, and I'll do my best to answer any messages I get. Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	59. The Head of the Snake

**I'M BAAAAAAAAAACK!**

 **Hello again, everyone, hope you're all doing well. I'm here with our next chapter update, and boy is it a big one. It's also our new longest chapter. I hope you guys all enjoy. As a notice, I have several guest reviewers, and was asked to leave a guess on how long it would take before I can update again. I could do that, but I honestly have no idea. I would instead HIGHLY RECOMMEND that my guest readers make an account. It's free of charge, you can follow stories so that you'll be personally notified when there's a new update, and we can even exchange PMs if you so wish!**

 **Review replies:**

 **Dragon King Rouga: Glad you like the story. I haven't taken a stance on canonizing Pikachu/Buneary, I just think it's not something super important. I may stick simply to the anime's approach, by which I mean simply having small things that could be taken as romantic hints.**

 **Nihar: Thanks! Glad you like it!**

 **Lance Curry: The problems of Chapter 56 will very soon be rectified, I promise you. And don't worry, Giovanni will not be related in any way to Ash. If that were to happen, I would ask you all to drop my story because that's just absurd. I added the scene with Petrel because I wanted at least a little interaction with the guy. His skill set is pretty unique. As for your thing with the title of Chapter 56, here's another reason why I didn't go with the more obvious "The Snake": because this chapter is called "The Head of the Snake", in reference to someone. I've seen a scorpion represent traitors or people who shouldn't be trusted on more than one occasion, so I went with that instead. About the visions thing, I actually really liked that interpretation. I hadn't thought of it particularly like that, for some reason. I'm a sucker for anything Star Wars related, so I completely agree with the similarity of Aura to the Force. Lastly, just like I said at the top of my Author's Note, I'd recommend making an account. If not, I would try checking back with the story once a week, since I'm going to try to stick to updating at the start of a calendar week.**

 **All right! Without further ado, on with Chapter 59: The Head of the Snake!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 59_

 _The Head of the Snake_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – High in the Sky**_

The command cruiser rumbled as it dragged across the sky. It was a bulky aircraft, with giant engines mounted in the back pushing its impossible weight forward with surprising efficiency. The front of the cruiser narrowed similar to the cockpit of a plane, although of course much larger. A huge glass window covered the front, allowing the people inside to see out in front of the ship. The bridge had two floors of space, with the upper floor being home to a large, wide command panel manned by multiple men. These men kept the ship on course, following the location marker Ash had sent them. The lower floor of the cockpit was really more for simple observation, connected to the upper section by a staircase on each side. Dawn, Brock, and Riley all sat on this lower floor, each of them looking out ahead in total silence at the night sky. Absol laid down on the floor at Dawn's feet, while Ash's Riolu sat rested comfortably on Dawn's shoulder, breathing slowly as he slept in place.

Cynthia strode down the stairs quietly, reaching the lower floor of the cockpit. Riley's head turned just a little bit, stopping once the Guardian could see the Champion from his peripheral vision. His Lucario sat closely next to him, and a slim staff made of some kind of light metal was clasped tightly in his hands. He looked deathly serious. Cynthia turned her attention away from Riley and focused on Dawn, stepping up next to the Coordinator and standing high above her. Brock turned his head to acknowledge her, but Dawn stared blankly forward. Cynthia looked down at the glass floor beneath her feet, admiring the frosty forest scrolling past underneath the ship.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Cynthia mused, catching Dawn's attention. The Coordinator turned and looked up at her, forcing a smile that only came off as nervous. Riolu scanned Cynthia up and down, passively wondering what kinds of Pokémon she commanded. The tall blonde-haired woman had been spoken quite highly of, with words like 'Champion' and 'Master' being thrown around.

"I'm just thinking— _hoping_ —that we're not wrong. That we're not walking into a trap." Dawn answered, taking another look out into the darkness.

"Ash is smart. I'm certain that he is fine, and that he's waiting for us." Cynthia said. She set her eyes carefully on Dawn, turning her focus to address Brock and Riley, "Brock, Riley…would you two mind giving Dawn and I the room?"

"Not at all." Riley answered quickly, stepping up to his feet. Lucario followed him closely, and Brock got up as well after shooting a confused glance at Dawn. The Pokémon Doctor and Aura Guardian went up the steps together, quietly whispering between themselves as they walked out of earshot. Cynthia sat down beside Dawn, still significantly taller than she was even while sitting. Riolu bounded down from Dawn's shoulder, walking over in front of Absol. The dark-type groaned as it felt Riolu's presence, lifting its head off of the ground to stare at the curious Emanation Pokémon.

"You care for Ash, don't you?" Cynthia said, taking a stab at a mild suspicion she'd had for some time.

Dawn tensed, silently scrambling to decide how to answer. When she couldn't come up with a way to play dumb, she admitted it. "Y-Yeah. Yeah, I do." Dawn exhaled, surprised at how good she felt saying it.

"I'm not surprised." Cynthia said, "There is a lot to like about Ash. But I'm sure I don't need to tell you that." Dawn stifled a chuckle and Cynthia continued, "We're going to rescue him, I know it. Everything is going to work out."

"I hope so." Dawn answered, seemingly unconvinced.

"I've been talking with the generals since we left. We've decided on a plan of action once we arrive." Cynthia revealed.

"Can I ask you something? It's just something I've been wondering." Dawn said, "The soldiers listen to you. Why is that?"

Cynthia shrugged, "I have some military training, but my position in the League grants me a little more authority than I should probably have. The Pokémon League is effectively an arm of the government, and the Champion is the head of the group. Unfortunately, being the Champion of an entire Region is not all fun and games. In cases like these when the military is involved, I'm often given command of some soldiers. That's why the men listen to me. The government asked me to go to Snowpoint City and see what I could learn."

"Weird." Dawn answered, before she chuckled. Cynthia agreed with a short laugh of her own. The Champion then climbed back to her feet, reaching a hand down to Dawn.

"Now, maybe pick yourself up. Go walk around the ship, keep yourself occupied and don't worry so much. I'll send for you and your friends when we're close." Cynthia said. Dawn took her hand and climbed to her feet, genuinely a little more positive than she had been. Absol shot up to his feet as well, briskly exhaling through his nose. Riolu hopped up onto Absol's back playfully, startling the Disaster Pokémon for a brief instant. Absol quickly calmed, eyeing the young fighting-type sitting on its back, and snorted, reluctantly accepting Riolu's presence there.

"Thank you, Cynthia." Dawn said.

"Don't mention it." answered the Champion as she ran a hand through her long blonde hair. Dawn trotted off, bounding up the steps and making her way out of the cockpit to the other areas of the ship with Absol and Riolu right behind her. Cynthia sighed, turning to look out into the night sky ahead. The outline of Mt. Coronet and the other surrounding mountains were visible against the darkness outside, standing as an ominous forewarning to the things that were about to come. Cynthia then headed back up to the top of the bridge, her mind racing with the thought of everything that was at stake.

As the Champion took her place in the cockpit, standing still as a statue, she truly hoped that she hadn't lied to Dawn.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base**_

Ash was once again startled awake as the cell door was thrown open, the bottom part of it scraping noisily against the floor and releasing a shrill screech that jarred Ash's brain. It was becoming sickeningly normal to be woken up by the opening cell door. Now that he had figured out how to speak to Pikachu through Aura, he chatted with his partner every few hours, checking up on the mouse from a distance. They hadn't done anything terribly bad to him since the shock-lashing, Pikachu had said, but his situation still wasn't great. He was being subjected to hourly observations, each one more irritating than the last as Team Rocket's scientists tried to figure out what made him tick. The only saving grace in it was that they both knew in their hearts that their friends were coming for them.

Of course, Ash had tried talking to some of his other Pokémon that had been taken too. He'd been able to get a hold of Torterra earlier, but there had been no other successes so far. He'd tried to reach out to Charizard more recently, but that had failed. Pikachu had explained that he hadn't seen the Flame Pokémon since the ring, but that in the few times the mouse had seen him, the dragon had been particularly ferocious. Perhaps, Ash wondered, Charizard's natural anger was keeping him from establishing a mental link with the teen at the moment. Ash made a mental note to ask Riley about it the next time he saw him.

" _Wakey, wakey."_ hissed the familiar voice of Executive Proton. Ash grimaced as he tried to adjust his eyes to the sudden light. Proton grabbed Ash by the collar of his shirt, yanking the teen forward and leaning down so that he was mere inches from his face.

"The boss man thought it was time to lengthen my leash a little." Proton hissed, rather less than stellar breath snaking its way into Ash's nostrils. The cruel Executive let go of Ash and the teen slumped back into the floor, lazing back against the wall. Proton grinned evilly and gestured to the door. Two Grunts clad in identical uniforms shuffled inside, each of them carrying a pair of blades in their hands. They stood deathly still and waited, and Proton reached to the left Grunt's hands and closed his fingers around a small, hook-like blade that glinted in the dim light from the outside hallway.

Proton snickered, twirling the blade carefully between his fingers, and he leaned down to Ash's face, perfectly content in the knowledge that the teen was completely unable to harm him.

"Your mouse isn't very appreciative. I'm hoping you'll be a better playmate."Proton said. He didn't give Ash any time to respond, placing the twisted blade to Ash's cheek and slowly cutting open the skin. Ash cried out in pain, his scream echoing through the hallways outside. The two Grunts nearby sucked on their teeth, stunned at how casually Proton did what he did.

Proton pulled the blade away from Ash's skin, watching with too much satisfaction as a trickle of blood oozed from the cut. The Executive brandished a clean white cloth from the pocket of his black pants, wiping the blood away.

"Don't worry. The boss man strictly ordered for you to be kept alive. You're _lucky."_ Proton said. He snickered, handing his weapon back to one of the Grunts in exchange for another one. He twirled the knife again before reaching to make another cut, smiling joyously as the teen yelled in pain, his screams becoming louder with each passing second.

* * *

The cell door slammed shut as Ash breathed haggardly. His face was caked with dried blood that had oozed from the cuts left by from Proton's knives. The sadistic Executive had done him the 'honor' of stopping the bleeding on his wounds, but all that had done was make Ash look a little less wounded. In addition to the cuts painting his face, a few dark bruises added some discoloration to his skin, the marks detailing where Proton had punched and kicked him over the course of the torture session.

Ash didn't understand why, out of the blue, they'd send Proton to cut him up and hurt him. Nevertheless, though, the damage was done. He hoped his friends would be here soon. A few minutes later, the sound of the cell door being unlocked once again through Ash's small cell. The Trainer winced, squinting at the door as it opened and a figure moved to slip inside.

" _Please…not again…"_ Ash mumbled to himself so quietly that the newcomer couldn't hear him. But then, his vision began to clear, allowing him to see the figure for who he was. He gulped, recognizing the Rocket's lavender hair.

 _James._

The male Admin frowned, speaking sadly, "So, this is what they sent Proton down here for. I'd hoped otherwise."

"You knew this would happen." Ash growled through clenched teeth.

"No, I didn't. Jessie, Meowth and I were told they just wanted to hold you here, so that you wouldn't get in the way of our plans while we finish them." James answered, "I sincerely didn't know that they were going to do to this to you."

"Did you know they were going to study mine and Dawn's Pokémon and harm them and make them battle for their own amusement?" Ash accused.

James looked away from Ash, pointing his eyes at the ground, "Well, I…" Ash snorted, curling his lips into a snarl and looking away from James. The Rocket protested, "Twerp, you have to understand…"

Ash immediately cut him off, "No, James, _you_ have to understand. Me and my Pokémon didn't do anything to deserve this! You let it happen, you _made_ it happen. The things that Team Rocket is doing are threatening the entire world, and you're helping them! You have the capacity to do so much good, but instead you kneel before the worst people on the planet and do whatever the _fuck_ they ask you to!"

"Ash, please, I'm trying to help…"

"Oh, yeah? You want to help me? Then let me go. Take off my cuffs and let me run free. I'll tear this entire place to the ground all by myself." Ash seethed. He knew he could do it, too. All he needed was a little time for his Aura to come back to him. If he could have that, he could wait until they sent someone to give him another dose, and then he could knock out whoever they sent and bust his way out.

James looked at Ash somberly, only able to muster a pitiful excuse, "I can't do that, twerp. I want to, I do, but I cannot disobey Giovanni. I've sworn myself to following him, all of us have."

"Then I was wrong about you." Ash mumbled.

James looked hurt. "W-What?"

Ash looked back up, glaring at James from his place on the floor. "After all these years of being harassed by you guys, I gotta admit that there was a part of me that almost looked forward to running into you, no matter where we were…because you guys weren't really that bad. I've known that for a long time. Or at least, I thought I did. Turns out I was wrong. You, Jessie, and Meowth…you are bad people. And I can't believe that I ever let myself trust you guys, let myself believe in you guys…"

"T-Twerp, I-I…"

Ash interrupted James again, snapping, "Get out of here, James. Crawl back to your master. You're dead to me."

James flinched. He opened his mouth to speak, to fire back at Ash, but no words came out. He then shut his mouth, weakness filling his body, and turned to go, stepping out of the doorway and grabbing the handle of the cell door. He looked back, eyeing Ash as the teenager stared at the floor absently.

"I'm sorry, Ash."

Ash flicked his eyes up, his breath catching in his throat, but James was already tugging the door shut, locking it back in place and leaving as quickly as he could.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Near Mt. Coronet**_

Dawn, Brock, and Riley stepped through the doorway as the doors opened themselves automatically. They were greeted by the busy bridge, seeing a dozen people at the control panels. Cynthia stood in the middle of it all, quietly speaking to the soldiers closest to her.

"Cynthia? You called us?" Dawn squeaked.

Cynthia turned, eyeing the three Trainers in her peripheral vision. "Yes," said the Champion, "We're close to Ash's marker. I wanted you three to be here for this."

Dawn, Brock, and Riley stood near Cynthia, peering through the giant viewing window as they made out the visage of the mountains.

"Should be coming up around here." Cynthia said. As if on cue, a building came into view along the side of the mountain.

"Holy…" Dawn muttered, trailing off. The building was countless stories high, though the mountainside it was built into was far taller than that. The facility was long too, stretching to both sides and getting smaller along the way. Rows of windows decorated the front of the building, and a decently-sized red R marked the top of the building.

"Well, it certainly makes sense to build a base here." Cynthia said, "There's no civilization for miles, and there aren't any mountain trails near here. It's the most dangerous part of the mountain aside from Mt. Coronet. Captain, initiate cloaking and find us a safe space to land."

In a moment's notice, the outside of the ship began to turn clear, becoming completely invisible except for a blurry outline that couldn't possibly be perceived in the total darkness around them. The ship then turned to the left, heading into a densely forested region not too far from the base.

"Cynthia, scans of the building seem to indicate that a large portion of the base is built _into_ the side of the mountain. We're not sure where yet, but our guess is that the base goes deep into the mountain. What we see is the simply the exterior shell!" a soldier relayed the information to Cynthia, who nodded fiercely.

"Send all the information you can to Command. Have we found a safe landing zone?"

"Affirmative. Our course is set for a clearing nearby." said the soldier.

It wasn't long at all before the cloaked ship descended, curving around and drifting carefully toward the ground. The giant cruiser landed with a _crunch_ , digging its landing gear into the earth below them. Cynthia stepped back from the panel, giving the next set of orders.

"Radio all backup that we've found the target and landed nearby. Make sure they stay out of sight. In the meantime, mobilize a team to head into the woods towards the target. We'll keep in _constant_ contact. Our priority is to gather intelligence and find a potential opening into Team Rocket's base, and if possible, enter." Cynthia explained.

"Cynthia." Dawn said, stepping forward, "I'm going with you."

"As am I," Riley added.

"Count me in." Brock said.

Cynthia eyed the three Trainers warily for a few moments before relaxing. She allowed herself a thin smile as she gently closed her eyes, "I'm sure there's no talking you three out of this. Very well. You'll come with us, but you will stay by my side at all times unless otherwise instructed. In the event things go wrong, you will retreat back here immediately. I'd never be able to live with myself if any of you were hurt."

The Champion walked past them, and Dawn stooped down to Absol's height. The dark-type had followed her around relentlessly since the Snowpoint Temple, recklessly intent on keeping her out of harm's way. Dawn brushed a bundle of the dark-type's bright white fur out of its face.

"Absol, Riolu, do you two want to stay?" Dawn asked.

" _Sol!"_ the dark-type refused, shaking its furry head and barking. He'd come all this way to protect her! He wasn't going to let Dawn go out into danger, not alone at least.

" _Rio-lu-Ri!"_ Riolu yipped in agreement from Absol's back. There was _no way_ that they would wait here!

"Okay." Dawn said, Let's go find our friends."

Dawn followed her friends with Absol and Riolu in tow, and a few minutes later they were outside, a group of six heavily-armed soldiers around the four Pokémon Trainers. Cynthia gave a silent signal permitting the men to advance, and they followed the soldiers into the dense forest. A small earpiece was placed inside Cynthia's ear, allowing her to speak to the soldiers as they fanned out on their own to ensure the area was clear.

" _I can feel him…"_ Riley mumbled, almost awestruck.

"What?" Dawn asked, unsure if she'd heard him correctly.

"Ash. I can sense him now. He's here, and we're close." Riley said, meeting Dawn's eyes with a fierce glint in them, "He's inside that building."

"Then we're going in." Dawn insisted. Riley and Brock both nodded, but Cynthia was less than thrilled with the idea.

"Now, listen, you three, we have to be careful…"

Riley cocked his head to his right, his senses focused on the forest path ahead of them. _"Someone's coming!"_ he hissed. Cynthia reacted instantly, gesturing the Trainers into the nearby underbrush where they could hide.

"All units, get down until we give the all clear." Cynthia whispered into the microphone as they dove into the brush.

" _Did ya hear that?"_ sounded a voice from somewhere down the woodland path.

" _No, what?"_ answered a second voice.

" _I swear I heard somethin' down the way. Let's go check it out."_ the first voice said cautiously. Dawn, Brock, Riley, and Cynthia were huddled close to each other in the thick brush off to the side, leaves making their arms and legs itch as they did their best to keep quiet. Slowly but surely, the black boots of two Rocket Grunts tapped along, crunching branches and leaves underneath them in the night. The Trainers saw the boots as they passed through their field of vision, but the two men kept walking.

" _There's nothin' out here, man, c'mon."_

" _Zip it! We don't know that for sure."_

Dawn looked beside her, finding that a certain white-furred Pokémon was not by her side. Riolu stood next to her stoically, not making so much as a peep. She had only just recently given a glance to the fighting-type, who had been passively riding atop Absol's back like a jockey. She choked back a gasp and whispered to her friends, _"Where's Absol?"_

Riley frowned and closed his eyes, feeling out the surrounding area for any kind of Aura. He saw a slim shape illuminated in a bright blue light shifting through the trees. Riley's eyes shot open with surprise. "Absol's going after those Grunts!" he hissed. Dawn, Brock, and Cynthia exchanged a worried glance and looked out, the bushes rustling around them as they moved. Immediately, one of the Grunts whirled around on his heels.

"There! Ya hear that!?" the Grunt snapped.

"What? What?"

The crunching of branches behind the Grunts forced them to turn back around, but it was much too late. Absol was in midair, having leapt for the pair of men with the energy of Night Slash wrapping around its vicious black claws. The second Grunt yelped and cowered, but Absol struck him anyway, knocking him to the ground. In an instant, the Disaster Pokémon was on the first Grunt, clamping its powerful jaws around his arm. The Grunt screamed, and Riley lunged out of the bushes, landing on his feet and rearing back his arm. His staff appeared seemingly out of nowhere and he infused it with cobalt Aura before slinging it as hard as he could. The metal staff spun flawlessly, humming through the air as it went before striking the Grunt in the back of the head with one of its ends and knocking him to the ground. Absol detached from the man's arm and stepped back, examining the two men and ensuring that they were both unconscious.

Riley's staff curved back around like a boomerang and the Guardian reached up to clasp his hand around it, stopping its rapid spinning instantaneously. Dawn, Brock, and Cynthia crawled out of the bushes, gaping with awe as the Guardian relaxed. His Lucario, who also seemingly appeared out of nowhere, stood stoically by Riley's side, muffling a bark in its throat. Absol trotted away from the unconscious Grunts, thoroughly pleased with itself, and stopped at Dawn's feet, sitting down on its haunches.

" _Sol."_

As Dawn stood there speechlessly, Cynthia moved her hand up to her radio to speak into the microphone, "All units, we're in the clear. Advance. Keep your eyes and ears open for any hostiles." Cynthia let her finger off of the button and turned to Riley, "Riley. You lead the way, I need you to tip us off when someone's headed our way."

"I'm on it." Riley agreed. He and Lucario turned around and began walking in front, periodically scanning the area up ahead in search of any Aura signatures. Riley's staff dangled at his side, clenched tightly in his left hand as he stared into the dark forest.

 _~Master?~_

Riley gave no physical sign that he heard Lucario's voice in his head. Instead, he wordlessly responded, communicating his thoughts in mere seconds through Aura.

 _~Do you sense him too, Lucario?~_

 _~Yes, Master. He is hurt. I feel his pain as if it were my own.~_

 _~I know.~_

 _~Should we not tell the others?~_

 _~No. It will only make them worry more.~_

Lucario noticeably flinched, glaring ahead. _~Someone comes.~_

Riley's hand came up as he signaled the others to stop. Cynthia relayed the command to her soldiers in the forest, and in another moment, they all shuffled into the bushes, ducking out of sight. Just as predicted, a single Rocket came down the path, walking briskly. Riley immediately sensed the Grunt's own nervousness.

"H-hey, fellas? Where'd ya go, fellas?" he called. Riley leered, guessing that he was looking for the other two Grunts that they'd incapacitated earlier.

" _Lucario, do your thing."_ Riley whispered. The Aura Pokémon grunted in response, darting through the bushes away from Riley. The bushes rustled violently as the fighting-type sprinted through them, catching the Grunt's undivided attention. Riley sensed the Grunt's fear levels rising.

"Boys? Is that you?" the Grunt called worriedly, "C'mon, stop playing around."

The Grunt followed the sound of the rustling bushes until they finally stopped, and the Grunt reluctantly began inching toward where he'd last heard the movement. His fear heightened with each step, and Riley focused his Aura, sensing that Lucario was curled up right where the Grunt was headed, hiding perfectly in the underbrush.

The instant that the Grunt reached the bushes, Lucario darted out, his paw opened wide and pulsing with energy. The Aura Pokémon's palm connected with the Grunt's forehead, and the young man tumbled to the ground in one motion, unconscious before he even hit the ground. The glow of Lucario's Force Palm faded away and the fighting-type stood tall again, satisfied with his work. Lucario stepped over the unconscious Rocket as Dawn, Brock, Cynthia, and Riley waded out of the bushes back onto the path, and they continued on once Riley and Lucario took the lead again.

From there, it wasn't long before they were nearly at the base. The Trainers stopped at the edge of a clearing, keeping out of sight and ducking into the bushes as they peered out at the clearing. The building was impressively tall, but still short enough that it wasn't a shining beacon of Team Rocket's location. There were four guards at the front doors, each of them clad in gray uniforms. They all looked rather underwhelming, and Cynthia whispered orders into her radio. The half-dozen soldiers that they'd brought along with them were camped in various places on the edge of the clearing, far away from the rest of their comrades while also being close enough to help each other out if it suddenly became necessary.

A series of hollow hisses came from the surrounding bushes, and one by one the guards at the doors were instantly stunned by small projectiles that struck them in the sides of their necks. In another moment, two soldiers camped near the corners of the building ran out of the brush, their footfalls fast and quiet as they closed the gap on the stunned Grunts. Using the stocks of their rifles, the two soldiers efficiently knocked the four guards out cold, making almost no noise in the process.

"We're in the clear." Cynthia told the three Trainers at her side. Together, they crept out into the open, quietly trotting to the outer walls of the secure base. "Four guards. We can use their uniforms." Cynthia observed. She turned to Dawn, Brock, and Riley, "You three, with me. We're going inside."

* * *

Dawn tugged the top over her torso, glancing down at the red R emblazoned on it. She pushed her locks of blue hair out of the way as she fit the cap onto her head, arranging her hair so that it looked natural. Once she was done putting the Grunt's uniform over her regular clothes, she stepped back around the corner of the building into full view, silently noting the less-than-pleasant smell on the uniform.

"How do I look?" the Coordinator asked.

Cynthia, Riley, and Brock looked her up and down, each of them clad in their own stolen Grunt uniforms. Riley had left his hat with one of the soldiers, fitting the gray cap over his spiky blue hair. As for Cynthia, none of the uniforms had been big enough for her tall frame, and so the bottom section of her belly stood exposed as the uniform's top clung tightly to the rest of her. She had also pulled her incredibly long blonde locks back, tying them into a lengthy ponytail. At least this way, she wouldn't be so easily recognizable based on her hair alone, which was one of the many remarkable features about her.

"That should suffice." Cynthia said with a nod. She slid her hand into her uniform's pant pocket, sliding out a slim key card that she'd taken from one of the guards, "Let's get going. We want to be in and out of here quickly. Riley, what's the status on Ash?"

"I can sense that he's underground somewhere…in a dungeon, I think. We'll have to find our own way down there, though." Riley explained.

"Good enough." Cynthia said. She turned to the soldiers, "Get those Rockets back to the clearing and place them under arrest. We can't risk our cover being blown."

Dawn stepped over to Riolu and Absol, who stood around lazily in the confusion. "Hey, you two. There's been a change of plans. Absol, you need to stay out here. I don't have a Poké Ball to put you in."

" _Sol?"_

"I'm sorry. But it'll be safer out here. If we need help, you'll know. Riolu, you're gonna get to come with me. But, you will be in your Poké Ball until we find Ash."

" _Rio!"_ Riolu answered. Dawn revealed the little fighting-type's Poké Ball, the only one that hadn't been taken from she and Ash at the Snowpoint Temple, and returned Riolu, hooking the capsule safely on the belt of her stolen uniform. Absol grunted, reluctantly stepping up to Dawn and brushing his thick white fur against her leg before walking off toward the soldiers that were staying outside. Dawn took it to mean as a symbol of the dark-type's affection.

Cynthia whirled around and stepped up to the front double doors of the base, swiping the key card into a small slot next to them. The machine whirred and flashed a small green light, and the doors unlocked with a _clink,_ allowing the four Trainers to walk inside. Riley and Cynthia took the lead, walking faster than Brock and Dawn and getting a short gap in between them as a result.

"We're going to find him." Brock whispered to Dawn, giving her a gentle nudge, "You know that, don't you?"

"Y-Yeah, I know." Dawn answered, sounding completely unsure of herself, "Just look at this place…"

Brock scanned the hallways with Dawn, taking note of the monotone white hallways bathed in equally white light. The front hallway was completely empty, and it led the four Trainers to a dead end lined with elevators.

"Interesting." Cynthia commented, "The sign says this is the 5th floor. There are multiple levels below us." She tapped the _down_ button on the elevator panel and a few moments later one of the sets of doors opened with a _ding_ , allowing the Trainers-in-disguise to huddle inside it. Riley glared at the panel along the wall, seeing that the elevator only went down to the 3rd floor, and pressed the button.

The elevator rumbled as it slid down the elevator shaft, slowly rolling down two levels before coming to a stop. The doors slid open again, but Cynthia immediately held out a hand to silently tell the others to stop. The 3rd floor hallway was crawling with Grunts.

"Split up. We'll look suspicious all walking around together." Cynthia whispered. Dawn, Brock, and Riley nodded and filed out of the elevator behind Cynthia, each of them walking into the room in a different direction. Grunts eyed them each for no longer than a second, ignoring their presence as quickly as they'd acknowledged it. Once they were away from the elevators, the room branched into multiple halls, with various words printed on signs marking each individual hallway. None of them, though, read anything remotely close to _dungeon._

Dawn looked around, finding no one nearby, and briskly walked further down the hallway, peering into room after room. Finally, she reached the end of the hallway, where she stifled a gasp. The hallway curved, and a long staircase went down into a dark tunnel. At the top of the stairwell was a black sign reading, _Basement._

Dawn whirled around and briskly walked back the way she'd come, searching frantically for Brock, Riley, or Cynthia without giving herself away. As she got closer to where the elevators were, the number of Grunts walking around increased. Luckily, Dawn spotted Riley along the wall, blending in with the crowd of people. She walked toward the disguised Aura Guardian, combing a strand of her blue hair behind her ear on her way. Once she was next to him, she turned around and placed her back against the wall, scanning the room full of Grunts carefully.

" _I found something."_ Dawn whispered, _"Find Brock and Cynthia, and meet me at the end of the hallway on the far end. Be discreet about it."_

" _Are you sure?"_ Riley asked.

" _Absolutely."_ Dawn answered. She pushed herself off of the wall and began walking back to the hallway. The elevator slid open and a handful of Grunts spilled out. Behind them walked a calm figure, none other than Executive Archer. Dawn's breath hitched and she turned her head, hoping to hide her face from the Executive. The Grunts filing out of the elevator each carried cardboard boxes in their hands.

"You there!" called one of them, "Take this box to storage."

Dawn looked up at the Grunt, calmly exhaling and taking the box in her hands. She locked her grip around the cutouts on each side of the cardboard box, whirling around quickly and walking down the hallway where she'd found the basement stairwell. She recalled seeing a door labeled 'S _torage'_ on the way there. Luckily, she was correct, and she used her stolen key card to unlock the door and set the box down along the wall before leaving. Once she was back out into the hallway, she glanced back down the way she'd come, spying Archer marching around the area by the elevators barking orders. With a great sigh, Dawn walked further down the hallway, heading for the stairwell leading into the basement.

It wasn't terribly long before Brock, Cynthia, and Riley all arrived at the top of the stairs to meet her.

"Are you sure no one followed?" Dawn pressed.

"Certain." Cynthia answered quickly, "Are you sure you know where we're going?"

"She's sure. And she's right." Riley interrupted. The others looked at the Guardian to see him opening his eyes, "I can feel the Aura coming from down there. It's Ash, there's no doubt about it."

"Then let's go." Brock said hastily. He and Dawn were the first ones to go down the steps, taking care to step as quietly as they could and keep the metal stairs from screeching. Riley and Cynthia followed quietly. The staircase was long, descending into the darkness of the basement. As they neared the bottom, they could see yellow lights along the wall, indicating that they were headed somewhere.

The four Trainers reached the bottom of the steps and Dawn took the lead, confidently striding toward the corner of the room where the yellow lights were coming from. Another sign reading _Holding Block_ was plastered onto the wall. They were in the right place.

Dawn stiffened as she heard voices coming around the corner. The voices echoed from down the hallway, the sounds distorting wildly along the way. Dawn and the others shuffled against the wall, creeping towards the corner. Dawn looked back at Riley, who nodded at her silently. The voices came closer and closer, and with all the confidence in the world, Dawn walked around the corner, prompting the others to follow her.

They went around the corner into the light, only to bump into whoever had been walking down the hall.

" _Ow!"_ cried a male as he stumbled back after colliding with Dawn. He gripped his nose, glaring up with displeasure. Dawn noted the black uniforms on the man and his female companion, as well as the Pokémon between them: a Meowth.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" James complained, holding his nose between his fingers.

"What are you Grunts doing down here?" Jessie scolded.

"Oh, uh, w-we've been sent to replace the guards holding the prisoner." Dawn lied.

Meowth's eyes narrowed as she glared up at Dawn, the gears in his head turning as Jessie and James responded.

"Forgive us, we didn't know Giovanni had sent new guards down here. We relieved the last shift earlier." Jessie said more nicely. Dawn looked the magenta-haired Rocket in the eye and noticed how conflicted she looked. What, she wondered, had they been doing down here as well?

" _Wait."_ Meowth rasped. His eyes flicked over in Brock's direction, and he hissed, _"It's the twoipette and her friends."_

Jessie and James looked up into Dawn's eyes, seeing right through her disguise this time. The two Admins gasped and staggered back, stunned beyond comprehension. "He's right!" James wailed.

Dawn flinched, but took a defensive stance and gritted her teeth as she dashed her charade, "You three. I should've guessed that we'd manage to run into you."

"You've walked into the lion's den, twerpette." Jessie said with a scowl. Her expression then softened, and she glanced at James, meeting her partner's eyes. Jessie then looked back at Dawn with a sad face, "But I suppose we should say that we're glad to see you alive."

"W-What?" Dawn managed.

James took a small step forward, "Giovanni and the Executives never bothered to fill us in on their plans for you two. They just told us that Ash would be held here until our work was complete. But…when we got back from Snowpoint City, with the Lake Guardians and the Lustrous Orb in our hands, we found out that you'd been left inside the Snowpoint Temple to die. And they haven't exactly been kind to Ash."

"The truth is, we don' know what ta believe anymore." Meowth sighed, "We've done some bad things these last couple o' months. Even though we'd a' stopped at nothin' to catch the twerp's Pikachu for years now, we can barely stand ta see 'im this way. And just da thought of you being dead was hurtin' us like you would never believe…"

"Then help us." Brock interrupted. Everyone looked at him, the Rocket Trio rather sentimentally.

"Gym Leader twoip. Long time, no see." Meowth said with a dry chuckle.

"You guys…you've harassed Ash and me and our other friends for years now." Brock said with a grumble, "But I don't believe that you're evil. You're Admins in Team Rocket, but you're still you. You're still good. You can help us end this. Help us get Ash out of here and reclaim his and Dawn's Pokémon. Help us stop Giovanni. You're the only ones that can."

Jessie, James, and Meowth all exchanged nervous glances. Meowth then looked at the floor and scratched a sharp claw against the back of his furry head. "Well, da truth is we do know where they're keeping all them Pokémon. And it wouldn't be hard to get 'em out."

"Then let's do exactly that." Cynthia spoke up. She stepped into the full view of the three Rockets, swiftly undoing her braid and removing her cap to reveal her hair in its natural style. Her image was instantly recognizable, and Jessie, James, and Meowth all equally gaped.

"The Champion of Sinnoh." James said in awe.

"Heh. I guess even if we wanted to resist, we'd be pretty royally screwed!" Meowth said. He stifled a laugh as he spoke, and it resulted in his wide mouth hanging open and making him look utterly ridiculous.

"If you help us bring down Team Rocket, I will grant you immunity from any charges. You know almost everything there is to know about their entire operation." Cynthia said, "There's only one way you walk out of here without chains."

"Heh! Don't have to tell us that." Meowth remarked.

"We don't even need the immunity offer to make our choice." James added.

Jessie turned to look at James, "Are you prepared for trouble?" she asked, a wistful smile on her face.

James smiled, "Make it double," he said, raising his hand and high-fiving Jessie.

"Meowth and I will go to the lab and acquire Pikachu and the other Pokémon, and we'll meet everyone at the entrance level." Jessie said, turning to Dawn and the others, "James, take them and break the twerp out of the slammer. And be quick about it."

"On it!" James agreed. Jessie and Meowth broke into a run, moving to run past the group of intruders on their way to the lab, wherever that was. Dawn swung her arm out to her side, clasping her hand around Jessie's forearm. The magenta-haired Rocket stopped in her tracks and turned her neck to look at Dawn, a blank expression written on her face.

"Thanks." Dawn said simply, relinquishing her hold on Jessie's arm. Jessie smiled genuinely.

"Don't mention it, twerpette." Jessie answered, before running off with Meowth again. Dawn turned back to face forward, finding that James was already walking toward the doors leading into the holding block. She, along with Brock, Riley, Cynthia, Absol, and Riolu, followed the man with short lavender hair. James swiped his key card into the machine by the door. This electronic lock was larger than the others, and a black screen lit up with green letters spelling 'Administrator Access Granted'. The door then unlocked and James tugged it open, motioning for the others to follow him inside.

Once everyone was in, James slammed the door shut, the locking of the door somehow being music to his ears. Then, he took the lead, "Ash is being held on the bottom floor, about as far as you can go."

Riley observed the long line of metal cell doors, the small windows to the inside of them blocked by sliding panels. He then noticed the traditional locks on all of them.

"How will we get inside the cell?" Riley asked.

"It just so happens I have a key." James said. To prove it, he slipped a slim, golden key from his pocket, "Took it off one of the actual guards. I actually came to visit Ash a half-hour ago or so. He wasn't exactly thrilled to see me, though."

"You see, James? You already had this in you." Brock said.

"Perhaps I did." James answered, "But I still needed you all to bring it out of me. It is I who should be thanking you. For once, I believe I'm thinking clearly."

As a group, they briskly walked down the hallway, passing door after door. Riley curiously felt out the surrounding area with Aura, picking up the signature of someone locked inside one of the cells on the first level.

 _Wonder what that one did to get in here,_ the Guardian wondered, before feeling out even further. Just as he'd thought, he felt Ash's Aura, now stronger than ever, only just below them. Through his mind's eye, Riley saw Ash's body, sat down on the floor of his cell, with his body bathed in a bright blue light. With each passing second, the boy's naturally pulsing Aura became stronger.

 _We're almost there, Ash. The nightmare is nearly over._

* * *

Jessie and Meowth walked briskly down the hall, passing sign after sign that read _Laboratory._ They passed Grunt after Grunt, who didn't pay them even a second of attention.

"Hey, Jess?" Meowth asked, looking up at his feminine partner in crime.

"Yes, Meowth?"

"Are we doing the right thing?" Meowth asked. His whole life, he had known nothing but trouble. From infancy, the Scratch Cat Pokémon had become used to starving. He'd steal anything he could get, most importantly food. Sometime later in his life, he'd joined a gang of Persian and other Meowth. And later still, he'd joined up with Team Rocket, continuing the never-ending cycle of criminal activity in his life. And yet, for the first time in his life, there was a strange sense of peace lurking within the Scratch Cat Pokémon's heart.

Jessie sighed, "I think so, Meowth. No, I know so."

No sooner than that, the pair arrived at the doors to the lab, pushing the white double doors open and walking into the facility. The lab itself was on the seventh floor of the entire building, and it was built into the mountainside, the invisible outer shell around the facility's walls being nothing more than million-year-old rock. As soon as they walked into the lab, a slim woman in a lab coat turned to face them, a radiant smile on her face.

"Welcome." the woman said respectfully, "How can I help you, Admins Jessie and Meowth?"

Jessie put on a fake smile, "Good evening. We're here to pick up the Ketchum boy's Pikachu and the rest of the Pokémon we took from him and the girl he was with."

The woman in the lab coat looked confused. "So soon? But we believe we are finally beginning to understand what makes those Pokémon so special. And we think the boy's Charizard may be ready to accept the Mega Stone."

"Lord Giovanni personally requested that we bring them to him." Jessie lied, "You aren't disputing a direct order from our leader, are you?"

"'Cause if ya are, we'd like ya name!" Meowth added, giving a wild grin.

"Forgive me." said the woman, "I will round up the Pokémon you requested immediately."

The woman turned on her heels and stepped away, her heels clicking against the flawless white floor as she left the main facility through another set of double doors. Jessie looked around the quiet lab as they waited. She eyed the round cages, watching as the metal curves spun round and round, an electrified field serving as the inside of the cell. Two of those same cells housed an exhausted Nidorino and a beaten-up Marowak. Jessie frowned, saddened by what she'd spent so many years aiding and abetting.

Some few minutes later, the woman returned, clicking her way through the double doors. She held Pikachu's cage in her two hands, and a long belt packed with Poké Balls was strapped around her slim waist. It was amazing that she was even able to fit the belt onto herself, Jessie noted. The lab woman stopped in front of the two Admins and set Pikachu's cage on the floor, moving to unstrap the belt of Poké Balls as Pikachu looked up at Meowth threateningly. The electric-type flashed the tiniest bit of electricity from his cheeks, and Meowth carefully placed a finger to his mouth, silently begging the mouse to hush.

The lab woman turned over the belt of Poké Balls to Jessie, lifting Pikachu's cage again and handing it over to the magenta-haired Admin once she had strapped the Poké Ball belt around her own waist. "There you are. May I ask what Lord Giovanni requires these Pokémon for?"

Jessie frowned scornfully, "I believe it isn't your business to know such things."

The double doors behind Jessie swung open, the sound of them slamming against the lab's walls singing like a bell of damnation. The sound of boots hitting the floor came next, followed by a sarcastic, disdainful voice that made Jessie's skin crawl.

" _Oh, on the contrary,"_ said Executive Proton. Jessie and Meowth whirled around to face Proton, who stood just past the doorway with a dark smirk. Three men stood on each side of him, each one carrying an electricity launcher in their hands. Proton spoke again, "Jessie, would you be so kind as to share with me what the boss has not?"

* * *

"This is it." James said quickly. They arrived at a cell door on the left of the hallway, all the way at the far end of the floor. James inserted the key, shaking it rapidly for a few seconds before the lock finally turned. Once the key was out, James pushed the door open, shedding a shaft of dim light on Ash inside the cell. The teen looked up, only able to see James in the doorway.

Ash groaned groggily, "Back…so soon…James?"

James frowned at Ash and then stepped aside, holding the heavy door open and clearing the doorway. Dawn walked in first, her eyes immediately falling on Ash. Her breath audibly hitched in her throat and she bolted forward, dropping down to her knees at Ash's side. She brought her hand up and trailed her soft fingers along the cuts painting Ash's face, feeling the crusty, dried blood that had come from them.

" _A-A-Ash?_ What did they do to you?"Dawn whimpered. Brock, Riley, and Cynthia carefully stepped inside the cell. Brock reacted immediately upon seeing Ash's injuries, running over and dropping down on his opposite side. Ash grimaced, as if the gentlest motion was painful to him.

"Dawn…? Brock…?" Ash winced. His rib cried out in pain and he instinctively motioned to place his hand on it, but the shackles on his wrists kept him from doing so. Proton's little visit had included a decent number of extra punches and kicks to various parts of his body.

"Ash, it's us." Dawn insisted, a few tears leaking from her eyes.

"We're going to get you out of here." Brock added.

"Brock…what are you doing here…?" Ash heaved.

"How could I not be here, once I heard what had happened?" Brock answered.

"And I have someone here who will be happy to see you." Dawn said. She brought up a single Poké Ball, clicking the button. Silvery-white light bounded out of the open capsule, hitting the ground and taking the shape of Riolu. The Emanation Pokémon became overjoyed and leaped forward at Ash, latching onto his clothes.

" _Rio-lu!"_ barked the fighting-type. Ash giggled as the fighting-type licked him, a hidden sliver of his usual youthful joy peeking through.

James shuffled over and started unlocking Ash's manacles. Little by little, Ash felt the pressure pulled off of him. His wrists whimpered as he finally moved them out of their static position, his bones and muscles inside popping and creaking as he stretched them out. Brock then latched his arm underneath Ash's, grabbing the teen's back to support him as he stood up. As soon as he was on his feet, Ash wobbled, but Dawn quickly grabbed him on his other side and kept him from falling.

"Th-thanks…" Ash mumbled. He saw the worry in her eyes and spoke further, "I'm…okay…"

"You haven't changed a bit." Riley said. Ash perked up, having not noticed Riley's presence at first, "Although you've cut your hair since we parted ways on Mt. Silver."

"R-Riley?" Ash groaned.

The Aura Guardian frowned, "I'm sorry, Ash…that I didn't prepare you for something like this. I blame myself."

"Don't." Ash insisted, "This wasn't your fault at all, Riley." Ash then recognized Cynthia, and he looked over at Dawn, "Rallied everyone you could find, huh?"

Dawn smirked, and Ash turned his focus to James. "James…you did this for me…thank you."

"Jess and Meowth are on their way to take back your Pokémon." James added, "Ash, can you…can you ever forgive us?"

Ash glanced at the floor for a few seconds before meeting James' eyes. "…It will take some time. But, I think I can."

James smiled, his eyes quivering with a hint of joy. He nodded, "Now, come on, let's get everyone out of here. We don't want to risk getting caught."

"Right." Brock agreed. James shuffled out of the cell, followed by Riley and Cynthia, and Dawn and Brock helped Ash hobble his way out of the cell.

"Guys, I can walk by myself." Ash insisted.

"No way." Brock said, "Let's get some blood flowing to your legs before you walk all on your own."

Dawn and Brock moved a little faster, allowing Ash to do a sort of galloping motion in order to walk with them. The pain in his legs began to ebb away, but his two close friends still held him tightly. They made their way up to the first level of the dungeon and continued after James, Riley, and Cynthia, who kept themselves at a moderate pace to avoid outrunning Ash, Dawn, and Brock. Eventually, they made their way out of the gates to the blocks of holding cells, ending up near the long stairwell that would lead them out into the hall.

Dawn and Brock set Ash down on his feet, and though he initially wobbled, he managed to stand tall at the foot of the stairwell. "Think you can get up these steps?" Brock asked.

"Definitely. Let's go." Ash agreed. He stepped forward first, ignoring the cries of his stiff legs. Riley walked beside him and watched Riolu, who clung affectionately to Ash's shoulder. Just by being beside them, he could feel the bond that they shared. The Guardian looked up. Little by little, they inched toward the top of the stairs.

Ash and Riley were the first ones up the steps, quietly conversing between themselves without looking ahead. Dawn and Brock were next, followed by Cynthia and James. The lavender-haired Rocket shuffled his way up to the front of the group. He looked at Ash and Riley, garnering their attention.

"Come on, I'll lead you all out of here." James said.

" _No, I'm afraid you won't!"_

Everyone looked up ahead with shock. Executive Archer stood in the way, flanked on either side by several men, each one touting the dreaded electrical launchers. Another group of men carrying the same weapons appeared behind the group, wading out of the shadows.

"Don't do anything stupid," barked a Grunt at Cynthia's back. The Champion glanced back to see the men behind them.

"Congratulations, you all. You managed to free your friend. But in doing so, I'm afraid you've only trapped yourselves." Archer said, "If you all know what's good for you, you'll stand down, _now."_

Archer said that final word venomously, and Ash and his friends all exchanged looks.

"James…" Ash asked defensively.

James carefully raised his hands into the air, "Sorry, twerp. Honest, I-I didn't know this was coming."

Ash looked around at his friends. He and Riley could take them, he knew it! His Aura was only just beginning to come back! If he just had a little more time…

 _~I know what you're thinking, Ash.~_ Riley's voice echoed in Ash's head, _~Put your hands up. Let's see what they want with us.~_

"I said, _stand down!"_ Archer barked furiously, "Or I will make you!" The Executive raised his arm up, revealing a gauntlet on his arm. A round hole on the face of the gauntlet lit up with white light and a beam fired out, aiming straight for Ash's shoulder. Except, he wasn't aiming at Ash.

" _Wah!?"_ Riolu gasped. The blast struck the fighting-type not an instant later, knocking the Emanation Pokémon to the ground. Riolu crashed to the ground as the light around it vanished, and in that instant its form turned to stone.

"Riolu!" Ash gasped, dropping down and placing his hands on the petrified fighting-type. Ash then whipped his head back around to glare at Archer, and he instinctively reached down for his belt. But, of course, there was nothing there. Ash remembered this as his fingers grasped only air, and then he looked back up at Executive Archer, whose face had been twisted into a scowl.

Ash gulped, "Everyone…do as he says." Ash then slowly dropped down to his knees, sticking his arms high up in the air. Archer slow-clapped, a scornful smirk written on his lips as the others mimicked Ash, and the Team Rocket Grunts inched closer to them, pairing up to grab each intruder and lock them in handcuffs. From there, each new prisoner was led behind Ash in a straight line, forced to walk towards the elevator instead of back down to the dungeon. It was immediately curious to Ash.

"Where are we going?" Ash asked.

" _Shut up,"_ barked one of the Grunts holding him, right before he decked Ash with an elbow to the face.

"Connors!" Archer snapped. The Grunt immediately straightened out and stood at attention. Archer shook his head and motioned for him to keep walking with Ash. "You're going to the penthouse. The boss would like a word with you and your… _allies."_

Ash and his friends were then led into one of the large elevators, and a Grunt pushed the button that would take them all the way to the top floor. Archer joined them in the elevator last, and the doors scrolled shut before lurching upward, headed toward Giovanni.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator finally came to a stop. A device in the elevator sang happily as they reached the top floor, and the doors slowly opened. Archer walked out first, followed by the Grunts holding Ash, then the ones holding Riley, and so on until Brock was the last one to be carried out. They walked down a short hallway ending in a set of tall double doors made of the finest wood. Archer reached out to the door handle and tugged it open, standing on the outside of the door and gesturing for the Grunts to take the prisoners inside.

Ash was the first to enter the gigantic suite. It was the only room on the top floor, taking up almost the entire level of the building, and there were several features that one would find in both an expensive suite and a typical office. A tall man that could only be Giovanni stood at the end of the room with his back to the entering prisoners, as if he were pondering the outside world. A fine desk was behind him, with a comfortable-looking chair tucked into it. A few dozen Grunts stood along the perimeter of the wall, as if they were knights guarding their king in the courtroom. Along the intersection between the walls and the ceiling were several TV screens lining the room's perimeter, each of them playing live feeds of goings-on throughout the base. Ash grimaced. They wouldn't have been able to make it out anyway. His friends were likely being watched the whole time. Also on one of the walls was a very long and very expensive-looking couch. Sitting on top of the couch was a long-bodied Persian, who was avidly licking its paws without interruption despite all of the motion nearby.

Jessie and Meowth sat down on the floor, their arms pulled behind them and locked together by pairs of handcuffs. The two Team Rocket Admins looked back to see James and the others being marched in, and they frowned.

 _So, they were caught too…_ Ash thought. He was marched up right next to them, and a Grunt then stabbed his foot into the back of Ash's knee, knocking the teen to the ground. His friends were more or less sent to the ground in the same way, although the Grunts were somewhat kinder to the females in the group, instead deciding to lazily throw Dawn and Cynthia to the ground rather than kick them. From there, the Grunts who had led them in took a few steps back and then stood still. Ash looked around the large penthouse/office hybrid, eyeing Archer and the other three Executives standing by Giovanni's desk. In particular, Proton had an evil smile on his face, his eyes fixed solely on Ash, no doubt staring at his unpleasant injuries. A few more Grunts walked into the room, two of them each carrying a belt loaded with Poké Balls. Ash counted eleven in all, and he guessed that they were his and Dawn's Pokémon. Next, a third and fourth Grunt walked in, one carrying Pikachu's cage and the other carrying the petrified body of Riolu, trapped in a box not unlike the one Hunter J would've placed her captures in.

"Pikachu! Riolu!" Ash gasped.

Pikachu heard Ash's call and immediately grabbed onto the bars of the cage, _"Pika-pi!"_ he cried. The cage then lit up with more blue electricity, only lightly stunning the electric-type but doing enough to scare him away from the bars.

"You bastards!" Ash spat venomously.

"So much energy, even after a visit from Proton. I promise, Mr. Ketchum, I will make this quick. By my count, you're about due for another dose of your favorite serum." Giovanni spoke up, commanding all of the attention in the room without even raising his voice. The leader of Team Rocket turned around and walked to the front of his desk as the two Grunts carrying the belts of Poké Balls handed them to him. Giovanni examined the group of capsules for a moment and then looked up, his eyes falling on Dawn.

"Miss Berlitz. I must say I'm surprised to see that you survived your little ordeal. Although I suspect your little Riolu friend must've helped you escape. I assure you, he will make a _fine_ addition to our collection." Giovanni put his hands on the encased stone body of Riolu and placed it onto his desk, where the fighting-type sat like a trinket. Ash and Dawn both gritted their teeth, disgusted by the man.

"Anyway! I thought it would be nice to call everyone here for a little meeting." Giovanni said commandingly, "Although, I was expecting a few less guests…" Giovanni's eyes fell on Jessie, James, and Meowth, and the trio forced nervous smiles at their leader, "You three…I placed a small amount of trust in you, and you betrayed that trust. I don't suppose I need to inform you that you've been fired before your execution."

The trio's nerve-wracked smiles shifted into stunned gapes as their mouths fell open. As one, they stammered, _"E-E-Execution!?"_

"You know that I have no mercy for _traitors_ …" Giovanni growled. Then, he turned his attention to Ash, calmly walking up to him, "Mr. Ketchum, I must say that I applaud your ingenuity, using your Pokémon Watch to inform your friends where you were. But, sad to say, we detected the signal before it ever even left the building."

Ash's throat turned dry, "H-h-how? And why would you just let me do that?"

Giovanni snorted, "Why else? This way, we could capture your friends as well. And, I must add, the prestigious Champion of the Sinnoh League." Just about everyone in the room looked at the blonde-headed Champion, who looked decidedly useless in her handcuffs. Giovanni addressed her, "The great Cynthia, it is a great honor to play host to you. Grunts, take the rest of these Trainers' Pokémon, now."

Six Grunts left the line of them up against the wall and approached Cynthia from all sides. The Champion tensed and she tried to fight back as the men grabbed at her clothing, easily finding her six Poké Balls. As her roster was poached from her, she even felt one of the Grunts grope her breast, immediately earning Cynthia's scorn. The greasy Grunt who had done so simply smiled as he took one of her Poké Balls, the one Cynthia knew to be holding her Garchomp. Brock was next to have his on-hand Pokémon taken, before Riley finally lost his to the hands of the Grunts. One by one, each capsule was placed on Giovanni's desk, amounting to a small pile of Poké Balls each carrying a unique Pokémon inside.

"Now that that is over with, for those of you that haven't met me, my name is Giovanni: the leader of Team Rocket. Everything that has happened in the past year has been according to _my_ design." Giovanni said, "All of you are interlopers, and at this point, I have run out of patience for you. My ultimate victory is now nearly at hand, and I will not allow you to continue trying to stop me."

"And what _is_ that ultimate victory?" Riley asked aloud, his eyes fixated on Giovanni.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed, and he paused before he spoke, simply staring Riley down, "I have collected the key to the Spear Pillar, the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs, and the three Lake Guardians of Sinnoh. Using these items, I intend to rule the world…a better world, created by _me."_

"So, you're just another Cyrus, then." Ash interrupted, "You're just replicating Team Galactic's plan."

This seemed to truly irritate Giovanni. His lip curled into a snarl and he gritted his teeth, _"Not. So."_ Giovanni growled, "My plan is not only _better_ than Cyrus', it is more reasonable and will actually _work._ Cyrus wanted to destroy the world by creating a brand new one devoid of anything. He was nothing more than a _fool_ …rich and resourceful, but still a _fool._ _I_ intend to use our current world as a template and remake it from _within!_ Using the powers of Palkia, the deity that controls space, I will warp everything how I want it to be, changing the landscape and the oceans and everything in the world! And with the powers of Dialga, I will alter the events of history to install myself as the ruler of the world! Everyone and everything will be subservient to me and Team Rocket."

"Do you understand now, _boy?"_ Giovanni seethed at Ash, "I am nothing like Cyrus. My men are nothing like the fools of Team Galactic. Nor are we like those _idiots_ from the Hoenn Region that wanted to unleash Groudon and Kyogre upon the world. No, we are the best of the bunch: the smartest and the strongest and the most resourceful. And _I_ will not allow you and your lot to muck things up when we are so close to accomplishing our goals. All of you will be locked away forever. The next time you will see the sun, it will be in a world ruled by _me, Giovanni!"_

Ash and his friends were silent.

Giovanni calmed, regaining his mocking glare, "And so, now you see…there is nothing that you can do. Our work is all but complete. We have gained everything that we need, and we will have what we deserve. _I_ will have what I deserve. Lester, Butch, and Cassidy! To me."

Out of the group of Grunts, those three walked away from the wall to their leader. Ash raised an eyebrow, he hadn't noticed either of them in the room beforehand.

"Yes, Lord Giovanni?" said Lester, Butch, and Cassidy all at once.

"All three of you have served Team Rocket with everything you have for some time now. You are the class of our Grunts." Giovanni praised calmly, "And now, three positions above you have just been vacated. As we stand here, I am officially promoting the three of you to Team Rocket Admins, in replacement of your pitiful comrades that you see there."

"Thank you, Lord Giovanni. We are honored." they said robotically.

"Now, as your first order of business as Admins, take the prisoners to the dungeons. And then, bring your former superiors to the commons on Level Seven. A public execution is in order." Giovanni ordered.

The three newly named Admins nodded and walked over, gesturing to some of their new subordinates to help them remove the prisoners.

"You're wrong, Giovanni. You will lose!" Cynthia protested.

"Ah! I almost forgot." Giovanni said. He put up a hand to his three new Admins, beckoning them to stop, "Miss Cynthia, I forgot to add something to my speech for you. Do you think that your comrades in your ship are safely hidden in the clearing beyond the forest?"

Cynthia stiffened, locking eyes with Giovanni, "What…what are you talking about?"

"As I said, we knew Ash's location signal had been sent the instant it went out." Giovanni answered nonchalantly, "So it is only natural that we watched our radar 24/7 from that point forward. We were able to detect your ship and tag it before your cloaking device went active. But, since we thought you'd be coming, we decided it would be best to wait until you could see it for yourself."

"I-I don't understand." Cynthia stammered, finally losing her usual calm demeanor, "What are you talking about?"

Giovanni smiled evilly, cocking his head just enough so that he could see Archer in his peripheral vision. Giovanni locked his eyes on Cynthia as he spoke, slowly, "Archer. Ready the drones."

"At once, sir." Archer answered. The Executive left his friends and stepped over to Giovanni's desk, opening a small compartment on the tabletop. A panel slid up with a whirr, and the teal-haired Executive began punching in numbers on the screen, presumably activating the weapon Giovanni had spoken of. Lester, Butch, and Cassidy then started walking toward the prisoners.

 _~Ash, can you use any Aura?~_

Ash mentally grimaced, responding to Riley, _~I don't think so, at least not much. They've been injecting me with stuff to keep it down. I can kind of feel it, but there's no telling how strong it would be.~_

 _~That's fine. My own Aura will be more than enough. Get ready.~_

"Drones powering up, sir. We should be ready to send them out in two minutes." Archer said to Giovanni.

The new Admins and a group of Grunts began closing in on Ash and the others. Just when they got close enough, Riley tensed, summoning forth his Aura. Azure flames exploded from Riley's hand, causing his handcuffs to break like a twig. In another instant, the Guardian had shot up to his feet, slinging a whip of Aura energy into a pair of Grunts that had been closest to him. The Grunts shouted with surprise and fell flat on their faces. Lester, Butch, and Cassidy stumbled backwards and Riley zipped over to Ash with inhuman speed, ripping his handcuffs apart and then moving to Brock and Dawn. In mere seconds, everyone was free.

Cynthia tugged her sleeve up quickly, turning her wrist over to activate the communicator on her wrist as she barked into it, "Command Cruiser, this is Cynthia, get the ship off the ground! I repeat, _get away from here!"_

Giovanni face became flushed with red and he yelled, _"Get them! Get them all!"_

Cynthia relaxed, certain that her men would either get in the ship and fly out of range or flee into the forest. She stole a glance at Riley, whose Aura had ignited and flooded all the way to his shoulders from his hands, giving him a fiery blue glow. Ash, standing next to him, fed off of Riley's energy, conjuring a small ball of Aura that pulsed with a power that was screaming to be let out. The Grunts and the new Admins brandished Poké Balls, preparing to call on Pokémon to attack.

"Be right back." Riley told Ash, not spending another second waiting in place. Riley sprinted with boosted speed, his form barely visible as he moved. He slipped past one Grunt, dealing a brutal Aura-infused punch into his stomach, and bolted toward Giovanni's desk, grabbing as many Poké Balls as he could carry and rounding back toward his friends, appearing in a flash of blue light.

"Did anyone order a group of Pokémon?" Riley asked. Rather than try to hand them back individually, Riley tossed them up into the air, shouting, _"Go!"_

The Poké Balls all burst open together as the Grunts and the Admins of Team Rocket called on the likes of Golbat, Graveler, Koffing, Houndour, and others. Out of the Trainers' Poké Balls spawned Charizard, Primeape, Piplup, Buneary, Froslass, Sudowoodo, Croagunk, Garchomp, Riley's Lucario and Pidgeot, James' Cacturne, and Jessie's Seviper. Riley then bolted back toward the desk, returning with Pikachu and Ash's Riolu.

"Pikachu!" Ash gasped, immediately grabbing the electric-type's cage.

"Pikachu, get back. I'm gonna break this apart." Riley said quickly, barely giving Pikachu a second before he bashed the top of the cage apart. Pikachu hopped out onto Ash's shoulder and the cage was discarded. Riley then lowered the lever on Riolu's cage, freeing the fighting-type from stasis and then breaking the glass that surrounded it, freeing the Emanation Pokémon as well.

" _Rio-Rio!"_ Riolu chattered.

"Riolu! C'mere, buddy!" Ash beamed, grabbing the fighting-type and placing him on his free shoulder.

"Aw, what a sweet, sweet reunion." Executive Proton said, pushing his way through the large group of Grunts. All other three Executives appeared beside him.

Archer spoke up, "We'll have to add some power to our end." The other Executives all exchanged glances and agreed, unhooking several Poké Balls from their uniforms and tossing them up.

" _Weezing, get out there!"_ Petrel shouted, tossing three Poké Balls into the air.

" _Arbok, Crobat, and Muk! Come on out!"_ Ariana called.

" _Houndoom, Manectric, and Banette, time for battle!"_ Proton snapped.

" _Hypno, Parasect, and Nidoking, go!"_ Archer ordered.

The twelve new Pokémon spawned in front of the hordes of Grunt-level Pokémon, each of them bristling with impressive power. It wouldn't be a cakewalk with them. Meanwhile, Giovanni began gathering the remaining Poké Balls on his desk into a bag, intent on preventing the Trainers from reclaiming the rest of them. Things had already taken a turn south, he wouldn't let everything fall apart in one fell swoop. The leader of Team Rocket cursed under his breath. He should've guessed that the stranger with spiky blue hair was an Aura Guardian too.

"Piplup, Buneary, Froslass! Are you all ready to fight back against these crooks?" Dawn asked. All three of her Pokémon agreed wholeheartedly, each with varying levels of contempt for their captors.

"Sudowoodo, Croagunk, get ready. This one won't be easy, but we can take 'em!" Brock said, psyching up his two very different Pokémon.

"Garchomp, are you up for some training?" Cynthia asked, extreme confidence rolling off of her in waves.

" _Gar!"_ Garchomp agreed, snorting at the opponents he was being faced with. He would crush them!

"Lucario, Pidgeot, hear me! Fight as one and we will win this battle." Riley called.

"Charizard, Primeape! I'm really glad to have you guys back, but this isn't over!" Ash shouted, "We're gonna knock out these bad guys and rescue the rest of our friends, you hear?" Primeape punched its glove-like hands together, giving an unpleasant screech. Charizard roared furiously, his roar shaking the room. He'd been locked up and abused and experimented on for a few days now, and he was more than ready to unleash his anger on his enemies!

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!" Proton barked.

"Parasect, use Acid." Archer ordered.

"Weezing, Sludge Bomb!" shouted Petrel.

The trio of Pokémon lurched forward, ready to unleash their attacks from a distance. Ash pumped a confident fist into the air, "Charizard, show 'em what you're made of! Use Flamethrower!"

"Piplup, Buneary, use Ice Beam!" Dawn called.

Houndoom and the four poison-types on either side of it attacked in unison with Charizard, Piplup, and Buneary. Glittering crystals of ice circled around Charizard's scorching Flamethrower. Riley called on Lucario to join in with Aura Sphere, and Brock's Croagunk fired off a Slude Bomb of its own to add to the barrage. The cluster of various attacks collided and produced a bright explosion, causing all parties to pause for a few instants.

When the haze cleared, the Executives called on some of their other Pokémon to attack. Ash and the others fought back with equal fire, scoring hits and taking hits of their own, though they never wavered. Eventually, though, the Pokémon on the side of Team Rocket began to weaken.

" _Golbat, use Air Cutter!"_ the horde of Grunts howled together. The ring of at least 30 Golbat screeched and then beat their wings rapidly, slinging sharp currents of wind at the group of enemies below them. The group attack wasn't particularly effective, however.

"Hey, Pikachu, wanna show 'em what you got?" Ash asked, eyeing his partner of seven years.

" _Pika-chu!"_ the mouse barked in answer.

"Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leaped into the air off of Ash's shoulder, tucking his arms and legs into his torso and dispatching a shimmering Thunderbolt across the room. The group of Golbat were individually struck by the huge electrical blast, and they were promptly fried in place. The Bat Pokémon fell like flies from the air, unconscious after nothing more than a single Thunderbolt from the ultra-powerful electric mouse.

Giovanni gritted his teeth, shouting at his men, "That's enough! Archer, we're going!"

"As you wish, sir!" Archer answered. As much as he wanted to keep battling, they weren't having much success against the team of Trainers. Ash and Cynthia had led the charge, crushing Petrel's trio of Weezing in only a few moves and dealing significant damage to the rest of the Executives' Pokémon. Not to mention those used by the Grunts, which had been little more than dead weight in the group. The head Executive pulled a smoke bomb from his pocket, his action mimicked by his fellow Executives. The bombs exploded on impact with the ground, kicking up a thick wall of silver smoke that completely obscured the sight of Ash and the others.

"They're getting away!" Ash shouted. He then blocked his nose and mouth from the smoke, coughing as some of it intruded into his airway. A loud alarm stunned his ears and he spotted a rotating red light through the wall of smoke. A cool breeze suddenly slipped through the haze, and Ash thought he heard the sounds of countless Hover-Pads charging their way into the night sky. In no more than a few seconds, the smoke faded, and Ash saw that he had been correct. The far wall with the giant window had slid open, secretly doubling as a sort of giant escape hatch. Ash ran to the edge, peering out into the darkness and spotting a large group of hovercrafts tearing across the mountainside through the air.

"They've gotta be heading for Spear Pillar." Ash said as he turned back to his friends.

"Without a doubt." Cynthia agreed. A small group of Grunts remained in the room, having been left behind by their comrades and unable to escape through the front doors. Cynthia rolled up her sleeve to speak into her communicator, "All units, this is Cynthia speaking. Giovanni and the other top-ranking people in Team Rocket have fled to the Spear Pillar. I'm requesting an _immediate_ raid on the Team Rocket base and the issuing of arrest warrants for _any_ member of Team Rocket that you can find."

" _Roger that, Cynthia. Units are on the move now,"_ answered a voice on the other end of the device. The few Grunts still stuck in the room all threw their hands up at that moment, surrendering themselves and standing in place.

"Giovanni will have gotten away with the rest of our Pokémon." Riley said.

"Then we have to go after them." Ash said immediately. Cynthia looked over at him, opening her mouth to protest, but Ash beat her to the punch, "They locked me up in here and tried to kill Dawn. I'm not gonna let them get away with this."

"We'll have to wait here for a team to take over the base from us." Cynthia said. She again activated her communicator, "Command, this is Cynthia speaking, do you read me?"

" _We copy, Cynthia. Go ahead."_ answered an older man's voice.

"This is an urgent message. Team Rocket's top people are heading for Spear Pillar as we speak. My team and I cannot leave the base yet, but we have to go after them. Can we get a team sent out to hold the line at Spear Pillar?"

" _Permission granted."_ answered the man on the other end, _"Cruisers are en route now, ETA 5 minutes."_

"Thank you, Commander." Cynthia said, "I'll be following shortly. Cynthia out."

It surprisingly took very little time for Cynthia's communicator to rattle again, spilling out speech from one of her men on the ground. Just a moment after that, government agents were pouring into the base. The screens on the walls of Giovanni's penthouse office showed live footage of Grunts and Scientists being knocked to their knees and arrested. A few minutes later, some of Cynthia's men arrived at the penthouse level, and the Grunts trapped up there were arrested as well. Once that was taken care of, they headed down to the ground, where the command cruiser was parked right outside. Government people went back and forth, loading arrested Rockets into other cruisers and combing through the rest of the secret base. Cynthia escorted Ash and the others on board the command cruiser. Absol appeared and ran inside as well, having obeyed Dawn's wishes and stayed outside. The dark-type jumped into the cruiser's belly.

" _Sol!"_

"Absol!" Dawn beamed. Ash stiffened, confused. Hadn't they helped an Absol in Alamos Town? Was this Absol the same one? He would have to ask Dawn some questions on the ride.

"Captain, take us up and plot a course for Spear Pillar. We need to move." Cynthia ordered.

"At once!" the captain of the cruiser barked in answer. The cruiser's engines roared to life and the doors shut, sealing the inside of the large airship before they lifted off of the ground.

"The Sinnoh Region needs you again." Cynthia said to Ash at one point during the ride, "Are you ready?"

Ash gulped as he looked out into the night, watching as the command cruiser elevated over the mountain. Cynthia was right, they didn't have much time. Giovanni and the others had a very good lead on them. Cynthia had ordered a team to intercept them, but there was no telling how that would go. If the intercept team failed, there would be nothing keeping Team Rocket from launching their final operation, and _everything_ would weigh on Ash and his friends. Either way, they would have to move fast.

Ash nodded fiercely, his eyes fixated on the mountains, _"I'm ready."_

* * *

 **Man, I enjoyed writing this chapter. A lot happened in those last 14,000 words. Ash is now free of his prison, Jessie, James, and Meowth redeemed themselves, and the Team Rocket base is now compromised. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the end of the organization, not even close. The ultimate showdown at Spear Pillar is taking place in the next chapter. Depending on how long that gets, I may split it into two chapters and release them together. We'll see. If you liked this chapter, please post a review at the bottom and tell me all about it; what you liked, what you didn't like, and anything else, really.**

 **And then, until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	60. Showdown at Spear Pillar! Part 1

**We're back! After a couple weeks and nearly 60 pages in Microsoft Word, I'm back with a 2-part chapter update, and we're finally in the final chapters of Team Rocket's evil plan! Everything has been leading up to this, and I hope you guys enjoy what I've written. Thanks to everyone that's stuck with this story to this point, and I hope you'll keep reading beyond these next two chapters.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 60_

 _Showdown at Spear Pillar! Part 1_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Mt. Coronet**_

Riley and Ash chuckled heartily as they finished recalling a particularly funny scenario from their training together. Brock gently grazed a rag over Ash's face, hoping to disinfect the cuts. The teen squirmed as Brock's rag briefly obscured his vision, but other than that he was content. Riley's Lucario sat nearby, keeping a watchful eye on Absol and Ash's Riolu, who were playing in the open section of the ship. Everyone except for Cynthia was seated inside the ship's belly, the Champion being upstairs on the bridge to oversee the flight to Spear Pillar. Despite the ominous situation ahead, the camaraderie going on between Ash and the others was enough to keep their spirits up and their minds away from the potentially apocalyptic events that were already in motion.

Riley cast an eye to his Lucario, who had his back to the Guardian as he watched Absol and Riolu. The young Emanation Pokémon seemed to be playing tag with Absol, but the larger dark-type was having a field day avoiding the little fighting-type's attempts to tag it, dodging back and forth and to the side without missing a beat. After a few seconds of that, Absol broke into a run, prompting Riolu to chase after the Disaster Pokémon.

Ash noticed Pikachu watching the two Pokémon play. "Pikachu, why don't you go join them?"

" _Pika-pi?"_

"Yeah, don't worry about me. Go have fun." Ash insisted. Pikachu glanced back at Absol and Riolu, then back at Ash, and then bounded onto the metallic floor of the ship, bolting over toward the two Pokémon and joining their game.

"Piplup, Buneary, would you two like to go play also?" Dawn asked. The two small Pokémon were both in her lap, steadily becoming more relaxed as they were reunited with their beloved Trainer. Still, not everything felt right. Mamoswine, Quilava, and Pachirisu were still in the cold clutches of Team Rocket, as well as the other Pokémon from her friends on the ship. Despite this, they hopped off of Dawn's lap, running into the fray of their friends to play.

"I haven't asked, Ash, but…where did you capture Riolu?" Riley started, "Many Aura Guardians bond with such Pokémon when they are young, but it's quite rare to find them in the wild nowadays."

"We'd actually met that Riolu before during our first journey in Sinnoh." Ash explained, "We met a Pokémon Ranger named Kellyn who was on a mission to reclaim Riolu and bring him back to his home, the Lucario Kingdom. The thing about this Riolu, though, is that it can use Aura Sphere."

Riley's eyes widened in surprise, "What? But…only Lucario have the capabilities to use Aura Sphere."

"Not this one, apparently." Ash answered, glancing back at the fighting-type. Riolu was running in circles between Absol and Pikachu, laughing all the way, "Anyway, on the way, I guess Riolu and I sorta bonded, and when we were passing by near the Lucario Kingdom back in the summer, I dunno, I guess we found a way."

"That's interesting." Riley remarked, "I've been with Lucario since he hatched from an Egg. It's different for every Aura Guardian. In the past, many of them didn't even partner with Riolu or Lucario."

" _Everyone, could you come to the bridge? We're almost at Spear Pillar."_ Cynthia's voice spilled out over the ship's intercom.

Ash exchanged glances with his friends and they stood up, silently tipping off the playing Pokémon that it was time to go. From there, Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Riley headed through a set of automatic doors, taking the stairs through the innards of the giant command cruiser and entering the bridge through another set of automatic doors. The doorway hissed as the doors slid open, signaling their arrival to Cynthia. The Champion turned and greeted them with a smile before looking back down at the long control panel. A dozen men tap-tap-tapped away on the panel, controlling the ship.

Ash glanced outside the long viewing windows on the front and side of the ship's bridge. The night sky had become hazy with clouds, and a purplish-white bolt of lightning lit up the sky for a brief instant, followed by a thunderclap that could be felt even inside the ship. Immediately after, it began to rain, steadily at first, but the pace of the raindrops slowly began to increase with each passing second.

"Any word from Jessie and James, Cynthia?" Ash asked. The pair of disgraced Admins, plus Meowth, had stayed behind at Coronet Base to help with the clearing of the facility, bringing out Grunts and Scientists that had been left behind and releasing Pokémon that had been locked up in the mountain.

"It's been quiet since their last check-in, but so far, so good." Cynthia answered, "90% of those still inside the base have been arrested, and they've freed a lot of Pokémon that had been trapped earlier. We'll have to scan each Pokémon to learn if they have Trainers somewhere, and it won't be a fast process. But that's a fight for another day. I'm establishing a link with Jessie and James right now, actually. We've got a couple of headsets and we'll be able to use them to talk back and forth on our way up to Spear Pillar. They'll be able to fill us in on everything they can find about the plans Giovanni made."

"That's awesome." Ash said.

"Champion Cynthia, we've found a landing spot for the ship." said a man on the control panel, "Permission to begin landing protocol?"

"Granted." Cynthia answered. She gestured to Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Riley, plus six armed men standing idly in the space of the bridge, "Let's move. Everyone else, stay with the ship and radio Command. The rest of you, with me. We don't have much time."

Cynthia led the way out of the bridge, closely followed by Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Riley. Absol bounded along next to Dawn, continuing its trend of appearing seemingly out of nowhere. The armed men made up the tail of their group, walking in stoic silence. The ship rumbled and groaned as it slowed, beginning to hover over their designated landing space. The rain outside intensified, hitting the shell of the cruiser heavily enough to be heard loud and clear from the inside. After a few moments, the ship crunched into the rocky earth of the mountain, and the engines whined as they calmed their way into inactivity. Cynthia led everyone to the loading bay of the ship, and the belly opened up into a ramp as soon as they arrived, lowering to the ground and digging into the mud.

The rain hissed as it fell from every direction, clattering on the rocky surfaces and slipping off into the surrounding dirt, turning it to thick, grimy mud. A flash of lightning colored the black sky and a thunderclap rumbled through the mountains, echoing through the peaks and valleys and sounding every bit as ominous as intended.

"This storm…the world's balance is already starting to be upset." Cynthia observed, her sight fixated on the torrential rainstorm, "If we don't hurry, there's no telling what will happen. Let's go, Spear Pillar is this way."

Cynthia ran out in front of the group, headed for an incline that marked the start of a brief mountain trail. The group's boots splashed mud wildly as they ran after Cynthia, splattering mud on the ends of their pants. There was no time to care about it, though. The group filed over rocky hills as the rain pelted them on all sides. After what seemed like ages of running through the pouring rain, Ash spied flashes of otherworldly blue light over a black hill of rock, signaling that they were nearly at the gates of Spear Pillar.

Cynthia led them up the last hill, immediately crouching behind a long rock formation that would hide the sight of their bodies. Quickly, she gestured for her companions to get down, and they obeyed before creeping up on either side of the blonde Champion. Ash, Riley, Cynthia, and two soldiers peered over the edge of the rock formation, getting a clear line of sight into what lied ahead of them.

" _Oh, no…"_ Cynthia choked. There were too many bodies strewn across the ground on the way to Spear Pillar's gates. Thick puddles of water pooled beneath many of the bodies, most of them turning crimson with the color of the men's blood.

"The intercept team…they…th-they killed them…" Ash managed, horrified by what he was looking at.

"I sent them to die…" Cynthia whispered. It could've just been the rain, but Ash thought he spied a tear slipping down her face.

"Don't do that to yourself, Cynthia," answered one of the soldiers, "Those men, they know what they're risking when they get called into duty. That's what makes them brave."

"But those men are still _dead_ because of my orders. They died on _my_ watch." Cynthia answered.

"Maybe not all of them." Riley spoke up, catching everyone else's attention. The Aura Guardian pointed over the rock formation closer to the glowing gates of Spear Pillar. As everyone else looked over, they saw several silhouettes walking back and forth, and the silhouettes of a handful of people sitting still on their knees.

Ash's heart raced as he spoke, "We've got to get inside Spear Pillar. Giovanni must already be inside. Riley, will you help me take out the guards?"

"Of course." Riley answered, "Just like we practiced, Ash. Use the storm and the rocks as cover."

Ash nodded. They'd done more than a few stealth exercises back on Mt. Silver. "Pikachu, Riolu, stay with Dawn and Brock." Ash ordered. The two Pokémon obeyed without question, hopping off of their beloved Trainer's shoulders and taking shelter from the storm under his two friends. Absol chattered quietly with them while taking cautionary glances at the rocky area, as if expecting Team Rocket goons to appear out of nowhere.

Without another the word, the pair of Aura Guardians crept away in opposite directions, scrambling while crouched under the cover of darkness. Another thunderclap rattled the sky as Ash reached the closest rock formation. He peeked over at the guards, closing his eyes and releasing a pulse of Aura. He counted a dozen Grunts patrolling around the gates, with six soldiers tied up and incapacitated.

Ash stole a glance at a soldier's body lying nearby in the mud. Just before he was able to look away, he spotted the soldier's chest rise. Ash snapped his head back to focus on the soldier, whose chest indeed fell as he exhaled. His breathing was fast-paced. Against his better judgment, Ash scrambled over to the soldier's body.

Riley's voice echoed in his head, _~Ash! What are you doing?~_

 _~One of these soldiers is still alive!~_ Ash answered, _~He has to know that there's help here!~_

Riley started to protest, but he quickly stopped, knowing there was no way to persuade his former protégé against it. Ash arrived at the soldier's side, crouched as low as he could go, and he grabbed the man's shoulder. The soldier thrashed weakly, convinced that the hand on his shoulder was a Team Rocket hand.

" _Hey, hey, hey!"_ Ash stammered speedily, "It's okay, I'm here to help."

"Who are you?" the soldier groaned.

"I'm not the bad guy, that's all that matters." Ash answered, "What'd they do to you?"

The soldier sucked in a desperate breath, and Ash's hand unintentionally found a bleeding wound in his midsection. As Ash turned his focus to the wound, the soldier spoke, his voice hoarse, "We got here only a few minutes before they did…didn't have time to prepare shit. They showed up on these hovercrafts, and there was a couple o' cruisers right behind 'em full of Grunts. This guy in a suit…I think he was their leader…asked us to leave. When we stood our ground, he told one of his men…a guy with this weird teal hair, to put us down. I've never seen anything like it, t-the look in his eye when he started gunning down my brothers like it was nothing. And then these three others, two guys and a girl, joined in and called on these vicious Pokémon to cut the rest of us down. I got hit by this crazy Kabutops…'e came up and just buried 'is scythes in my side and moved on. We came out here with nearly fifty men…and it was nothing for 'em."

"That's horrible…but you're gonna be okay. You're gonna make it." Ash insisted.

"Hmpf…wish I could say the same for my brothers…" the soldier groaned.

"Don't worry about that…help's nearby. Now, I have to go…keep holding on, okay?" Ash said.

"I'll try my best, kid…I don't know what you're up to, but be careful." The soldier answered.

"Always." Ash said, knowing he wasn't telling the injured man the full truth. He then whirled around and crawled behind another rock formation, torrential rain coating his face. Rainwater bled through his hat, matting up his raven-colored hair and soaking the rest of his clothes. He moved faster, becoming increasingly annoyed by the storm. He got closer and closer to the group of Grunts standing guard. Unfortunately, as he scrambled across the ground, his foot inevitably slipped in a puddle.

" _Ah!"_ he gasped loudly. He immediately quieted, aware of his screw-up, but his shout and the sloshing of the puddle he'd stepped in was enough to reach the ears of the nearby Grunts.

" _Hey! Anybody else hear that?"_ one of the Grunts shouted through the rain. The voice was close, and Ash quickly used his Aura to keep an eye on the enemy. The closest Grunt to him turned around and came walking toward his position without hesitation, forcing Ash to flatten his body along the back of the rock formation. The Grunt came closer and closer. Five steps…four…three…

A few instants later, the Grunt stepped over to where Ash was standing, looking straight down at the rock formation. In that exact instant, Ash zoomed upward with brilliant speed, grabbing the Grunt with two hands; placing one of his neck and the other on his mouth. Ash then slumped back down behind the rocks, squeezing as hard as he could. The Grunt struggled, his hands flailing wildly as he tried to retaliate against Ash, but he was failing miserably. Ash felt the breath leaving the Grunt's lungs as he constricted his airway, and a few seconds later the Grunt made a pitiful noise and fell unconscious. Ash laid the Grunt's body onto the muddy ground, confident that it was safe to leave him there.

The mountain lit up with a flash of white as lightning slashed through the sky. As another thunderclap rolled through, the rain somehow began falling even harder. Ash glanced up and squinted as rainwater splattered across his face relentlessly.

" _Hey! Thompson!"_ shouted a Grunt over the roar of the storm. Ash closed his eyes and focused his senses, spotting another Grunt walking his way. Thompson must've been the Grunt Ash had just strangled into unconsciousness.

 _~Riley, I'm about to be found out~_

 _~I know. We've got no other choice now. We'll have to attack~_

Ash took in a gulp of air and tensed, waiting as he used Aura to feel the miniscule vibrations in the ground caused by the approaching Grunt's steps. The Grunt reached the rock formation, looking over and spotting the first Grunt's limp body.

"What the—ack!"

Ash surged upward and grabbed the Grunt by the collar of his uniform, dragging him over the small rock formation with unnatural strength and throwing him into the ground. The Grunt flailed and raised his head, screaming, _"Attack!"_ as loud as he could to alert the others. He was able to get the word out in the instant before Ash grabbed him again, his fists ablaze with blue Aura as he dealt pinpoint punches to the Grunt's body. Ash crunched an elbow into the man's face after a speedy series of punches, and he felt the man's jaw move out of place as he landed the hit.

" _D'ya hear that? They're here! They're here!"_ shouted multiple Grunts. Ash cursed and grabbed the Grunt at his feet, slamming him into the slick rock next to him and knocking the man unconscious instantly. The teen then vaulted over the rock formation, spotting Riley's silhouette on the other side of the rocky plain. Ash released a gentle pulse of Aura, counting ten remaining Grunts. The storm clouded their field of vision as Ash moved with incredible speed, his Aura radiating off of him at full strength and boosting his movements so that he was barely visible to the naked eye.

Riley got to the Grunts first. He brandished his staff from his sleeve and swung it as hard as he could at the nearest Grunt's face, hitting with such force and carrying through enough so the Grunt face-planted into the rocks on the ground. In another moment, Riley's Lucario appeared from its Poké Ball, growling ferociously and preparing to attack. Ash appeared next on the opposite side of the group of Grunts, attacking with a precision that hid his brute strength. One, two, and three Grunts slumped to the ground unconscious in a matter of seconds. Ash showed no mercy, a vengeful rage guiding his moves. This was for locking him up and hurting his friends!

"Get back!" barked one of the Grunts, "Let's take them out! They can't get to Lord Giovanni!"

The six remaining Grunts scampered backwards closer to their prisoners, each of them grabbing two Poké Balls from their belts. Thunder rumbled over them and a purple bolt of lightning streaked diagonally from the sky, briefly illuminating the similar faces of the Team Rocket Grunts. Together, the men tossed twelve Poké Balls into the air, calling upon four Golbat, two Stunky, a Graveler, a Magmar, a Houndour, and three Drifblim.

"Okay, Pikachu, Riolu, get out there!" Ash hollered. The two Pokémon ran up from their friends, who were quickly running over to join Ash and Riley in the upcoming battle. Dawn reached them first, calling on her chosen Pokémon.

"Piplup, spotlight!"

Brock reached them next, "Sudowoodo, Croagunk, let's go!"

"Garchomp, help us out!" Cynthia added once she arrived at Riley's side. The six armed men on their side arrived last, keeping their weapons trained on the Grunts. Absol even ran up to Dawn's side as well, ready to jump into action if needed.

"It's twelve against eight!" boasted one of the Grunts, "You're outnumbered!"

"Come on, you can't seriously be that dumb!" Ash fired back, "We'll take you out faster than you can say 'uncle'!"

"Stand down," Cynthia calmly ordered the soldiers at her back, "We'll teach them a lesson."

"Oh, yeah!?" challenged the same Grunt, "Graveler, use Rollout!"

" _Grav, Graveler!"_ roared the rock-type. Graveler tucked its arms into its body and lunged forward, rolling across the ground in the form of a boulder.

"Riolu, show 'em what you've got! Use Aura Sphere!"

" _Rio!"_ Riolu yipped, bounding forward and becoming the center of attention. The Emanation Pokémon tucked its arms and hands in close, channeling the power inside to form a sphere of pulsing blue Aura. In another moment Riolu threw the ball of energy straight at the oncoming Graveler. The Aura Sphere collided with the rock-type in a brilliant explosion, and Graveler uncurled and laid flat on the ground, unmoving.

" _What the!?"_ shouted the Grunt, "How does that Riolu know how to use Aura Sphere!?"

"Your turn." Ash joked, nudging Dawn in the side. The Coordinator grinned and put one foot forward, shouting.

"Piplup, use Hydro Pump on Magmar!" Piplup obeyed and howled, parting his small beak as a powerful blast of high-pressure water formed inside its body. The titanic blast forced itself out in a violent beam, striking a clean hit on Magmar across the small field of rock. The fire-type shrieked and stumbled back, steam escalating off of its body thanks to its incredibly high body temperature. The damage, though, had clearly been done. Magmar bared its teeth at Piplup.

"Golbat, use Supersonic!" shouted four of the Grunts at the same time. The quartet of Golbat swooped in around the enemy Pokémon, circling them rhythmically as they produced a confusion-inducing sound.

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge!" Cynthia ordered quickly. The powerful dragon-type barked and bared his sharp teeth, tensing and forming a few dozen sharp stones around its body. With a single thrust of its arm, Garchomp launched the Stone Edge out at the ring of Golbat. Just before their Supersonic attack could take hold on their opponents, the barrage of stones riddled the group of Bat Pokémon, raking painfully across their bodies and wings and knocking each of them from the air. The four Golbat fell unconscious as soon as they hit the ground, overwhelmed by Garchomp's sheer power.

"Well, look at that, now it's eight-on-seven!" Ash taunted, "Ready to give up yet?"

"In your dreams, brat! We'll never let you get to Giovanni!" snapped another Grunt.

"Suit yourself!" Ash answered with a shrug.

"Magmar, Houndour, use Flamethrower!" called a Grunt. The two fire-types bounded forward together and opened their jaws, spitting red-hot fire at the trio of Pikachu, Piplup, and Riolu.

"Dodge it!" Ash and Dawn called. Their three Pokémon barreled out of the way, but Absol rushed forward, circling around and running at Magmar and Houndour from an angle. Purple energy glowed around its horn and claws. Magmar and Houndour both froze out of confused fear and Absol slashed across their bodies, running out of the way and circling back around. As the dark-type ran out of reach, the two fire-types howled and tried to nurse their injuries, but the Trainers on the other side had no attention of letting them recover.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Magmar!"

"Lucario, use Bone Rush on Houndour!" Riley added.

As Pikachu released a shimmering Thunderbolt that fried Magmar into unconsciousness, Lucario rushed toward Houndour, finally rushing in to attack. A slim rod of light blue energy formed between the Aura Pokémon's paws, and Houndour yelped as Lucario dealt three swift strikes to its body. After a few more swipes, Lucario slashed upward, lifting Houndour into the air. The Dark Pokémon whimpered and slipped into unconsciousness, knocking two more Pokémon out of the Rocket Grunt's team.

"Stunky, use Poison Gas!" shouted two of the Grunts, "And Drifblim, use Ominous Wind!"

The pair of Stunky chattered and spewed toxic fumes into the air out of their fur. Another bolt of lightning overhead illuminated the sickening cloud of poison gas. The three Drifblim drifted over behind the cloud of toxic gas and generated a gust of powerful wind. The air behind them howled and blew the thick cloud of toxic gas forward toward the others. Ash and the others instinctively covered their mouths and noses with their arms, coughing just a little bit as the purplish cloud came close to them.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu stammered, calling for his ally Pokémon to hold their breaths and cover their mouths. Everyone obeyed, everyone except for Riolu. The little fighting-type hadn't encountered such a thing before, so in the imperative moment that it had to cover its mouth, Riolu didn't. A sliver of toxic gas found its way into Riolu's lungs, immediately making Riolu cough and cover its nose and mouth.

"Riolu!" Ash yelled, before he coughed and covered his mouth again. Behind his arm, Ash gritted his teeth.

The toxic cloud cleared, with the only clear injury being Riolu. The fighting-type's senses quickly interchanged between dull and clear, and breathing became difficult.

"Sudowoodo, use Hammer Arm on the Stunky! Croagunk, use Poison Jab on those Drifblim!" Brock ordered. Sudowoodo was first, sprinting with impressive speed over to the pair of Stunky and slamming its powerful arms into their heads, slamming them into the ground. Croagunk leaped up high acrobatically, crashing down on one of the three Drifblim and stabbing its fist as hard as it could, injecting a potent poison into the Balloon Pokémon.

"Garchomp, knock out those Drifblim with another Stone Edge." Cynthia ordered. The Mach Pokémon gnashed its sharp teeth together and raced forward, its sleek body slipping through the storm's winds with ease. Countless sharp stones emerged from its body in a white light and were jettisoned toward the two remaining Drifblim, hitting them hard and knocking them to the ground.

"N-No!" gasped one of the Grunts. That was all of their Pokémon, knocked out completely in such a small number of moves. The Grunt who had challenged Ash chuckled nervously, uncomfortably meeting Ash's narrowed eyes. A roar of thunder echoed across the battlefield, and the group of six Grunts sprinted in opposite directions, split into groups of three.

"Garchomp, block their path!" Cynthia snapped.

"Lucario, take the other group!" Riley ordered.

Both Pokémon sprinted off in opposite directions through the rainstorm, running far faster than the Grunts could manage. It was all too easy for them to jump into the paths of the fleeing Grunts before they could get anywhere. Garchomp growled and bared its teeth, holding the razor-sharp claws on the ends of its arms out just enough so that the Grunts focused on them. Lucario, on the other hand, outstretched his arm at the three Grunts it had chased down, as if the Aura Pokémon were a crossing guard ordering them to stop. Lucario let flares of blue Aura crawl around its arm, indicating that he would have no issue with using force to stop them.

The six Grunts pivoted in unison, turning at 90 degrees and trying to run past Ash and the other Trainers. But, just like their first attempt at fleeing, Pokémon blocked their path, throwing cross glances at the helpless Grunts. That time, the six soldiers split off into groups of three, carrying handcuffs over and locking them around each Grunt's wrist, officially placing them under arrest. The call went out to the other men at the command cruiser nearby, and a team was sent out to rendezvous and collect the arrested Grunts.

The next order of business was to free the six soldiers who had been taken prisoner. Dawn and Riley freed the six soldiers, and Ash addressed Cynthia, "Cynthia, there's a soldier out there who's still alive. He needs medical attention."

"What did he look like?" asked a soldier. The soldier was rubbing his arms, indicating that he'd been one of the six taken prisoner.

Ash sucked on his teeth as he conjured up the memory of the man's features, "Um…reddish-brown hair, I think. Nose a little scrunched up and indented a bit on the bridge."

"Reynolds," the formerly captive soldier gasped, "We'll take care of it. There may be some of our other brothers out there still kicking!"

That soldier and his five fellow ex-captives fell in line like nothing had ever happened, ready to go help their fellow soldiers as they marched into the storm. Ash was admittedly surprised that after what they'd just seen moments ago, they were still able to do their part. On second thought, Ash guessed that the men probably had a lot of questions, but there was too much going on to sit back and ask them. The fate of the world was in the balance, and there was no time to waste.

"They will take care of it." Cynthia assured the others.

"Riolu…" Ash sighed worriedly, kneeling down beside the fighting-type. Riolu's muscles were tense, the Emanation Pokémon feeling the burn of Stunky's poison all throughout its body. Brock ran over and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Riolu's been poisoned. I've got the medicine for this." Brock said quickly. He unzipped his bag, quickly fishing out a spray bottle full of Antidote, a bandage, and an Oran Berry before zipping his bag back up, being wary of the torrential rain, "Here you go, Riolu. I'm going to spray this on you, and then feed you this Berry."

Riolu squirmed as Brock sprayed the Antidote on its arm. Brock then placed a bandage around the fighting-type's arm, hoping to keep the pouring rain from blocking the Antidote's effect. Riolu then carefully chewed on the Oran Berry, which was remarkably sweet. Riolu grinned and yipped gratefully at Brock before biting off another piece of the Berry.

"Ash!" Riley called. The teen looked up, spotting his teacher standing at the gate of Spear Pillar, staring at the ancient structure carefully. Ash walked up calmly, ignoring the horrible rainstorm soaking his clothes until he reached Riley's side.

"It's…it's closed." Ash observed, "Last time we were here, when Team Galactic was here…the gate was open after they went in."

"And we don't have the Spear Key on us." Riley added.

"Then…then how are we supposed to get inside!?" Ash gasped, "This can't be it."

"No, I think there's another way in." Riley said, as calm as ever.

"How?"

"Remember all the stories I told you…how the Aura Guardians were plentiful in the ancient past?" Riley asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Spear Pillar is older than humanity itself. According to the legends, Arceus created Dialga and Palkia here, and the creation of Sinnoh Region and the rise of both Pokémon and humankind soon followed. In ancient times, people would travel to Spear Pillar to honor the deities that created Sinnoh. Just about every party that headed for Spear Pillar was accompanied by an Aura Guardian, the only people who had the power to open the gate. As the journeys to Spear Pillar as well as the art of Aura became more and more scarce, and Spear Pillar itself fell into ruin, the Spear Key was created. Eventually, Spear Pillar became nothing more than a myth. There is no record of who created it that I know of, but it would make sense that the Spear Key was infused with the power of an Aura Guardian, which is why it opens the gate." Riley explained.

"So, we should be able to open the gate ourselves, thanks to our Aura?" Ash reasoned, a smile creeping its way onto his face.

"Exactly." Riley nodded. He walked up toward the ancient silver gate of Spear Pillar.

"Ash?" Dawn asked. Ash tensed and stepped back, surprised by Dawn's presence. He hadn't heard her walk over to him.

"Oh…hey," he said, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

"Ash! You need to come see this!" Riley called. Ash looked over to the older Aura Guardian, who wasn't actually looking at him.

"I…I need to go." Ash said a little sadly, "Riley thinks we can open the gate with our Aura."

"Good luck." Dawn answered with a smile. Ash smiled back weakly and then shuffled over towards Riley. As he turned his back, though, he didn't see Dawn sigh and sag her shoulders. The Coordinator looked up at the sky, squinting into the dark clouds and the heavy rainfall. Behind her, the soldiers were in the process of setting up a large canopy tent as a shelter from the rain. Brock was caring for Riolu, who was already looking better as he munched on the Oran Berry. Dawn looked down at Piplup, who had been quietly sitting in her arms, and walked over to the tent, hoping to take some shelter.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Coronet Base**_

" _James, what's the status?"_

James bit his tongue as he scoured through the files on the computer of Giovanni's office. Now that his head was still attached to his neck, James was busy committing his second act of treason in the past two hours. In a weird way, the ex-Rocket felt _good,_ like he was finally doing something positive for once. His mission, at the moment, was to extract as many files related to Team Rocket's plans in Sinnoh as humanly possible.

James picked up the walkie-talkie, radioing back to Cynthia, "I'm in the main database right now. Giovanni really did a good job of encrypting his files. Luckily, I had access to _some_ of the files I'm looking for thanks to my position as an Admin, so a good amount of the work is already done."

" _We took care of Giovanni's guards outside of Spear Pillar, but the gates are closed. It looks as if Ash and Riley may have found a solution."_ Cynthia explained.

"I sure hope they have," James remarked, "Or else this is all for nothing."

There was radio silence for the next several seconds, and James continued scrolling through file after file. Finally, he found something.

"A-ha! Spear Pillar Operations!" James said aloud. He eagerly opened the folder full of files, surprised by the number of files inside. He scrolled, reading each and every file name. He went through a few dozen files before finally finding some things of note, "Adamant and Lustrous Orb scans, Red Chain Program…"

James picked up the walkie-talkie again, "Cynthia, I'm going to package everything up and send them down the link to command that you gave me."

" _Thank you, James. You're doing us a great service."_

"Don't thank me yet, Miss Cynthia. Stop Giovanni for us." James shrugged, "James out." James began moving the mass of files onto the drive he'd been given, setting up the link to transfer all of the files he'd taken to Sinnoh's military command. While doing so, he glanced down at his uniform, noting the bold red R printed on the shirt. He snorted. He was no longer a part of Team Rocket. Once all of this was over, he made a mental note to burn the uniform.

Next, James turned on his communicator, calling out to a certain fellow former Rocket.

"Jess, how's everything going down there?"

* * *

Jessie unhooked the walkie-talkie from her belt, pressing the button as she held it up to her lips, "So far, so good, James. We're chipping the Pokémon now."

"Chipping" was just another word for scanning a Pokémon to see whether or not it had a Trainer or whether it belonged in the wild. Pokémon that had been captured by Trainers in the past often had a hidden microchip in their bodies left behind by their Poké Ball. Scanning those microchips offered basic information on the Pokémon's Trainer, which would be essential in the difficult process of returning the Pokémon to their rightful Trainers. There were hundreds of Pokémon cooped up in the depths of the Team Rocket base, possibly even thousands. Jessie and Meowth had taken charge of liberating the captured Pokémon. Of course, many of the first ones to be released weren't pleased to see the red R on Jessie's uniform. Luckily, she had Meowth by her side, and the Scratch Cat Pokémon had done a fine job of explaining that they were no longer a part of Team Rocket, and that they were there to help them return to their Trainers. That had eased the Pokémon, and the word had spread to many of the others still locked up.

While Jessie, Meowth, and a few government men carried out that task, dozens more had spent their time hunting down Team Rocket Grunts and placing them under arrest for a number of charges. Jessie, James, and Meowth had been lucky, with Cynthia vouching for them. Despite that, Jessie and Meowth definitely didn't feel comfortable. They'd received more than one distrustful look in the past hour.

" _Good. I think I've found everything of importance on Giovanni's computer. I'll be heading down shortly."_ James' voice crackled over the walkie-talkie.

"We'll be in the lab." Jessie answered.

" _You remember, Jess…Pokémon aren't the only thing we've been hoarding here. There's the matter of the Mega Stones."_

Jessie gulped, "I know. But most of them are synthetic. They serve no purpose anymore."

" _So what do we do about the real ones?"_

"Well, we could sell 'em!" Meowth offered, "We could pass 'em off as expensive gems!"

" _That's not the worst idea, but the government may want to take them as well."_ James answered.

"Why don't we just wait and see what happens?" Jessie said, "We'll collect the real Mega Stones, and destroy the synthetic ones. Then we'll decide what to do with the rest later."

" _No complaints from me, since we're trying to be good guys now."_ James answered, _"All right, files have been downloaded and are on their way to Command. They'll have full access to everything that ever happened here. Now the rest is in the twerps' hands."_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar**_

Giovanni walked carefully down the mystical-looking steps, surrounded by an entourage of his most prized subordinates. The gate to Spear Pillar had been opened by the Spear Key, and Charon had insisted that they close the door behind them, citing the failure of Team Galactic's attempt to create a new world: the intrusion of Trainers from outside. This time, Ash and his friends would be locked out on the other side of the mountain if they ever even got to the gates. He'd left a dozen guards outside, but he hadn't heard a word from any of them. It mattered little, he supposed. Those men were merely a precaution.

The Sinnoh government's attempt to stop them had been laughable, at best. They'd sent a few dozen men, but crushing the desperate defense had been all too easy. Giovanni held no remorse for the men as Proton and the other Executives and Admins had destroyed them. They'd sent a resounding message: opposition would be met by death. The leader of Team Rocket looked down at his feet, admiring the seemingly endless void all around him. The ancient stairs that he walked on had appeared from nothing, glowing in the forgotten darkness of Mt. Coronet's insides. The stairway was particularly long, winding down a long path to the heart of Spear Pillar.

"There it is!" Charon declared some minutes later, pointing a fat finger ahead. The staircase indeed was nearly at its end, and the ruins of Spear Pillar were just a stone's throw further ahead. The walkway was once again black as night, but Giovanni found that there was solid ground in the blackness. As he led his group forward, Giovanni genuinely gasped in awe. For the first time in his life, he was visibly impressed by what he was looking at. Two rows of tall, ancient pillars made of glowing silver stone stabbed upward into the void, thinning to a sharp spear-like point at the tops of them. They were countless years old, having seen every age of humanity and perhaps even more, and yet there was little wear and tear on them. The single file lines of pillars went until they reached a stone triangle at the end of the path, the only other physical feature in the entire forgotten chamber. The pillars wrapped around the triangle, ending at the ends of the triangle with two final pillars.

Giovanni and his entourage halted at the flat end of the triangle, gazing in wonder at the very place of Sinnoh's creation. Charon snickered, "I must admit, I never thought I would have the chance to come back here. Isn't this place amazing, my lord?"

"It is." Giovanni agreed with a stern voice, his eyes tracing the scenery, "This is where they say it all began, a mythical place forgotten by time. And now, it's where everything will begin _again."_

Giovanni blinked out of his trance, turning his full focus to those behind him. His four Executives: Archer, Ariana, Proton, and Petrel; and the four Admins: Mercury, Lester, Butch, and Cassidy all met his eyes dutifully. The Executives each carried a box, each one holding something different; something essential for their mission here. Giovanni faced them and stood tall, a slight, serious scowl written on his face.

" _Let us begin."_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Mt. Coronet**_

Ash and Riley stood up against the gates of Spear Pillar. Their friends busied themselves with other tasks behind them as the two Aura Guardians prepared themselves.

"If I'm right, this will take an immense amount of Aura to work." Riley professed, "I'll need your full attention."

"You've got it." Ash answered with a nod. Together, the pair placed their hands on the round, ancient silver door. Ash eyed the golden sphere in the middle of the door. It was the only thing unlike the rest of the door, so it was definitely worth the attention.

"Focus, Ash!" Riley snapped, getting Ash to ignore the sphere. He closed his eyes and focused the energy inside him, feeling the Aura within warm up and flow through his body. Even after all this time using his power, it was still a somewhat surreal experience. His Aura was practically like blood, traveling through every bone and muscle in his body. Next, the blue energy burned to life around his actual body, becoming more powerful with each passing second. An identical blaze of energy formed around Riley's body, and the two Guardians manipulated it to their hands.

Ash stifled a gasp as he pumped his Aura through Spear Pillar's gate. Riley felt it too, and he shouted above the roaring of their combined energy, "Do you feel that, Ash!? All that raw, ancient energy!"

"I…I do!" Ash shouted back, "It's incredible!"

"This is the very energy that flows through the universe! _This_ is the energy of the Original One! This is where our Aura comes from!" Riley declared, "Now, give it everything you've got! Will this door to open!"

Ash forced his eyes closed again and focused even harder, feeling the immensely powerful energy within his body and feeding it into the gate barring the entrance of Spear Pillar. The door finally lit up with a brilliant blue glow identical to the color of Ash and Riley's Auras. Ash opened his eyes and looked up with wonder as the energy trailed both up and down in lines across the door, tracing through the ancient patterns indented across the surface. The light then became blinding, forcing Ash to shut his eyes. The light grew so bright that it penetrated his shut eyelids, making it practically useless to close his eyes in the first place. Then, the ancient silver shapes all along the door pulled away, opening the round silver shell of the door.

The light covering the gate went away as it rearranged itself, forming into a gray door. Several circles from the edge to the center of the door decorated the surface, with intricate shapes and details giving the door an ancient feel. A shimmering golden sphere was in the center of the door, glowing brilliantly despite the gloomy rainstorm outside. Ash and Riley let go of the door, their respective Auras retreating back into their bodies, and heaved, sucking in as much air as they could.

"It…it worked…" Riley said, awestruck.

Riley, Brock, and Cynthia approached them, glancing at every possible detail of the door. "You guys did it…" Dawn gasped.

"Ash, would you like to do the honors?" Riley asked, gesturing to the glowing golden sphere in the middle of the door. Ash carefully walked up, bringing his arm up and stretching out his palm. His fingers lit up with Aura and he placed his hand around the golden sphere, feeding it with his energy. There was a loud hiss and the door lit up with bright golden light. The door unlocked and slid open into the mountain, opening a black abyss inside. The golden sphere on the door hovered in the air, slowly drifting into the blackness and tracing a path. Silver steps lit up in its wake, revealing the way forward.

Ash sighed as the fires of his Aura dimmed and retreated back into his hand, and he looked back at his friends before taking another glance into the abyss. The gold sphere was quickly disappearing into the darkness. Overhead, above the peak of Mt. Coronet, the clouds and sky were twisting themselves up, slowly but surely forming into a vortex that inched down toward the pinnacle of the mountain. More lightning streaked across the sky, spearing through the air at odd angles. Ash looked back at his friends, and each and every one of them knew what it meant.

They were running out of time.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar**_

Giovanni stood outside of the ancient stone triangle, watching with cold eyes as Archer, Ariana, Proton, and Petrel placed the necessary items in their proper places. There were five pedestals in all, one on each corner of the triangle, and two more close to the center side by side. A Lake Guardian, trapped in stasis, was placed on each of the pedestals by Ariana, Proton, and Petrel, while Archer slipped out the two Spacetime Orbs, placing them on the two pedestals at the center before walking with his fellow Executives to stand back behind their leader. Charon stood by Giovanni's side, raising his arm into the air as two Rocket Grunts wheeled a cannon-like machine to his side. A bright red crystal was placed on the barrel of the cannon, its energy powering the weapon.

Giovanni brought up his left hand, which was wrapped in a fingerless glove. A single red crystal was in the center of the glove's palm, and an intricate pattern was sown on the material to give it some character. The red crystal glowed and otherworldly power coursed through Giovanni's body. The Rocket Boss' eyes turned red for a small instant before returning to their natural black color. The crystal's energy then poured out of it in the form of light, and the petrified forms of the Lake Guardians began to melt away until they were fully free. But, before they could do so much as blink, the energy overwhelmed them, replacing their eyeballs with an identical red light. The trio of Legendary Pokémon hovered obediently over their pedestals, sitting down on them carefully and awaiting the command of their new master.

Giovanni allowed himself a short laugh, never once sounding anything less than serious in that brief moment. Charon had been truthful to him when he told him about the powers of the Red Chain, how it gave the user a small amount of power from the Original One, allowing him to control the Lake Guardians and the Spacetime Duo.

"Charon." Giovanni said sharply, "It is time."

Charon nodded, swinging his arm down as he ordered the two Grunts controlling the Red Chain Cannon, _"Fire!"_

The men aligned the cannon with one section of the void to their upper right, blasting a bullet of Red Chain energy. The crystal powering the machine glowed brilliantly as they aimed the cannon to the opposite side, firing off a perfect blast to the upper left. The two fragments of Red Chain energy caught themselves in the black void, circling through the darkness and tracing two identical ovals. The ovals then immediately opened up two gates to strange dimensions; one gate glowing a radiant blue and the other shining a brilliant pink.

"Now, guardians of Sinnoh's lakes…" Giovanni ordered, activating the energy in his Red Chain glove, "Release your power and fulfill your _true_ purpose! Call forth the ancient legendary Pokémon as old as time and space itself!"

Giovanni's Red Chain glove glowed and the three Lake Guardians obeyed, their small forms glowing a bright red. Energy radiated from their bodies, taking the colors of blue, pink, and gold, and wafted up like steam toward the two volatile portals above them. The energy snaked inside the portals, and Giovanni grinned madly. He could feel their energy radiating through him as well, obeying his every command without the slightest amount of dissent. Soon, the people of the world would obey him in the same way.

" _Giovanni! Stop!"_ yelled someone far behind him. Giovanni cursed, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to. The Rocket Boss turned around along with the rest of his followers that had entered the Spear Pillar with him, glaring perhaps harder than any of them. Ash and his friends ran down the final silver steps, a golden sphere glowing above them.

"How did you open the gates?" Giovanni growled. He sneered immediately after, "It is of little consequence. You are much too late."

"We'll see about that!" Ash refuted.

"Executives. Take care of this brat and his friends." Giovanni ordered.

" _Yes, sir."_ The four crooks answered together. They stepped forward together, and Archer took a single step in front of them, addressing Ash and his friends.

"You managed to defeat us at the base, but there is nowhere to run now." Archer sneered, "This is where your story will _end!"_

Ash, Dawn, and Brock leered at Archer, Riley and Cynthia at their sides. "Bring it on!" they fired back, calling on the rest of the Pokémon that they had. Charizard, Primeape, Pikachu, Piplup, Buneary, Froslass, Sudowoodo, Croagunk, Lucario, Pidgeot, Absol, and Garchomp all stretched their limbs, standing side by side as the Executives called on the remainder of their own Pokémon. The only issue, though, was that the Pokémon they called on were not their own.

Ambipom, Mamoswine, and Pachirisu; Sceptile and Torterra; Marshtomp, Crobat, and Steelix; Gastrodon and Togekiss, all of them belonged to Ash and his friends. And all of them shared a single common trait: their eye sockets had been replaced with a relentless red glow. Ash stiffened, surprised. He knew better than to call out to his Pokémon. They were under Team Rocket's control.

" _Ah-ha-ha-ha!"_ Proton laughed hysterically at Ash's reaction, regaining his violent glare a moment later.

"We could not defeat you with our own Pokémon, so instead we shall crush you with yours!" Archer declared, "Sceptile, Torterra, combine your Leaf Storm attacks!"

"Ambipom, use Swift. Mamoswine, use Ice Shard, and Pachirisu, use Discharge!" Ariana barked.

"Marshtomp, use Mud Shot, Crobat, use X-Scissor, and Steelix, use Dragonbreath!" Proton commanded.

Sceptile and Torterra attacked first, obeying Archer instantly and generating a massive attack of sharp leaves to blast at their enemies. The two attacks combined effortlessly and advanced in a speedy vortex that exuded the power that had been refined by Ash. Next, Dawn's three captive Pokémon attacked, adding their ranged attacks to the field. Finally, Brock's three controlled Pokémon attacked, giving Ash and his friends a sizeable workload to solve in about three seconds.

"Charizard, crush that Leaf Storm with Flamethrower!" Ash shouted.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam, and Buneary, Froslass, use Ice Beam!"

"Croagunk, use Sludge Bomb!" Brock added. The five Pokémon attacked against the immense barrage of attacks coming their way. Charizard's Flamethrower worked as intended, absolutely decimating the double Leaf Storm attack in a blast of white-hot fire. Piplup's Bubblebeam worked well enough to block Marshtomp's Mud Shot, and the Ice Beam pair from Buneary and Froslass neutralized both Steelix's Dragonbreath and Crobat's X-Scissor. Croagunk added to the counterattack with a wide Sludge Bomb blast, smashing Mamoswine's Ice Shard to dust. Unfortunately, the Swift and Discharge attacks made it through the combined counter, striking some of the Trainers' large group but doing little damage.

Petrel stepped in to command his stolen Pokémon, which just so happened to be Cynthia's. Lucky guy, Ash thought, to be working with the Pokémon of Sinnoh's Champion Master. Gastrodon launched a Mud Bomb high into the air, and Togekiss added to the attack with an attractive Air Slash. Luckily, it was all too easy for Garchomp to destroy those two attacks, leaving a wide-open window for the others to attack together.

"Charizard, hit Sceptile and Torterra with a Flamethrower! Primeape, use Bulk Up and then go get Ambipom with a Focus Punch!"

"Piplup, use Drill Peck on Crobat! Buneary, use Bounce and get onto Steelix's head! Froslass, hit Marshtomp with a Shadow Ball!" Dawn called.

"Sudowoodo, get in close and use Hammer Arm on Mamoswine, and Croagunk, use Poison Jab on Pachirisu!"

The commanded Pokémon advanced and heeded their Trainers' command, but their success was hit-or-miss. While Sceptile and Torterra were blasted by damaging fire, Crobat dodged Piplup's Drill Peck attempt and struck back with a Poison Fang. Marshtomp and Ambipom took hits, but Mamoswine was able to repel both Sudowoodo and Croagunk with Ice Fang. Buneary soared through the air, landing squarely on the top of Steelix's head.

The Iron Snake Pokémon screeched and twisted violently, aiming to sweep Buneary away with an Iron Tail. The Rabbit Pokémon held on tight and narrowly ducked under the steel-type's crushing attack, giving Cynthia and Garchomp enough time to lend a hand.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush on Steelix." Cynthia ordered calmly. Garchomp gnashed its teeth together and zoomed forward, a piercing blue aura similar to Giga Impact appearing around its body. Steelix spotted Garchomp far too late, having been too preoccupied with the pesky Rabbit Pokémon dangling on its head. Garchomp slammed into Steelix's long body at full force, knocking the massive Iron Snake's belly out from under it and causing it to fall forward. Buneary leaped forward as Steelix fell, heeding Dawn's call for an Ice Beam and twisting around to blast Steelix in midair with a blast of chilling energy.

Archer gritted his teeth, "Sceptile, use Leaf Blade on Buneary. Torterra, use Rock Climb on Charizard."

Sceptile rushed to the side, striking Buneary at high speed and flinging the normal-type back toward her Trainer. Torterra lifted its front legs off of the ground and crashed them down, kicking up a line of jagged platforms that only got taller with each one. Charizard was launched up to the top of this height and Torterra came sprinting up, bringing its crushing weight with him. Meanwhile, the other Executives commanded their controlled Pokémon to attack as well, hitting their opponents with powerful attacks.

"We've gotta hurry up and beat them and get to Giovanni!" Ash said, panicked. They weren't making enough progress fast enough, and each passing second helped the Rocket Boss. Riley was next to him, and the Aura Guardian nodded, an idea coming to his mind.

"Ash, do you remember that lesson…about giving your Pokémon a boost and making them stronger?" Riley asked.

Ash's breath hitched and he threw a look to his teacher, "Channeling our own Aura to our Pokémon when they attack…adding our own power to theirs!"

"Exactly!" Riley answered, "You did it to me when we battled right before you left. You are even stronger now…can you do it again with a group of Pokémon?"

As the battle raged in front of them, Ash nodded with fierce determination, "Let's do it!"

"Take my hand. We'll do it together." Riley said.

Dawn, Brock, and Cynthia looked at the two Guardians quizzically as they interlocked their hands, their Aura coming to life around them. "Order your Pokémon to attack with everything they have!" Riley barked.

Dawn didn't hesitate, trusting them both with whatever they were planning, "Piplup, use Hydro Pump! Buneary, Froslass, use Ice Beam! And Absol, use Dark Pulse!"

"Croagunk, use Sludge Bomb! Sudowoodo, use Rock Blast!"

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge."

Riley went next, "Lucario, give it everything you've got and use Aura Sphere. Pidgeot, use Air Slash."

Ash beamed, eyeing his three friendly Pokémon, "All right! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, Charizard, use Flamethrower, and Primeape, use Hidden Power. Let's go!"

The horde of Pokémon readied their attacks, firing them all off at the same moment. Ash and Riley then focused, and their live Aura snaked around their bodies in vortexes. The blue energy traveled instantaneously to the Pokémon, and the evidence of it was clear. Together, the Pokémon all attacked their controlled friends, hoping to knock them out of their trance once and for all. Pikachu let loose a brilliant blue bolt of lightning, Charizard spewed bright blue flames, Piplup's Hydro Pump glowed with a mix of its usual dark blue and a new cobalt color, and Croagunk's Sludge Bomb projectiles gained a blue aura around them. In some way or another, all of the Pokémon's attacks became fused with the blue color of Ash and Riley's combined Aura, radiating with immeasurable power as the attacks made their mark. The Executives shouted with surprise as the blue barrage of attacks struck their stolen Pokémon on all sides, kicking up a thick smokescreen. Tendrils of cobalt Aura sizzled in and around the cloud of smoke, which quickly diffused into the void around the chamber.

The four Executives gasped as they locked their eyes on the Pokémon they'd used, each and every one of them spread out on the ground without any battling energy left in them. Translucent red light suddenly dispersed from their bodies, a sign of the Red Chain's control leaving them, and one by one the defeated Pokémon began to stir. Sceptile was the first one up, kneeling down on the ground as he cringed in pain. The Forest Pokémon eyed Ash and a rush of elation ran through it.

" _Tile!"_ the powerful grass-type bellowed. Sceptile then flinched, remembering everything that had transpired in the time he and the others had been captured. With those memories now intact, Sceptile turned on his heels, snarling at the men and women of Team Rocket. Torterra grumbled and lumbered back around to face them as well, and they were soon joined by the rest of their friends. Ash, Dawn, Riley, Brock, Cynthia, and the other Pokémon walked up to them, the Trainers slipping between the horde of Pokémon to stand in front of them. Pikachu leaped up onto Ash's unoccupied right shoulder, giving a disdainful glare to the Grunts, Admins, and Executives before them. Riolu, perched on Ash's left shoulder, yipped at them as well.

Archer smiled nervously and took a few steps back, and his fellow Executives cowered away as well. Even Proton looked legitimately concerned. Ash directed an eye to Lester, as the newly-appointed Admin was standing in the throng of people.

"Uh…my lord…" Archer called to Giovanni, who still had his back to everything as he focused on the happenings in front of him. Archer continued as Charon gave them a dissatisfied glare, "We're in a…bit of a bind, here…"

"I'm aware, Archer." Giovanni grunted in answer, only offering a slight turn of his head so that he could glare at them from the corner of his eyeball. He didn't even seem remotely threatened by Ash, his friends, and the two dozen or so Pokémon of theirs at his back. "Your _failure_ is of little consequence, for you see, our preparations are complete!"

Giovanni whirled around and opened both of his palms, revealing both of his hands to be gloved. Two identical red crystals lit up with energy, and out of thin air, crimson chains appeared around Ash, his friends, and the Pokémon.

"What the…?" Ash gasped. His arms were suddenly tugged down by the mystical chains and he was dropped to his knees as more restraints wrapped around his legs. The same happened to his friends and Pokémon, chaining them in their place one by one.

"Ash!" Dawn cried as chains wrapped around her, "What's happening?"

"I-I-I don't know." Ash admitted, throwing another look at Giovanni. The man did this without any expression on his face, not a semblance of joy or shame in his cold black eyes. "I don't know…" Ash repeated, his throat dry. Soon enough, they were all tied down by the Red Chain's mystical shackles, their movement restricted so much that they'd be nothing remotely close to a threat.

Giovanni relaxed, but he left his palms open as the crimson crystals continued to churn with otherworldly energy, "Behold, my young interlopers, the power of my Red Chains. I'm sure you recognize them, Cyrus used the same exact artifact on his hand in his defeat here not too long ago. But he neglected to go any farther than the bare minimum. By analyzing the failures of Team Galactic's plot, we have been able to succeed where they failed in everything they did!"

Giovanni continued, "Now, thanks to the powers of technology and the psychic powers of the Unown from the Solaceon Ruins, I have _two_ Red Chains; one natural, and the other artificial. Together, their power is unmatched by anything in this world! I could create anything I desired with these…but only on a small scale. No, you see, the real power that I seek, the true power of creation…lies in those two portals you see there." Giovanni gestured to the blue and pink portals above the triangular altar behind him. Energy from the Lake Guardians was pouring into them, strengthening the dimensional gates in preparation for the summoning of Sinnoh's two great deities.

"So that's why they were in the Ruins, that day we met Corey." Ash muttered. Now that the teen and his friends were in chains, the Grunts that had accompanied their superiors into the Spear Pillar surrounded them in a perfect circle, standing as a silent guard.

Dawn sniffled, sucking in a deep breath, "Ash, what have we done? How could we have let this happen?"

"This is _not_ your fault, you two." Cynthia interrupted, her eyes fixated on Giovanni's back as the man continued with his work, "If anything, this is my fault. It was my decision to take possession of the Spear Key and the Spacetime Orbs. I put the Orbs in the hands of Gym Leaders, and the Spear Key in a museum where anyone could find it. I believed that Sinnoh would be safe, that no one would ever again try the things that Team Galactic tried. But now, I see that I was so terribly wrong, and the blame is mine alone."

"It doesn't matter now." Ash said. He felt bad being so blunt, but it was the honest truth. "We have to figure out a way to stop this. This isn't over."

Ash scanned the Spear Pillar, eyeing each and every Rocket he could lay eyes on. The Executives stood not too far from Giovanni, their backs turned to the Trainers and their focus on the triangular altar in front of them. The four Admins: Mercury, Butch, Cassidy, and Lester; were doing much of the same. The only motion right now, really, was the small number of Grunts moving things around. Ash's eyes settled on Lester, the man who he'd trusted only to be stabbed in the back. He thought back to their brief conversation in his cell. Ash had been telling the truth, he didn't hate the man, and he believed in him, at least a little bit. There was light in him, he knew that much.

There was also the alternative option of using his Aura to get out of his predicament. Ash pushed against the mystical crimson chains, relaxing his muscles and focusing. His breathing slowed and became more consistent, and he felt energy steadily flow through his veins. The fires inside him were cooler than usual, but it was of little importance.

Ash tensed, intending to fire up his Aura and attack.

But nothing happened. Ash frowned and tensed again, calling upon the Aura inside him to ignite around his body. But again, nothing happened. Ash threw a glance to the Grunts nearest him, noting that they stood as still as statues. They were not in the least concerned with his fidgeting.

Ash then came upon an idea. It was possible that the Red Chains were suppressing his Aura abilities. He hadn't been injected with any of that dastardly serum Team Rocket had cooked up. Giovanni didn't do anything halfway, though. If the Red Chains he was using were as powerful as Giovanni claimed, it wasn't too far of a stretch that they could be used to stifle his powers.

Giovanni extended his fingers and spread out his gloved palm, his voice rising to a yell as he commanded the attention of everyone inside the chamber, "It is time, at last! The Lake Guardians have done their job perfectly. And now, Dialga, Palkia, masters of time and space itself, the time has come! Heed my summons, and reveal yourselves!"


	61. Showdown at Spear Pillar! Part 2

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 61_

 _Showdown at Spear Pillar! Part 2_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar**_

Giovanni's glove flashed with a brilliant red light, the Red Chain fragment inside of it spewing its ancient energy into the void. The two portals, one blue and one pink, pulsed with dimensional power, until the thin outlines of two gigantic creatures came into being, sliding carefully out of their respective dimensions and into the human world. Their shapes filled in with their usual features, and little by little, the blue quadrupedal form of Dialga and the white/pink bipedal body of Palkia materialized, as the two literal gods came face-to-face.

Giovanni silently commanded the Red Chains to do its work. Red crystals materialized and spun around the bodies of Dialga and Palkia both, before forming into blood-red wheels similar to the one that surrounded the body of Arceus. More chains spiraled out of the crimson wheel, tangling themselves around the arms and legs of the two Legendary Pokémon and restricting their movement almost entirely. There, the creators of Sinnoh writhed, hovering, now under Giovanni's total control.

"At last, I have total control over them…the full powers of Dialga and Palkia are mine!" Giovanni howled, "The new world…the _real_ new world…will soon be upon us!"

"Giovanni, you can't!" Ash yelled, "Even you have to be able to see that what you want to do is wrong."

Giovanni turned his head, focusing his right eye on Ash, "Bring him here."

The two Grunts closest to Ash immediately turned and grabbed him, locking their hands as tightly as they could around his arms and dragging him to his feet. The crimson chains around his body clanked as he was led closer and closer to Giovanni, and once they reached the man, Ash was promptly thrown back down to the ground. Giovanni carefully turned around, looking down at the immobilized teen.

"What's the matter, boy? No Aura for me?" Giovanni sneered. He then offered a haughty chuckle, "You've spent far too long being a hero, Ketchum. I'm afraid things aren't going to work out for you anymore. It's the end of line…for you."

"What are you talking about?" Ash grunted.

"Well, now that the powers of Dialga and Palkia belong to me, I have the power to remake the entire world as I see fit. I have total control over time and space. And I must say, I'm getting quite tired of having you in our way."

"You don't mean…" Ash interrupted. Legitimate fear appeared in his eyes, the first time he'd ever been genuinely scared in years.

"You're smarter than I give you credit for." Giovanni sneered, "Yes, before I transform the world and remake it in my image…before I change the events of history to install myself as this new world's ruler…first I will change the events of history to eliminate _you_. You will be wiped from the timeline like a spilt drink on a countertop. I will _erase you,_ so that you will have never been here to oppose me."

A shiver snuck down Ash's spine and he broke into a cold sweat. "P-Please, don't do this, Giovanni. Have mercy."

Giovanni snorted, "Now you ask me for mercy? How convenient. No. I have come too far, and been harassed too much by _you,_ to have my mind changed."

Giovanni's eyes glowed red, and he stretched his gloved hands. The Red Chain fragments in the two gloves lit up with a crimson glow and blue energy appeared in a circle around Giovanni's feet. The energy grew and roared with power, and Giovanni's form blurred for a moment. The Rocket Boss gave a bellowing laugh, _"The power!_ Can you feel it, Ketchum? The power of Dialga runs through me…Dialga, ruler of time, feed me your strength! Turn back the clock and change the timeline to my will!"

Dialga roared furiously and the Red Chains around his body tightened, squeezing hard enough to force the Temporal Pokémon to release its power. Palkia ceded a glance to its fellow deity, an instantaneous expression of concern flashing across its ancient red eyes. Then, the chains wrapped around the Spatial Pokémon's body tightened out of nowhere, and Giovanni spoke a command for the master of space.

"Palkia, begin warping the outside world and everything that exists! Transform our world to my vision, to my dream!"

Dialga and Palkia unwillingly went to work, albeit in different respects. Ash's strength began to leak away and he leaned over, his breathing becoming tighter and weaker. His mind became the forefront of his focus, and the first sensation he felt was confusion.

"Ah, your memories…" Giovanni sighed, walking a slow circle around the teenager, "I can see them…memories of happiness, of joy…anchors of your existence in the timeline…let me just… _take_ those away, little by little."

Ash grimaced as he felt himself…forget? It was an impossible sensation, something no one could ever describe. But nevertheless, he knew he was forgetting parts of his life, piece by piece. His brain tensed as it tried to prevent those memories from vanishing, but it was useless.

"Most of your memories are of your Pokémon…you're quite the talented Trainer, I have to give you that." Giovanni said as he continued walking around Ash. His footsteps left a blue glow in the void underneath his feet as he spoke some more, "Your Pokémon are so very precious to you. I wonder how you would feel if I… _took_ those memories away from you. If I… _erased_ those things from ever happening in the first place."

"Please!" Ash winced, "Please, please don't do this, please, stop. I'll do anything."

"I don't _want_ you to do anything…except die." Giovanni answered cruelly, "Although, I suppose this isn't the same thing as death. What would you call a slow, steady removal from existence altogether? Would you refer to as death? I'm not sure." Giovanni was so clearly enjoying this, it made Ash sick to his stomach. More memories of his slipped away, small ones at first, like what he ate for breakfast on a given day, or a segment of a training session with one of his Pokémon. They would be small things at first, but the things Giovanni took from him would gradually grow bigger and more important. It was a like rainstorm, increasing slowly in severity.

"These Red Chains are a special artifact…a special artifact for a special _place._ Spear Pillar is packed with dimensional energy. Every dimension in existence intersects here. _"_ Giovanni continued, "And the Red Chain, it draws from this power and the power of the Original One alike. It's so powerful, in fact, that if you're exposed to its energy for long enough, your spirit will be melted away. Of course, these gloves prevent that same energy from hurting me. _Hm-hm-hm,_ it's perfect, wouldn't you agree? As punishment for all of your _meddling,_ you get to experience the worst pain imaginable: being _directly_ erased from history _,_ and _I_ get to keep on living!"

Ash winced, trying to move but finding that he was incapable of even controlling his own body. He opened his mouth to speak, finding that even that was becoming more difficult. He tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was a pained groan that made Giovanni smirk at him.

"You monster!" Dawn wailed from the other end of the chamber.

" _Quiet, girl!"_ snapped a Grunt before he kicked her into the ground by shoving her with his boot. Dawn slumped sideways into the ground, but she focused her attention solely on Ash.

" _Ash!"_ Dawn cried, at a loss for anything else than that. There was nothing she could do, she realized, nothing but watch as the boy she cared about more than anyone else was taken from her in a way she never could've imagined.

Nearby, Riley let a few genuine tears slip from his eyes. He thrashed against the Red Chains keeping him down, trying as hard as he could to summon even a little bit of Aura outside of his body, but it was all for nothing. Lucario sat at his side, as incapable as he was.

 _~Master…?~_

Riley yelled and pushed himself forward, trying to get his lower legs out from under him and stand up. The Red Chains were strategically wrapped around his knees and fastened so tightly that he couldn't do so, but it wasn't enough to stop him from trying. In response, the Grunts around him ran over to him and shoved him down, taking the liberty of kicking the Aura Guardian a few times while he was down. At the sight, Lucario barked furiously and tried to retaliate, but he suffered the same fate until he stopped fighting back.

Brock tried something else next, "Look at this, do you honestly think this is okay?" Brock questioned the two Grunts closest to him, "Do you think anyone _deserves_ this?" The Grunts, though, stayed completely silent, their eyes fixated forward as if they hadn't even heard him.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_ Pikachu called out to Ash.

" _Rio-Rio-lu!"_ Riolu yipped.

The rest of the Pokémon were in various states of duress. Charizard and Sceptile watched with silent horror, trembling. As if silently communicating with each other, the two Pokémon lashed out without warning, Charizard spewing a Flamethrower and Sceptile attempting a Leaf Storm. The circle of Grunts broke up as the Pokémon attacked, and a moment later they swarmed the two Pokémon, drawing whips from their belts and striking them relentlessly. Garchomp, Mamoswine, and others joined in the attempt, but the Red Chains around them prevented them from doing very much. Charizard retaliated with another Flamethrower, burning the body of the closest Grunt before he was whipped another five or six times in a mere second. Executive Proton broke away from his fellow Executives and walked over, unlatching a whip from his own belt, but a press of a button revealed that it was a shock-lashing whip. The cruel Executive lashed Charizard and Sceptile multiple times, stunning them with bluish electricity that sapped their strength.

"Even now, your friends fight bravely. The Red Chains are far too strong for them to manage much more than a few small victories. They won't be rescuing you, I'm afraid." Giovanni taunted Ash. He straightened and breathed in deeply as his eyes glowed red, "Here we are…some important memories. My, my, Ash, that's quite a Gym Battle."

Ash stiffened and grimaced as his head pulsed. How many badges had he earned in Sinnoh? Eight? No, seven, he thought. He would have to go back and get that eighth badge. Ash then shook his head, knowing that his memory of winning the Beacon Badge two years ago had just been stolen, erased from ever happening.

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sandgem Town**_

Professor Rowan and his assistants all stood in silence, watching the live footage from outside. The storm clouds twisted around Mt. Coronet, spitting forked lightning in every direction. Rowan had already fielded multiple calls reporting the damage. In more than one place around the world, the seas were rising, decimating the land that had held them back for so many centuries. In other places, forests were vanishing by the acre as space itself transformed in mere instants. Team Rocket's leader was remaking the world from scratch.

For what felt like the hundredth time in an hour, Rowan's phone rang. He grunted and answered it immediately.

" _Professor, are you seeing this?"_ Gary Oak asked him over the phone line.

"Of course I'm seeing it. We're all seeing it." Rowan grumbled, "It's the end of the world as we know it."

" _Is there anything we can do?"_

"I don't know." Rowan answered slowly. He watched the camera feed of Mt. Coronet as more lightning continued to strike everywhere. His group of lab assistants gasped as the storm became so violent that the feed cut out, and the power in the lab subsequently shorted out. Professor Rowan stood in silence with Gary still on the line as the assistants scrambled to try and recalibrate their systems, having little success.

At that moment, Rowan came to a single conclusion, "All we can do is pray."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar**_

Ash struggled as Giovanni continued his work, standing in front of the restrained teen and watching intently as he slowly erased the boy from history. Ash's memories were going away faster now, and each one was bigger than the last. All the while, Giovanni grinned, experiencing every memory of Ash's that he took as he taunted the weakening teen.

Ash slumped forward, the most motion he'd been able to muster up since he'd been restrained by the Red Chain. He laid flat on the cold ground, his back rising and falling as he breathed. His breathing became hoarser as his end approached.

 _~Ash…~_

Ash's eyes shot open. That hadn't been Riley's voice inside his head, or even one of his Pokémon. The voice echoed in his head again, deeper and clearer this time.

 _~Ash!~_

The voice was clearly restrained, as if whoever was speaking to him in his head was having great trouble doing so. Ash shut his eyes tight, feeling Aura stir through his body. Blue flames flickered past his eyelids as he focused on the blackness, and little by little his blackened vision became closer to a very dark blue.

* * *

Ash stood up and walked through the void, not a single chain on him as he did so. He glanced at his surroundings, the first thing he spotted being his own body, wrapped in the Red Chains. Giovanni stood above him, a permanently wild grin on his face. They were frozen in time. Ash recognized that he was inside the Aura Channel, the same place he'd communicated with Gengar before capturing the ghost-type back at the Old Chateau. He'd used it at other times, too, making use of the instantaneous communication without having a second pass in the real world.

As Ash examined his see-through, spirit-like body, that same deep voice echoed in his ears, the sound of it being so low that it would've been difficult to hear had the speaker not been practically shouting at him.

" _Welcome, Ash."_

Ash whirled around, taking a surprised step back as he saw the two beings speaking to him. Dialga and Palkia stood, also unrestrained by the Red Chains, eyeing him carefully with their red eyes.

" _Thank you for meeting us."_ Palkia greeted, the Spatial Pokémon's telepathic voice just as deep and menacing as Dialga's.

" _We're sorry about this, but this is the only place we can talk."_ Dialga explained.

"T-Talk about what?" Ash asked. He glanced down at his body in the real world. Every time he would come to this place, he'd be amazed by how it essentially existed as a mirror of reality, albeit one where time did not flow.

" _Anything, really. Any possible way that we can get out of this…together."_ Palkia answered.

" _In the real world, we're completely restrained by Giovanni. He controls our every move. Already, all of space is being forcibly changed, and the timelines are being altered to fit Giovanni's ideal world. Just a few minutes from now, Giovanni will have what he wants."_ Dialga echoed.

"And he's erasing me from the timeline in the process." Ash mumbled.

" _Yes, he is. We can't allow this to happen, but there is simply nothing we can do. If you thought Cyrus had control over us, you have no idea the level of control Giovanni has gained with_ two _Red Chains. It's a miracle we stand here now."_ Dialga answered.

" _This is our fault. We could've destroyed the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs when we had the chance. Humanity has no true need for us anymore. Time was, we were an active part of mankind's existence. Not anymore. We're simply…there."_ Palkia explained, _"We knew Giovanni was plotting this. But it's against our ways to interfere with the affairs of man. It has been that way since creation, that we only step in when the people would call upon us. Otherwise, it was humanity's weight to bear."_

Ash walked through this mirror image of a reality, stepping over to the frozen image of Dawn. She was hunched over, staring directly at his real body with a tear streaming down her cheek. It hurt him to see her this way.

" _It may not mean much…but we_ are _sorry, Ash."_ Dialga said, _"Without you, there is no telling where we would be. Because of you and your friends, Alamos Town was spared from the destruction that would've befallen them, all because of our petulant fighting. When the Original One awoke from his great slumber, you were also there to save the world from destruction. We owe you everything, and yet we have nothing to offer in return."_

"You brought me here so that you could say thanks? And that's it?" Ash grumbled, "I'm about to be erased from _history._ It'll be like I was never even _born."_

" _We…we don't know what else to do."_ Palkia answered.

" _Please understand us…we don't mean disrespect. But we are at a loss."_ Dialga tried, _"But there is nothing else that we can do. We failed."_

Ash looked at Dawn's frozen image again, reaching out to touch her unmoving cheek. He'd promised to protect her, and yet he couldn't even protect himself. What would Giovanni have in store for her after he was gone? The whole thing was so twisted and unfair. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

And then, Ash had a single, small idea.

Ash's arms fell slack as he spoke, his back turned to Dialga and Palkia, "…There is one thing we might be able to do. There is one Pokémon who would help us. There is another in your group."

Dialga and Palkia seemed to legitimately ponder whatever Ash was thinking for about two seconds before their expressions twisted into revolted, stunned looks.

" _No."_ Dialga answered sharply.

" _Absolutely not."_ Palkia agreed.

" _That is_ not _happening."_

"W-why not? You got a better idea!?" Ash yelled, swiftly turning on the two deities.

" _We can't risk that."_

"Risk what!? What's wrong with getting Giratina's help?" Ash snapped.

" _Everything! That's what wrong with that idea."_ Palkia growled, _"Giratina has been forbidden from Spear Pillar for millennia. When he was banished to the Reverse World, we worked with the Original One to place a seal on Mt. Coronet. From Spear Pillar, our brother could wreak havoc on all of creation, on everything that we have built."_

"And Giovanni isn't wreaking havoc on those same things?" Ash countered, "There's no way that you've forgotten how Giratina sided with us against Arceus in Michina Town!"

Dialga and Palkia glanced at each other. Ash was right, and there were no other options, they knew that.

" _Even if we_ were _to break the seal and allowed Giratina to make his way here, doing so would not be easy by any means. Giovanni has almost total control over us thanks to the second Red Chain he created. We'd need him to be distracted to break his hold on us for just a few seconds, and then we can use our power to break the seal. Once that is done, Giratina will be able to form a portal from the Reverse World to Spear Pillar."_ Dialga explained.

Ash looked around, examining every face present in the chamber of Spear Pillar. His focus settled on a single man, and he nodded, turning his attention back to Dialga and Palkia.

"Leave that to me."Ash said.

" _We hope you are right about this, Ash."_ Palkia answered, _"If this fails, well…farewell."_

The two Legendary Pokémon then roared, and Ash's sight collapsed into shattered fragments.

* * *

In another instant, he was back in his regular body, hunched over and at Giovanni's mercy. Time resumed to normal, with only Ash aware of the events that had just taken place. He sucked in a breath, wheezing as he felt like it was his first breath in hours. The Red Chain energy started affecting him again, making Ash grunt and grimace in pain.

Ash breathed in and out rapidly, looking to either side. On his right, the four Team Rocket Executives all stood together, watching his predicament with amusement. On the left stood the four Admins, including none other than Lester.

"Lester! Help me!" Ash gasped, sucking in a deep breath.

Giovanni glanced over at the newly-promoted Admin, and he nodded. Lester stepped forward, walking up and stopping as he looked at Dialga and Palkia, watching the two deities writhe as Giovanni forced them to do his bidding.

" _Hm-hm-hm…_ you still don't get it, do you, Ash?" Lester said, a thin, cruel smile on his face. Giovanni kept his eyes trained on Ash, all of his cruelty written in his pupils. Ash grimaced as he felt indescribable pain in indescribable places. Lester continued, uninclined to make his monologue fast.

Lester seethed. He turned around to look at Ash, not an ounce of pity or guilt in his eyes, "It's been surprisingly easy, you know, leading you along to this point. It was like walking a dog! The hardest part, though, was fighting the urge to squash you like a _bug._ _Hm-hm-hm,_ everything has gone according to our leader's master plan, _everything!_ You walked right into the trap, and now you're going to pay for it. All this time, you've been in the way, but now, sad to say…your time is up."

Lester chuckled again, "Never again will you be able to stand in the way of Team Rocket, because as far as we'll be concerned, you will have never have been born! Make this easy on yourself, Ash, _give up,_ and let this end!"

Ash winced and Giovanni tensed up his hand again, exerting the Red Chain energy on Ash. He started to forget more things, in no particular order, and he became weaker by the second. But he still remembered who he was, and how he'd gotten here. He still remembered Dawn's confession to him on the banks of Lake Acuity. He still remembered defeating Paul in the Sinnoh League, and his first day with Pikachu. So, he still had time, but there wasn't much. Just as he thought that, a shooting pain erupted throughout his body, provoking a pained wail from the teen.

"Oh, was I…was I too trusting, Lester? I believed you were who you said you were, even as I sensed the darkness in your heart, the skeletons in your closet…I believed in you as a person." Ash said.

"That's right, Ash." Lester said, "That's exactly right. Your greatest weakness is that you're too kind, and far too trusting. I told you this back in your cell, but perhaps I wasn't clear enough, so allow me to repeat it for emphasis. I _really_ despise you. Everything you thought of me was simply according to plan, nothing more."

Dawn thrashed, forcing some of the nearby Grunts to grab her and hold her back as she fought. _"You! You coward!"_ Dawn spat, the venom in her voice practically tangible.

Lester simply laughed, almost hysterical. Then, with a tone as venomous as Dawn's, he snapped, "Go on! Babble and cry whatever you like! In the end, the fact remains that you have _lost!"_ Lester shifted his eyes to Ash's crumpled form, and he nearly became hysterical, "You've lost because you trusted _me!"_

Giovanni allowed himself a thin, cruel smile. With a flex of his hand, more of Ash's consciousness flowed through him, the memories he was losing passing before his eyes before disintegrating into nothing along with the soon to-be former timeline.

Lester's laughter calmed down, and Ash breathed in, grimacing as he felt more of that phantom pain he kept feeling whenever Giovanni took _something_ from his memory.

"I don't believe that." Ash managed. Lester focused on him, his face a mask of disbelief. "I…I still…trust you." Ash grimaced. A low laugh echoed around the chamber of Spear Pillar, mostly from the Executives. Lester even locked eyes with Giovanni, who had shown a grin at the comment.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Lester answered with a snicker, "You say that, after everything that's happened; everything that I've done. You still have trust, in _me?"_

As Lester uttered those words, he almost felt a shred of guilt. Almost. The prospect of such a thing, that Ash could still have trust in him…it was _baffling._

"S-Somehow, yes…" Ash rasped, "Despite all of this, I know what's in your heart, Lester. We had a moment of understanding…back in Shelter Town, before we got to Snowpoint City."

Lester snorted, looking to the void at his side, "Humph. _Then_ …we had nothing of the sort."

"We did. I'm as sure as sure can be." Ash answered immediately, "I sensed the darkness in you on the day we met. Of course, I never would've imagined all this, but I knew there was something you weren't telling us. I would've guessed it was something personal, a rough childhood, maybe. But on our journey to Snowpoint City together, just you, me, and Dawn…as we pressed on, stumbling through the snow, sitting around the campfire, curling up in our sleeping bags to keep warm, and finally, that early morning in Shelter Town, I sensed that darkness inside you vanish."

Lester's face burned, and his brow creased as he tried to refute what Ash was saying. Unfortunately, his words only came out choked up, "What are you saying? I meant what I said, all of it! I despise you!"

Ash pushed himself up with his arms, sitting on his knees as a rush of unnatural strength ran through him. Giovanni flinched, puzzled by Ash's sudden resilience, and Ash continued, his eyes trained solely on Lester.

"Wrong. I ask you to remember more carefully, Lester. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I'm not the strongest either, but I know what I know. I made the choice to trust you on that day in Canalave City, and I didn't waver on that choice on our journey to Snowpoint City. For the first time, that early morning on the streets of Shelter Town, I finally sensed your spirit…a loyal spirit. We understood one another, you and I, and your _shining spirit_ revealed itself to me."

Lester did everything he could to avoid looking at Ash. _"S-s-shine…m-my…"_ he stammered at a whisper. He had no refutation, no defense. Giovanni watched him with his full attention now, as did the four Executives.

Ash kept on, "You've sworn your loyalty to Giovanni, but only because you were lost. There are so few people with such evil in them that they would willingly follow this vision that you've sworn to work for." Ash threw a look to the distracted Giovanni, "You aren't one of those people." Ash asserted to Lester before looking back at him, "You were searching for meaning. But is that truly enough for you, Lester? Giovanni wants a world where he reigns supreme, where everyone bows down. Do you think he'll keep you around if he succeeds? And even if he does, is there any honest happiness in that for you? To grovel at the feet of a king whose power knows no bounds? Think of what it truly means to live, Lester!"

Giovanni flashed a look back at Ash as Lester pondered—truly pondered—Ash's words, _"What it truly means to live…"_ Lester echoed quietly, _"My meaning…"_ Lester looked up, his eyes briefly falling on Dawn, before he thought back to that morning in Shelter Town. It was barely a week ago, and the sun hadn't even come up yet. Lester had meant to go outside in private and report back to base, but that had fallen apart when he'd run into Ash.

Ash had shown him his Aura then, in the darkness right before dawn. It had been truly amazing, Lester had thought. He'd always known that Ash possessed the ancient power, but he had never actually seen it for himself, the teen had kept it under wraps. Lester remembered everything about that small sphere of Aura in Ash's palm, the color, the warmth, the _energy_. The tiny sphere had seemed so happy, just like the young man who controlled it.

"… _Watching the sunrise, it makes me realize how much I treasure the world we live in,"_ Ash had said, _"…even if it's not perfect, our world is precious…"_

" _While I live, I want to shine. I want to make my mark on the world…I want to prove that I exist. If I could do that…that'd mean I've lived, wouldn't it?"_ Ash had added.

For the first time in a while, Lester had really thought. He had taken a moment to look inside and think deeply about what he was being told. Betraying Ash was going to be hard, he had realized, but he had to do it. Those were his orders, and he always followed orders. And since that moment when he finally did stab Ash in the back, he'd wholly convinced himself that his hatred of the teen was real. But now, an unseen blade of guilt stabbed into his heart.

Lester shook in his boots as a single thought blazed through his train of thought, _My spirit is alive!_

"Please remember, Lester! Remember that moment!" Ash cried, "Remember your shining spirit!"

Giovanni snarled, seething with rage as he looked back at Ash, _"_ Just shut up and _die!"_ he snapped. He flexed his hands again and there was a burst of Red Chain energy that overwhelmed Ash, knocking him back down to the ground. In a single moment, so many of his memories burned away. Dialga let out a screech of pain as he was forced to destroy the timeline even further and erase Ash's very existence in it. Giovanni grinned evilly and relaxed.

Something on Ash's hand caught the teen's attention. His hand was translucent, and fading fast into nothing. His other hand was doing the same as a horrible weakness gutted him. All of his strength left him and his vision began to blur.

 _I'm disappearing,_ Ash thought, _My spirit is melting away, just like Giovanni said._

Giovanni rumbled with sadistic laughter, "I can feel it, the power flowing through me. My ascension is nearly at hand. I will soon become a god!"

Lester sulked as thoughts ran through his mind at impossible speeds. A Grunt who had been standing along the side of the chamber walked up carefully and spoke, "Lester, sir? Is everything all right?"

Lester's lips curled into a snarl, _"Be quiet!"_ he hissed. He shoved the man away and his knees buckled, making him go weak. Archer took a slight step forward, calculating eyes fixed on the newly-promoted Admin.

 _Has my spirit become a part of others' minds?,_ Lester thought, _Ash has made me realize…only…it's too late now. It's over, and it's all my fault!_

Ash fought as hard as he could, his rationality quickly leaving him as he continued to fade. _"Grunts!_ All of you! It's the same for you! Don't you think you could do something positive in this world? Is this _truly_ what you want!? Your sense of self-respect, _where_ has it gone!?"

Ash's skin became scaly and lit up with red energy. His strength continued to sap away until he could barely hold himself up. _The Red Chain…,_ Ash thought to himself, _I'm going to disappear any minute now!_

"Ash!" cried Dawn, Brock, Riley, and Cynthia all together.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu yowled.

" _Riolu-Ri!"_

The other Pokémon roared in a mixture of agonized horror, each of them immobilized by Red Chains of their own. The Grunts making a semicircle around them all looked back and forth between each other, murmuring indistinctly.

Ash's most precious memories finally started to fade. He forgot that moment with Dawn on the banks of Lake Acuity. He saw Infernape stand tall and defeat Paul's Electivire in the Sinnoh League, finally pushing them above their greatest rival, and watched as the vision of that precious memory disintegrated. The next one to go was his meeting with Misty, and then his first day with Pikachu. He forgot oversleeping on the day he was to get his first Pokémon, and he forgot watching the Pokémon matches on the TV from the night before. Then, childhood memories followed: ice skating as a kid during wintertime in Cerulean City, playing a pretend Pokémon battle with the neighborhood kids when he was even younger. Ash's vision started to turn white. He heard the cries of people and Pokémon behind him. He wondered what kind of Pokémon there were. Wouldn't it be cool to see them, he wondered? At long last, he saw his mother, working so hard like she always did and never getting any thanks. She vanished too, and Ash's arms and legs began to fade away as the fading leaked into his torso. He could barely even remember his own name.

Giovanni grinned relentlessly, his skin tingling as he watched the teen fade away. _Finally,_ the Rocket Boss thought, _finally he will be out of my way._

A sudden force rammed into Giovanni from his side and the Rocket Boss crashed to the ground. Ash looked up, squinting through his fading vision as a man he didn't recognize tackled Giovanni to the ground. He thought that he should know who the man was, but he couldn't quite put a name to the face. The Red Chain energy around him suddenly vanished, and Ash coughed violently as some of his strength returned.

" _You insolent little…!"_ Giovanni rambled. Another man, this one with uniquely styled teal hair grabbed Lester, dragging him to his feet and then driving a blade into his stomach. Ash heard people shriek with horror as the stabbed man gasped before bleeding a little too much at a time from his stomach. The Executive threw Lester to the ground, spitting on him before reaching to help Giovanni up.

Two colossal roars ripped through the air of the chamber, garnering the attention of everyone present. Ash examined the two hovering Pokémon as they roared for several seconds, completely awestruck by them. He noticed red rings and chains around their bodies, which suddenly lit up with a bright red glow. Giovanni regained control of the two deities with his Red Chain gloves, snorting.

"Four betrayals in a single night!" Giovanni lamented, "And the Creation Duo nearly broke free. You're crafty, Ketchum, I'll give you that."

Ash was puzzled. Was the man in the suit addressing him?

Giovanni started going on about something or another as a small pulse of energy formed between Dialga and Palkia. A sphere of dark purple appeared from it, and it started to expand. Everyone saw it…everyone except Giovanni.

"Cynthia…what is that?" Dawn stammered.

"I…I don't know." Cynthia admitted.

" _I don't believe it…"_ Riley gasped. He had clearly felt something inside whatever was forming right there in full view of everyone. The energy became a full-sized tear in reality, and the members of Team Rocket began shouting for Giovanni. The Rocket Boss gave the shouting people a displeased look before noticing that they were pointing at something. He whirled around, his eyes falling on the dark purple portal. A few seconds later, two bright red eye slits burned to life. Then, six black arms tipped with crimson spikes extended out of the tear, and the shadow slinked halfway out into reality like a snake.

"How _interesting."_ Giovanni commented, "There exists a Pokémon that can only appear as a shadow."

The shadow opened its apparent mouth and spat a pulse of energy directly at Giovanni, forcing the Rocket Boss to dive out of the way. The blast struck the endless void where his feet had been, doing nothing but fade out of existence. In another instant, the portal exploded in a burst of energy, and the shadowy figure slipped completely out and into view. The darkness around it vanished and the figure began to change shape, growing six powerful legs as the six arms on its back combined into a pair of tattered-looking wings.

As the transformation continued, Dawn gasped with recognition, _"It's Giratina!"_

The Pokémon roared deafeningly as the shadows around it dissipated, revealing its true form. The roar echoed around the chamber, and Giovanni cursed, "What…what is this!?"

"I didn't think it was possible!" Charon gasped, "That is Giratina, the third member of the Creation Trio!"

"There is a _third!?"_ Giovanni fumed, grabbing Charon by the collar of his lab coat. His anger at the old scientist quickly went away and he let go of him, turning to look up at Giratina, "No matter! If this thing is related to Dialga and Palkia, the Red Chain must surely work on it!"

Giovanni opened his palms, powering up the Red Chain fragments inside his gloves. Giratina glared at him, almost puzzled, and everything went silent. No Red Chains appeared around Giratina, and Giovanni tried again, but it became quite clear that nothing was going to happen. Giratina then thrashed, releasing another deafening roar. The air rippled violently as Giratina roared, and the crimson wheels around Dialga and Palkia's torsos shattered. From there, it was child's play to shake off the rest of the chains on their bodies. The Creation Trio was free!

 _~Here. Allow us to help you~_ echoed a voice inside Ash's head. The fading teen was confused, but in another instant the Creation Trio roared loudly. The Red Chains around Ash crumbled into dust, and blue light surrounded Dialga's body as he roared by himself. Strength suddenly returned to Ash, burning inside him like a wildfire. Ash shot to his feet, his eyes darting all around his body. He wasn't fading anymore, and he could remember everything! Dialga had fixed the changes in the timeline!

" _No!"_ Giovanni roared, "No, no, no! All of you, stop them, now!"

" _Yes, sir!"_

In another moment, all hell began to break loose. Half of the Grunts standing around followed the three remaining Admins and four Executives, calling on their Pokémon to attack the intimidating Creation Trio. Giratina unleashed an AncientPower on a horde of Golbat, while Dialga and Palkia both used Dragon Claw to handle a few strays that closed in on them. From there, the three dragon-types hovered at high speed around Ash, who was running back to his friends. Two Grunts stepped forward and tried to stand in his way, but the others behind them ran up and tackled them, allowing Ash to pass. He reached Dawn, dropping down to one knee.

"Here, lemme help you with that." Ash said with a smirk. His hands lit up with blue energy and he slashed through the Red Chains on Dawn. She smiled and shook her way out of the destroyed chains and Ash went to work on a few others, freeing Pikachu, Brock, Riley, and Riolu. From there, the others worked together to free Cynthia and the rest of the Pokémon. Pikachu and Riolu used Iron Tail and Force Palm, respectively, to free them. Meanwhile, Dawn hugged Ash tight, relieved beyond description that he was alive and well.

"I thought you were done for." Dawn sighed.

"I almost was." Ash answered. He pulled away from her and smiled.

A blast of energy caught Ash in the side and threw him away from Dawn. He hit the void-like ground and coughed, looking up as soon as he stopped skidding. Giovanni was walking toward him, flanked by his four Executives. Giovanni barked orders to his entourage, and the Executives broke away from him, running to join the Grunts and Admins as they battled the team of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Giovanni, meanwhile, stood still a decent distance away from Ash and a safe distance from his friends and Pokémon.

" _You're full of surprises, Ketchum!"_ Giovanni snapped, "I thought you might make things easy for once."

"You don't know me very well, then, Giovanni!" Ash answered, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu bounded forward and blasted a shining bolt of lightning, but Giovanni simply stuck out one of his gloved hands. A shield of bright red energy formed out of thin air and absorbed the Thunderbolt before disappearing back into nothing.

"You think it will be that easy?" Giovanni growled, "I was hoping we could do this the easy way... but the hard way is admittedly more fun."

Ash's Aura ignited around his arms and he took a fighting stance. He glanced over to his friends, "Go. Stop the rest of Team Rocket. This is my fight." Ash said before looking back at Giovanni.

"But, Ash!" Riley protested. He threw a look at Giovanni, wanting badly to blindside the man and put an end to this quickly.

"Just go! This is what I've been training for. I have to do this!"

Reluctantly, the others stood back, stepping away and running over to fight the rest of Team Rocket. A massive horde of Pokémon was at their command, comprised of various powerful species. Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina hovered well out of the way, their bodies glowing as they worked together to finish fixing the changes Giovanni had made.

"They're changing everything back to how it was. I cannot regain control of Dialga and Palkia. Whatever you've done has kept me from doing so. We were _so close!"_ Giovanni fumed at Ash, "Why do you just _have_ to play hero, _Ketchum?"_

Ash pondered the idea before answering, "I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter. Now, are we gonna fight, or what?"

" _With pleasure."_ Giovanni snarled, "Now I will not hold back. You will witness the _full_ power of the Red Chain, and when I am finished with you, your friends will suffer the same fate."

Red and blue energies burned to life around Giovanni and Ash, respectively. Giovanni opened his palms at Ash and two beams of red energy blasted out of his gloves. Ash took a step back and then blasted Aura out of his own hands. The two energies collided with explosive force, pushing against each other before cancelling out.

Ash only had a split second to breathe before Giovanni came rocketing toward him, a fountain of Red Chain energy propelling him toward the teen like a torpedo. Ash gasped and rolled out of the way, watching as Giovanni righted himself and landed squarely on his feet. Giovanni fired another blast of red energy, which was once again countered by Ash.

 _I have to go on the offensive,_ Ash said to himself. He blasted himself into the air with Aura, commanding the energy to circle around him in a protective manner as he landed close to Giovanni. Before the Rocket Boss could do much of anything, Ash threw an Aura-infused punch. Giovanni's stocky arm came up, surrounded by a crimson shield, and stopped the punch in its tracks. Immediately after, Giovanni dealt a similar punch into Ash's stomach, connecting and making Ash slump over. Without hesitation, Giovanni brought his knee up, nailing Ash in the face and sending him up and away.

Ash landed with a thud and crawled to his feet, immediately feeling for his nose and finding blood.

"This is almost too easy!" Giovanni taunted.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Ash replied before forming an Aura Sphere in each hand. The spheres of energy pulsed as Ash threw them, and Giovanni briefly went on the defensive. In the small amount of time the attack allowed him, Ash leaped into the air, firing rockets of Aura from his feet to keep him hovering. Giovanni blocked the Aura Spheres with a shield of Red Chain energy, and he looked up at Ash as the teen hovered.

Ash wordlessly turned and began to fly through the air, prompting Giovanni to angrily follow. Ash glanced back behind him, satisfied that the Rocket Boss was coming after him. Just as he began to look away, Giovanni blasted a beam of energy at him, forcing Ash to corkscrew out of the way. He kept flying forward, curving around the edge of the void-like chamber. He afforded a glance to the massive Creation Trio, finding that they were suffering the full force of Team Rocket's attacks. Cannons loaded with Red Chain energy lobbed projectiles at them repeatedly, keeping them at bay. Dawn and the others used their returned Pokémon to fight off the seemingly endless horde of enemy Pokémon being controlled by the Grunts.

" _Why do you run, Ketchum?"_ Giovanni howled after him, _"Afraid to die?"_

" _Hardly!"_ Ash shouted back.

Ash turned his torso and slashed his arm through the air, generating a wide path of Aura that sliced through the air and raced toward Giovanni. The Rocket Boss gasped and curled up his body, protecting himself with a full-body shield of energy. The Aura wave exploded against his powerful shield, allowing Ash to get a head start. He soared around the chamber, eyeing everything going on below him. Dawn and the others were doing well, but the Grunts' Pokémon just kept coming. Even with their own large group of Pokémon, it was a slow process. Ash was even surprised to see that some of the Grunts were fighting alongside them. The Rocket Executives commanded the Red Chain cannons, keeping an eye on their encroaching enemies while doing so.

Ash flew down close to Dawn, the Aura around him humming loudly, "Need some help?" he asked aloud, startling Dawn.

"That would be nice! We have to take out those cannons!" Dawn shouted back over the noise.

"I'll see what I can do!" Ash said. He flew over near the three Red Chain cannons, catching the attention of the Executives as he flew out of their reach, "Hello, down there! Pretty sure there's a rule somewhere about this!"

Ash began forming a blast of Aura between his hands, but he was quickly thwarted. A brute force of red energy crashed into his side, nearly giving him whiplash. Giovanni, surrounded by Red Chain energy, drove him back down into the ground away from the machines, crashing into the ground and separating from Ash. Ash rolled along the ground, dazed by the sudden hit. Aura stirred in his torso, softening the blow. Immediately, Giovanni came sprinting at him, his speed increased by the Red Chain's energy. The Rocket Boss jumped atop the teen and unleashed a flurry of energy-infused punches. Ash brought up his arms and formed gauntlets of Aura around them, defending against many of Giovanni's speedy punches. After some amount of hits, Ash kicked his leg up into Giovanni's stomach and stunned him. After that, Ash brought his arms back and formed a slab of Aura between his hands, swinging his arms back with the slab and slamming it into Giovanni's head.

Giovanni roared and rolled away, allowing Ash to jump back to his feet. Ash formed a rod of azure energy in his hands, mimicking Bone Rush as Giovanni stepped back up to his feet. The Rocket Boss grinned and formed two long, pulsing chains of red energy in his hands. The chains clanked ominously against the ground as Giovanni dragged them, making Ash incredibly wary. As Giovanni closed in, Ash lashed out with his energy rod, attempting to slash across Giovanni's torso. Giovanni countered by slinging his chains upward, clanging them against the Aura rod and causing the two energy weapons to bounce off of each other.

"Your move." Ash taunted.

Giovanni didn't give Ash the pleasure of a response. Instead, he lurched forward, slinging the crimson chain in his left hand at Ash. The chain sang as it flew toward Ash, and the teen slashed with his Aura rod to deflect it. Giovanni then started spinning the chains around in circles on either side of him, briefly throwing Ash off. He squinted at Giovanni and shoved his weapon straight at the man's chest, forcing the Rocket Boss to swing his chains in front of him to protect himself. The chains clashed awkwardly against the Aura staff and Ash slipped just enough for Giovanni to notice.

Giovanni grinned and threw the chain in his left hand at Ash's forearm, willing the chain to wrap around the teen's arm and squeeze. The mystical chain obeyed, surprising Ash and forcing his guard down. The blue flames of Aura surrounding Ash's forearm were quickly extinguished, and the mystical chains began to burn. Giovanni threw the chain in his right hand next and struck Ash's face, stunning him. In another moment, the second chain wrapped around Ash's other arm, ruining his focus and causing the rod of Aura in his left hand to vanish.

Giovanni leered at Ash and the chains tightened around his arm, steadily causing them to numb, and with a single move Giovanni whirled him around, allowing him to step up to Ash's back and hold him tight.

"Stop!" Giovanni bellowed. Everyone turned their attention to him, spotting Ash at his feet. The teen looked up at his friends groggily as the Red Chains squeezed his arms tightly. Giovanni continued, glaring at Dawn, Riley, Brock, and Cynthia, "Any of you move at all…he dies…" Giovanni growled, gesturing to Ash. A thin line of red energy appeared close to his neck, threatening to cut it clean open at Giovanni's will.

Dawn flinched, and the Executives by the cannons barked an order to the Grunts manning them, "Fire! Fire now!"

The barrels of the two cannons roared with explosive force, blasting a single crimson projectile at Dialga and Palkia each. The blasts struck them and exploded with a red light, quickly spawning singular Red Chains around their bodies. Giovanni grinned, focusing on the two trapped deities.

"I'm regaining control of them, Ash. Do you feel it?" Giovanni taunted, whispering into the teen's ear, "I have to admit, you had me. The odds were stacked impossibly against you…but you nearly prevailed. But with your puny power, you never truly stood a chance. All you've done is prolonged the inevitable."

Dawn wanted to move so badly, but she was paralyzed by fear. She couldn't bear to be responsible for Ash's death, so she stood as still as possible.

"Do something about that _thing."_ Giovanni ordered, gesturing to Giratina. The Renegade Pokémon was shifting its glances to its brothers, stunned that they were once again captured. The Red Chains around them began to grow in size, indicating Giovanni's regained control over them.

"At once!" Archer barked, "Fire!"

The Red Chain cannons unleashed another blast at Giratina, facing the ghost/dragon-type with a split-second decision. Giratina screeched, the spikes on its tattered wings glowing, and then disappeared like a shadow.

" _Hm-hm-hm."_ Giovanni chuckled, "Looks like your new friend has fled."

Giovanni pulled his arms back, forcing Ash to lean back against him and look up.

"I told your friends I'd let you live if they stayed put. But I think we both know I can't risk that." Giovanni mused. He looked up at Archer, his chief Executive, and barked orders, "Kill his friends, capture the Pokémon. We're done here."

Archer and Proton immediately shuffled in the direction of Ash's friends and the Pokémon, causing them all to panic. Brock shouted out in protest, "You said you'd spare us!"

"Actually, I didn't say that." Giovanni refuted. He looked down at Ash, "Any last words, boy?"

Ash nodded, grimacing. He parted his lips to speak, "I hate to burst your bubble, but Giratina didn't flee. That's just its signature move."

Giovanni was visibly confused, "What are you—" he started. He was suddenly interrupted by the smashing of the row of pillars on the left of the chamber. A purplish shadow rushed toward him, taking the shape of Giratina. The Renegade Pokémon screeched deafeningly, distracting Giovanni. The chains around Ash's arms loosened, and Ash smirked. In the next instant, his foot lit up with blazing Aura, and he kicked Giovanni in the shin with all his might. The Rocket Boss yelled and both the chains and his weapon disintegrated. Giovanni stumbled a few paces back and Giratina soared over him, reappearing in its regular form.

 _~Good plan, Ash~_ Giratina's voice echoed in the teen's head. Ash grinned, focusing on Giovanni. The man recovered quickly, but not quickly enough. Ash threw his arms forward, pent-up anger powering his hands as blinding blasts of Aura exploded from his two hands. Giovanni moved to counter with blasts of Red Chain energy, but he was far too slow and unfocused. The Aura blasts overran him in an instant, crashing into his body and lifting him off of the ground. Giovanni flew as the Aura beams pushed him back, and he slammed into a pillar, an immense amount of shocked pain shooting through his body. The Aura died down, and Giovanni slid down from the pillar, slumping to his knees and falling back against the pillar, barely conscious.

The crimson chains around Dialga and Palkia collapsed. Dawn gasped and whirled to the side, calling to Piplup, "They're free! Piplup, use Hydro Pump on those cannons!"

The Penguin Pokémon chirped and bounded into the air, summoning all of the energy it had left into a single Hydro Pump blast. Piplup turned its body as it spewed the attack out, holding the blast on the cannons for a few seconds each. The machines screeched as excessive amounts of water poured inside them, before subsequently exploding.

"All right! Piplup, you did it!"

" _Pip-Piplup!"_ chirped the water-type as he landed cleanly on his feet.

Cynthia scanned the room, spotting Charon tiptoeing away. The portly scientist was trying to make his second great escape from Spear Pillar, hoping to take advantage of the confusion and chaos. Cynthia snapped her fingers, catching Garchomp's attention.

" _Gar?"_

Cynthia simply pointed at the escaping Charon, and Garchomp snarled before leaping into the air. Charon whirled around, seeing that Cynthia had spotted him, and he turned back to around to make a break for it. He had already gotten past Ash, and the stairs were right in front of him!

Garchomp landed with a sudden _thud_ right in front of Charon, nearly causing the old man to fall to the ground with surprise. The Mach Pokémon bared his teeth and made sure that the scientist could see his sharp claws. Charon gulped.

"You're not getting away this time, old man." Cynthia said, approaching Charon.

Dawn stiffened as she looked over at the Executives, Admins, and the remaining Grunts who had remained loyal to Giovanni. Two important faces were missing from the group.

"Wait," she said, "Where are Proton and Petrel?"

Ash and the others looked around. Even Archer and Ariana looked around, failing to understand how the pair had vanished.

"Those bastards must have run away in the chaos!" Archer growled, "I'll have their heads for this act of cowardice!"

"Actually, I'm afraid you won't have anything of theirs." Cynthia interrupted, "Not where you're going, at least." Cynthia unlatched her walkie-talkie from her belt, pressing the button and speaking into it clearly, "Sergeant, come in. This is Cynthia, do you read me, over?"

The device immediately crackled to life with a voice and an answer, although it wasn't very clear for some reason. The Sergeant said over the line, _"Cynthia? Where are you? Over."_

"I'm still inside Spear Pillar. We've succeeded down here, and we need a team to be sent down to round everyone up as soon as possible, over." Cynthia ordered.

" _Spear Pillar? But...didn't you just walk out of there with the Aura Guardian? We just saw you."_

Cynthia's brow furrowed, and she answered, "What are you talking about, Sergeant? I've been down here the whole time."

" _I-I-I swear, the doors opened and you walked out with the guy in that weird hat, and said you were heading down the mountain, and to await further orders. Then you took a Humvee and drove off."_

"Sergeant, I gave no such order. I was never even there to begin with. Over." Cynthia answered.

" _That doesn't make any sense, over."_ the Sergeant said back.

"The master of disguise." Ash interrupted from where he was standing. Everyone looked at him as he continued, "Petrel visited me once and said he was a master of disguise. He must've disguised himself and Proton and they slipped out of here while…all _this_ was going on."

Archer's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth, "That bastard!"

Cynthia spoke back into the walkie-talkie, "Sergeant, we think we figured it out. Two hostiles disguised themselves and escaped Spear Pillar. I'd place my bets that the lookalikes you saw were them, which means they've gotten away. They are both Team Rocket Executives, by the names of Proton and Petrel. Over."

" _Roger that. We'll send word to Command and the International Police. Over."_

"Very good. Now, send down men with cuffs. A lot of them. We're going to need them, over." Cynthia ordered.

" _At once."_

Cynthia set the walkie-talkie back on her belt and looked back up at the cornered Team Rocket members. Archer fumed, but he stayed silent. He knew when he was beaten. Ariana glanced around as the Trainers' Pokémon surrounded them and the others, keeping anyone from getting away.

Dawn glanced over at Ash, who was carefully walking toward Giovanni. The Rocket Boss was battered and bruised, leaning weakly against a damaged pillar.

Brock, Dawn, and Riley broke away from the group and ran to the triangle in the center of the chamber, each going to the petrified form of one of the Lake Guardians. Brock and Dawn predictably ran to Uxie and Mesprit, respectively, and Riley attended to Azelf. The trio had only just been freed from the control of the Red Chain, though it didn't make much sense as to how. Uxie and Mesprit looked up wearily as Brock and Dawn approached them, and happiness returned to their exhausted eyes. Azelf glanced up at Riley, instantly picking up on the man's connection to Ash.

"It's okay now, Azelf. You're free." Riley said, gently stroking the Willpower Pokémon's head, "Ash is over there." Riley said next, pointing to the teen. Azelf glowed and smiled, mustering enough strength to hover above the pedestal he'd been placed on. The psychic-type then flew up into the air and soared over to Ash, surprising the teen by flying up behind him.

Azelf flew circles around Ash's head, dashing his serious expression and making him laugh. "Azelf, you're okay! I'm so glad to see that. I'm sorry that I let this happen to you."

" _Kyaun!"_ Azelf sang. Ash picked up on the meaning: Azelf didn't blame him one bit. It was just great to see the Willpower Pokémon's happy demeanor again.

" _Hm-hm-hm-hm."_ Giovanni chuckled, sitting immobilized with his back leaned against that damaged pillar. Ash had nearly closed the gap between them, and the teen continued walking up to him as the Rocket Boss croaked, "How did you do it? How'd you manage to win?"

Azelf hovered next to Ash and gave Giovanni a cross look, angry at the man for everything he'd done. The psychic-type's anger quickly softened, however, for malice was not in its nature. "I don't know." Ash said, "But, I'd like to think it's because I believed that I could, and I trusted in the bonds between me and my Pokémon."

Giovanni would've laughed hysterically if he wasn't broken and bruised in countless places. Instead, he resorted to a smug, disbelieving grumble, "The bonds between you and your Pokémon…so naïve. Bonds mean _nothing._ Only through your own power and the authority you exert over others can you achieve your goals."

"I wish I could be surprised to hear you say that." Ash answered, "You would see every man, woman, and child shepherded into a neat little cage, subservient to you and you alone and unable to do anything to better themselves. You'd see the entire world on its knees in front of you, and even then, you wouldn't even be satisfied."

"You could _never_ understand my motives." Giovanni growled.

"No, I suppose not. I don't understand how anyone could find honest happiness in the things you seek." Ash replied, "But maybe our differences are what keep us going. Every single one of us is different, and that's the greatest virtue of our kind. The same goes for Pokémon. Maybe that's why we're so connected, why our species have such a capacity for friendship and cooperation."

Giovanni chuckled again, smugly, "Do you honestly believe that, Ash Ketchum?"

"Yes. I do. I won't let the bad apples ruin my opinion of our world. I won't let people like you get me down, and I sure as hell won't stand by when people like you try to hurt others." Ash answered.

"You have a noble heart. I'd argue it's your worst quality, but…" Giovanni rasped, "You're an exceptional Trainer, I will give you that. In another life, you could've made a spectacular Executive in Team Rocket."

"You know full well that I'd never join forces with you in any life." Ash said, his eyes narrowed.

" _Hm-hm-hm._ Yes, you're right." Giovanni said, "So, where am I off to now? A maximum-security prison in the farthest reaches of the world?"

"That's not my decision to make." Ash answered quickly.

"No, I suppose it's not. Either way, it doesn't matter. Because somehow, someway, I'll get out. You know I will. And then I'll be free to come up with another master plan, far better than this one. I'll keep on doing what I've always done, exploiting people and Pokémon in whatever ways I like. And as long as there's breath in my lungs, there is _nothing_ you will _ever_ be able to do about it. So, you see, in the end, it is I who have won. Your victory today gains you nothing." Giovanni said. There was a mad look in his eyes, but the glow of the Red Chain was gone. The Rocket Boss then showed Ash his gloved hands, opening his palms so that he could see the fragments embedded in the glove. They were both shattered beyond repair, cracked in grievous ways so that they would never work properly again.

"You're probably right. I can't stop you from doing those things." Ash answered. He stepped up as close to Giovanni as he could get, squatting down so that he met Giovanni's eyes, "But that won't be a problem."

"What are you going on about now?" Giovanni sneered.

Ash spoke with an icy voice, a tempered fury oozing from his words that was more threatening than Giovanni would've ever expected. "It doesn't matter where you are," Ash started, "or what you come up with. It doesn't matter how far you get with those schemes, or whatever resources you've got to back them. Those things will _never_ matter, because I'll be there to stop you. As long as you pose a threat to the people and Pokémon living in this world, I'll be there, and I'll defeat you, just like I've done today. You could hatch a thousand grand schemes, and a thousand times I'd find a way to defeat you. You will _never_ win. Think on that while you're rotting in whatever cold cell they throw you in."

Ash stood back up and stepped back from Giovanni. The man stayed silent, holding Ash's gaze but not showing the slightest amount of mockery or scorn.

 _~Quite a speech, Ash~_

Giratina descended to the ground and landed with a _thud_ beside Ash, standing several feet taller than the teenager. The Renegade Pokémon glared down at Giovanni, and the Rocket Boss legitimately gulped with fear.

"Thanks, Giratina." Ash snickered, "I wrote that one myself."

 _~…You know that you can't throw him in prison, don't you?~_

"What are you talking about?" Ash said aloud. Giovanni looked to Ash, and then to Giratina. As far as he was able to understand, Ash was simply speaking to a gigantic Pokémon that couldn't speak back.

 _~Dialga, Palkia, and I…have discussed it quietly for a moment. This man…he is far more dangerous than Cyrus ever was~_ Giratina echoed in Ash's head, _~Human prisons are far too fallible. If you throw him in jail, he will win. He has allies all over this planet that will ensure that he walks free again, one way or another, and then everyone will be in danger again, most of all, you~_

 _~So what do you propose?~_ Ash responded, finally answering Giratina through telepathy.

 _~Let me take him. Back to the Reverse World. He will spend the rest of his days on the reverse side of your world, unable to ever get out without my permission. And, of course, I will never give that to him, and he will never have the ability to create something like the Red Chain and force me to let him leave. He will never endanger this world again~_ Giratina explained.

Ash hummed as he mulled over Giratina's idea. It was a smart idea. Giovanni fully expected to be led to a prison cell somewhere, and he fully expected to get out afterward. This would prevent either of those things from happening.

Ash glanced at Dawn, who was playing with Piplup, Mesprit, and her other Pokémon. Riley and Cynthia stood guard on Archer, Ariana, and the other Team Rocket members who were to be arrested, along with all of their recovered Pokémon. Ash winced. If Giovanni were to be put in jail, and he eventually got out, what would be stopping him from harming Dawn? Ash would never be able to live with himself if he were responsible for her being hurt, or worse.

He didn't need any more persuasion. "Do with him what you will, Giratina."

Giratina took a step forward, glaring down at Giovanni. The Renegade Pokémon's body began to glow with a dark purple energy. Giovanni's throat went dry and he looked frantically at Ash.

"Wait! What did you do?" Giovanni screamed at Ash.

"I made a deal." Ash answered, "Where you're going, you won't be hurting anyone ever again."

"What's going to happen to me!?" Giovanni demanded. Ash stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Giovanni as he silently relished in the man's reaction. A portal ripped open in the void between two pillars, crackling with dimensional energy. An unnatural wind began blowing _into_ the portal. Once everything was stable, Giratina glared down at Giovanni, sending just a few words to the man telepathically.

 _~You're afraid…~_ Giratina's voice echoed in Giovanni's head. The Rocket Boss gaped, his mind racing with questions.

 _~Good. You should be…~_ Giratina said next. In another instant, the chamber lit up with blinding light, and Giovanni's scream echoed through the place before being suddenly cut off. The light went away, and the space in front of Ash was drastically different. The portal was gone, as were Giovanni and Giratina both.

"Giovanni!" Archer yelled, as if he were expecting some response from a missing man, "Lord Giovanni!" Archer then turned on Ash, shouting at him, "What did you do? Where did that thing take him?"

" _I_ didn't do anything." Ash said. The teen set his eyes on Dialga and Palkia, and as if on cue, Palkia spoke to him.

 _~Ash…your friend…~_

Palkia's focus was fixated on Lester, who had managed to drag himself up against one of the nearby pillars, leaning back against it similarly to how Giovanni had. His right hand was clutched over his stomach, crimson liquid oozing in between his fingers. Ash paled. He'd forgotten all about Lester in the chaos. Without any hesitation, he sprinted over to the mortally wounded man. He'd watched Proton's knife go through his belly, and no amount of description could convey how terrible he felt.

Ash slid down to his knees as he reached Lester, his hands frantically going to work. Dawn ran over, too, her Pokémon in tow. Pikachu and Riolu ran over, hopping on Ash's shoulders, and the three Lake Guardians hovered just behind them.

Lester winced as Ash pulled his hand away from the wound so that the teen could get a good look at it. It wasn't a grievous stab wound, considering that he'd only been stabbed once, but it was right in the belly, and he'd been bleeding at a steady rate for a while now. Proton had probably expected him to die pretty quickly, and it was a miracle that he was still alive.

"Okay, you're gonna be all right, Lester, you hear me?" Ash stammered, "Um, okay, let's see," He pressed his hands down on Lester's stomach as hard as he could, trying to stem the blood flow. Lester had been stabbed in the stomach, so a tourniquet would be useless. He'd have to try and keep the man alive himself.

" _Sergeant, we need a medic down here STAT."_ Cynthia barked into her walkie.

Ash met Lester's eyes, "You're gonna be okay, I promise." the teen stammered.

" _Ash…"_ Lester groaned, "Ash, don't waste your time."

"I'm not wasting my time!" Ash snapped, "You're the only reason I'm still here, you're the reason we've won! I'm not just gonna let you die!"

Blood trickled from the corner of Lester's mouth, "I've lost…too much blood…already…" Lester heaved, his breathing becoming weak, "That medic won't get here in time. Besides, there's no one left who will want to remember me."

"That's not true, I'm here! Dawn's here!" Ash insisted, "We don't want to _have_ to remember you!"

Lester looked at him silently, shaking his head slowly. Ash winced, feeling Lester's blood soak past his hands. The crimson liquid just kept coming. Ash sniffled. Lester was right, he had no chance of surviving.

"Don't look so grim…" Lester sighed, "You just saved the world."

"But only because you helped me." Ash winced in answer, "Lester, I'm so sorry…I should've been here sooner."

"You would've had no chance…" Lester answered, his eyes fixated on the void above his head, "Had to…stop Giovanni…" Lester whimpered, "Ash? Please…can I ask you something?"

"Anything." Ash agreed instantly.

"I've made so many bad choices in life. In the end..m-my life…my spirit…did it shine?" Lester asked weakly, his eyes beginning to water.

Ash had his answer immediately, no hesitation in his entire body, "Yes. It shined extraordinarily."

Lester managed the faintest of smiles, and though his teeth were stained with his own blood, he was radiating happiness, "I am glad…so very glad, even as I stare at the end. Thanks to you, Ash, I finally got to live. I finally feel like I've done some good in my life. Thanks to you, Ash…I have no regrets."

Ash grabbed Lester's hand, finally ignoring the blood flowing from the dying man's stomach. He started to tear up. Dawn shuffled over and grabbed Ash's other hand, briefly getting his attention. They didn't need to speak to get the message across; she was here with him. The Lake Guardians hovered around Lester, giving a sad cry. They owed him their lives as well.

"Stay strong, Ash and Dawn." Lester whispered, pointing his eyeballs at the teens, "And take care of yourselves."

"We'll meet again someday, Lester." Ash answered.

"I hope so…" Lester said. He gulped, "Farewell."

Lester's eyes turned glassy and he went still. Ash choked on his breath and sobbed, feeling that he'd failed all over again.

" _I'm so sorry…"_ Ash managed.

 _~We are truly sorry, Ash~_ Dialga's voice echoed in his head. Ash sniffled and turned back to look at the two deities, still hovering above the chamber. He squatted down by Lester's unmoving body, placing one arm under his neck and the other under his legs and lifting him up. He was more than strong enough to carry the man's limp body. Once they got out of this place, he'd bury Lester.

 _~All of you…~_ Palkia started, his voice echoing in the heads of Ash, Dawn, Brock, Riley, and Cynthia alike, _~We owe you our greatest thanks. Without you, this world would have descended into its greatest darkness~_

Cynthia stepped forward, "Dialga, Palkia, I swear to you that the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs will be taken to a safe place. No one will ever take them again, and no one will ever have the chance to control you again."

 _~We appreciate that immensely~_ Dialga answered, _~Though the methods were unorthodox, your bravery has secured the safety of the world once more~_

"Does this mean you guys will get along with Giratina now?" Ash asked.

 _~Perhaps…perhaps it is time for a new chapter for the three of us…~_ Palkia mused.

Palkia flinched and looked at the long staircase leading into Spear Pillar, _~Your allies are coming. It is time we took our leave~_

 _~Good luck and safe travels to you all~_ Dialga added. Then, the masters of time and space formed identical portals at their sides, one blue and one pink, and disappeared inside them, returning to their own dimensions. The Lake Guardians sang and summoned their psychic powers, and their bodies slowly faded as they prepared to return to their homes as well.

" _Kyuun!"_ the trio sang together.

"Bye, Mesprit!" Dawn beamed.

"See you soon, Azelf!" Ash called, putting on a friendly face.

"Take care, Uxie." Brock said.

The Lake Guardians then disappeared, and a score of soldiers arrived at the bottom of the ghostly steps just a few moments later. Most of the men stepped over with pairs of handcuffs in their hands, closing them against the wrists of the captured Team Rocket members. Archer and Ariana were the first to be led away, with the trio of Butch, Cassidy, and Mercury in tow. The soldiers stopped as they passed Ash and company, some of them eyeing the lifeless body in Ash's arms.

Archer's face scrunched up and he spit on Lester's body, infuriating Ash.

" _Stop."_ Ash seethed.

"You honor a traitor. He's the reason I'm standing here right now, and the reason our great leader is gone." Archer answered emotionlessly, "If he was still alive, I'd kill him myself."

Ash took in a deep breath, knowing there was no use in arguing with the man. Besides, he had the ultimate victory over him. "Enjoy your prison cell, Archer." Ash said simply. The Executive _glared_ at Ash and the soldiers started walking again, marching the captives toward the exit.

* * *

Ash stood silently, his eyes fixated on the paramedics as they gently placed Lester's lifeless body into a body bag. He'd been stripped of his Team Rocket uniform, which had been replaced with decent looking clothes that covered the evidence of his fatal injury. They were loading him into a truck that would be heading Arceus knows where, presumably to the man's hometown to have him buried. Ash had wanted to bury the fallen man himself, but in the end it hadn't been his call. Lester had family to contact, people who deserved to make those decisions themselves.

Nearby, the last of the arrested Rockets were being loaded into trucks headed for Veilstone City, where they'd likely be interned until they could be brought for a trial. The mountainous Mercury was among them, and he looked none too happy. It took two men to push him into the truck as the giant man threatened them all the way. Although, he was comfortable with the knowledge that Mercury would be on the inside of the cell for the rest of his life.

The trucks began pulling away one by one until all that was left were the usual Humvees. There were still a good number of soldiers walking around. The gates to Spear Pillar had been shut, and the Spear Key was now in the possession of the government along with the Spacetime Orbs. Everyone else was being debriefed by Cynthia at the moment.

Ash walked to the edge of the mountain plateau, glancing out over the Sinnoh Region from who knows how many thousand feet up. It was still dark outside, but there was the faintest hint of a red glow on the horizon far away. The sun would be making its way up any minute now. It occurred to Ash how tired he was.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Riley asked him, appearing up behind the teen and walking to his side. The pair of Aura Guardians gazed out at the land in a brief silence before Ash answered.

"Just…thinking about everything that happened back there…" Ash murmured.

"Ash, I'm sorry about Lester, truly."

"I just can't stop thinking that I could've helped him." Ash said, biting back a sob, "He gave up his life to help us."

"But he was smiling in the end." Riley answered, "I've told you this before, but my master died in my arms when I was about your age. There was nothing I could do to help him then, either. It nearly _broke_ me. Don't let the same thing happen to you."

Ash glanced out at the thin red glow on the horizon, "…Does this feeling ever go away?" he asked.

"Eventually, yes, it does. You just overcame the most evil man on the planet and saved the entire world from suffering underneath Giovanni's iron fist. You're strong enough to overcome this, too, Ash." Riley said, "I know it, because I trained you. You're an incredible Aura Guardian, Ash, and a better one than me. Keep your head up, and keep pushing for your goals. I know that you can do it."

Riley stepped back and unhooked a Poké Ball from his belt, "Now, I suppose it's time I returned to Iron Island."

"You're leaving already?" Ash asked sadly.

"Unfortunately, yes. But we'll meet again soon, I know it." Riley answered. He stuck his hand out, offering it to Ash. Ash gladly took Riley's hand in a firm handshake.

"Farewell, Ash Ketchum."

"See you soon, Riley."

Riley smiled and then tossed his Poké Ball into the air, leaping after it as the capsule broke open and called Pidgeot out. Riley landed on the giant bird's back and they began flying, heading the opposite way and flying east toward Iron Island.

A Humvee reached the top of the mountain path, its big headlights nearly blinding everyone on the plateau. Out of the front seats hopped two familiar, slim figures. Meowth was with the two ex-Rockets, and they briefly waved at Ash. The teen stayed put as they briefly spoke with Cynthia, handing her a locked briefcase. Then, Jessie, James, and Meowth hopped back in the Humvee, firing it up and driving back down the mountain path. Ash wondered if he'd see them again, but his thoughts were dashed as a shaft of golden sunlight fell on the side of his face.

Ash immediately looked to the horizon, gazing with wonder as the warmth began to creep over the rest of the Region. The distant seas caught the sun's light first, followed just a few minutes later by the coastline. Thick forests began to glow with morning light, and someone walked up next to Ash. The teen glanced to his left, recognizing Dawn and Brock.

"It's beautiful." She said.

"Yeah, it is." Ash agreed, a slight hint of awkwardness between them.

"Did you guys ever think we'd be up here again?" Brock asked.

"Definitely not." Ash chuckled.

"Will you two be alright in Sinnoh?" Brock asked, "I should be getting back to Kanto really soon."

"I think we'll be okay. I've got one more Ribbon to go, and Ash just needs to beat Candice and Volkner before he thinks he'll be ready for the Sinnoh League." Dawn explained.

"Well, Ash doesn't do anything halfway." Brock said with a grin. Ash smiled back.

"Take care, Brock-o. We'll see you soon." Ash said. He shook his friend's hand firmly, and they pulled in for a brief hug. Dawn hugged Brock next, and the former Gym Leader stepped back.

"Not if I see you two first." Brock answered. He then turned and walked toward the last Humvee on the hill, hopping into the passenger seat.

Cynthia walked up to them next, carrying that briefcase that Jessie and James had handed to her, "Sorry to interrupt you two," she said, "But I have a special delivery for you, Ash."

Before Ash could question her, Cynthia opened the briefcase, holding one side of it in her two arms as she tugged the case's door up. There were three spherical stones inside, neatly tucked inside gouged-out pockets in the shape of a triangle.

"What…what are they?" Ash asked.

Cynthia reached inside, grabbing the stone on the lower left corner of the triangle. It was a pale green color, with red, dark green, and brown making up the colors of the familiar curvy shape in the stone's center. The Champion held the stone up at eye level between her and Ash, answering him, "This is called Sceptilite. It's a Mega Stone that corresponds to Sceptile."

"Wait, so, I can Mega Evolve Sceptile with this?" Ash asked.

"Correct. All you would need is a Key Stone." Cynthia remarked. Ash knew he had a Key Stone ring in his bag, but Professor Rowan had told him that he'd need to get a Key Stone of his own made in the Kalos Region. He'd have to contact the Professor and ask for one. Cynthia handed the greenish Mega Stone to Ash, pointing to the other two stones, "And these two Mega Stones are equally special. They correspond to the same Pokémon, each one offering a different Mega Evolution."

" _Two_ Mega Evolutions for the same Pokémon?" Ash asked with awe, "Which one?"

"These two stones are known as Charizardite X," Cynthia answered, pointing to the blue-and-black stone. She then gestured to the other stone, which was a combination of orange, red, and yellow, "And this one is called Charizardite Y."

Cynthia handed each stone to Ash one by one before closing the briefcase, leaving the teen with three individual Mega Stones. "Where did you get these, Cynthia?" Ash asked, gazing down at the attractive stones.

"Just now, from Jessie and James." Cynthia said, "They wanted to me to give you these as a parting gift. We've verified that they are the real deal, not the synthetic copies that Team Rocket was creating in their labs."

"Jessie and James…" Ash mumbled, "I wonder where they're off to now."

"Well, I would hope that they are going to try out some honest work, wherever they go. _And_ that they don't steal the Humvee they were in." Cynthia remarked.

"You might want to go check on that." Dawn laughed, getting chuckles out of Ash and Cynthia.

"I will. I trust you two will be all right getting out of here?" Cynthia asked.

"We should be fine." Ash answered.

"Then I'll take my leave. The last of the men and I are pulling out now." Cynthia said, "Take care."

Cynthia then walked off, hopping into the driver's side of the Humvee with Brock. A moment later, they drove off in a single file line, kicking up dust on the old mountain pass as they left. Ash and Dawn were the last ones in the area. The sun continued to creep up, arriving in full view over the horizon as the pair of teenagers looked out. There was a wintry breeze passing over them, and from their vantage point, they could see the beginnings of the snowy forests that populated the countless miles to Snowpoint City.

"So…" Dawn mused.

"So…" Ash echoed.

"Ash…look…" Dawn managed, mustering enough courage to address the elephant in the room, "About that time…back at Lake Acuity…"

Ash shifted so quickly, Dawn never saw it coming. Ash turned to her and cocked his head just a little to the side and meeting her lips with his. Dawn's breath hitched with surprise, but she quickly answered him, gently kissing him back. They stood there for only a few seconds, and Ash pulled away, smiling nervously.

"Was…was that too fast?" Ash asked.

Dawn blinked rapidly and then shook her head, smiling sheepishly, "No, I…I've been waiting to do that for a long time."

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Ash said, looking at his feet as he smiled nervously.

"But…I think that we should take it slow, you know?" Dawn said, "We shouldn't be in any rush to start going out on dates, and…stuff like that."

"Yeah…the last couple of days have been pretty hectic…" Ash agreed, "And there's still so much in front of us. I think we should take it slow, too."

Dawn glanced at her feet, and Ash added to the end of his sentence, "But, for what it's worth…there's no one I'd rather be with than you."

Dawn smiled, both a little flustered and also warm, "Me too. So, should we start heading back to Snowpoint City?"

"You know…I don't think so." Ash said, looking back out across the sky from their high vantage point, "I'd imagine they're pretty busy up there and still reeling from the attack. And it's only, what, two weeks or so until Christmas? Maybe we should head back to Twinleaf Town and just relax for a while. I'll go back to Pallet Town soon for the holidays. What do you say?"

Dawn smiled genuinely this time, "I'd like that…a lot."

"Then it's settled." Ash said. He kneeled down and threw his recently-reclaimed backpack over his shoulder, unzipping it and placing the Mega Stones gently inside an empty compartment. He was still stunned at the prospect of owning three Mega Stones out of the blue, and before long he'd have to try training Charizard and Sceptile to use them. But, that was an exercise for another day. Ash zipped up his backpack and turned, slinging it back onto his shoulders and turning around with Dawn. Their Pokémon were playing with each other, and Absol had even joined in. Dawn was suddenly hit with what she'd do with the dark-type.

"Absol." She called quickly, catching the Disaster Pokémon's attention. Absol walked over to her carefully, huffing as he sat down in front of Dawn.

Dawn smiled and looked up at her other Pokémon, "Everyone…I'm not sure what we would've done without Absol in the last few days. Absol's been an amazing asset to all this, and, if you guys and Absol would like it, well…"

Dawn reached into her bag and pulled out an empty Poké Ball, clicking the button and enlarging the capsule, "Absol, would you like to join the team and travel with us all the time?"

Absol eyed the Poké Ball, a million thoughts running through his head. Dawn was a thousand times nicer than anyone in Team Rocket, that was for certain. Suddenly, Piplup and Buneary jumped onto Absol's back, clinging to his thick fur.

" _Pip-Pip-Piplup!"_ Piplup chirped.

" _Bun-eary!"_

" _Sol…"_ Absol muttered. The two Pokémon let go of the dark-type and Absol took a few steps closer to Dawn, giving a quick nod. He was convinced!

" _Sol!"_

Dawn smiled, "All right! You'll love it with us, Absol, I just know it! Now, go, Poké Ball!"

Dawn lobbed the Poké Ball at Absol and the capsule hit the dark-type in the head, bouncing up into the air and sucking the Disaster Pokémon inside. The Poké Ball clattered to the ground and wiggled for several seconds before going still. Dawn beamed, bending down and grabbing the Poké Ball.

"All right! Absol, welcome to the team!"

"So, Absol's officially one of your Pokémon. That's awesome." Ash said with a grin.

Dawn nodded, "Yeah! I'm already thinking of some combinations we can work on!"

"I can't wait to see 'em." Ash smiled.

"Well, anyway, we should probably be off now, huh?"

"Sounds great to me. Let's get going to Twinleaf Town." Ash agreed. He unhooked Charizard's Poké Ball from his belt, tossing it into the air, and Dawn followed him by calling on Togekiss. The two flying-types appeared from their Poké Balls, landing calmly at their Trainers' sides. One by one, Ash and Dawn returned their Pokémon, climbing onto the backs of Charizard and Togekiss and taking to the air. With a single command, they left Spear Pillar and a particularly dark chapter behind them, their sights set on the homely Twinleaf Town.

* * *

 **And that's it! ~26,000 words later, the Spear Pillar chapters are complete! A _ton_ of things just happened, and if you liked this chapter and the one before it, please leave a review at the bottom and let me know your thoughts! If you didn't, let me know that too! I want to hear your feedback on these chapters!**

 **Anyway, so, Giovanni has been beaten and found himself taken to an unexpected place. Archer and Ariana have been arrested along with the majority of those who stayed loyal to Team Rocket, while Proton and Petrel managed to slip away. Ash has gotten his hands on not one, not two, but _three_ Mega Stones, and Dawn's added a new Pokémon to her roster. What will happen next? You'll have to stay tuned until next time, as the journey continues!**


	62. Rockin', Rollin', and Reuniting!

**Hey, guys! I'm back with another chapter, and there's a decent amount going on. A little sort-of spoiler here, two new Pokémon will be joining Ash's team in this chapter, but they aren't all that new. Ash has a history with them both. So, who will these two new additions be? Read and find out, and let me know what you think in a review!**

 **Review replies:**

 **Dragon King Rouga: Yes, Ash will simply pick one of the Mega Stones to use in a particular battle. I thought it was better to give both of the Charizardite stones, since the two forms have different strengths and weaknesses.**

 **goddragonking & hebihanshu123352: Thanks! Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 62_

 _Rockin', Rollin', and Reuniting!_

* * *

 _Ash wandered through the void, looking up and down and all around for anything of note, but there was nothing but black. It persevered around him forever as he walked along, trudging through nothing and making his way to nothing._

 _Something ticked in Ash's head, and out of sheer instinct he turned around. A figure who hadn't been there before stood some feet behind him, staring at him coldly. The man's skin was deathly pale, and he held his left hand to a wound in his stomach, his muscles tensing randomly as he bled from the gash._

 _Ash knew the man's black hair immediately, "Lester?" Ash called, his voice echoing through the blackness._

 _Lester's right hand came up, a thin finger spearing in Ash's direction, "You…you killed me!" Lester rasped._

 _Ash took an instinctive step back, "Lester, I tried to save you. You told me to let you die."_

" _Liar!" Lester hissed. A long, saw-toothed sword manifested in Lester's free hand, and he grinned maliciously, "I'm going to…make you feel…what I felt…" the man hissed. Without warning he sprinted forward, his left hand leaving the stab wound in his belly and revealing the wide crimson stain on the fabric._

 _Lester was on Ash in mere instants, knocking him to the ground and standing over him. Lester brought his arms up, meaning to drive the sword straight down through the teen's body. Ash's hands flew up, grabbing Lester's wrists and stopping the sword mere inches from his flesh. Lester growled and pushed harder, slowly pushing the blade closer to Ash's chest. Ash clenched his teeth as hard as he could, trying desperately to push the weapon back._

" _Pi-ka!" howled a familiar Pokémon. Lester's attention shot up from Ash to the blackness in front of him, and in the next instant a yellow blob flitted past Ash's eyes, crashing into Lester head-on with Iron Tail. The man yelped and was thrown back, losing his sword mid-fall. Pikachu landed at Ash's feet, his crooked tail glowing brilliantly._

" _Pikachu!" Ash beamed. The electric-type looked back and grinned, leaping into Ash's arms and nuzzling up against him. Ash looked up to where Lester had fallen, seeing his unmoving body splayed across the black floor. The body then vanished into thin air, leaving them alone._

 _Pikachu was suddenly dragged away by an unseen force. The electric-type cried and grabbed at the void furiously, trying to claw his way back to Ash. The blackness all around suddenly started to echo with maniacal laughter, and shining red chains protruded from the darkness below Pikachu, closing around his body in multiple places. And then, out of the blackness nearby, Giovanni stepped forward, his Red Chain gloves glowing as he laughed. Identical chains started to grow out of the darkness and latch onto Ash's legs, locking him in place and spiraling around his body._

" _No!" Ash cried, trying to move forward and attack Giovanni. The chains tripped him and he slumped straight into the ground, earning another bout of dark laughter from Giovanni. Together, he and Pikachu sunk into the void below them, the Red Chains consuming them and dragging them down to their doom._

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Twinleaf Town**_

Ash gasped as he shot up in his bed, and his breathing quickly slowed back to normal as he recognized that he was alone. It had just been a dream.

" _Pika…?"_ Pikachu murmured as he stirred. The electric mouse had been curled up against Ash's side, snoozing away happily. Ash's sudden reaction had woken him up. Pikachu pawed Ash worriedly.

"I'm fine, Pikachu…just a dream." Ash groaned, "I…I saw Lester…he tried to kill me, said that I'd killed him. But we know that's not true."

" _Chu…"_

"Yeah, I know. He's in a better place now. It's just my mind playing tricks on me." Ash mumbled. The teen sighed, "What do you say we take a break, go clear our heads on the porch?"

Pikachu stood up and stretched before leaping onto Ash's shoulder. On the other end of the bed, Riolu continued to sleep, undisturbed by Ash's tossing and turning. Deciding to let the Emanation Pokémon sleep, Ash and Pikachu quietly walked out of the room, creeping down the hallway. The wood floors underneath their feet creaked every now and then until they reached the stairs, which they quietly descended. From there, they went to the screen door at the back of the house, opening it and stepping outside as the door groaned upon opening.

It was cold outside, though it was much better than the weather would likely be somewhere like Snowpoint City. Ash sat on a bench that was hanging from the back-porch's awning, secured by tight chains. He saw frost on the ground, and a half-moon lit up the clear sky. There were almost no streetlights in Twinleaf Town, and none near where Ash was sitting, so he could easily see thousands of little stars in the night sky. They'd arrived in Twinleaf Town just a few hours after sunrise, and it had been little more than fitful sleep for Ash since then. He'd rushed off to get a much-needed shower, and, after scrubbing himself clean of the grime that had built up after several days of being in a dirty cell, had curled up into the bed to sleep. Unfortunately, that sleep had been regularly interrupted by nightmares. He'd woken up every few hours, but had remained in bed until now, well after nightfall.

"Look at all those stars, Pikachu…" Ash mumbled.

" _Pi-ka-chu…"_ Pikachu answered. The mouse suddenly cocked his head back as his long ears twitched, focusing his eyes on the house. As if on cue, the screen door opened with a creak. Ash looked over his shoulder to see Dawn carefully walking out onto the porch, her eyes fixed on Ash with a sad look.

"Can't sleep?" she asked with a frown.

"Yeah…basically…" Ash groaned, "What are you doing out here?"

"You're not as quiet as you might think you are…" Dawn sighed, "Heard the floors creaking and figured it was you. I thought I should come check on you. Is everything okay?"

Ash exhaled heavily through his nose, "Honestly, no. I can't sleep very long without having a bad dream."

"Thinking about Lester?"

"He's usually there, yeah. But other times I've seen Giovanni, sometimes Brock, or the Executives, and, well, sometimes…" Ash explained, trailing off for a moment, _"You."_

Dawn visibly flinched, "What about me?"

"I…I don't want to talk about it." Ash mumbled, looking away from Dawn. It was enough for her to take a guess that however she'd appeared in his dreams hadn't been in a good way. Dawn briskly walked to him and sat down on the bench beside him.

"Hey, Ash, look…" Dawn said, grabbing his hand and locking hers with his, "I'm right here, and I'm fine. We _won._ Everything is going to be okay."

Ash cautiously looked back up at Dawn, holding her gaze for a few moments before answering, "I…I think I should go back to Kanto for a bit…be with my mom through the holidays."

Dawn nodded, only a slight hint of worry in her eyes, "Okay. I think that's a good idea too."

"You're not mad?"

"Why should I be? I mean, sure, I would like to be there with you and help you feel better, but I left to come here a year ago for the same reason. There's no point in getting mad at you." Dawn answered, "If you think that's the best course of action, then I won't fault you for it. I want you to be at your best."

Ash gave a small smile, "Thanks, Dawn."

Dawn looked out at the nature expanding from her back porch, watching the blades of grass dance in the frosty wind. Her hand still locked in Ash's, Dawn turned her head and set it down on his shoulder, allowing her long blue hair to fall sideways down his back. Ash cocked his head, glancing down at her and smiling wistfully before looking back out at the grass. The older teen gave a great yawn, glancing down at Pikachu and scratching the sleeping mouse's head. After taking one more look outside, he let his eyes close shut, taking another stab at getting some sleep.

* * *

Early-morning sunlight caused Ash to stir, the orange glare piercing through his closed eyelids. He found himself staring almost directly at the morning sun, and he looked away without a second thought. Taking care to avoid looking back at the ball of bright light, Ash glanced around at his surroundings. He was still on the swinging bench on the back porch, and Dawn was still at his side, sleeping soundly, although she'd shifted off of his shoulder at some point. Pikachu was curled up in his lap, snoozing as well.

Ash exhaled fully, feeling refreshed. For the first time since they'd reached Twinleaf Town the day before, he had been able to sleep for several hours without waking or suffering from bad dreams. With a grin, Ash prepared to move and get up, but his slight movements caused Pikachu to wake up.

"Morning, buddy." Ash yawned. Pikachu mimicked him, yawning and then hopping down to the ground to stretch. Ash carefully stood up, taking care not to wake Dawn, and then stretched for a few seconds as well, working out the stiff kinks in his body.

" _Pi-ka, Pi-Pikachu."_ Chattered the electric mouse at his feet.

"Nah, buddy, let's let her sleep. Something you two wouldn't do if she'd woken up first." Ash half-scolded, giving a playfully cross look at Pikachu. The mouse scratched the back of his head nervously.

" _Pi-ka-chu…"_ he mumbled.

Ash and Pikachu quietly walked to the screen door, opening it carefully and stepping inside. Ash closed the door quietly behind him and Pikachu and then turned around, nearly jumping as he saw Johanna by the stove just a few feet away, cooking.

"Good morning, Ash." Johanna greeted without looking back, "Sleep well?"

"H-Hey, Johanna. I…I guess I did." Ash answered.

"Well, I would hope so. You've both been sleeping for nearly 24 hours, and in more than one place, too." Johanna said, gesturing to the porch.

"Oh, yeah, I got up in the middle of the night and went out there to clear my head, and Dawn apparently heard me." Ash explained. He bit his lip nervously, "Johanna, listen…"

"No need, Ash. I can take a guess based on what I saw." Johanna cut him off, "I trust yours and Dawn's judgment, and you have my blessing, so long as there is no funny business ever going on under my roof."

Ash choked on his own breath and he stammered out a reply, "Johanna, Dawn and I, we…we aren't like…that…"

"Well, whether you are like that or not, I suppose it's hardly my business anyway." Johanna answered, "Anyway, do you like pancakes?"

For the first time, Ash noticed that Johanna had been squeezing batter onto a griddle on the stove. She scooped up the first finished pancake and slapped it onto a nearby plate. Ash beamed as he saw the perfect golden-brown patty, "I _love_ pancakes!" he declared.

"I thought as much. I'll stack them extra high just for you." Johanna offered.

"All right! Thanks so much, Johanna." Ash answered. He took his leave to head upstairs and check on Riolu, who he'd just remembered had been left in the guest room to sleep. On top of that, he needed a shower. With Pikachu in tow, Ash trotted up the steps to prepare for the day.

* * *

Ash stuffed the last of his belongings into his backpack, zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder as he walked out the front door onto the white porch. Pikachu and Riolu were running around in the lush green grass, while the other Pokémon: Sceptile, Torterra, Primeape, and Charizard; simply stretched their legs and wandered around.

Dawn was at Ash's side as he trotted down the steps onto the dirt path leading up to the front porch. His Pokémon immediately turned their attentions to him, and Ash addressed them all with a smile.

"Morning, everyone. I hope you've all eaten your fill. We're heading back to Kanto today!"

The Pokémon cheered, except for Riolu and Charizard. Riolu quickly went along with the others, not knowing what this 'Kanto' place was, while Charizard grumbled and turned his attention away from Ash. He wasn't necessarily mad that they were returning to Kanto, but the dragon wasn't exactly glowing with excitement at the knowledge that he would be carrying Ash on his back for the next several hours.

Ash returned the others one-by-one, leaving only Pikachu and Charizard outside of their Poké Balls. Pikachu eagerly ran up to Ash and clambered up to his shoulder, chattering happily and earning an affectionate scratch from Ash. Dawn unhooked the Poké Balls from her bag, tossing all nine of them up one by one.

"All right, everyone! Let's give Ash and his Pokémon a warm sendoff!" she called. Piplup, Buneary, Mamoswine, Togekiss, Absol, Ambipom, Pachirisu, Quilava, and Froslass all popped out of their capsules, and they called out as one to say goodbye to Ash for the time being. Once that was done, Pikachu hopped to the ground, saying personal goodbyes to the Pokémon. Meanwhile, Ash turned to Dawn, smiling at her. She tried to smile back, but she wasn't able to fool him.

"Hey now, c'mon. We'll only be gone for a couple of weeks. Once the holidays are over, we'll be on our way back." Ash said.

"I know, I know. And I'm fine, really." Dawn insisted, "I just want you to be careful. Proton and Petrel are out there somewhere. There's no telling where they've gone."

"I swear to you, then, Dawn, that I'll be back in one piece." Ash answered. He pulled her into a hug and she nestled her chin into the crook of his arm, smiling thinly.

"You'd better go. It's a long flight back to Kanto." Dawn said after a few moments.

"Well, if you want me to leave so bad…" Ash teased.

Dawn slugged him on the arm and they giggled at each other. Their giggling died down quickly, and they locked eyes. Ash tilted forward and pecked her on the lips, pulling away after little more than a second. Dawn smiled and stood up on her tiptoes, pecking him back. They both broke into ridiculous smiles.

"See you soon, Dawn." Ash said.

"See you soon, Ash." Dawn echoed.

"Pikachu, buddy? Let's go." Ash called. Pikachu turned and then bounded back up to Ash, claiming his place on the teen's shoulder. Ash then walked to Charizard, who had watched his Trainer's entire exchange with Dawn. The fire-type gave a low, taunting grumble, and Ash easily picked up on the dragon's teasing.

"Oh, shut up, Charizard." Ash answered simply, hopping onto the fire-type's back. Charizard shifted his large feet and then rocketed up in the air, shrugging off the urge to spin on his way up. Dawn's Pokémon called out together in farewell while Dawn watched them go silently, keeping her eyes trained on Charizard's receding form until she could no longer see him. Once the fire-type was out of sight, Dawn sighed, looking back at her Pokémon as they wandered around the yard. Some of them quickly broke out into playing, while others, particularly Absol, kept to themselves and simply observed. Piplup waddled over to Dawn and chirped at her, making it clear that he wished to be picked up. Dawn bent down and carried the water-type in her arms, walking back up the porch steps and stepping inside.

Johanna was the first thing she saw, the ex-Top Coordinator staring out the front window. Her mother turned and smiled teasingly.

"All right, Dawn. I want to know the whole truth," she said, standing solidly and staring into her teenage daughter's eyes. Dawn gulped, rapidly thinking about where she would begin as she stepped over to the couch and sat down on it, doing her best to avoid her mother's knowing gaze.

* * *

 _ **Kanto Region – Pallet Town**_

The top of layer of dirt on the path kicked up in a vortex as Charizard violently made his landing, beating his powerful wings repeatedly as he lowered to the ground right outside the Ketchum home. Ash grinned and hopped off of the fire-type's back, Pikachu perched dutifully on his shoulder. It was mid-afternoon now, their flight back to Kanto having taken most of the day to complete.

"Thanks so much, Charizard." Ash gushed, patting the dragon on his warm snout. Charizard grumbled and gave a short yet telling lick to the teen's hand. Ash smiled thinly at one of his oldest companions, "If you want to go visit the others at Oak's ranch, you're welcome to."

Charizard's eyes glinted and the fire-type rocketed into the air, this time spinning at least a dozen times as he ascended through the calm December air, corkscrewing shortly after and blazing through the sky toward Professor Oak's laboratory. Ash turned and opened the gate surrounding his house's front yard, anticipating how excited his mom would be when he walked inside.

The front door was unlocked as usual, and Ash carefully stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Almost immediately, there was a Pokémon's call from the kitchen near the back of the house.

" _Mime!"_

"What is it, Mimey?" asked Delia.

" _Mime-Mime!"_ rambled the psychic-type. A humanoid shape waddled into the living room, and the Pokémon saw that his suspicions were confirmed.

"Hey, Mimey!"

"Ash!?" Delia gasped, still in the kitchen. She briskly walked into the living room, her apron matted with flour, and she rushed over to hug her son. Ash beamed and hugged her back, not in the last concerned that the flour on her apron would rub off on his clothes.

"Hey, Mom."

"You didn't even tell me that you were coming back! If you had, I'd have had food ready for you!" Delia half-scolded.

"I kinda decided on a whim, thought I'd come back home to spend the holidays with you as a surprise." Ash said, "And don't worry about it. I'm not hungry."

" _Not hungry?_ Ash Ketchum, just what have you been doing that makes you say that?" Delia demanded.

Ash's face darkened, and Delia immediately felt bad.

"Oh, Ash, I was just joking, what—"

"It's not you, Mom." Ash cut her off, "It's…it's been a difficult week. Look, can we sit down and just talk about it? You deserve to know."

"Oh…of course, dear." Delia said, "Let me just…go put the oven on hold and come right back. Sit wherever you want, sweetheart."

Delia stiffly walked away, her mind roiling with the possibilities of what could've possibly happened to make Ash's mood go sour so quickly. She turned the oven off—luckily it had only just been on preheat—and walked back to the couch where Ash was sitting, not even putting his feet up on the coffee table. That was just another sign that he wasn't doing very well. Mimey stood nearby, carefully watching but also not daring to interrupt as he swept the floor.

Once Delia sat down beside him, Ash wasted no time getting into the story. He told her about everything from the start, beginning at the incident in Alamos Town and their first meeting with Lester. As he went on, he reached the point where everything had gone south, describing in excessive detail his kidnapping and subsequent torture. Every sentence that spilled from his mouth about the ordeal only made Delia more horrified. Her boy, her only boy, had been put through such a terrible experience at such a young age. Then, Ash got to his rescue and the operation at Spear Pillar, at least ending on a happy note when he talked about using his powers for good, defeating Giovanni and crippling Team Rocket. But, he added, the death of Lester had only shaken him up, especially after the man had heroically turned on his superiors and saved his life.

Delia took a few moments to process the mountain of information, and she gulped before she finally spoke.

"Oh, Ash, my baby boy…I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that. No one, least of all such a kind, caring boy like you, deserves to endure that. If…if there's anything that I or anyone else can do to help you, just let me know." Delia said.

Ash smiled thinly, "Thanks, Mom. I'm doing better now, really. And…there's something else you might want to hear."

Ash grinned like an idiot, trying to think of how to tell Delia the good news. "Dawn and I…recently, we, um, well, we…" he tried, swallowing a curse in front of his mother as he tried to rethink his words, "I think we're, uh…dating?"

Delia's eyes went wide and she half-screamed, hugging Ash as tightly as she could manage. "Oh, my sweet boy is in love! This makes me so happy!"

"I wouldn't call it that…" Ash mumbled, but Delia ignored it.

"I'm telling you, I _knew_ there had to be more than friendship between you two! The way you've always talked about her and everything!"

As Delia continued to ramble, the home videophone started to ring, catching the attention of both Delia and Ash. Mother and son exchanged a look and then started walking over to the machine. Delia reached it first and quickly read the screen, "Ah! It's Professor Oak."

Delia hit the 'answer' button as Ash arrived next to her, and the machine spent a few seconds connecting before bringing Professor Oak's image to life.

"Hello there, Delia and Ash! I thought your son might be in town once his Charizard came flying into the ranch. The other Pokémon were quite delighted to see him!" Oak said with a wide smile.

"Hey, Professor." Ash said, "That's great to hear! I thought Charizard might want to go to see some old friends while I spent some time with Mom."

Oak nodded firmly, "That's great to hear, Ash! I'm glad to see that you're back in one piece. Now, I truly hate to pull you away from your mother, but something has just happened at the ranch that you…might want to come see."

Ash looked puzzled, "Is something wrong, Professor?"

"No, not wrong, just…surprising. You might want to know that, well… _Pidgeot_ is back."

Ash's jaw dropped. _"Pidgeot's come back?_ I don't…okay, Professor, I'll be right over!"

Ash ended the call and Oak's image went away, and he quickly turned to Delia, "Sorry that I can't stay longer, Mom. I…I have to see this!"

"Oh, I'm not upset, Ash." Delia insisted, "Go on, go see your old friend. I'll get started on dinner so that we can both eat soon."

"Thanks, Mom!" Ash beamed. He hugged Delia tight for a brief second and then bolted out the door, Pikachu sprinting after him. The front door slammed shut and Delia chuckled to herself, walking back towards the kitchen to get started again on dinner.

* * *

Ash sprinted in the direction of Oak's lab as Pikachu caught up to him. He guiltily remembered his promise to Pidgeot so many years ago, realizing that he'd forgotten all about the trustworthy bird. He'd told Pidgeot that he'd come back for it after the Orange League, and he'd hastily left for Johto without fulfilling his promise. His first flying-type Pokémon had become a distant memory.

At the same time, he had to wonder why Pidgeot had chosen to return _now._ In his thoughts, Ash didn't realize how much distance he'd covered, and he was vaulting up the steps to Oak's lab before he knew it. He and Pikachu ran inside, throwing open the front door without any regard for knocking.

"Pidgeot?" Ash called on his way to the ranch at the back of the building. Oak and Tracey stood with their backs to him on the porch, watching as Ash's large group of Pokémon huddled around a distinct bird Pokémon. The teen carefully stepped outside and walked up beside Professor Oak and Tracey.

"Ah, Ash." Oak said without looking at the teen.

"I can't believe it. Pidgeot's really back." Ash marveled.

"I wonder if Pidgeot spotted you and Charizard flying in. Since its territory is relatively nearby, Pidgeot could've been out for a flight at the same time you were coming in." Tracey theorized.

"It's been so long. I've gotta go out there." Ash said. He didn't wait for a response, stepping forward and walking out into the large ranch. The grass crunched under his feet, alerting the Pokémon to his approach. Pidgeot stood above the group, and the Bird Pokémon cawed at the sight of the Trainer, lifting off and quickly crashing back down to the ground.

" _Pidge!"_ snapped the Bird Pokémon once he was in Ash's face.

"Hey there, Pidgeot…" Ash said, reaching out carefully to caress the flying-type's feathers, "You come back all this way to see me?"

Pidgeot grumbled, its throat swelling.

"I know, I know…I told you that I would come back for you. And I didn't." Ash conceded, "I don't expect your forgiveness, but I'm so glad to see that you're okay."

Pidgeot locked eyes with Ash for several seconds, and then suddenly rushed forward, taking out Ash's legs. The teen gasped and fell onto Pidgeot's back, using his hands to clutch onto the large Bird Pokémon's back. Before Ash could question what the flying-type was doing, they were taking off into the air, quickly leaving Pallet Town behind and reaching the woods that covered Route 1.

"Pidgeot! Where are we going!?" Ash shouted above the wind.

Pidgeot only screeched in response, its focus on the woods. They reached the canopy of the forest, and Pidgeot released a loud call, its screech echoing through the woods. The treetops rustled and various bird calls came in answer. Groups of Pidgeotto and Pidgeot launched out of the trees, flying around in circles and cawing as they went.

"Woah, look at that…" Ash marveled, "Pidgeot, could those be some of the Pidgey you were protecting from the Fearow?"

" _Pidge!"_ cried the bird in answer.

"They're all older and strong enough now to protect themselves, huh?" Ash said, "Is that why you came back to the lab? You've done your job here, so now you're looking for something new?"

" _Pidgeot, pidgoo!"_

"Well, I'd be pretty terrible to say no, wouldn't I?" Ash said, "If you want to rejoin the team, Pidgeot, then just say the word. I won't break another promise to you, okay?"

" _Pidgoo!"_

"I guess it's settled, then. Wanna say goodbye to your friends?"

Pidgeot soared over to some of the trees, where many of its fellow Pidgeot and Pidgeotto were perched on branches. Ash waved at the wild flying-types as Pidgeot called out to them, explaining its choice. The other Bird Pokémon cawed approvingly as Pidgeot made the rounds, singing farewells to their longtime protector. It was a time for a new chapter in Pidgeot's life, and a reunion would soon be in order.

"Alright, Pidgeot. Whaddya say we head on back to Pallet Town and I can recapture you?" Ash asked.

" _Pidgoo!"_

Pidgeot curved hard, forcing Ash to grip onto some of the large Bird Pokémon's feathers to keep from falling. Riding on Pidgeot's back was nothing like riding on Charizard's. Once they were pointed south, Pidgeot flapped its way back toward Professor Oak's ranch, happy as could be.

* * *

Winter was in full swing by now. Ash munched on a warm breakfast of bacon and eggs, filling his empty belly as he planned his day. It had been a week since he'd arrived in Pallet Town and reunited with Pidgeot, and the Bird Pokémon was currently on hand. The snows had come to Pallet Town for the first time yesterday, but it had only left two or three inches on the ground. Christmas would be here in only a few days, and Ash still needed to find a present for Delia. Last year, he'd given her a locket and a collection of framed pictures from his short journeys in Johto and on Mt. Silver. This time around, he was wracking his brain trying to think of something new.

It wasn't long at all before his breakfast was finished, and Ash trudged over to the sink to wash his dirty plate off. Once that was finished, he headed back into the living room, where Delia and Mr. Mime were eating. The TV was going on about the holiday shopping specials in Viridian City. He quietly trotted up the steps to grab some of his cold gear, putting an extra layer underneath his regular clothes. When he came back down, black sleeves extended from the end of his shirt sleeves to his wrists, and he wore closed-fingered gloves to keep his hands warm.

"I think I'm going to head into to Viridian City." Ash said as he dusted off his hat, "I'll only be gone for an hour or so."

"Alright, dear. Please be careful." Delia answered before taking another bite of her eggs.

"Sure thing, Mom." Ash said with a smile. He threw open the door and shuffled outside, closing it shut behind him as he glanced at the winter wonderland just outside his door. He hopped down the steps, burying his sneakers in the few inches of snow on the ground.

" _Pidgeot, come on out!"_ Ash called, tossing the flying-type's Poké Ball into the air. Charizard was at the lab, so Pidgeot was getting the chance to assume flying duties. The large Bird Pokémon spawned from his Poké Ball and squawked loudly, flapping its heavy wings and preening its feathers.

"Pidgeot. We need a ride to Viridian City. Think you can manage?" Ash asked with a smile.

" _Pidgoo!"_

"All right! Let's get going." Ash answered, climbing onto Pidgeot's back. The flying-type readied itself, adjusting to having Ash's weight on its back, and then launched into the air, flapping its wings and carrying Ash through the sky. A bitter wind nipped at Ash's cheeks and earlobes, but he managed. The flight was short, as the pair only had to cover Route 1 to reach the southern city. It wasn't long at all before Pidgeot made its landing in the western edge of town, allowing Ash to hop off of its back and returning dutifully to its Poké Ball. Ash then turned and admired Viridian City, the first stop on his first-ever journey over seven years ago.

The city was as busy as ever, if not more, thanks to the upcoming holidays. People bustled in and out of store after store, many of them carrying heavy bags in their hands and over their shoulders. Ash walked leisurely down the plowed sidewalk as a truck roared down the street, salting the road to prevent it from freezing later that night. As he walked, Ash admired the towering skyscrapers that seemed to spread for miles across the city. It was almost funny, Ash thought, that a sprawling metropolis like Viridian City could be found just a few miles north of a place like Pallet Town.

Ash passed an electronics store as he walked down the city, eyeing the wall of expensive TVs in the front window. All of them were tuned to a regular Kanto news channel, playing the same report on a few dozen flat screens. In the top right corner of each screen was a headshot portrait of a certain criminal mastermind.

" _In other news, local Kanto business magnate Giovanni D'Ignazio is still missing after failing to return from a business trip to the Sinnoh Region a week ago. Citizens are advised to contact the necessary authorities if they have any information on his whereabouts,"_ said the news anchor.

Ash stifled a snort. _"If only they knew,"_ he muttered as he kept walking, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his vest. He continued on down the road, heading north until he came across a kitchenware store. A bright idea came to him and he walked inside, immediately meeting eyes with a clerk.

"Good morning! How may I help you?" beamed the clerk.

"Hi. I'm doing some Christmas shopping for my mom, and I was thinking about getting her a bunch of new stuff for cooking. Do you…have anything you'd recommend?" Ash asked.

"Certainly," the clerk answered, gesturing for Ash to follow her. She led him to a certain aisle stacked with pots, pans, silverware, and more. Ideas formed in Ash's head as he examined the wares, and he started to plot out everything he would get.

* * *

Around an hour later, Ash walked out of a second store, a big smile on his face. He'd spent a lot of money in the last hour, buying all-new kitchen tools for Delia and also buying a brand-new set of gardening tools. He knew how much his mother loved her garden. He'd asked for everything he had bought to be loaded onto a delivery truck and sent back to Pallet Town for him, since he had no way of carrying all the goods himself.

"So, Pikachu, whaddya say we start heading on back to Pallet Town? I was thinking we'll walk back, get in a little exercise since we didn't get any early this morning." Ash asked.

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ the mouse agreed wholeheartedly.

"I'm not hearing a 'no'!" Ash said with a laugh. He scratched Pikachu's head affectionately and then stuffed his gloved hands back into the pockets of his vest. The delivery truck would be in Pallet Town with his stuff in the next hour or two.

A short walk down the road later, Ash spotted kids playing in the snow in the front yard of a building across the street. They were laughing and lobbing snowballs at each other, surely having the time of their lives as they lumbered through the snow.

The sudden wail of sirens caught Ash's attention, and he stopped in his tracks at the corner of the intersection. Ambulances came roaring in from the west with the mountains behind them. Their lights blazed and their sirens screamed, indicating that they had injured people in the backs of the vehicles. They roared down the road and cars cleared out of the way, and police cars appeared around another corner and started heading down the way the ambulances had come from.

With a worried look, Ash ran across the now-empty street until he reached the electronics store from before. Where the news station had been reporting about Giovanni's disappearance, now they were on an altogether topic.

" _Multiple reports confirm that there is a large wild Pokémon rampage in the mountains. At least three people have been injured, and civilians are strongly advised to remain clear of the mountains until the all clear has been given."_

"Those were police cars going down that road, Pikachu." Ash grumbled, "What are you thinking?"

" _Piiii…Pi-Pika-chu,"_ answered the mouse, a small flash of electricity appearing from his cheeks.

"Yeah, I don't like it either. If it was just a bunch of angry wild Pokémon, they wouldn't be sending police." Ash said, "How's about we go check it out for ourselves?"

Pikachu nodded fiercely, and Ash called on Pidgeot, hopping on the Bird Pokémon's back and taking off, their sights set on the mountains to the west. They soared high above a dirt road, watching as the land creeped up higher and higher and the snow thickened. The road would take travelers to the Indigo Plateau—if they could make it that far—and even further out would end up deep in the mountain ranges dividing Kanto and Johto, where Mt. Silver towered above the rest of the world.

" _Pidge."_ Pidgeot commented as they flew through the air. Visibility started to drop as they reached the thick of a light snowstorm, the chilly haze between the clouds and the ground making it difficult to see. Red and blue lights flashed on the ground below, and so Ash kept his eye on them in order to follow into the mountains. The cars eventually slowed to a stop, unable to pass any further through the snow, and the officers inside started to radio for backup.

"They won't be able to help us get there anymore." Ash said, "Pidgeot, let's keep going. We'll have to find our own way."

" _Pidgoo!"_

Pidgeot descended, immediately making it easier to see, and they weaved through the snowy mountains. They reached a valley, spotting distant cabins and markers where the hiking trails were. Why people would be hiking in the dead of winter, Ash didn't know.

"That report said there were a bunch of angry Pokémon." Ash mumbled, "But…I sure don't see anything."

There was a sudden clap of energy and an orange beam came flying at Pidgeot's underbelly from the side. Ash spotted the blast, shouting out to Pidgeot.

" _Pidgeot, look out! Dodge!"_ he snapped. Pidgeot's head snapped to the side, spotting the blast of energy coming straight for it, and panicked. The Bird Pokémon attempted a barrel roll, but the attack was faster than the flying-type and struck it right in the belly.

" _Piiiiidge!"_ Pidgeot shrieked. They fell in a ball of smoke toward the ground. Ash tapped Pidgeot rapidly as they spiraled downward, trying to get the flying-type's attention.

"Pidgeot, you gotta get out of this!" Ash cried, "Wake up!"

Pidgeot's eyes shot open at just the right time, and the Bird Pokémon rolled back into position and resumed flying, staying low to the ground. The Bird Pokémon wavered only a few seconds later before squawking with pain, sliding gently into the snowy ground to land. Ash hopped off of Pidgeot's back and quickly tried to attend to it as Pidgeot slumped to the side, wounded from the attack.

"That was a Hyper Beam. But…where did it come from?" Ash remarked.

As if on cue, there was a rumbling roar that echoed through the valley, the call coming from just nearby. The ground shook, and Ash, Pikachu, and Pidgeot all looked to the nearest hill. Dirt coughed up into the sky as _whatever_ was coming for them rumbled their way. Just a few seconds later, a mass of furious Pokémon appeared over the crest of the hill.

"Me and my big mouth…" Ash groaned as the Pokémon appeared. There was no shortage of power in the horde of angry Pokémon. Multiple Tyranitar, Golem, and Onix were part of the pack, with a few younger Pokémon like Pupitar and Graveler mixed in here and there. Ash counted at least twenty Pokémon, and all of them were glaring at him as if he were dinner.

The sound of engines came from behind the horde, and a small group of hovercrafts popped up into view, drifting over to the back of the group of wild Pokémon. Ash's shoulders sagged as he spotted the two men at the front of the group, noting their identical black uniforms and familiar faces. He wasn't fond of either man, especially the one with green hair.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Ash complained, his jaw clenched.

"What did I tell you, Petrel? We've caught ourselves our favorite Trainer brat!" laughed Executive Proton.

"Man, we just can't stay away from each other, can we, Proton?" Ash taunted, "Maybe we should just get married so we don't have to be apart!"

Proton leered, "Ever the wisecracker. Anyway! What do you think of our Rock Pokémon horde, boy!? Impressive, isn't it?"

"Meh. I've seen better." Ash shrugged.

"But none like these. We're controlling these Pokémon with special brain waves coming from these devices in our hovercrafts that have a special effect on rock-types. Once they wear themselves out, we'll be able to snatch them up in Poké Balls _real_ easy!" Proton boasted.

"You don't learn, do you? Nothing you guys want ever goes as planned when I'm around." Ash fired back. As he waited for Proton to respond, he ran through the man's earlier words. These wild Pokémon were being forced to wreak havoc, even if it meant hurting innocent people, so that they would wear down and be easy to catch. It would explain the ambulances that had come screaming into Viridian City.

"I suppose that's true. Seeing you breathing only confirms what we already knew, that the operation at Spear Pillar failed. I'm quite glad Petrel snuck out of there with me when we needed to." Proton said.

"Heh! Those fool soldiers never saw through those disguises! Some of my best work, I must say!" Petrel chimed in.

"I'll admit, I've gotta hand that one to you guys." Ash shouted, "You shoulda seen the look on Archer's face when he realized you two had bailed, going on about how he'd have your heads as he was dragged away to prison."

"That _does_ sound like Archer." Proton said, "Poor fucker. He got what he deserved. Now he's in the slammer, and we're freer than birds!"

"I don't suppose you're going to demand to know where they're keeping him." Ash yelled.

" _Bah!_ Not a chance. Now that Archer and Ariana are gone, _we_ are the leaders of Team Rocket. At least, that's the case for now." Proton said. He looked back up at Ash, his expression souring, "Listen here, boy, and listen good. I don't give one fuck about Archer and Ariana, but I do love our leader. You're going to tell me where Giovanni is. Our operatives can't find him in any known prison in the world. I want to know what you did with him."

"How do you know he's not lying in a box under the ground?" Ash taunted.

" _Please._ You're too weak to end a man's life." Proton sneered, "If you tell me where Giovanni's been locked up, we'll walk away like none of this ever happened. Might even toss you a Potion to heal up your Pidgeot so that you can get home. I imagine it would be quite difficult to make it out of here if your Pokémon can't fly."

Ash held Proton's gaze, his voice unwavering, "Sorry, Proton. My lips are sealed. You wanna know where Giovanni is, you're gonna have to drag me back to one of your cells and make me tell you."

"Trust me, boy, you don't want to make me do that. Your stay would be far less pleasant than the last one," Proton snarled. He pressed a button on his hovercraft, uttering a single word, _"Attack."_

The horde of Pokémon lumbered forward threateningly, collectively growling. Pikachu leaped into the snow in front of Ash, counting himself lucky that it wasn't very deep. Ash gritted his teeth and called on his remaining four Pokémon, for Pidgeot was in no condition to fight. Sceptile, Primeape, Glalie, and Quilava spawned from their Poké Balls, and the controlled rock-types rushed forward to attack.

A group of Pupitar were first, racing above the ground head-on to attack as a collection of Graveler followed them with Rollout attacks.

"Quilava, use Eruption on the Pupitar. Sceptile, Glalie, get those Graveler with Leaf Blade and Ice Beam!" Ash countered. Quilava bounded forward, the snow around its legs melting as the fire-type's body temperature skyrocketed. Quilava lowered its head at the incoming Pupitar and molten flames exploded from the column of flame on its head. As Quilava curved its body to strike multiple Pupitar, Sceptile and Glalie vaulted over the rock-types and got in the way of the group of Graveler. Sceptile struck out with a wide Leaf Blade strike and Glalie added to the attack with a chilling Ice Beam, battling the Graveler back.

"Tyranitar, use Rock Throw all at once!" Petrel roared from his hovercraft. The group of hypnotized Armor Pokémon obeyed, stomping their large feet on the ground as a unit. Singular large boulders rose up out of the ground, shedding the layer of snow around them and consolidating together to form a wave of jagged boulders.

"Glalie, Sceptile, get out of there!" Ash shouted. The pair of Pokémon flinched, however, and the combined Rock Throws slammed into them and threw them back. The Pupitar rose out of the ground next, shaking off the damage they'd taken from Quilava's Eruption and lurching forward to strike Sceptile and Glalie while they were down.

"Primeape, help them out with Mega Punch!" Ash ordered. Primeape rushed forward eagerly, screeching as he leaped forward and tackled the nearest Pupitar with an earth-shattering punch. The Pig Monkey Pokémon used the Pupitar as a launch pad once it hit the ground, leaping over to another Pupitar and hitting it from above. The remaining Pupitar turned on Primeape and attacked with a combined flurry of Rock Throws. Primeape shook off the attacks and rushed another hostile rock-type, hitting even harder this time. Rage rolled off of Primeape in waves, and its attacks continued to grow stronger.

"This is moving too slow." Proton snarled, "Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse. Golem, use Earthquake."

The horde of Golem chattered, crunching their powerful jaws together as they stomped on the ground. The mountain surface shook violently, and Ash lost his footing as he wobbled, eating a face full of snow. Pikachu and the others complained as they tried to keep their stances, and the group of Tyranitar unleashed combined Dark Pulses that knocked them to the ground.

"Oh, man." Ash groaned as he staggered to his feet once the shaking subsided, "We need to get this over with. Pikachu, use Iron Tail on anyone you can get to!" Ash turned to his other four Pokémon, who were collectively recovering from damage, "Quilava, use Flame Wheel. Sceptile, get ready hit 'em with a Leaf Storm. Glalie, use Crunch, and Primeape, go wild and use Close Combat."

Primeape chanted violently upon the command, racing forward with Glalie, Quilava, and Pikachu. The four Pokémon readied very different attacks, lashing out at different targets. Primeape dashed between the Pupitar and Graveler, dealing out lightning fast punches and kicks. Pikachu raced past the raging Primeape, bounding back and forth and slashing Tyranitars and Golems with a tail of steel. Quilava circled around the rock-type horde, crashing into many of the enemies in a blast of fire. Glalie was doing battle with two Pupitar, impressively dodging their attacks before sinking sharp teeth into their bodies. Sceptile watched carefully, waiting for the perfect opening as the others drove the group of rock-types closer and closer together. Once the opening arrived, Sceptile howled, generating a titanic vortex of leaves from thin air that overran the group, dealing calamitous damage and knocking out many of the controlled Pokémon.

About a dozen Tyranitar, Golem, and Graveler remained standing, with a Pupitar or two shifting about in the group. Proton sneered, displeased at how the encounter was going for him. He pressed a button on the panel of his hovercraft, giving him a direct link into the heads of the controlled Pokémon.

" _Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam,"_ he ordered. The five Tyranitar took a heavy step forward, and Ash and his Pokémon likewise stepped back. The Armor Pokémon each generated a single ultra-powerful blast of energy just in front of their mouths, aiming for the people and Pokémon they'd been told were their enemies.

" _Pidge!?"_ cried Pidgeot. The Bird Pokémon was quite nervous, having been on the receiving end of a Hyper Beam just moments before. The pain from the injury the attack had given it was still present, and the reminder was not at all welcome.

"It's gonna be okay, Pidgeot. Um…" Ash rambled. He was running out of time. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Quilava, Flamethrower!"

The two Pokémon released their attacks just in time as the five Tyranitar unleashed their individual Hyper Beams. The five blasts nearly combined into one as they crashed into the Flamethrower and Thunderbolt attacks. The two defending attacks pushed back against the energy beams for a few seconds, but it wasn't enough to last. The Hyper Beams pushed through and struck the ground right in front of Ash's Pokémon with explosive force, rocking the mountain violently. Ash stumbled into the ground beside Pidgeot, quickly looking up and glancing at his Pokémon, who'd been thrown out of the way like rag dolls.

"Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse on the boy!" Proton barked.

A single Tyranitar lumbered forward, running quickly in order to get past Ash's fallen Pokémon. Pikachu rolled back over onto his feet, jumping protectively in front of Ash. The mouse's tail hardened into steel and Pikachu lunged straight up at Tyranitar, but the hypnotized Armor Pokémon responded instantly, bringing its powerful arms up and catching Pikachu, stopping the electric-type in midair.

" _Pika-pi!?"_ Pikachu gasped. In the next instant, Tyranitar turned its body and violently threw Pikachu into the ground, knocking the wind from the electric-type. Tyranitar turned back to Ash and advanced, bringing its hands close together and generating a beam of ghostly energy.

"Alright then. Here we go!" Ash grunted, psyching himself up. He focused and blue energy roared to life across his arms, joining into a blast of energy in each hand. The wild Tyranitar launched its attack, and Ash countered with two beams of Aura. The two blasts collided with an explosion of energy, ripping up the air between them!

"… _Tar?"_ grumbled the wild Tyranitar. It was as if the human was using a Pokémon move!

"C'mon!" Ash shouted, pumping more of his natural power into the attack. Tyranitar's Dark Pulse receded, not meant to be pushing against an attack for this long, and Ash quickly overwhelmed the Armor Pokémon, washing a wave of cobalt Aura over the rock-type but doing no harm. That wasn't Ash's goal. He closed his eyes, feeling the energy inside Tyranitar. The mental pain Tyranitar was in hit Ash like a truck, nearly breaking his focus. The Armor Pokémon's mind was locked up, totally controlled by the brain waves coming from Proton's Hover-Pad. Ash increased the Aura flowing around Tyranitar, tearing away at the mental block on the rock-type's mind.

"What is he doing?" Petrel wondered aloud, his elderly hands clasped tightly around the controls of his Hover-Pad.

The block on the Tyranitar's mind snapped, freeing it from the control of the brain waves. Ash felt the change and immediately cut off his Aura, grinning wildly at Tyranitar. The Armor Pokémon looked around, clearly confused about where it was, before setting its eyes on Ash.

" _Ty-ran-itar?"_ grumbled the rock-type.

Ash looked at Tyranitar, puzzled, as the rock-type stared at him. Tyranitar howled gleefully, lumbering closer to Ash. Pikachu bounded over protectively, snapping at Tyranitar, but the Armor Pokémon ignored him, dropping down to its knees and rubbing its rock-hard head against Ash's shoulder.

"What the…?" Ash muttered, looking into Tyranitar's affectionate eyes. A realization came to his mind, and he gasped, "You're that little Larvitar…" he said, awestruck.

" _Ty-ran-itar!"_ the rock-type barked, confirming Ash's suspicion.

"Damn it! Just our luck, we happen to capture a Tyranitar that knows who you are!" Proton cursed. He slammed his fist on his hovercraft's control panel, commanding the remaining captured Pokémon, _"Destroy them!"_

The other rock-types lumbered forward, growling ferociously. The irises of their eyes turned an angry red, and Ash felt a strange wooziness coming from the air. He took a calm breath and felt out with his Aura, feeling a bombardment of energy. Whatever Proton and his lackeys were using to control these Pokémon, he'd just ramped it up to an eleven.

Tyranitar squirmed as the invisible energy tried to affect him, but Ash quickly wrapped him in a thin shield of his own Aura, rejecting the brain waves. Tyranitar straightened out and relaxed. Ash's other Pokémon were fine and ready to go, for the brain waves only affected rock-types. The last of the Pupitar and Graveler arrived first, but they were easily batted back as Pikachu, Primeape, and Glalie hit them hard. Their new Tyranitar friend unleashed a ferocious Dark Pulse on the closest Pupitar, knocking the Hard Shell Pokémon out cold. Sceptile dealt out two brutal Leaf Blades, slashing another Graveler into unconsciousness. Two Golem curled their bodies up and rushed Sceptile with Rollout, but the Forest Pokémon effortlessly repelled them with a howling Leaf Storm.

"Dammit! This isn't working!" Proton complained. He reached for his Poké Balls, hoping to add more Pokémon to the showdown and gain at least a little leverage. Ash spied him doing so and frowned, calling to Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Proton's hovercraft!"

Pikachu turned his attention from the battle and glared at Proton, pent-up fury guiding him as he charged up a massive bolt of lightning. Proton stiffened and gulped as a shimmering Thunderbolt ripped through the snowstorm and went flying straight at his vehicle. The Executive gripped the controls of his hovercraft and slid out of the way, feeling the hair on one side of his head stand up as the golden bolt shed static electricity into the wind.

Proton looked back at Ash and then to the hypnotized rock-types, watching as they lost the battle one by one.

"This is useless." Proton grumbled, "Petrel, we're leaving."

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought you'd never decide it was time." Petrel answered. He signaled to the Grunts they'd brought along, and one by one they all turned their hovercrafts around and flew off. Proton remained behind for just a few seconds, directing a shout at Ash.

"I concede, Ketchum. You've won today." Proton sneered, "You never do seem to lose. But it is of little consequence. We do not need you. We will recover Giovanni on our own, and Team Rocket will return to greatness. And on that day…well, you'll just have to see for yourself."

"Until then, Proton." Ash barked back, not in the least concerned with his threat. The man didn't even know where to start looking for their lost leader. He would let him remain on that wild goose chase, so long as they didn't try to harm him or anyone he cared for. Proton gave the slightest of nods at Ash, almost as if he were sending a hidden gesture of some twisted shred of respect for the teen, before pivoting and flying away through the storm after his lackeys. The influence of the mysterious brain waves vanished, and the rock-type Pokémon calmed, looking around as they tried to piece together what they were seeing.

As the Executive disappeared from sight, Ash returned to Pidgeot, kneeling down and examining the Bird Pokémon's injury.

" _Pidgoo…"_ Pidgeot grunted with a wince. The Hyper Beam had really done a number on the flying-type. Ash swung his bag over his shoulder, unzipping the medicine pocket and rifling through it. He had a few Antidotes and Paralysis Heals, a single Oran Berry, and two Sitrus Berries!

"Yes!" Ash said under his breath as he closed his hand around one of the yellow Berries. He leaned forward, "Hey, Pidgeot? Here, I've got you a Sitrus Berry. Go on, eat it."

Pidgeot leaned its head up off of the snowy ground, sniffing the Sitrus Berry and then tearing a chunk off of it off with its beak. The Berry piece was smashed to pieces and Pidgeot eagerly ate another few bites. In moments, the entire Berry had been eaten, and Ash offered his only Oran Berry to help the Bird Pokémon heal faster.

The effects were very noticeable, and Pidgeot slowly began shifting up to its feet as the natural Berries worked their magic. He'd need the help of a Pokémon Center to get fully healed up, but the flight to Viridian City would be short and easy.

The group of rock-types that Team Rocket had been controlling started to wander on down the mountain, breaking up into their species groups and generally ignoring each other. With a little rest, they'd be all fixed up from their injuries in the battle. The Tyranitar of the group were huddled close together off to the side, grunting repeatedly at the one who had helped Ash. Just looking at that Tyranitar brought up a whirlwind of emotions in Ash. He'd cared for the Armor Pokémon as an infant Larvitar, and seeing the little guy all grown up warmed his heart.

" _Pidge!"_ Pidgeot cawed, flapping his wings. The Berries had fixed him up, and he was ready to go!

A low grumble echoed from behind Ash, and he turned back around to see Tyranitar standing solidly nearby, a short yet noticeable distance between the rock-type and Ash and his Pokémon. The other Tyranitar stood and watched silently before lumbering away, leaving their friend behind. A few of them gave a low roar, and Tyranitar echoed them with an identical roar. In seconds, the rest of the Tyranitar were wandering on down the mountain.

"Hey, Tyranitar." Ash said, a lump in his throat.

" _Tar…"_ groaned the Armor Pokémon. He took a heavy step forward in the snow, inching closer, _"Tyranitar…"_

Ash grinned at the rock-type's nervousness, getting the message. "You wanna come with us, Tyranitar? Wanna travel with us, and be my Pokémon for real this time?"

" _Tar…"_ grunted the rock-type, giving the slightest of nods.

"I'd like that a lot, Tyranitar. You're clearly really strong already, and I'll admit, I've missed ya. I've wondered what you were up to out here. Maybe fate's bringing us together again." Ash said. He fished through his bag for an empty Poké Ball, activating it at the push of a button and meeting Tyranitar's eyes again, "So, what's say we tackle this together, eh?"

" _Ty-ran-itar!"_ rumbled the rock-type, stepping forward almost giddily.

Ash grinned ridiculously, "All right! Go, Poké Ball!"

Ash beamed the Poké Ball at Tyranitar, striking him with practiced expertise. The capsule ricocheted off of the Armor Pokémon's hard body, popping open and sucking it inside with a beam of red light. The Poké Ball buried its lower half in the snow, wiggling in the white powder before going still and singing to signal the successful capture. Ash scrambled over and lifted the Ball out of the snow, holding it high above his head.

"Yes! We've just caught a Tyranitar!"

The other Pokémon erupted with cheers, and Ash quickly returned them and hopped onto Pidgeot's back. Pikachu latched onto Ash's shoulder and Pidgeot cawed, lifting them up into the air. They headed due east, their sights set on one final stop in Viridian City with a new friend at their side. Behind them, the snowstorm started to recede, and they were welcomed back into the breezy, cloudy weather of the mountain path. The skyline of Viridian City was clearly visible ahead, with the forests of the southbound Route 1 not far away.

Ash hollered into the chilly wind, not a care in the world.

* * *

 **That's a wrap! Thanks everyone for reading. If you liked this chapter, please let me know your thoughts in a review! Tell me what you liked, didn't like, what I could do better, what you're hoping to see in the future, whatever you like! Any and all reviews are immensely appreciated. I'll see you guys in a few weeks with another chapter. Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	63. A Struggle in Snowpoint

**Afternoon, everyone, and happy weekend! Sorry for the longer than usual wait, I'm afraid this will be the new norm. I would expect the next update to come during the week of Thanksgiving once I'm on break from school again. College has turned out to be much more difficult than I was expecting. Anyway, with this chapter we're returning to Snowpoint City for Ash's battle with Candice! But, the Snowpoint Gym Leader will have a certain trick up her sleeve. What will it be?**

 **In other news, in just a few short days, this story will be turning _one year_ old! That's crazy to think about, at least for me. So I want to say thank you to everyone who's been reading this story from the early days and had stuck with it, and a special thanks to those who have been reviewing for so long. You guys make writing this story worth it, and I'm glad you're still here.**

 **Alright, that's all from me. Happy reading, and Happy Halloween, guys! Don't forget to leave a review in the box at the bottom!**

 **Edit 11/26/17: Fixed the sudden sentence stoppage during the battle. You guys probably know the one. My bad.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 63_

 _A Struggle in Snowpoint_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – High in the Sky, Near Snowpoint City**_

Charizard's wings thumped through the air every few seconds, keeping them aloft high above Sinnoh. Mt. Coronet and its smaller, neighboring mountains stretched across the region below them, surrounded at their feet by forests, lakes, and the occasional town. As they pushed through the north, the weather became noticeably colder, and it wasn't long before Ash and Charizard were flying over snowy taigas on the way to Snowpoint City.

Ash was giddy. It had been a few weeks now since he'd left Sinnoh, and he'd agreed to meet up with Dawn in Snowpoint City. He was excited to finally get to see her again. The midday sunlight glinted off of an object on his right ring finger, giving an instantaneous green glare in Ash's eye. He glanced down at his ring finger, admiring Professor Rowan's silver Mega Ring. Until just recently, the circular space on the ring's face had been empty. Now, though, there was a shimmering kaleidoscopic sphere in that slot. Professor Oak had contacted the Kalos Region's Professor Sycamore and had a Key Stone made for Ash, now that he had three Mega Stones in his possession. He hadn't started training with Charizard and Sceptile to Mega Evolve, though. He planned to get to work on that as soon as he could after his battle with Candice. Unlocking Mega Evolution wasn't a huge priority for him at the moment, and there would be more than enough time to get to work on the hike south out of the city.

His Pokétch began buzzing incessantly. Ash turned his wrist and looked at the screen, seeing that he had an incoming call.

"Hmm? Unknown number?" Ash mumbled to himself. Against his better judgment, he clicked the answer button, and the screen morphed into a mini-videophone of sorts. The only thing he could see at that instant was someone's eye practically pressed up against the screen.

"— _are you sure this thing is working? I don't understand this ridiculous technolo…"_

Ash recognized the voice easily, "James, is that you?"

Sure enough, James leaped back with a shout, allowing Ash to see the lavender-haired ex-Rocket with Jessie and Meowth.

"Hiya, twoip! And Pikachu n' Riolu too!" Meowth greeted with a big grin. He waved at Ash, and his two human companions mimicked him, though their smiles seemed more nervous.

" _Pika-pi!"_

" _Rio!"_

"Um, hey, Meowth. How did you guys get my number? And, where _are_ you?"

"That's classified, we're afraid." Jessie answered.

"That's right! You're looking at the International Police Academy's newest cadets!" James added eagerly, "From this moment on we're going to be a force for good!"

"The International Police Academy?" Ash repeated, puzzled, "How'd you guys swing that?"

"Boxed-Lunch Guy gave us a call outta the blue a few days after da incident at Spear Pillar!" Meowth answered.

"We still don't know _how_ he managed to contact us." James muttered.

"Boxed-Lunch Guy? You mean Looker?" Ash asked.

"Er, yes." James said.

"Anywho, he gave us a call and told us he'd heard all about what we did from Cynthia!" Meowth declared, "And he officially invited us to da International Police Academy, said he thought we could be good officers!"

"Just a couple of months from now, Officers Jessie, James, and Meowth will be patrolling the planet, sniffing out evildoers and protecting the people!" James boasted.

Ash gave a big grin, "Man, you guys sound like you're doing well for yourselves. I'm really glad! I knew you all were good people deep down."

"That means a lot to us, twerp." Jessie said, "Who knew you'd be all it took to bring it out of us?"

"We're really thankful for you, and we're really sorry for everything we put you through. You didn't deserve any of that." James lamented.

"Don't beat yourselves up over it, really. You guys added a little excitement to traveling every now and then." Ash said, "In a weird way, I'm actually gonna miss ya."

"And we'll miss you, twerp." Jessie echoed.

"Anyways, how's them Mega Stones we left for ya?" Meowth asked, "Ya checked 'em out yet?"

"I haven't started training with them yet, I only got my Key Stone yesterday, but I've been so focused on beating Snowpoint City's Gym Leader that I haven't bothered. As soon as we win, though, I'm gonna try them out!" Ash answered, "I sure do appreciate that kind of gift, though. You didn't have to do that."

"Aw, shucks, it's the least we could do!" Meowth protested.

"And how's the twerpette?" Jessie asked with a knowing raise of her eyebrows.

Ash became visibly embarrassed, "Who, Dawn? Well, she's…I guess she's good."

"Oh, save it. We were watching back at Lake Acuity." Jessie teased, "Just be careful, twerp, when you get involved with the opposite sex, you're only asking for trouble."

"Yes, and it's exactly the kind of trouble _I_ stay out of!" James boasted.

Meowth rolled his eyes and started to walk off screen, "You's two don't need the opposite sex, 'cause ya got each other!"

Jessie and James both threw furious looks at him, both appalled and angered by his comment. Jessie yelled after him, _"What does that mean, Meowth?"_

"It means exactly whatcha think it means!" Meowth snapped at them. He suddenly appeared right up on the screen, a wild grin on his face, "Well, twoip, time for us ta go! Ciao!"

Meowth smacked his paw on the 'end call' button just as Jessie and James rushed up behind him, furious at the Scratch Cat Pokémon. The screen froze, allowing Ash to look on the scene for a few more seconds and burst out laughing before it went away.

"Oh, man. Jessie, James, and Meowth working for Interpol." Ash chuckled, "I'm having trouble picturing that." Ash said.

" _Chuuuu…"_ Pikachu agreed. Riolu similarly chattered, and Charizard released a low chuckle. Up ahead, the taigas gave way to snowy plains and hills, eventually revealing Sinnoh's northernmost city. Even from a distance, Ash could see that the city's damages had been repaired. It looked as good as new.

"Charizard, take us in." Ash ordered. Charizard grumbled and drifted down, landing on the edge of town and letting Ash hop off of his back and into the snow. His boots sank into the snow, hiding the soles in the thick white blanket.

"We're here." Ash marveled, taking a few steps forward. With Charizard just behind him and the duo of Pikachu and Riolu on his shoulders, Ash entered Snowpoint City, scanning the streets for a certain someone. A gust of freezing wind blew at them, biting small regions of Ash's face and blowing his thick raven locks behind him like a cape. The wind calmed and Ash groaned, rubbing his sleeves over the skin of his face in a futile attempt to warm himself back up.

"Ugh, I probably should've worn more clothes." Ash grumbled.

" _Ash!"_

Ash looked up, locking eyes with Dawn. She sprinted down the street as fast as she could manage in her snow boots, the strings of her wool jacket flapping wildly in the chilly breeze. Ash grinned from ear to ear as Pikachu and Riolu took the unspoken cue. The two Pokémon hopped down onto the snow-covered ground and Ash bolted forward to meet Dawn halfway. Trainer and Coordinator met down the path, and Ash latched his hands onto her hips before hoisting her up in air, doing a quick spin before setting her back down on the ground.

"I missed you." Dawn said.

"Me too." Ash echoed.

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu cried, bounding up to Ash's feet and interrupting the moment. Ash and Dawn instantly separated and Dawn looked down at Pikachu, hiding her slight embarrassment behind a smile.

"Hey, Pikachu!" Dawn beamed, "You guys ready for your battle with Candice later?"

" _Chu!"_

" _Wah-wah!"_ Riolu chimed in, popping up beside Pikachu. His eyes glowed as he looked up at Dawn. Ash had already decided to use the Emanation Pokémon against Candice, and the little fighting-type was eager for the chance.

"So, want to head to the Pokémon Center? My Pokémon could use some extra rest and Candice told me she wouldn't be free for another hour or so." Ash offered.

"Sure!" Dawn agreed.

They trotted off through the snow further into the city. They reached the center of town, watching as face after face padded back and forth around the street. The familiar bright red roof of the Pokémon Center stuck out like a sore thumb, beckoning the two Trainers to its doors and warm indoor air conditioning. The doors slid open as they reached them, and a gust of warmth radiated over their bodies. Ash and Dawn both sighed gratefully as they stepped fully into the warm air, and the doors closed behind them to keep out the cold.

Dawn found a table as Ash sent his team to the back with Nurse Joy to be rested. Pikachu accompanied him back to the table, for he wouldn't be battling later. Ash pulled out the chair on the opposite side of Dawn at their table, slumping down into it and revealing his hands to be occupied by two identical cups.

"Thought I'd grab us some hot chocolate," Ash said, sliding one of the cups over to Dawn. Her eyes lit up and she snatched the cup, holding it close and taking a whiff of the sweet drink.

"Thanks, Ash. So, what did you do in Kanto? Anything exciting?" Dawn asked. She slid her PokéPad out from her bag and fired it up as Ash answered.

"Actually, yeah! I caught two Pokémon that I used to travel with!" Ash beamed.

" _Two?"_ Dawn repeated, "How did you manage that?"

"Well, back on my first journey through Kanto, I caught a Pidgeotto in Viridian Forest. After my run in the Indigo League, he evolved into Pidgeot when some wild Fearow and Spearow were harassing other Pidgey that lived in the area. I released Pidgeot so that he could protect them from the Fearow, and, well, I guess after I got back he decided his job was done." Ash explained, "And then the other one, well…I wanna keep that one a secret, because I'm using him today against Candice. We've been working really hard the last couple of weeks and I have high hopes."

"No need to worry. I can't wait to see it for myself." Dawn answered with a smile. She tapped on her PokéPad screen and pulled up the page she was looking for. She flipped the tablet around, revealing a map of Sinnoh, "So, in a little over a month there's a Contest in Celestic Town. I'm thinking we can get there for that and then take the way around to Lake Valor and over to Sunyshore City for your battle with Volkner. The Grand Festival will be at Lake Valor, too, so Sunyshore will be the perfect halfway point between it and the Sinnoh League!"

"That sounds like a great idea!" Ash agreed, "But we can't get too confident with that Celestic Town Contest, now, can we?"

"That's what you think, Ash! We've had all the time in the world to work on stuff, and everyone's feeling really good about this! Absol's really coming into his own, too." Dawn answered, giving a challenging grin.

"That's great to hear. I can't wait to see how you two work together."

Dawn's PokéPad started vibrating, and she frowned as she flipped it back around to read the screen, "Huh. Professor Rowan's calling me."

Ash pushed his chair back and walked around to the chair beside Dawn as she answered the phone call. Professor Rowan's image appeared on the screen and he smiled through his thick white facial hair.

" _Good morning, Dawn, Ash!"_ Rowan greeted, "Sorry to call you out of the blue, but I have quite a bit of news that I thought would interest you!"

"News? What kind of news?" Dawn asked.

"Happy news, I assure you, at least for me. After the past year of working with Professor Sycamore in the Kalos region, we presented our Mega Evolution research to the Global Science Board. Our research is going to be published!" Rowan beamed, "And, there's a motion going before the Pokémon League in Sinnoh to allow the use of Mega Evolution in their annual tournaments!"

"Really? That's awesome, Professor Rowan!" Ash said, "If the Sinnoh League is going to allow Mega Evolution, that would make it even more worth it to train Charizard and Sceptile with the Mega Stones."

"Precisely! Professor Sycamore informed me that he'd had a Key Stone made out for you recently." Rowan said with a nod, "But, that's not all I have to tell you. Researchers in Kalos have determined a new Pokémon type classification."

"A new type?" Dawn asked, confused.

"Correct, Dawn, and one of your Pokémon happens to fit the bill. Your Togekiss—among other Pokémon species—have been reclassified into the new Fairy type." Professor Rowan explained, "There was enough evidence based on certain Pokémon's performances against Dark and Dragon-type Pokémon to warrant the creation of a new type."

"Well, I guess it fits Togekiss pretty well." Ash mused.

"That's the truth." Dawn agreed with a snort.

"So, based on your outfits, I'm assuming you two are in Snowpoint City?" Rowan asked.

"That's right, Professor. Ash is battling Candice's personal team today." Dawn answered.

"Good luck, lad. Candice is no pushover," said the Professor.

"Don't you worry, Professor. I won't be taking her for granted. I expect her personal team is full of powerful ice-types." Ash grinned.

"Having battled against her myself a long time ago, I can assure you that her team is tough, no matter how quirky she may be. But you are a strong and capable Trainer. I have faith that you will prevail." Rowan nodded, "Well, I shouldn't keep you two longer than I must. I need to get back to the lab."

"Sounds good, Professor. We'll talk to you again soon!" Dawn said.

"And congrats on your research being published!" Ash added.

"You two are too kind. Take care of yourselves." Rowan answered. The video call ended and the screen went dark. After a few more minutes of talking, Nurse Joy called Ash to the front desk, handing him his rested team. From there, Ash and Dawn headed out of the Center, their sights set on the Snowpoint Gym.

"I just sent Zoey a text. She'll meet us at the Gym." Dawn said.

"Oh, yeah? Cool. Can't wait to see her again." Ash answered. He snickered, "So, hey, on my way up here, I got a call from Jessie and James. You're never going to believe this, but they're training at the International Police Academy. Looker recruited them."

Dawn's eyes went wide, "Jessie and James are _cops_ now?" Dawn laughed uncontrollably, "I'm having a great time trying to picture that."

"I couldn't believe it either. Meowth's going to be an officer, too. They're going to continue working together, except for the good guys now." Ash added.

"Well, that's great for them. I'm really glad that they've found their good side." Dawn sighed, "They made life difficult for us sometimes."

"They did." Ash agreed, "But, honestly, I'm going to miss seeing them all the time."

"I think I will, too." Dawn echoed.

Ash took another swig of the hot chocolate, gulping the last of it down. Pleased, he slapped the cup back down onto the table and breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, I'm finished," he declared. His eye caught Nurse Joy in the distance, who waved at him and gestured for him to come to the front desk. "Looks like the team's all rested up. Ready to go?"

Dawn half-groaned, half-smiled, "There's no slowing down with you, is there?"

"Well, I thought you'd have known this by now." Ash answered with a smirk.

"I did," Dawn said. She wiggled her cup of hot chocolate, "We can go, but this is coming with me. I'm drinking it at my own pace, thank you very much."

* * *

They made the rest of the walk to the front doors of the Snowpoint Gym. The automatic doors slid open, leading them into the lobby where Candice was speaking to the attendant at the front desk. She turned as she noticed the doors opening, and her expression brightened.

"How about that? We were just talking about you two. Zo-Zo just called me to tell me that she was on the way." Candice beamed, "Our battle's been delayed quite a bit, hasn't it, Ash?"

"It has. I've been itching to battle you again, Candice." Ash answered with a nod.

"Likewise. But I hope you're ready, I've got a couple of things up my sleeve." Candice warned, gaining a mischievous smile, "Let's head in, shall we?"

"After you." Ash agreed. Candice led the way into the battle room, opening the doors and stepping out onto a metallic balcony. An ice-covered battlefield was on the ground below the balcony, and two sets of empty bleachers were on either side of it. The second-floor balconies wrapped around the complex, lined all the way around with red railings.

The time passed quickly after that. Zoey arrived a few minutes later, joining Dawn on one of the balconies overlooking the battle as Ash and Candice took their places on opposite ends. A referee arrived at the box on the side of the field as Ash surveyed the area. Jagged ice formations jabbed upward out of the field in various places, offering potential cover. The field was entirely ice, and the surface would likely be slippery. There was little room for error.

"Okay, Ash, I've grown tired of waiting!" Candice shouted from across the field, "I'm going to be putting all of my _kiai_ into this one! You'd better do the same!"

"I'll try not to disappoint!" Ash answered, grinning.

Candice nodded and pulled her first Poké Ball from her white jacket, clicking the button in the center and lobbing it into the air, "Alright, Glaceon, battle time!"

The Poké Ball popped open and Glaceon emerged from a blast of white light, the bangs on either side of its head swaying as they exuded crystals of ice. _"Glay, glay!"_ chattered the ice-type.

"A pure ice-type up first, huh? Okay, then." Ash answered. He picked his chosen Poké Ball and tossed it into the air, "Riolu, I choose you!"

The Emanation Pokémon emerged, landing squarely on his feet and then dropping down to place one of its paws on the ice. Riolu closed his eyes, examining Glaceon's Aura and committing it to memory before standing up completely.

"So, we're both playing small ball to start out!" Candice beamed, "I like it! Glaceon, use Ice Shard!"

" _Glay!"_ Glaceon sneered, charging cold energy into a jagged sphere. The ice-type whipped its head forward and the Ice Shard sphere rocketed straight at Riolu.

"Riolu, use Aura Sphere." Ash countered.

" _Rio!"_ Riolu barked before sprinting forward. The fighting-type's footfalls were confined only to the front edges of its feet, keeping the Emanation Pokémon from slipping on the ice. Riolu met the Ice Shard attack halfway, suddenly leaping into the air and landing expertly on the back end of the frozen sphere, launching upward from there and kicking the Ice Shard into the ground. Riolu howled and spun acrobatically, summoning a shimmering Aura Sphere in between its paws and slinging it at Glaceon. The energy blast sliced through the air with staggering speed, resulting in a clean hit that sent Glaceon skidding away across the icy field.

Riolu landed effortlessly and briefly celebrated its success, taking a boxing stance and yipping.

"That was a great way to start off." Dawn commented, standing on the balcony with Zoey.

"Definitely. Ash is showing that Riolu is something special. The way he handled that Ice Shard was stunning." Zoey agreed.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_ Pikachu agreed next to them, balancing on the balcony's railing.

Back on the battlefield, Candice's Glaceon scrambled to her feet, snarling at Riolu. "Patience, Glaceon. Let's try something else. Use Icy Wind."

Glaceon's eyes twinkled and its pointed ears glowed a shining ice blue. A whirlwind littered with crystals of ice whipped up around Glaceon before rushing out in a wide wave toward Riolu. There would be almost no avoiding this next attack.

"Riolu, brace!" Ash ordered. Riolu tensed and locked up its muscles, clenching its jaws together as the chilling wind overwhelmed it. The biting cold nipped at Riolu's ears, fingers, and toes the most, forcing the little fighting-type to deal with major discomfort. The Icy Wind quickly died down after that, but Candice was far from done yet.

"Alright, Glaceon, use Take Down."

Glaceon sprinted forward, gliding across the ice with innate ease as a thin cone of physical energy began to form around its body. Riolu cringed from the Icy Wind from before, and Ash's call to dodge fell on mostly deaf ears. Riolu tried to maneuver out of Glaceon's way, but its legs refused to move and the ice-type collided with Riolu at full force, throwing the Emanation Pokémon backwards.

" _Argh!_ C'mon, Riolu, let's get back in it! Use Nasty Plot and follow it up with Aura Sphere, quick!" Ash commanded.

Riolu reopened his eyes with a determined fury, vaulting back to his feet as Nasty Plot's energy surged around him. The instant that the stat-boosting attack was completed, Riolu charged up a second Aura Sphere, slinging it at Glaceon. On Candice's command, Glaceon sidestepped the blast of energy and attempted another Icy Wind.

"Riolu, get up into the air and avoid that Icy Wind, then use Force Palm!"

Riolu leaped just a little too early, allowing Glaceon to adjust and blast its Icy Wind attack at an angle. Riolu gritted his small teeth together as he was forced to brave another gust of cold air. Crystals of ice formed in dots along his fur as the Emanation Pokémon landed behind Glaceon, leaving a perfect window for attack. An instant later, Glaceon was pounded into the ground, paralyzing energy coursing from Riolu's open paw to the Fresh Snow Pokémon's body.

"Glaceon, recover with Iron Tail!" Candice commanded. Glaceon's eyes shot open and the ice-type bore through Riolu with a mischievous glare. In the next instant, Glaceon whirled around on the ice-covered ground, a tail of steel smacking into Riolu's legs and sweeping them out from under him. Riolu tumbled to the ground and smacked into the ice, allowing Glaceon the time to get back to her feet.

"Now, use Ice Shard!" Candice followed, smirking. Glaceon acted with continued swiftness, forming a sphere of ice from the air around it and throwing it into Riolu's side. The Emanation Pokémon yowled and rolled away, reeling from the combo of attacks. Once he finally stopped sliding, Riolu crawled back to his feet, yipping irritably at Glaceon. The Fresh Snow Pokémon simply smirked, reveling in the younger fighting-type's fury.

"Glaceon, let's put an end to this. Use Iron Tail." Candice barked. Glaceon purred and tightened her haunches, raising her tail and making sure that Riolu saw the appendage hardening into sharpened steel.

As Glaceon rushed forward with the finishing blow on its mind, Ash called out to Riolu, "Riolu, don't give up! Dodge!"

A new determination lit up Riolu's red eyes, and the Emanation Pokémon cleanly sidestepped, not even watching as Glaceon dove through thin air, having left the ground to attempt her attack. Riolu whirled to face the ice-type as she landed somewhat awkwardly, and he could almost sense Ash's follow-up command before he even said it.

"Use Copycat!"

Riolu tensed and his tail hardened, glowing with an identical silver light. Riolu raced after Glaceon, catching the ice-type by surprise. Riolu's tail raked across Glaceon's side, dealing extra damage thanks to the attack's advantage over ice-types. Glaceon staggered and Riolu pivoted on his toes to face her.

" _Riolu, finish it! Aura Sphere!"_

Riolu's paws arced in a circle over his head, forming a brilliant sapphire sphere of energy. Glaceon bared her teeth, still cringing from the damaging Iron Tail attack as she passed a silent gesture of respect. The little fighting-type was scrappy, and tough enough to back it up. In another moment, the Aura Sphere hurtled at Glaceon, striking home with explosive force and throwing Glaceon like a rag doll. The Fresh Snow Pokémon hit the ice with a back-breaking _crunch,_ sliding just a few more feet before slipping into unconsciousness.

"Glaceon is unable to battle!" shouted the referee on the sidelines, "The winner is Riolu!"

Riolu yipped and pumped its clenched paw into the air, grinning from ear to ear. Candice quietly returned Glaceon to its Poké Ball, thanking the fainted ice-type and tucking the Poké Ball back into her jacket, switching it for an identical one.

"Okay, Ash, I think I've got a real sense of your strength now. Riolu's pretty impressive." Candice conceded.

Riolu yipped approvingly as Ash answered, "Thanks, Candice. Me and this little guy have been training hard for a while. He's something special."

"I agree." Candice said with a nod. She gained a fierce, battle-ready grin, "But there's only so much training you can do. In the end, size still matters. Let's see how Riolu does against one of the big boys." Candice reared up and threw her second Poké Ball onto the field, calling out to her second Pokémon, _"Mamoswine, it's your turn!"_

The airborne Poké Ball burst open and a ball of white light leaped out, already growing rapidly in size as it fell to the ground. The light took on a heavy, round shape, and four titanic appendages stabbed downward from the glow, taking the shape of Mamoswine's colossal legs. The energy collided with the ground and faded away, shaping into Mamoswine's long, powerful tusks with the last of its light.

" _Mam-moo!"_ roared Candice's Mamoswine, rearing up on its hind legs and punching its powerful front legs outward. The Twin Tusk Pokémon crashed back down on all fours, sending a sensible vibration through the icy battlefield.

"Man, Candice isn't messing around with her Mamoswine." Dawn remarked, her throat gone dry.

"She's breaking out her big guns early." Zoey said, "I've battled against her Mamoswine before, and he really is no joke. Candice isn't planning to lose today."

"Riolu." Ash said sharply. The Emanation Pokémon looked back at him, "See all these ice formations around the field? Use them as cover when you need to."

Riolu yipped in answer, turning his focus back to the titanic Mamoswine on the other end of the field. The huge ice/ground-type sneered, the air coming from its large nostrils condensing in the cold. Riolu twisted its expression, throwing a challenging glare at the Twin Tusk Pokémon.

"Mamoswine, use Blizzard."

Mamoswine's eyes glistened with an icy blue color, and the fur all around its large body started to freeze as a powerful gust whipped up around it. The storm rushed forward, blanketing the entire battlefield.

"Riolu, cover!"

Riolu dove into the ground and rolled into cover behind the nearest formation of ice on the battlefield. The ice was shaped like a dozen spikes exploding outward, but they had a big enough surface area for Riolu to duck underneath it. The brunt of the ice storm passed harmlessly over Riolu from there, but the general biting cold still did its best to attack the small fighting-type. The Blizzard subsided after that, and Riolu poked his little head back up into view, clambering over the ice formation and taking another fighting stance.

"Riolu, use Aura Sphere!"

Riolu channeled a sphere of cobalt energy, spinning about and slinging it at Mamoswine.

"Mamoswine, counter that with Ice Fang." Candice said calmly. Mamoswine grunted and its large tusks glittered with energy. The Aura Sphere closed in, and Mamoswine jerked upward, slashing its tusks clean through the Aura Sphere and destroying it, leaving only a small explosion in its wake that did no damage.

Ash gasped, but before he could even comment, Candice was following up the counter with an attack of her own, "Mamoswine, use Ancient Power!"

The ice around Mamoswine's feet tore apart as the Twin Tusk Pokémon's eyes glowed with ancient energy. The dirt beneath the ice rose up around Mamoswine in a thick cloud and consolidated into a halo of large, jagged boulders. Riolu stiffened as Mamoswine launched the volley of devastating rocks at him. Ash's cry for a defense fell on deaf ears, and the Ancient Power made contact, smashing into smithereens all around Riolu. One of the boulders smacked clean into Riolu's small body, launching the Emanation Pokémon in Ash's direction. Riolu landed on his back, yipping with pain as the hard ground stunned him while he skidded a few extra feet. When the fighting-type stopped sliding, there were only endless swirls in his eyes.

"Riolu is unable to battle. The winner is Mamoswine." called the referee.

"Oh, man…Riolu, return!" Ash sighed. He turned the Poké Ball to face him, smiling warmly at it as he praised the fainted fighting-type, "Riolu, you were awesome out there. Get some rest, buddy."

Ash tucked the Poké Ball away, studying Mamoswine intently as he moved his hand from Poké Ball to Poké Ball along his belt. He finally grabbed onto one and ripped it from the belt, pushing the center button and readying the device.

"Quilava, I choose _you!"_ Ash summoned. He beamed the Poké Ball out onto the ice-covered field and it burst open, forming the lithe shape of the Volcano Pokémon out of silvery light.

" _Qui-lava!"_

"So, Ash is going to go with another small Pokémon to try and outmaneuver Mamoswine." Zoey observed.

"Yeah, and Quilava's quick, too, much faster than Riolu. Plus, Ash has a type advantage again." Dawn added.

Candice was on the same train of thought as Dawn and Zoey. Speed was Ash's game, and it was a game that she and Mamoswine had no chance of winning. Instead, strength would be their friend.

"Ready when you are, Ash." Candice offered, hoping to a lay a trap for the Trainer and his fire-type.

Ash nodded, "Alright, Quilava, use Flamethrower."

Quilava planted its feet and opened his maw, spewing red-hot flames. The air vibrated as it merged with the sudden heat, leaving Candice and Mamoswine with only a few mere seconds to defend.

"Mamoswine, use Ancient Power as a shield to protect yourself!"

Mamoswine stamped one of its huge feet into the ground, generating another volley of large, jagged boulders. With a huff, Mamoswine guided the rocks into a tightly-packed wall in front of its large, round body, assembling them just in time to protect itself from the Flamethrower. The immense heat radiated off of the wall of rock, but the Ancient Power move did a fantastic job of shielding Mamoswine from the fiery blast.

"Great job, Mamoswine! Now, attack with that Ancient Power!" Candice ordered.

Mamoswine mentally disassembled the boulders, commanding them forward as it did against Riolu. Ash remained calm, trusting in Quilava's impressive speed.

"Quilava, use Flame Wheel and dodge those rocks, then go in at Mamoswine."

" _La-va!"_ Quilava chattered, tensing its body and then curling up. Sparks lit up the air around it and a wheel of orange fire wrapped around the Volcano Pokémon's body. Quilava sped off at an angle, expertly avoiding many of the boulders and even jumping over one that was coming at him from down low. Candice raised an eyebrow, impressed, and Quilava quickly curved once it was safe from the Ancient Power, blazing toward Mamoswine in mere seconds. Once the fire-type reached the ice-type, Quilava kicked off of the ground, arcing back and raking its fiery shield in a straight line across Mamoswine's face. Scorching embers exploded in all directions from the contact, littering Mamoswine's thick brown fur and causing the Twin Tusk Pokémon to stagger backward.

" _Argh!_ Mamoswine, let's get them back. Use Earth Power!" Candice called. Mamoswine's big eyes glittered with a light brown glow, raw energy churning through its very pupils as an outline of gold appeared around its large body. The ice around Mamoswine shattered some more, exposing hard rock underneath it. A thick fissure in the ice spread with lightning speed toward Quilava, erupting with plumes of magma that wrapped around Quilava and damaged it, directing most of the force into the fire-type's underbelly.

Quilava cowered back as the ground-type move subsided, having taken some serious damage thanks to ground's type advantage over fire. The Volcano Pokémon's flames petered out, leaving only the smoldering openings as Quilava focused on recovering. Pleased, Candice called for another attack from Mamoswine, hoping to pack on even more damage.

"Mamoswine, chill 'em to the bone with Blizzard."

Mamoswine didn't miss a beat, summoning a howling wind that raced toward Quilava. Ash gritted his teeth, "Quilava, Counter-Shield!"

Quilava purred as the Blizzard came roaring toward it, freezing the fissures in the ground back over and covering them with thick ice. Flames ripped into being from the openings on Quilava's body, circling first around the fire-type's body into another Flame Wheel. Quilava leaped into the air, surrounded by a veil of fire, and began spewing a Flamethrower from its maw, spinning in the frigid winds of Mamoswine's Blizzard. The result was a dozen whips of fire, lashing out at high speed and scraping Mamoswine's body from long distance. Mamoswine complained, squirming and trying to avoid the Flamethrower whips to no avail. The Blizzard died down quickly after that, leaving the two Pokémon in the open.

"Quilava, use Aerial Ace!"

Quilava levitated off of the ground before launching into the sky, an aura of white energy forming in a cone at the front of its body. Mamoswine carefully followed the Volcano Pokémon with its eyes as Candice calmly commanded him.

"Mamoswine, use Ancient Power and knock Quilava out of the sky, pronto!"

Mamoswine grumbled, summoning another batch of jagged boulders in a circle around its huge body. One by one, Mamoswine launched the boulders at the airborne Quilava. The Volcano Pokémon clenched its teeth together and swiftly dodged the first three boulders, which smashed to bits as they crashed into the ceiling's rafters up above. After a few more successful dodges, Mamoswine threw two boulders at once, forcing Quilava to think harder. The two boulders were coming at the fire-type in a vertical arrangement, so Quilava dove to the side. The boulders flew through thin air and smashed into the ceiling. Quilava turned and grinned at the sight, turning its back to Mamoswine. But as the fire-type turned to dive in and attack Mamoswine, its overconfidence came back to bite it.

" _Ah!_ Quilava, look out!" Ash shouted. Quilava turned around completely and saw that Mamoswine had launched one final boulder, slinging it at Quilava when the fire-type turned cockily to watch the latest failed shot miss. The large boulder smashed into Quilava at point blank, shattering and rocking the fire-type's senses. The Aerial Ace aura vanished and Quilava soared straight down to the ground, plummeting at high speed.

"Quilava!" Ash yelled. The fire-type was virtually unconscious, and smashed down into the ice with a _smack._ Ice shattered and dust shot up into the sky, blocking the view of Quilava for a few seconds. The dust settled and Quilava cringed, slowly climbing back to his feet. Scrapes and bruises decorated the Volcano Pokémon's navy fur and cream underbelly, and the flames on its head and backside weakened.

Suddenly, an orange aura came to life around Quilava's body, glowing faintly. Renewed strength rushed through Quilava, and the flames on its body intensified, burning furiously like they never had before. Ash recognized what was happening immediately.

"Yes! It's Blaze!" Ash whooped.

Up above the stands, Dawn and Zoey gasped, the former more out of joy. "Quilava's special ability! His fire-type moves will be more powerful!"

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu cheered. Quilava blew a thin trail of smoke from its nose as the orange flames on its body continued to burn, baring his teeth at Mamoswine.

"That's not good." Candice remarked, "Mamoswine, let's put an end to this quickly. Quilava's Blaze is active, but that means it's on its last legs! Use Ice Fang and charge!"

Mamoswine howled and thundered forward, its steps shaking the ground as its giant tusks turned a crystalline blue.

"Quilava, let's use some of that Blaze and hit back with Flamethrower!" Ash ordered. Quilava chirped and spewed scorching fire from its throat in a clean line. The flames lapped up at the cold air, burning with a hellish heat as the attack raced out to meet Mamoswine.

"Mamoswine, make an Ancient Power shield and keep going! Full speed ahead!" Candice shouted. Mamoswine didn't hesitate, once again summoning a chain of boulders and forming them into a wall of thick, tight rock. The Flamethrower hit the rocks hard, but did little more than melt the mere face of the rock.

"Crap, we're gonna need more power!" Ash stammered, "Quilava, are you up for an Eruption attack?"

" _Lav!"_ Quilava snapped, standing his ground.

"All right! Do it! Use Eruption!"

Quilava ducked its head, pointing the scorching flames on its head directly at the charging Mamoswine. The fire in its backside holes went out, concentrating all of the firepower within into the openings at the front. The air around Quilava suddenly superheated, burning hot enough to slightly melt some of the ice at the Volcano Pokémon's feet. In another instant, a huge column of fire erupted from Quilava's head, nearly blinding everyone watching it. The blast glowed a brilliant orange, blurring the very air around it. Mamoswine didn't even see the attack coming as it struck home, pushing back violently against the Twin Tusk Pokémon.

"Oh, crap! Mamoswine!" Candice yelped, at a loss.

Mamoswine glared forward as its Ancient Power shield started to melt before its very eyes. With a last-ditch effort, the ice-type tore apart the wall and launched the boulders directly at Quilava from the outside of the Eruption attack, throwing them with all of the force left in its body. In the next instant, the Eruption collided with full force, sweeping over Mamoswine. Quilava stopped spewing molten fire just in time to look up at the Ancient Power boulders soaring toward it. The first one struck home, slinging Quilava back.

The Eruption faded a few seconds later, revealing an unconscious Mamoswine whose fur was littered with glowing embers. Quilava staggered to its feet, feeling immensely weak, before collapsing back to the ground with a huff, the last of its strength taken by both the Eruption and the blow it had taken from another Ancient Power boulder.

The referee raised his hands, shouting for all to hear, "Both Mamoswine and Quilava are unable to battle! The round is a tie!"

Candice returned Mamoswine and praised the fainted ice-type from her place on the end of the field, while Ash carefully walked the short distance out to his battered Quilava. The Volcano Pokémon glanced up at him from its place on the ground, purring dejectedly.

"Hey, Quilava." Ash beamed, "Don't get all down like that. You were awesome. Your Eruption did all we needed it to and more, we just got a little unlucky. Candice's Mamoswine is no joke, and that Ancient Power attack is hard to deal with. I'm so proud of the fight you showed out there."

" _Qui-lav…"_ Quilava sighed, its eyes almost smiling. Ash pulled out the fire-type's Poké Ball, returning Quilava and locking the capsule back onto his belt as he walked back to his battle box.

"So, here we are, gridlocked at 2-to-2." Candice called from across the field.

"It's been a good battle!" Ash agreed. He unhooked his third Poké Ball from his belt, smiling, "Let's try and keep it up. Tyranitar, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball burst open in midair and the Armor Pokémon's shape formed out of white light. Tyranitar growled lowly, its deep voice echoing throughout the room.

"Wow, he's a biggin'!" Candice grinned. She grabbed her next Poké Ball, "If we're switching roles, Ash, I think I know who my next Pokémon will be. Weavile, it's your turn!"

Candice lobbed the capsule ball into the air, summoning her Weavile into battle. The dark/ice-type Pokémon grinned devilishly as she eyed Tyranitar, flashing her wicked, curved white claws at the much larger Armor Pokémon. Weavile would undoubtedly have the advantage of speed, and its considerably smaller size could easily make things difficult for Tyranitar as well.

"When did Ash catch a Tyranitar?" Zoey asked.

"He told me he caught two new Pokémon while he was in Kanto, and that one was going to battle today." Dawn remembered, "Tyranitar don't exactly live close to people, so Ash must've been pretty far out to find one."

"In any case, I'm not sure I like this matchup," Zoey said, "Candice's Weavile is _fast…"_

Dawn bit her lip with concern, wondering how Ash would work his way through this one.

"Weavile, let's go with Metal Claw!" Candice barked.

Weavile grinned and rushed forward with surprising speed, its claws extended on either side of its body as they turned into shimmering steel. Ash cursed. Steel-type moves were especially effective against rock-types, and he barely had a few seconds before Weavile would reach Tyranitar.

"Tyranitar, stop Weavile with Dark Pulse."

Tyranitar quickly brought its clawed hands together, forming a rotating blob of jet-black energy rimmed with a purple glow. The Armor Pokémon launched the blast directly at the approaching enemy Weavile, grinning darkly upon doing so. However, Weavile saw the attack coming a mile away, lunging to the side and avoiding the Dark Pulse with practiced expertise. The Sharp Claw Pokémon dove headfirst into the ice, rolling cleanly and leaping back up to her feet to continue her lightning-quick dash. In another instant, six slashes of silver light dragged across Tyranitar's body, and the rock-type stumbled backward as Weavile bounded away, jeering.

"Gah! Tyranitar, you alright?" Ash called.

" _Tar…"_ grumbled the rock-type. It would take more than that to bring him down!

"Okay, let's try Stone Edge." Ash ordered. Tyranitar gnashed its sharp teeth, generating two rings of shimmering stones around its massive body. Weavile watched with calculating eyes as Candice tried to think up a counter. The pointy stones came flying at Weavile, rapidly homing in.

"Weavile, take cover." Candice commanded. Weavile bounded behind a formation of ice, too quickly for the homing stones to follow effectively. The Stone Edge projectiles curved, smashing violently into the unmoving rock formation and failing to do anything. Candice called for another move, "Now, Weavile, use Ice Beam!"

Weavile clawed up to the crest of the jagged ice formation, its sharp claws digging into the ice as the dark/ice-type steadied itself. Weavile opened its small, toothy maw, spitting a thin, refined beam of chilling energy.

"Tyranitar, quick, use Protect!" Ash shouted. Tyranitar obeyed, bringing up a field of impenetrable energy. The Ice Beam crashed into the shield, failing to push past it, "Now, quick, use Dark Pulse again!"

Tyranitar collapsed the Protect barrier and spat a virulent Dark Pulse, finally scoring a hit on Weavile. The Dark Pulse smashed straight into the Sharp Claw Pokémon's slim torso, ejecting it from its place on the ice formation and doing solid damage. Weavile jumped back to her feet, visibly irritated.

"Weavile, shake it off and use Metal Claw!"

Weavile scrambled across the ice, readying its dreaded claws and turning them to steel. Tyranitar tensed, watching intently to see if the dark-type tried any tricks.

"Tyranitar, meet Weavile head-on and use Fire Fang."

Tyranitar lumbered forward, shaking the ground with its powerful steps. Its opened maw became filled with orange flames, and its focus was solely on Weavile. Candice showed little concern, though, calling out to Weavile, "Weavile, let's skate around 'em, go!"

Weavile shifted its feet and drifted across the ice, expertly curving around Tyranitar and avoiding it. The Sharp Claw Pokémon danced circles around the Armor Pokémon, jeering and faking swipes as Tyranitar turned on its heels, trying to keep its eyes on the crafty dark-type. Ash grimaced, remembering the trick from his original Gym Battle with Candice two years ago. Her Sneasel had done the same thing, skating around the ice-covered field and making Grotle's life difficult. But he'd defeated that Sneasel all the same, and he knew just how to throw Weavile off its game.

"Tyranitar, stop 'em cold with _Earthquake!"_ Ash shouted. Tyranitar's eyes gleamed at the command, and the giant rock-type stopped in its place, raising a powerful foot and stamping it into the ground. A violent shock wave erupted from the point of impact, sending titanic ripples through the ground. The first shock wave destroyed Weavile's balance, smacking the Sharp Claw Pokémon into the ground. The next wave launched the ice-type up into the air, bouncing the confident trickster multiple times with subsequent shock waves. When the quaking ceased and Weavile finally stopped skidding, the Sharp Claw Pokémon glared up at Tyranitar, baring its sharp teeth and giving a feline screech.

"Tyranitar, ready to put an end to this?" Ash called.

" _Ty!"_ screeched Tyranitar.

"Weavile, use Night Slash." Candice ordered. Weavile sped forward at Tyranitar once again, its claws wrapped in dark energy this time around. With speed that somehow exceeded that when it used Metal Claw, Weavile raked its dark claws across Tyranitar's side, skating behind the tall Armor Pokémon and looking back. Candice called for an Icy Wind attack next, and Weavile blasted Tyranitar with a gust of chilling wind that slowed him down even more.

"Weavile, there's our opening! Use Metal Claw!" Candice shouted.

Weavile sprinted toward Tyranitar, sliding across the ice. The Sharp Claw Pokémon tapped its steely claws onto the ice, causing sparks to fly behind its lithe form. Tyranitar wobbled, dazed and slowed, before locking its eyes on Weavile. Concern flashed across the rock-type's face, and another moment later, Weavile was launching its body up to rake a vertical slash across Tyranitar's body.

"Tyranitar!" Ash yelled, "Step back!"

Tyranitar obeyed, putting one of its large feet back behind it and leaning. The Armor Pokémon listed backward, and Weavile cut upward through thin air, missing Tyranitar's belly by mere inches. The Sharp Claw Pokémon's overconfidence immediately vanished, turning to confusion until Ash commanded Tyranitar to attack, _"Fire Fang!"_

Panic registered on Weavile's face as it neared the crest of its ascent, completely unable to defend itself as Tyranitar tilted back forward. Bright fires appeared around Tyranitar's teeth and the Armor Pokémon clamped its jaws perfectly around Weavile's unprotected shoulder, burying its sharp teeth into the ice-type's coat.

" _Wea-vile!"_ screeched the Sharp Claw Pokémon. Tyranitar turned on its heels, just barely keeping its balance, and launched Weavile as hard as he could. Weavile flew through the air as Tyranitar let go, flames circling around the wound on its shoulder. The dark/ice-type slammed into the icy ground unceremoniously with a _crunch,_ sliding another thirty to forty feet in Candice's direction before slowing and lightly hitting its head on the body of a rock formation. Weavile went still, its head turned sideways so that the swirls in its eyes could be clearly seen.

"Weavile is unable to battle!" announced the referee, "The winner is Tyranitar!"

Tyranitar roared triumphantly, its shout shaking the room. Candice returned Weavile to its Poké Ball, thanking the fainted Sharp Claw Pokémon and tucking the Poké Ball away. She eyed Tyranitar, noting the clearly visible marks that Weavile's attacks had left behind. She already knew who her final Pokémon would be, and she was feeling quite good about it. The fact that she was now down 3-2, and Ash still had a fresh, unrevealed Pokémon remaining, didn't bother her in the least. She had told Ash that she had some tricks up her sleeve.

"Abomasnow, you're up!" Candice declared.

The large, powerful ice-type spawned from its Poké Ball, even beating Tyranitar in height. Threatening purple eyes looked across the field at the rock-type foe. Ash gave the Frost Tree Pokémon a once over, suddenly noticing something out of the ordinary. Draped around Abomasnow's neck was a lightweight plate with a spherical opening gouged out underneath the ice-type's chin, filled with a pale blue stone decorated by a teal-and-white pattern.

 _Wait, I've seen that before…_ Ash realized. As soon as he did, Candice pumped her fist forward, having slipped a ring on her finger that carried a shiny green stone. The stone in her ring glowed as she chanted.

"Abomasnow, now, Mega Evolve!"

Abomasnow roared as the stone under its chin glowed violently, spitting rays of light in every direction. Abomasnow's shape warped; it fell to all fours as the sprouts on its back extended into two tall pillars of ice. The icy fur all around its body lengthened considerably, and its already large, powerful extremities became somehow even larger. Mega Abomasnow released a guttural roar that made Tyranitar's feel like a mouse's squeaking. Tyranitar groaned with concern, unsure of what he was looking at.

"H-How did Candice get a Mega Stone?" Ash muttered. Dawn more or less mirrored his expression up on the balcony.

"Surprised, eh, Ash?" Candice called from behind Abomasnow, "I found the stone in the mountains north of the Snowpoint Temple during some hardcore training. When I contacted Professor Rowan about it, he explained what it was. Abomasnow and I have been working extra hard with this thing for our rematch with you!"

Ash was paralyzed by his own surprise as Candice commanded Abomasnow to attack, "Abomasnow, let's show them what you're made of! Use Leaf Storm!"

Abomasnow roared and a roaring vortex of leaves rose from its back, circling repeatedly around its body before rushing out at Tyranitar.

"Ah! Tyranitar, use Protect!" Ash cried suddenly. An impenetrable barrier appeared in front of Tyranitar, deflecting the entirety of the Leaf Storm with ease. Once the attack was over with, the barrier collapsed and Ash called for Stone Edge. Two rings of jagged stones appeared around Tyranitar and flew at Abomasnow.

"Abomasnow, use Ice Beam."

Abomasnow spat a wide, crooked blast of ice, freezing many of the Stone Edge rocks as the attack blazed toward Tyranitar. A few rocks smacked into Abomasnow's huge body, but the Mega-Evolved ice-type shrugged them off with little concern. The Ice Beam struck home, connecting with Tyranitar's chest. A freezing sensation raced through the rock-type before knocking Tyranitar to the ground, building more and more ice. Exhausted, Tyranitar went slack, slipping into unconsciousness.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle. The winner is Abomasnow!"

Ash flinched, stunned by Mega Abomasnow's sheer power. The titanic ice-type roared triumphantly and Ash returned Tyranitar to his Poké Ball, thanking the Armor Pokémon and tucking him away.

"What just happened?" Dawn mumbled in a mix of shock and awe.

"That's Mega Evolution for you. Candice's Abomasnow was already tough as nails and could hit like a sledgehammer." Zoey answered, "But that little Abomasite stone increases that power tenfold."

"Ash has a few Mega Stones of his own, but he told me that he hasn't trained with them yet." Dawn said.

"What? Why?" Zoey asked.

Dawn shrugged nervously, "I-I don't know. I don't think he ever expected Candice's Abomasnow to be capable of Mega Evolving!"

Down on the field, Ash grabbed his final Pokémon. He had already planned on using this one today thanks to its type advantage over Candice's team, but now, this Pokémon was likely his best bet at taking down Mega Abomasnow.

 _I knew I should've started training with those Mega Stones,_ Ash said to himself. He reared up and tossed the Poké Ball out onto the field, "Charizard, I choose you!"

The Flame Pokémon came to life from his Poké Ball, roaring furiously. Smoke spewed from the hot-tempered dragon's nostrils and Charizard focused its eyes on its opponent. Abomasnow snarled, baring its large canines and scraping one of its massive front feet against the icy ground. Finally, a worthy challenger! Charizard leered at the Mega Evolved ice-type, sensing the immense power rolling off of the Frost Tree Pokémon in waves.

"Looks like they're itching to get started!" Candice said with a smile, "Alright, Ash, are you ready? You can have the first move."

"As ready as I'll ever be." Ash answered, "Charizard, use Flamethrower."

Charizard stomped its foot into the ice, leaning forward and opening its maw to spew a blast of red-hot fire directly at Abomasnow. Candice reacted, quickly, and calmly, "Abomasnow, use Ice Beam and block that Flamethrower!"

Abomasnow shifted, opening its enormous mouth and generating another forked beam of ice. The chilling blast erupted from Abomasnow's mouth, colliding with the Flamethrower and pushing with equal force against it. The two attacks eventually cancelled each other out after a struggle, disintegrating as one and harming neither Pokémon.

"That was perfect, Abomasnow!" Candice praised, "Now, use Blizzard!"

Abomasnow grumbled before splitting its mouth into another angry roar, freezing the air around it and creating a hazy storm that went straight for Charizard. The attack was unlike any other Blizzard move Ash had seen, coming for Charizard at full force in a thick shroud of freezing fog.

"Charizard, up!" Ash yelled. The Flame Pokémon launched straight up into the sky, flying with stunning speed and avoiding the Blizzard's range entirely, "Now, use Steel Wing!"

Charizard blazed down toward Abomasnow at an angle. The Frost Tree Pokémon locked eyes with Charizard, but the dragon was flying much too fast for Abomasnow to set up any kind of counter. Charizard listed to Abomasnow's side, its left wing glowing with a silver aura of power as the dragon raked across Mega Abomasnow's gigantic side. Abomasnow roared angrily, thrashing violently and lumbering away from its position as Charizard hooked back around for another pass.

"Abomasnow, use Wood Hammer!" Candice cried. Abomasnow growled and reared up on its hind legs, and its left front leg began glowing with green energy as Charizard closed in. The dragon slowed, surprised that Abomasnow was able to stand up like that without falling, and the Frost Tree Pokémon threw out its leg like a piston, crashing into Charizard with a crushing force. An audible _crunch_ came from Charizard's body as it flew backward through the hazy Blizzard that was somehow still raging on Ash's end of the field, disappearing from view.

Abomasnow returned to all fours and slowly turned to face its hidden opponent, eyeing the thick Blizzard in front of it with the utmost caution. With a sudden flash of light, a scorching Flamethrower erupted from hiding inside the ice storm, vaporizing the thick haze as it went and crashing into Abomasnow. The flames wrapped around the ice-type and Abomasnow bellowed, scrambling away as fast as it could manage.

"There we go, Charizard!" Ash praised as the Blizzard storm cleared out, revealing himself and Charizard both. The dragon rumbled approvingly at the sight of Abomasnow thrashed, dousing the searing flames after some effort. The Frost Tree Pokémon looked visibly tired, heaving as it reset its eyes on Charizard.

Something twinkled in Candice's eye and she smirked, "Abomasnow, use Giga Drain."

Three arms of glowing green energy instantly emerged from the turquoise growths on Abomasnow's back, rushing at Charizard and latching onto the dragon. Charizard roared with infuriated pain and the arms started to drain the fire-type's energy, pulsing with a bright green light as they did so. After a few brutal seconds, the arms detached from the dragon's body, swiftly returning to Abomasnow. The ice-type looked immediately refreshed.

"Damn!" Ash groaned. Charizard echoed his sentiments, gnashing its teeth at Abomasnow.

"Oh, Ash, you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Candice sang, "I'm fully aware of Abomasnow's weaknesses when he's Mega Evolved. You and Charizard may totally outclass us in speed, but it'll take more than that to take us down."

Ash gritted his teeth with irritation, calling out to Charizard, "Charizard, use Dragon Claw!"

Charizard bolted forward, hungry for revenge. Its arms drifted out into view, the claws on each hand becoming longer and sharper as powerful energy surrounded them. Candice called for Abomasnow to counter with a volley of Ice Shards, but Charizard was more than able to dodge the blasts of ice and dig its claws into Abomasnow's thick hide. The two immensely powerful Pokémon continued to grapple with each other, scoring hit after hit on each other. Abomasnow, though, continued to have a clear advantage, landing another critical Giga Drain and giving itself a boost at Charizard's expense.

Charizard stumbled backward as it recovered from the energy drain, catching itself from collapsing to the ground. The dragon's eyesight blurred for a moment before returning to normal, and blood pounded in its ears endlessly. The feeling was an unwelcome familiarity to the dragon. Charizard was on his last legs. It had been quite some time since he'd been knocked out in battle by a foe, and the Flame Pokémon's rage was only stoked further at the thought of losing the battle.

"Charizard, can you keep going?" Ash asked worriedly.

Charizard stomped its foot on the ground and roared furiously at Abomasnow, communicating that he still had some fight left in him.

"Okay!" Ash answered, "Use Flamethrower!"

Charizard lifted into the air and spewed flames at Abomasnow from above, cutting through the sky to force Abomasnow to move around as it countered the fiery blast with Ice Beam. Charizard stopped flying once it reached the corner of the field, hovering in the sky and putting all of its remaining might into the blast. The Flamethrower started to succeed at pushing against the Ice Beam; Abomasnow was running out of power.

"Charizard, get in there and finish it with Wing Attack!"

Charizard snapped and then dove straight toward Abomasnow, its wings lighting up with power as the dragon continued to spit fire in an attempt to distract Abomasnow's attention. A well-placed strike would knock Abomasnow out for good.

"Abomasnow, throw 'em off with Giga Drain!" Candice howled, a hint of panic in her voice. Abomasnow obeyed and commissioned another set of the dreaded draining whips, sending them out to meet Charizard. The Flame Pokémon barrel rolled out of the way, cutting off the Flamethrower cover, but the Giga Drain arms easily followed. Charizard snarled and slashed his wings at the closest energy-draining arm, batting it away. But just as he did so, a second arm buried its point into the dragon's underarm. Charizard screeched and a third arm latched around his wing, sapping just a little bit of energy out before Candice had an idea.

"Abomasnow, bring 'im down!"

Abomasnow didn't hesitate, retracting the Giga Drain arms while they were still attached to Charizard's body. The dragon thrashed wildly, using Slash to cut through the arm attached to his side. Abomasnow gave a jerking tug, suddenly slinging Charizard into the ground…right at Abomasnow's feet.

Candice grinned wildly as Ash shouted, suddenly realizing what the Gym Leader had had planned, _"Charizard!"_ he yelled futilely.

" _Abomasnow, Wood Hammer!"_

Charizard was stunned, its vision little more than a big blur. Its vision suddenly cleared and Ash's frantic cry echoed in the dragon's head. Charizard looked up from its crumpled place on the icy ground, already seeing Abomasnow's Wood Hammer plummeting down toward it.

" _No!"_

The Wood Hammer slammed down onto the back of Charizard's neck, burying the Flame Pokémon's head back into the ice and instantly knocking the fire-type out cold. The attack collided with an explosion, launching dust and smoke and ice into the sky and briefly blocking the view of the two Pokémon. It quickly subsided, and the referee called out the inevitable result.

" _Charizard is unable to battle! The winner is Abomasnow, which means the battle goes to Candice, the Gym Leader!"_


	64. A Showdown of Mega Proportions

**Hello, hello, and welcome to another chapter of The Journey Continues. Fun fact: this is the shortest chapter since Chapter 50. But it's still fairly long. I hope you guys like it. I think the chapter starts off a little strangely, maybe that's just me, but there's a reason for it, and it leads into a one-on-one battle that lasts for nearly 2,500 words. So that was a lot of fun to write. Now, I'm just going to reply to a few reviews and then get on my way. Thanks again for reading!**

 **PRLSHPPR: Nice catch. I'll try and fix that. On the Giga Drain thing, just kinda go with it, you know? The anime has shown on more than one occasion that types aren't the be-all-end-all with attacks like they are in the games, so it offers some more freedom, even if in game canon, the attack would do virtually nothing.**

 **FlygonNick: Thanks for the kind words! I've always wondered if I did enough to show that Ash was getting stronger and better. For your criticism of how long the Pearlshipping took, I 100% agree. In my defense, I had wanted Ash and Dawn's relationship to be a backdrop to the story as a whole, my main focus was always going to be the journey. Maybe I could've done that better, who knows. Anyways, hope you'll keep reading and reviewing, it's definitely noticed and appreciated on my end.**

 **GIZMAC: Thinking Dawn will be back in the Contest scene in Chapter 65. I'm really glad you like where we're at. Thanks for your review! :)**

 **dhun2302: Thanks for all that praise, and even the constructive criticism. Hope you'll keep reading and reviewing.**

 **Alright, I'm out. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 64_

 _A Showdown of Mega Proportions_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Near Snowpoint Temple**_

Ash dropped his belongings into the snow with a grunt, kneeling down and unzipping the backpack's front pocket. He slipped his Mega Ring onto his finger, glancing at the green Key Stone locked inside it. Next, Ash grabbed two Poké Balls from his belt, lobbing them into the still air without a word. The Poké Balls opened and spawned Charizard and Sceptile, placing the two powerful Pokémon ankle-deep in the snow.

It had been a few days since Ash and his team's brutal loss to Candice. Her Mega Abomasnow had proved itself to be immensely powerful, bringing down Charizard in a hard-won brawl. The loss had left Ash stunned, and it had affected him more than it probably should have. After all, he was no stranger to losing. But he had spent some time brooding, recognizing that he'd allowed his newfound strength to infect him with overconfidence. Never again, he'd resolved. He'd battle Candice again, and he'd beat her, but not before fixing his issues. And, he'd finally decided, he'd return to the Snowpoint Gym with the power of Mega Evolution at his side as well.

Charizard and Sceptile wandered around the mountainous clearing. Ash had taken them a decent distance north of the Snowpoint Temple, where the toughest terrain and wild Pokémon in Sinnoh could be found (apart from Mt. Coronet and the Battle Zone, of course). Originally, he'd planned to set up shop on the banks of Lake Acuity. That plan had fallen through rather easily, though. He hadn't been able to focus or get into the grind, so he'd changed his plans and headed to where he was now. It was the best reminder he'd be able to get of his time on Mt. Silver. A light gray haze of clouds blocked out the sun, threatening to drop another volley of snow as the clouds traveled southward.

The rest of Ash's team was called out one by one. Ash planned to work solely with Charizard and Sceptile today, but that didn't mean the rest of his team couldn't get the chance to stretch their legs. Riolu jabbed a paw into the snow, lifting a pawful of it to his nose and sniffing. In the process, a dash of snow flew up the Emanation Pokémon's nose. Riolu snorted and sneezed in quick succession, expelling the unwelcome snow before scrambling away. Tyranitar padded through the snow with heavy feet, examining the surrounding area wistfully as it reminded the Armor Pokémon of its home. Finally, Quilava laid down in the snow, radiating intense heat all around its body to keep comfortable while still somehow keeping the snow from melting.

Ash reached into his bag again and latched each hand onto a separate piece of equipment. He pulled out two lightweight pieces of gear. One was a silver sort of neck brace, embedded with the Charizardite X stone. The other was a simple, green bandana with his Sceptilite stone fastened to the end. Upon seeing Ash approaching with the stones, Charizard and Sceptile carefully walked up to meet him, eyeing the strange stones with caution. The power radiating off of the stones was strong enough for Charizard and Sceptile to feel easily, and it clearly intrigued them.

"Charizard, Sceptile…I'm gonna put these around your necks." Ash explained. The two Pokémon obediently stooped down so that Ash could reach them. Ash first tied the green bandana around the base of Sceptile's neck, pulling a knot together that kept it fastened tight. He then moved to Charizard, hefting the larger brace and locking it in place. The two Pokémon eyed their new gear, grazing it with their fingers.

"Okay, let's try this out." Ash decided, feeling optimistic. He threw his fist forward, his eyes fixed on the Mega Ring, "Charizard, Sceptile! Mega Evolve!"

…

But nothing happened. The Mega Stones around the two Pokémon's necks remained dormant, and the Key Stone in the Mega Ring stayed dim. Ash gulped and pulled his hand back to him, examining the Mega Ring.

"I know this thing works…" he grumbled. He tried to commence the Mega Evolution again, but it failed just like the first time. Annoyed, Ash slid the Mega Ring off of his finger, holding it up to his eyes.

"It can't be that my bond isn't strong enough with you guys, can it?" Ash asked.

Charizard and Sceptile exchanged looks and shrugged, releasing low groans from their throats. They obviously had no idea.

"Let's…let's try something else," Ash decided, "Maybe if you guys are in battle, it'll work."

Ash called Tyranitar and Quilava over, staging a Double Battle between his four Pokémon. They grappled violently with each other, exchanging hits and pulling off acrobatic dodges. But still, even when Ash tried to activate their Mega Evolutions, nothing happened. It became increasingly frustrating for Ash, who eventually slumped down onto a large rock, staring at the snow for several minutes with no resolve to continue training. Deciding to take a break, Ash dismissed his Pokémon. Charizard took to the skies and flew further north, exploring the snowy hills and valleys that surrounded them and disappearing in the low-hanging haze.

"I don't get it." Ash complained for the tenth time, "I've got the Key Stone, the Mega Stones are in the right place…it should be working!"

" _Piiii…"_ Pikachu echoed, slumping into Ash's lap. Riolu, Quilava, Tyranitar, and Sceptile wandered about, and peace fell over the snowy clearing. Ash briefly shivered as he sat on the cold rock, but the sensation went away as quickly as it had come.

"Maybe we need to go talk to Professor Rowan, or that Professor Sycamore he's always telling us about." Ash suggested, "Maybe they could help us figure things out."

A flash of orange in the distance caught Ash's attention, lighting up the late morning sky. As he looked closer, another thin column of flame speared through the air. Ash stiffened and shot up to his feet.

"That must be Charizard. He must be in trouble!" Ash gasped. He sprinted through the thick snow, being closely followed by his Pokémon. The snow wore down his progress considerably, but Ash kept on, pushing further through the valley. Sceptile clambered along the hilly edges of the valley, snarling every few seconds. The Forest Pokémon had picked up on something.

Ash and his Pokémon bolted over the next hill to find another wide clearing. More tall mountains surrounded the clearing, but the ever-present map on his Pokétch screen indicated that the ocean was not much further north. He was in the northernmost part of the entire Sinnoh Region. What was far more interesting, though, was the scene in the clearing in front of him. A tall cage made of thick steel enclosed Charizard in his place. A dozen hovercrafts along with an equal number of people in identical smoke-gray uniforms surrounded the cage. Bold red R's marked each person's attire. In the cage, Charizard unleashed a scorching column of hungry fire, trying to blast his way out of the cage.

"Ha! Breathe all the fire you want, the metal that cage is made out of has a melting point higher than anything you could ever manage!" boasted one of the men standing by the cage, "But go ahead and try, tiring yourself out like that'll make things much easier later once we get all of our repairs finished! We knew the toughest Pokémon in Sinnoh lived up here, but who would've guessed that we'd find somethin' like you?"

Ash gritted his teeth and sprinted down the hill through the snow, his pack of Pokémon following him down again. One of the crooks tending to their hovercraft looked up, spotting Ash and the approaching Pokémon, and she dropped her things to call out to the man standing near Charizard's cage.

"Crayton! We've got company!"

The man by the cage—Crayton—turned and locked his eyes on Ash, and he snarled.

"You goons! You let my Charizard go _right now!"_ Ash shouted, coming to a stop at a reasonable distance away. His Pokémon, headed by Pikachu and Sceptile, fanned out around him, throwing warning glares at the assembled crooks.

"Your Charizard?" Crayton repeated. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he examined Ash again, and he grunted with realization, his breath condensing as he spoke, "Wait a minute, I know you. You're that kid they had in the dungeons who got out before everything went to shit. Ketchum, is it?"

"That's right," Ash answered, "and if you guys know what's good for you, you'll release my Charizard and run along. Although I'll be honest, I hadn't expected to see more Team Rocket people out in Sinnoh."

"Humph! We're not Team Rocket's people, not anymore." Crayton replied. He gestured to his comrades, "All of us here, we were nothin' but Grunts in Giovanni's grand scheme. Our talents were wasted—nobody knew our names, where we came from, anything about us. We were cannon fodder."

"Get to the point." Ash grumbled.

Crayton squinted at Ash before snorting, "When you and your little friends compromised the base, some of us hightailed it outta there…but not before we snagged all the gear that we could. We work for ourselves now, under no company logo, no cloak and dagger, nothin'. Sure, we may wear the Team Rocket logo, but we'll never follow people like them again. It's just us now."

"Then you know that your odds of walking out of here aren't good. Just let my Charizard go, and I'll let you guys walk." Ash demanded.

"Not a chance, kid. We're taking this prize." Crayton refused.

"Then I'll make sure to kick your asses especially hard." Ash said, "Sceptile, why don't we go free our buddy Charizard? Use Leaf Blade."

Sceptile grunted and the growths on its arms instantly extended into shimmering green blades. The Forest Pokémon bolted straight toward the cage holding Charizard. Crayton didn't even flinch as he commanded another of the former Grunts, "Stop 'im cold."

One of the ex-Grunts immediately activated a heavy firearm, tucking it against his shoulder and firing a blast of purple energy. The glowing energy struck Sceptile's legs and instantly wrapped around them, suddenly dragging the grass-type into the ground. The energy grew and wrapped further around Sceptile's body, and the Forest Pokémon roared angrily as the energy tied him down, leaving him virtually immobilized.

"Ha! How do ya like _that?_ Experimental weapon they were working on for capturing Pokémon on the move." Crayton explained, "Feel like donating any more Pokémon to our cause?"

Ash looked at Sceptile's thrashing form, frowning worriedly. Turning to Tyranitar, he commanded the Armor Pokémon, "Tyranitar, send 'em back with Stone Edge."

Tyranitar barked and obeyed, slinging three dozen jagged stones at the hostiles. The Grunts took cover, and many of their devices were damaged by the attack. While that was going on, Ash communicated silently with Pikachu through Aura. The electric mouse sprinted over to Sceptile with the intention of freeing the grass-type. Unfortunately, Crayton spotted him in the act.

"Oh, no you don't," Crayton growled. He lifted his arm, activating whatever weapon was attached to his wrist gauntlet. A bolt of energy shot out, nailing Pikachu right in the chest. The mouse fell back and rolled. Crayton raised his hand up just a little bit, and Pikachu immediately stood up on his feet, his eye sockets glowing with a crimson glare.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. Fury appeared in his eyes and he glared at Crayton, "Tyranitar, use Stone Edge again! Quilava, use Flame Wheel, and Riolu, use Aura Sphere!"

The three remaining Pokémon immediately obeyed. Crayton and his fellow goons lined up, revealing Poké Balls in their hands. They tossed them into the air, calling upon a mixed horde of Golem, Crobat, Dusclops, and more powerful species. On command, a Dusclops used its Disable move, stopping the two ranged attacks in their tracks. Quilava continued to advance, but a barrage of Rock Blasts destroyed the Volcano Pokémon's wheel and left it exposed.

"Dusclops, use Shadow Sneak on Quilava!" Crayton bellowed.

Reacting quick, Ash answered, "Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse!" The Armor Pokémon bared its teeth and spat a beam of black energy. Dusclops' jet-black shadow crawled over the snowy ground, looming high over Quilava. Tyranitar's Dark Pulse suddenly smashed into the shadow, disintegrating it, and crushed Dusclops, dropping the tall ghost-type like a brick.

"All right!" Ash whooped.

Crayton scowled at Ash, immediately calling to the Golem that he'd sent out.

The battle royale began, a horde of about two-dozen Pokémon (who were strong in their own right) butting heads with only three of Ash's Pokémon. The mismatch quickly became glaring. As powerful as Ash's Pokémon were, these former Team Rocket Grunts had the edge due to their numbers. The enemy Pokémon weren't the typical run of the mill Pokémon that most Grunts carried by any stretch.

A flash of yellow fur in the corner of Ash's eye caught his attention, and he turned away from the brawl in front of him. Pikachu sprinted at him, evidently under the control of Crayton's device. The glaring light of Quick Attack trailed behind Pikachu's steps and the mouse blasted into Ash's body, hitting like a battering ram.

" _Oof!"_ Ash grunted as he fell to the snow, a sharp pain stinging his abdomen. Pikachu sure hit hard. Ash staggered up to his feet, his eyes fixed on Pikachu. The electric mouse stood on his hind legs, baring its teeth at Ash as its eye sockets glowed with a furious red color.

"Oh, Pikachu…" Ash said with a frown.

Pikachu responded by dropping down to all fours again, and his tail hummed with energy as it turned a steely silver. Pikachu bolted straight at Ash again, and the teen threw out his hands, bracing himself. Pikachu lunged up at his Trainer and Ash shifted his hands, clasping them around Pikachu's sides. The electric-type thrashed and pushed just enough to tumble down into the ground still caught in Ash's grip. Acting wildly, Pikachu released a Thunderbolt, trying to electrocute its way to freedom.

Ash stifled a scream as the electricity coursed through him, but he held tight onto Pikachu's body. When the lightning stopped, Ash quickly scrambled up to his knees, activating a flash of cobalt Aura that immediately washed over Pikachu. Ash's grip loosened and Pikachu dropped to the ground, whirling around and preparing to attack again, but the mouse stopped as he looked into Ash's eyes. Ash's Aura continued to trail around the electric-type, and he could already feel Pikachu's rationality trickle back into his head.

"Hey, buddy…" Ash started, taking two steps closer to Pikachu. The mouse bristled, but didn't attack, "You'd never hurt me, I know these guys are just controlling you. And you know it, too. I know that you're in there, and you can hear me. Come back, Pikachu."

Ash's Aura continued to soothe Pikachu's anger, and the red glow in the mouse's eyes sockets started to fade. In a few more seconds, Pikachu's warm brown eyes returned, and the mouse broke a wide smile, free from the control of Crayton's device.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_ Pikachu cheered, smiling.

The excitement was short-lived, though.

Only a couple seconds passed before a small rock crashed into Ash's temple. His head erupted with staggering pain as he slumped down on his side into the snow. A sticky liquid drizzled down the side of Ash's head, which he immediately recognized as blood. His head continued to pound as he tried to recover, and it was a miracle that he wasn't concussed.

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu cried, scrambling over to Ash. Tyranitar, Quilava, and Riolu looked back at their beloved Trainer, giving their remaining enemies just the right amount of time to land crushing blows. Two Crobat descended on Riolu and wiped out the little fighting-type with critical Air Cutter attacks. A crew of Poliwhirl and Golem blasted Quilava and Tyranitar both with damaging attacks, charging the pair immediately after and more or less knocking them out of the fight.

Ash tried to crawl to his feet, but a sudden kick to the head dashed any thoughts of that and threw him back into the snow. Pikachu cried out as a blast of purple energy wrapped around his body, trapping the electric mouse much like Sceptile had been locked down on the ground earlier. Ash cursed and two arms latched onto the back of his winter jacket, jerking him back. A strong arm then closed tight around his neck, and Ash glanced to his side to see Crayton. The man started to squeeze as he rasped at Ash.

"They weren't kidding about you, were they, kid? You're something special." Crayton hissed, "Shoulda just walked away when ya had the chance. Now you're paying for it."

Crayton began squeezing the air out of Ash's lungs, forcing his airway shut. Ash struggled, trying to manifest Aura and break out of the man's grip, but he was quickly asphyxiating and there wasn't enough energy for him to generate any kind of Aura to defend himself. In the cage a short distance away, Charizard roared, thrashing against the bars and breathing fire, but the sturdy steel bars held out. Sceptile struggled against its artificial binds, and the group of Riolu, Tyranitar, and Quilava whined futilely as the ex-Rocket poachers began working to capture them.

Ash's arm futilely lurched outward, the ring on his finger glinting. Ash groaned, his lips turning blue, "Charizard…"

The plate around the Flame Pokémon's neck suddenly shimmered with light as the Mega Stone inside it activated. Cobalt blue light radiated from the stone in a bright flash and the attention of every human and Pokémon in the clearing turned to the dragon. Charizard even wobbled back, stunned by the sight. Another moment passed and the glowing light suddenly expanded, filling the tall cage with a large ball of light.

"What the hell…?" Crayton murmured as he watched. The ball of light thinned until it surrounded Charizard's form. The inside of the dragon's wings became spiky, and the blunt appendages of bone sticking out from the tops curved into single, wicked claw-like structures. Similar curved shapes formed on Charizard's shoulders, and the two horns on its head lengthened as well. But when the light vanished, Charizard looked far different than the simple changes to its body would've implied. Its orange coat had turned black, and two trails of blue fire burned on the outside of the dragon's mouth. Its tail fire and cream-colored belly had also turned blue, and Charizard's eyes turned crimson as they burned with fury.

Without wasting a second, Charizard threw back its head and then spewed a wave of scorching blue fire at the formidable steel bars of its cage. The fire cut through the steel like a hot knife through better, almost instantly melting them down and clearing a huge hole for Charizard to walk through.

"No!" Crayton gasped, "What the _hell_ is that!?"

Ash's pride was only halted by the realization that Crayton's grip had loosened. Ash sucked in a breath and felt life in his veins, and he commanded a sudden burst of Aura to explode out of his body like a bomb. Crayton was thrown back by the concussive force and Ash turned to his new Mega-Evolved Charizard.

"Charizard, help us out!" Ash shouted. Mega Charizard X took to the air, locking its eyes on the horde of hostile Pokémon below him. Ash looked over to Sceptile, who was watching Charizard with awe while still being restrained. Ash pumped a confident fist, "Sceptile, you too!"

The Key Stone on Ash's Mega Ring immediately lit up. Green-and-red light erupted from the Sceptilite stone tied to the Forest Pokémon's neck bandana. Sceptile Mega Evolved right then and there, and a sudden boosted Leaf Blade ripped its bonds from where they were stuck into the ground. Now free, Sceptile bounded into the fray, oozing raw, untamed power. Charizard soared over the horde of poached Pokémon, spewing a blazing blue Flamethrower that wiped out half of the hostiles in only a single run. Sceptile took two Golem by surprise, slashing their backs with a violent Leaf Blade and knocking them both unconscious.

Charizard and Sceptile tore through the cohort of poached Pokémon until only their human captors were left. The ex-Rockets smiled nervously as the two Mega-Evolved Pokémon stared them down. Charizard gnashed its powerful teeth, spitting blue embers and just barely missing one of the crooks. Sceptile readied a Leaf Blade, suggestively gazing at the long, razor-sharp blade of green energy extending from its arm. Riolu, Quilava, and Tyranitar stepped up beside their powerful allies, giving cross looks at the poachers. One by one, the ex-Rockets dropped to their knees in surrender.

Ash and Pikachu exchanged a grin and the mouse hopped up onto Ash's shoulders, giving a brief nuzzle to his Trainer. The electric mouse looked behind Ash, remembering Crayton, the poachers' leader.

" _Pika-pi!"_ cried the electric mouse. Ash whirled around and saw the man's retreating form. Crayton was quite literally running for the hills, and had it not been for Pikachu, he would've escaped in the confusion.

"Charizard!" Ash shouted. The dragon snapped his head back and met Ash's eyes, a twinkle of happiness gleaming in the fire-type's red eyes. Ash grinned and pointed at the retreating Crayton, "Fetch."

Charizard locked its gaze on the fleeing Crayton, and anger returned to the dragon's crimson eyes. That man had been responsible for imprisoning him, and Charizard _hated_ being locked up. Without so much as a grunt, Charizard bolted into the sky, arcing through the frigid air and spiraling for a bit before curving downward to chase after Crayton. Back in the clearing, Sceptile and the others kept watch over the rest of the poachers, ensuring that they wouldn't go anywhere.

About a minute later, Charizard flew back over the group, dropping a man from about 7 feet above the ground. Crayton yelped and landed face-first in the snow. Ash approached him with a spring in his step, and as the man scrambled to right himself and realized his predicament, Ash snatched the gauntlet from his wrist, tearing off the gear with some Aura-boosted strength and crushing it in his grip.

Smugly, Ash leaned forward to look the defeated Crayton in the eye as he dropped the ruined gauntlet into the snow, "I told ya I'd let you go if you released Charizard…should've listened."

* * *

It wasn't long before the clearing was crawling with cops. Heavy-duty police vans with giant all-terrain wheels had brought a few dozen officers and other workers, and there were a few helicopters in the vicinity as well. Ash sat on the back bumper of one of those vans while Pikachu sat curled up close to him. The doors had been left open, and he was sitting still as Dawn attended to the gash on his temple. Ash had called her as well, knowing that she would be worried. Dawn had been training for her next Contest with Zoey, and she'd told him all about the practice Contest Battles that they'd had as well as Appeal training. Even though she was an established, competent Coordinator in her own right, Dawn valued Zoey's tutelage. After all, her climb from the rough patch she'd gone through a few years ago had been—at least in part—attributable to Zoey's help.

Ash squirmed as Dawn dragged a wet, sterile rag across the gash on his head, a response to how strange the sensation was. As Dawn snapped at Ash to sit still, the older teen grumbled something or other about being perfectly fine.

"You're _not_ fine, Ash." Dawn retorted, "You're _lucky._ That rock could've given you a concussion. You should probably see a doctor so they can clear you."

Ash chuckled, and Dawn was slightly offended that he didn't want to take her advice.

"I don't have to be here cleaning the blood off the side of your face, you know." Dawn growled.

"But you came anyway," Ash said immediately, "Because you _care_ about me."

Ash leaned forward suddenly and pecked her on the cheek. Dawn huffed and Ash brushed a strand of hair away from her face, smirking deviously. Dawn avoided eye contact and went back to cleaning the gash. Once that was done, she put the rag down and they sat in an uncomfortable silence.

"It worked, Dawn." Ash finally said.

"What worked?" she asked.

"The Mega Ring. It wasn't working no matter what we did while training…so I was going to call it a day. And then Charizard got into trouble up here, that's where we ran into these poachers that used to work for Team Rocket. I guess when everything fell apart, they kept doing the same stuff," Ash explained, "I think…I think that me, Charizard, and Sceptile just needed something that would really bring out our bond. When I was in trouble, Charizard and Sceptile finally unlocked their power and came to the rescue."

Dawn beamed when Ash smiled. He had been bent out of shape for the last two days as he continued to fail at unlocking Charizard's and Sceptile's Mega Evolutions. Now that he had finally succeeded, he was nothing short of elated, and it showed.

"Mr. Ketchum?"

Ash and Dawn looked out of the police van, seeing the area's Officer Jenny standing before them. She was as intense as ever, standing with perfect posture and looking down at the two teenagers with a gaze that silently communicated just how dangerous she could be.

"Erm, yes?" Ash answered, shifting and then pushing himself off of the van's back bumper so that he stood respectfully in front of Officer Jenny. Dawn copied him, saying nothing.

"I just wanted to thank you appropriately for your help today. We've had reports of poachers in the last few weeks, but it's been difficult to catch them." Jenny said, "Thanks to you, we've recovered dozens of stolen Pokémon, and we've found that every single one of them has a microchip left behind by a Poké Ball, meaning that all of those Pokémon rightfully belong to Trainers. Because of you, those Trainers will soon be reunited with their lost Pokémon."

Ash nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks, Officer Jenny, but you shouldn't be thanking me. It was my Pokémon that did all of the work. Without them, I'm not sure I'd be standing here right now."

"As you say," Jenny answered with a stern nod, "We've finished arresting all of the poachers and our work here is complete. If you two would like, you may ride with us back to Snowpoint City."

"That would be perfect. Thank you, Officer Jenny." Dawn said. Jenny nodded and walked away. From there, Ash and Dawn climbed inside the van along with a handful of other officers, who paid them no heed as the teenagers buckled their seat belts. A few seconds later, the van's engine roared to life and the bulky vehicle began rumbling through the heavy snow.

As they eventually rolled back into Snowpoint City, Ash couldn't help but smile.

"What are you grinning about?" Dawn asked, a similar smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"I'm just thinking…now that Charizard and Sceptile can Mega Evolve, I…" Ash answered, "I'm ready to go back to the Snowpoint Gym and take on Candice."

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Snowpoint Gym**_

Here they were again. Abomasnow. Charizard. And the latter now had a certain accessory to match the one around Abomasnow's neck.

"I was hoping it would come to this," Candice remarked. They'd gone through the rest of their four-Pokémon teams, with Tyranitar tying Mamoswine to bring the score to 3-3. "I see Charizard's picked up a new toy!" Candice added.

Ash nodded with a confident smirk, "We thought we'd level the playing field."

"I suppose that's fair…but you know you didn't have to come back and challenge me again." Candice fired back.

"No way. I never back down once I've set my eyes on a goal. Even if there isn't a Gym Badge involved in this fight, I want to win!" Ash declared.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Candice conceded. She then pumped her fist forward, the small green Key Stone embedded in her ring glowing, "Abomasnow, let's get started! Mega Evolve, now!"

Abomasnow roared and the pale blue stone on its breastplate exploded with multicolored light. The already large-bodied Frost Tree Pokémon grew impossibly larger. Its icy hair grew longer and two tall, thick pillars of ice protruded from its muscular back. When the shimmering lights faded, Mega Abomasnow stood in the ice-type's place, growling at Charizard.

"Okay, Charizard, I think it's time we joined the party. Ready?"

Charizard stared down Abomasnow, not an ounce of fear in its bones, and calmly gave in to the Mega Energy radiating around its body from the stone with almost practiced ease. A rainbow of light swamped over the Flame Pokémon's body and altered its features, turning the dragon's orange skin to a black color and its cream underbelly to a light blue hue. Dashes of blue flame curled up from Charizard's jaws on the sides of its powerful mouth, superheating the very air around him as his wings transformed to appear more tattered and menacing.

"Impressive!" Candice applauded, "The picture of raw, untamed power! I'm so excited to get this battle started, I'm practically shaking in my boots!"

"Then we'll stop making you wait," Ash decided, "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard growled and lurched forward, opening his jaws wide and releasing hungry fires from his throat. Flames painted a brilliant blue raced across the battlefield, zeroing in on their target.

"Abomasnow, protect yourself with Wood Hammer." Candice barked. Mega Abomasnow obeyed, raising one of its massive front legs and readying the attack. The Frost Tree Pokémon reared up and held the Wood Hammer in front of the approaching blaze, and the two attacks collided with explosive force.

Abomasnow roared as it dug its feet in to keep from being thrown back. Shimmering blue flames sprayed outwards in every direction, but Abomasnow's guard was so tough that only a handful of fiery blue embers touched it. The rest of Charizard's ultra-powerful Flamethrower was expertly blocked by Abomasnow, and the blast soon petered out as Charizard exhausted the energy in its lungs.

Candice wasted no time in preparing a counterattack, "Abomasnow, use Ice Beam!"

Abomasnow unleashed a blast of brilliant, freezing energy. On Ash's command, Charizard quickly took to the air, forcing Abomasnow to follow the Mega-Evolved fire-type. The Frost Tree Pokémon fired another blast, but Charizard arced through the air much too quickly for Abomasnow to keep up with it.

"Charizard, sweep in from the side and use Steel Wing!"

Charizard obeyed, speeding into Abomasnow's blind side and corkscrewing so that he was beaming straight toward the ice-type. Abomasnow grunted, looking over in between Ice Beam blasts, but Charizard blurred past at a low angle, raking a blade-like wing laterally along Abomasnow's huge front legs as well as the ice-type's neck. The collision caused a small explosion that rattled Abomasnow, stunning the Frost Tree Pokémon and causing it to stagger forward.

"Charizard, come back around and hit 'em again!" Ash howled, oozing confidence.

Charizard swooped back around, whistling through the air and squinting at Abomasnow's staggered form. Candice's features wrinkled and she barked an order at Abomasnow.

"Abomasnow, counter with Ice Punch!"

Abomasnow growled as Charizard came near, suddenly adjusting and rearing up. Charizard's eyes went wide and Abomasnow executed a perfectly-timed punch that rammed into the dragon's side, sending Charizard careening away across the slick ice.

" _Abomasnow, Wood Hammer!"_

Up on the balcony at the top of the stands, Dawn tightened her grip around the railing. "Uh oh…" she muttered. Zoey stood by her in deafening silence, and Pikachu watched intently with an equal amount of chatter.

Mega Abomasnow thundered forward, locked in on Charizard's flat body, its massive front legs glowing with greenish energy. Sweat formed on Ash's brow as he yelled, _"Charizard, Counter-Shield!"_

Charizard's eyelids ripped open, and just as Abomasnow got into range, the Flame Pokémon curled up its body and spun on the slick ice, spewing blue flames. The fire coiled into a wide vortex around Charizard's body, forcing Abomasnow to come to a skidding halt and warding off the Frost Tree Pokémon. Abomasnow complained furiously and Ash barked a command, meaning to take advantage of the few seconds he'd earned.

"Now, Charizard, Dragon Tail!"

Charizard stopped spinning on the ground, instantly surging to its feet. The dragon's thick, powerful tail shimmered with a bluish energy and Charizard lashed out, crashing the tail like a battering ram in a sweeping move that knocked Abomasnow clean off its feet. The ground shook as Abomasnow slumped onto its side, leaving the ice-type totally exposed.

Charizard let out a brutish growl and on Ash's command, unleashed a breath of azure flames. The fire struck the ground in front of Abomasnow and trailed up, encircling the downed Frost Tree Pokémon in a searing blaze. Confidence radiated off of Charizard and the dragon continued to pump out punishing flame, wanting nothing more than to put Abomasnow out of the fight at this very moment.

But of course, that wasn't meant to be.

Candice's voice was difficult to hear over the roar of Charizard's Flamethrower, but a mere second after she was finished shouting, four slim, glowing vines launched from the inferno surrounding Abomasnow, latching onto Charizard at different body parts. The Giga Drain attack then went to work, sucking out Charizard's energy as if it were water from a stream. The circle of blue flames parted and Abomasnow's furious face was revealed, energy pumping into its giant body from the Giga Drain arms.

"No!" Ash snapped, "Charizard, Steel Wing!"

Charizard cried with desperation and slashed the Giga Drain arms off of its body with two well-placed Steel Wings, but the damage was already done. The playing field was once again leveled.

"Abomasnow, Ice Beam!"

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their respective attacks, and the blasts collided head-on before fighting against each other. As the attacks weakened, Ash made the next move, hoping to catch Candice and Abomasnow off-guard.

"Charizard, use Slash!"

Charizard launched forward like a cannonball, still breathing fire, and lifted over Abomasnow's failing Ice Beam attack. The last of Charizard's fiery breath trailed up Abomasnow's front, creating a smokescreen as the dragon zipped in with unexpected speed, raking three powerful claws across the ice-type's face.

Charizard swooped up and away from Abomasnow's reach as the giant Frost Tree Pokémon stumbled backward, snarling with angry irritation. The smoke stung Abomasnow's eyes, blinding it to Charizard's next approach.

Ash called for a Wing Attack run, and Charizard executed the move to perfection, following up with a Steel Wing only seconds later. Abomasnow thrashed, all semblance of coordination having gone out the window.

"Charizard, use Dragon Tail again!"

Candice, having finally had enough, barked an order to Abomasnow, "Use Wood Hammer!"

Abomasnow was still struggling to see, but the ice-type nevertheless readied a Wood Hammer. Charizard dove in with Dragon Tail at the ready, banking on Abomasnow still not being able to see. Abomasnow waited patiently as Charizard drew near, gently closing its eyes and focusing on trying to _hear_ Charizard. The whooshing of air just to Abomasnow's right rang loud and clear in the ice-type's hidden ears, and with unexpected swiftness, Abomasnow lashed out at an angle to the right, striking home with its blind Wood Hammer. The crushing grass-type move collided with Charizard's neck, burying the dragon into the ground.

"Crap!" Ash snapped, "Charizard, get out of there!"

"Abomasnow, stop 'em cold with a Blizzard!" Candice ordered. Abomasnow struck first, unleashing a close-quarters Blizzard that rained down on Charizard's downed body, nearly freezing the fire-type to its place on the ground. Bombardments of snow and ice crashed down onto Charizard, dealing heavy damage thanks to the merciless close-up blast.

"Charizard, c'mon! I know you can push through this!" Ash yelled, "If you can hear me, if you've still got a little fight in you, get up and use Slash!"

The command rang loud and clear in Charizard's ears, and it ignited a sudden resolve. Energy poured out of seemingly nowhere into Charizard's claws as the dragon readied a Slash attack. A bluish aura appeared around the fire-type's claws, strengthening them and making them both longer and more powerful. Abomasnow's Blizzard attack started to weaken, and Charizard took the opportunity to launch upward at an angle, raking two clawed hands across Abomasnow's face and digging deep. Charizard put a little extra _oomph_ into his push-off, knocking Abomasnow backward before flying off into the air. The energy continued to surge off of Charizard's claws, growing larger until it surrounded Charizard in a thin outline.

"What…what's going on with Charizard?" Zoey asked, her eyes locked on the aura around its claws and body.

"I have no idea…" Dawn managed, "M-Maybe the Pokédex will have something about this."

Dawn whipped out her pink-colored Pokédex, immediately pointing the device at Charizard. Her Pokédex had been upgraded like Ash's when they met with Professor Rowan about a year ago, giving the both of them a wealth of extra information on Mega-Evolved Pokémon. Interestingly enough, neither of them had ever had the idea to make use of it. The portable Pokémon encyclopedia scanned Charizard in a mere second and came up with data only a few seconds after the fact, immediately reading off what it had found in a feminine robotic voice.

" _Readings indicate that Mega Charizard X has activated its special ability: Tough Claws. Tough Claws increases Charizard_ _'_ _s physical power, making its contact attacks stronger and more damaging._ _"_

"So this is Charizard's special ability!" Dawn repeated, "Charizard's just gotten a huge edge!"

Down on the field, Ash didn't hear any of the discoveries being made by his two spectators, though he had noticed the strange aura growing around Charizard's body, and he knew it wasn't coming from him. He wouldn't cheat like that, no matter what the circumstances were.

"Hey, Charizard!" Ash howled. The power-packed dragon snapped its gaze around, puffing a strain of smoke, "I'm not sure what's going on with you right now, but I'm liking it! Ready to win this thing?"

Charizard gave a low screech and then focused back on Abomasnow, who was staggering back to its feet, the pain of Charizard's brutal Slash attack still stinging its face. The pain only made the Frost Tree Pokémon angrier, though, and Abomasnow released a rattling roar that echoed around the Battle Room.

"Charizard, let's give 'em what he wants!" Ash barked with a grin, "Use Dragon Claw!"

Charizard zoomed forward with its claws outstretched, greenish energy combining with the aura of Tough Claws to produce a mixed color around the dragon's menacing digits.

"Abomasnow, Ice Beam!"

"Charizard, dodge that!"

Abomasnow spat a forked Ice Beam and Charizard barrel-rolled out of the way. Abomasnow simply followed the dragon's trail, but the ice-type wasn't nimble enough to keep up as Charizard swooped around behind Abomasnow. Abomasnow cut off its Ice Beam and whirled its gaze to the right once Charizard escaped its limited field of vision, only to find that the dragon was already racing at it from the ground, speeding just a few inches off of the ice.

"Flamethrower!" Ash yelled. Charizard cut off its impending Dragon Claw attack and unleashed a column of punishing blue flames, maneuvering up across Abomasnow's side in order to spit fire along the largest possible area. Abomasnow roared furiously and staggered back, trying futilely to ward off the scorching fire.

"Dragon Tail!" Ash ordered as Charizard appeared near the other side of Abomasnow's head. Charizard obeyed with stunning quickness, shifting around and wrecking Abomasnow's head sideways with a brutal, timely Dragon Tail. Abomasnow reeled and stumbled, crashing down into the ice.

"Abomasnow!" Candice cried frantically, "Use Ice Beam!"

Despite being on the ground, Abomasnow focused on Charizard—who had landed on the ground—and spat a chilling blast of ice, hoping to deal some kind of damage, no matter how small.

"Block with Steel Wing!" Ash shouted. He'd come up with using Steel Wing in a defensive way during one of their training sessions after their first loss to Abomasnow, but they hadn't quite had the chance to use it effectively yet. Although the tactic had worked well enough in practice against Ash's Glalie, the teen wasn't certain how well it would work against a stronger and more experienced foe like Mega Abomasnow.

Charizard's wings glowed with steely energy and the dragon folded them in front of its body, forming a shield out of its wings just in time as the Ice Beam collided. A biting chill crawled across Charizard's wings and up the dragon's body, but Charizard remained steadfast until the attack finally weakened.

"Now, let's finish this!" Ash cried, "Use Wing Attack!"

Charizard exploded forward, meaning to deal the finishing blow before Abomasnow could react. Candice had seen it coming, though.

"Giga Drain!"

The dreaded energy-sucking arms of Giga Drain snaked out from under Abomasnow's thick, snowy coat, and with a silent command they rushed out to meet Charizard. Ash grimaced and called off Charizard's move. "Charizard, abort!"

Charizard dove to the side and launched into the air, but Abomasnow waited with Giga Drain at the ready. Charizard circled, reappearing up and to the left of Abomasnow's eyes, and the Frost Tree Pokémon sent the Giga Drain appendages flying at Charizard. The dragon growled and spun out of the way of the first and second arms. The third Giga Drain snake latched onto Charizard's leg, immediately beginning to suck away energy as the fourth one joined in.

Charizard snapped. Fury poured into its veins, a threatening blue flame appearing in its crimson eyeballs. He would _not_ be set back like this again. Without any sort of command, Charizard readied a Steel Wing and chopped downward, managing to cut one of the two Giga Drain arms from its body. The last one hung on defiantly, but it was close enough to Charizard's arm that the dragon slashed it away with—appropriately—a Slash attack.

Once that part of the job was done, Charizard reared back its neck, summoning all of the strength in its body. Anger fueled a blue glow just in front of the dragon's jaws, a glow that expanded into a seemingly-unholy fire. Charizard unleashed the attack and a column of azure flames erupted from its mouth, singing on its way to the ground before it impacted Abomasnow with an earth-shattering force. There was an explosion at the point of impact, and Charizard spilled the last of its fiery breath through a thick cloud of smoke. Blue flames lapped at the air for a few seconds before turning orange as they cooled, and the thick smoke cleared just a few seconds after that as Charizard carefully descended to the ground.

Mega Abomasnow was slumped onto its massive side, one of the ice pillars protruding from its back half-buried into the icy ground. The Frost Tree Pokémon was completely unconscious.

" _Abomasnow is unable to battle! The winner is Charizard, which means the battle goes to Ash from Pallet Town!_ _"_

" _Yeah!_ We did it!" Ash celebrated. Charizard stamped its foot on the ground and roared triumphantly, burning off the last of its fury in doing so. A sphere of multicolored light appeared out of thin air around Charizard's body, churning with energy and projecting the Mega Evolution symbol into the air before disappearing. Along with it vanished Charizard's Mega-Evolved features, returning the fire-type's orange-and-cream skin and the rest of its normal body. Instantly after, the dragon slumped forward. Charizard's arms flew out to break its fall, and the dragon retained its consciousness. The energy expense from such a prolonged state of Mega Evolution had been enormous. Charizard would need a good, long rest at the Pokémon Center to get back to full strength. Luckily, he had absolutely earned one.

Candice approached Ash and escorted him, Dawn, and Zoey out of the Snowpoint Gym. Despite losing the battle, she was glowing. Today, she'd gotten another glimpse at the bond that Ash shared with his Pokémon, and she'd born witness to the deepest depths of his team's strength. It pleased her, and she could tell that he had bright things ahead of him.

The sun was nearly at its apex in the sky, signaling that high noon was almost upon the city. It would be lunchtime soon, probably even sooner for Ash. Candice strayed from the group and grabbed a light blue bike from the rack along the nearby wall. She put her other hand around the handlebars of a red bike before skipping back to the group with both in tow. The red bike, Ash and Dawn soon learned, belonged to Zoey. Candice handed the Top Coordinator her bike and turned to Ash, that usual competitive fire in her eyes.

"Ash, I just want to say that that battle was absolutely thrilling. Your whole team put all of their kiai into it, especially your Charizard!" Candice beamed, "I'm really looking forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future. I assume you'll be headed to challenge Volkner in Sunyshore City next?"

"That's on the to-do list," Ash answered, "But first we're stopping in Celestic Town for a Contest."

"I'll be competing for my fifth Ribbon!" Dawn added.

Candice smiled sweetly, exchanging a glance with Zoey, "That's wonderful, Dawn. Zo-Zo and I will be sure to watch it. She's been telling me about how much you've improved. I just know that the both of you have amazing things ahead of you."

"That means the world to us, Candice." Ash said with a smile. Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways. I've got a meeting with the mayor to get to, and then I've got another challenger scheduled for a regular Gym match." Candice explained, "So I'd best be off."

"Bye, Candice." Ash answered.

"It's been great seeing you again," Dawn added, "I hope everything is going well…what with everything that's happened."

"Thank you, Dawn. Things are much better now than they were. We're stronger because of what happened at the hands of Team Rocket." Candice said. With a final farewell, she took her leave, pedaling off down the neatly-kept dirt road and heading in the direction of the city.

"Unlike Candice, I've got nothing on my plate." Zoey spoke up, "What do you guys say we get some lunch?"

"Heck yeah!" Ash answered immediately. He looked up at Pikachu, grinning ridiculously, "Ya hear that, Pikachu? It's officially lunchtime."

" _Pi-Pikachu!_ _"_

Ash bolted down the road, totally unawares to the fact that Dawn and Zoey weren't following. The two young women watched him run with dumbfounded looks.

"I see that Ash still has his appetite." Zoey remarked.

As Zoey mounted her bike, Dawn smirked, stifling a chuckle as she answered, "Some things never change."

* * *

 **And we're done-zo! Ash got his win over Candice, he's finally figured out Mega Evolution, and there's only one more Gym Leader to take down until the Sinnoh League! We're headed to Celestic Town next, where Dawn will be vying for her fifth and final Ribbon, the last one before she can qualify for the Grand Festival.**

 **Now for some bad news. It's probably going to be another month before I can crank out an update. I don't like this any more than you guys do, but final exams are coming up and I have got to buckle down and focus on that. I'd much rather be writing for you guys though. Real life sucks. Until then, though, have an awesome Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it), and eat as much good food as you can manage. I know I will.**

 **If you liked this chapter, how about typing up a review in the box below and telling me all about it? Tell me what you liked in this chapter, what you would want to see in future chapters, tell me all the goods. If you didn't like this chapter, also tell me why in the box below. I'll read them all the same and your feedback is important to me. With that in mind, until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	65. Ribbons and Relationships

**And, we're back with Chapter 65! The Celestic Town Contest is here, and with it comes a few old fellow Coordinators, a climactic battle, and a big moment between our two favorite Trainers (hint, it's some _long_ overdue Pearlshipping. I hope I've done it justice and you guys enjoy it. You've all waited a long time for it).**

 **dhun2302: Thanks. I intend to finish this story no matter how long it takes. To your Mega Evolution question, I figured the 1 Pokémon only rule applied only to Pokémon battling. So that will be the rule in official battles. What happened last chapter wasn't quite that. Also, originally I was going to only give Ash Charizardite Y, for the exact same reason you mentioned. But in the end I decided to let Ash have both Mega Stones so that he can work with both forms thanks to their different strengths and weaknesses. Ash's Charizard will also evolve into his Mega Y form in the future. Thanks for your continued support!**

 **Dragon King Rouga: ditto ^**

 **Lance Curry: Nope, no Tyranitarite. Crayton and his gang weren't affiliated with Team Rocket anymore, no, so they were pretty much just poachers trying to make their money doing the only thing they knew how to do. More than anything, though, they were really just a means to an end. I also don't intend to bring back Giovanni, though I would consider visiting his present situation, or something like the immediate aftermath of Spear Pillar for him. Maybe I could write a decent-length epilogue about it when everything is said and done. Love that you enjoyed the Mega Battle so much. I had a lot of fun writing it. Hope you enjoy what's in store. Thanks for your continued support!**

 **Without further ado, hope you guys enjoy Chapter 65! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 65_

 _Ribbons and Relationships_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region**_ _ **–**_ _ **Celestic Town**_

The applause and the shouting of the thousands of Contest fans echoed throughout the domed stadium of Contest Hall, so loud that it leaked into the locker rooms below. Today's Contest would be a star-studded one; the local news had reported that the thirty-two Coordinators entered in the Contest had over 60 Ribbons between them. Dawn had not been fazed by this knowledge, instead, she loved the prospect of the challenge.

So, there she was, expertly grooming Buneary's fur. The cheerful Rabbit Pokémon stood calmly in Dawn's lap, her toes clenching and unclenching as she listened intently to the thumping applause outside. The noise was giving her energy, and Buneary was ready to show her skill to the apparently huge crowd.

"You hear them, Buneary? They're waiting to see what you've got." Dawn said as she brushed the normal-type's hair, feeding the Rabbit Pokémon with confidence.

" _They_ _'_ _re going to be sorely disappointed._ _"_

Dawn stopped mid-brush, her lips curling into a snarl as she scowled. Dawn craned her neck and laid her eyes on Ursula, which only made the blue-haired Coordinator roll her eyes. They always did this dance when they were competing in the same Contest, and it had really started to get old.

"Ursula. Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Dawn grumbled, "Do you always have to interrupt me when I'm prepping my Pokémon so you can make some nasty comments?"

" _Bu-uuuun!_ _"_ Buneary agreed defensively.

"I just have to make sure that my least favorite rival knows she won't be leaving today with a Ribbon." Ursula said.

"Least favorite, huh? Believe me, Ursula, the feeling is mutual." Dawn fired back as she started grooming Buneary again, "I really don't care what you have to say. Actions speak louder than words, and just about every time you've said stuff like that, I've won a Ribbon."

Ursula scrunched up her face in disgust, and without anything else to say, she turned around and stormed off, returning Dawn to her peaceful solitude. She brushed Buneary's fur for a few more moments and then released her hold on the furry normal-type. Buneary bounded onto the bench beside Dawn, swiftly throwing on her little vest and doing a pirouette on the wooden bench.

"Buneary, you're so cute." Dawn beamed. Buneary glowed at the compliment and buried her face in her fur for a moment. In the next instant, she was impatiently bouncing on the bench, making short, rapid little jumps. She was ready to get going already!

" _Looks like you were hitting it off with that girl."_

Dawn looked to her side, locking eyes with a teenaged boy. He had messy brown hair that fell around his entire head, even sticking up characteristically in some places. A white suit over a green shirt really brought out his cocoa brown eyes, and he had an endearing, boyish smile plastered on his face.

"Maury!" Dawn beamed, standing up and walking over to hug him. This marked the first time they'd ever met outside of Alamos Town, "I'm surprised to see you here!" Dawn added, "Are Allegra and Kai with you?"

"Nope, just me." Maury answered, "Allegra and Kai have already earned five Ribbons, so they're back in their hometowns training for the Grand Festival. I'm here to try and claim my fifth." Maury proved it by sliding his slim Ribbon Case out of his pocket, popping it open and revealing four shiny Ribbons.

"Same as me!" Dawn said, revealing her equal amount of Ribbons to Maury.

"I'm excited to compete against you, then! This will be what, the first time since Alamos Town a couple years ago?"

"I think so…wow, that was almost four years ago." Dawn realized.

"It's crazy how time flies…" Maury agreed. He glanced over back at Ursula, turning to Dawn again, "Anyway, it looked like you were enjoying _quite_ a chat with her."

Maury gestured to Ursula on the other end of the room, and Dawn scowled, _"Ursula._ She's a bit of an _unfriendly_ rival of mine."

Maury chuckled, "I thought as much. She doesn't seem very… _enjoyable_ to talk to."

"I hope that you never have the displeasure of meeting her for yourself." Dawn said with bile in her voice.

"Well, that's endearing." Maury muttered.

A chime sang from the PA speakers built into the ceiling of the locker room, interrupting all conversation, _"Attention, the Performance Stage will begin in five minutes. All Coordinators should be finishing their preparations and ready to begin."_

"Well, that's my cue. I'd better get going." Maury said, "Maybe I'll see you out there."

"Count on it." Dawn answered, "But if we come face-to-face in the Battles, don't expect me to take it easy on you!"

Maury snickered, "I wouldn't have it any other way!" he called, before disappearing around the corner on his way to his own locker.

Dawn picked Buneary up in her arms and looked around the locker room, searching for familiar faces. She saw Tara, the hard-nosed blonde girl she'd beaten in Chocovine Town for her fourth Ribbon. At a locker in the corner was Zach, the young Coordinator that Dawn had first met during the Jubilife Contest last year, nervously tweaking his fashionable red bowtie. As Dawn kept looking, she realized those were about the only faces beside Ursula that she recognized.

The wide TV screen mounted on the wall blazed to life, depicting a 3-dimensional Contest Ribbon as the words 'Celestic Town Contest' were digitally scrawled around it. The graphic then zoomed in before disappearing from view, and a live feed from inside the arena took its place, filling the screen with color. Marian, Sinnoh's chief Contest commentator, held a microphone up near her lips, shouting into it with her usual pep.

" _Well, good morning to all of you out there! What an outstanding crowd we have here today!_ _"_ Marian bellowed, _"_ _Welcome to the Celestic Town Contest! We_ _'_ _ve got a truly star-studded lineup today, and I must admit I_ _'_ _m just as excited to get started as you are!_ _"_

Dawn rifled through her bag in the locker room, tuning out Marian's voice as she selected a Ball Seal from one of the pockets. She returned Buneary and then enclosed the normal-type's Poké Ball in a Ball Capsule, sticking the Seal on it as she clutched the Poké Ball.

"Buneary…" Dawn said, speaking at the silent Poké Ball, "Let's do this."

* * *

Dawn calmly walked toward the stage, unshaken by the raucous applause echoing all around her. She smiled, waving to the booming crowd. Countless flashes from cameras littered the mob, lighting up the stands for mere instants at a time. Dawn reached the back end of the stage, facing half of the Contest Hall's packed-to-the-max crowd.

" _Buneary, spotlight!_ _"_

Dawn threw the Poké Ball directly out in front of her. The capsule popped open, spilling radiant pink hearts into the air. Buneary materialized from the light that accompanied those hearts, surrounded by a veil of them before landing cleanly on the ground and posing. The Rabbit Pokémon's vest blew about for a quick second as the air flew up through it.

"Buneary, use Bounce!" Dawn ordered. The normal-type posed and then rocketed up into the air, waiting for Dawn's follow-up command. They'd worked on this for some time.

"Now, use Ice Beam all around the stage!"

Buneary looked down at the ground far below her, immediately spitting a beam of ice down at it. The cold energy spread rapidly, freezing everything in its path and creating a large frozen section. Buneary then focused on a single spot on the stage, spewing her Ice Beam enough that the energy began to build up into a surprisingly well-made ramp. Buneary quickly descended, channeling the power of gravity and positioning herself so that she would fly down towards the ramp.

Buneary landed with stunning grace, sliding down the incline and onto the large frozen patch she'd created. The Rabbit Pokémon took care to be light on her feet, and with just a few slight motions, she was skating in circles around the perimeter of the stage, posing cutely and executing graceful, acrobatic tricks that clearly wowed the audience.

Buneary soon came to a stop, executing a perfect "hockey stop" right at Dawn's side before making one more pose. Dawn mirrored Buneary's look, and the crowd broke into loud, approving applause. The judges exchanged looks and examined the crowd as Dawn returned Buneary and waved to her supporters before skipping along off the stage and back behind the curtains. Marian's voice echoed behind her, recapping Dawn's Performance Stage act and preparing to welcome the next Coordinator.

* * *

" _Pachirisu, catch yourself and use Discharge!_ _"_

Pachirisu dodged the enemy Yanmega's Steel Wing, vaulting up and over the giant Ogre Darner Pokémon. The little electric-type latched onto the last of the fin-like plates decorating Yanmega's head and abdomen. Once Pachirisu had a firm hold, she tensed and unleashed the damaging electricity built up inside her small body. The lightning surged around Yanmega, frying the large bug-type and immediately directing Yanmega to the ground.

"Super Fang!" Dawn yelled.

Pachirisu reared back her head, channeling the last bit of energy she had. Her buckteeth extended, sharpening and glowing with energy, and tendrils of lightning visibly began to coil around the Super Fang as if it were a lightning rod. The combination was working perfectly! Pachirisu lurched down, spearing the electrified Super Fang through Yanmega's back. With perfect timing, Pachirisu launched off of the Ogre Darner Pokémon's back, leaning with her shoulder and rolling across the ground as Yanmega crashed unceremoniously into the dirt.

The dust cleared and Yanmega laid still on the ground. The clock stopped with 45 seconds remaining and announced Dawn's victory. Though she'd nearly locked up the win already through points, knocking out Yanmega put Dawn and Pachirisu in the clear without any doubt. As Dawn and Pachirisu celebrated, Marian sang for all to hear into her microphone.

" _Dawn and Pachirisu defeat Umberto and his Yanmega in spectacular fashion, punching their ticket to the semifinals of the Celestic Town Contest!_ _"_

The crowd applauded and Dawn waved to the crowd, mirrored by Pachirisu. _"Chi-pa!"_ chattered the electric squirrel, bounding up and down as she waved. Dawn giggled and ran back to the curtains with Pachirisu, returning the electric-type once they were out of sight.

Dawn trotted into the locker room, scanning it. The remaining Coordinators that had been eliminated in the previous rounds had gone, with only those from the quarterfinals remaining. With three of the four quarterfinal battles now over, there were three Coordinators left rifling their belongings into their bags, preparing to leave the venue for good.

Dawn saw Zach stuffing his bag with his things, his face scrunched up in both defeat and disgust. The light-brown-headed boy muttered to himself as he crammed a box of Ball Seals into the bag.

"Zach?"

Zach looked up at her, smiling sheepishly, "Oh, hiya, Dawn."

"You okay?" Dawn asked quickly, "I saw you before the Contest started, but haven't been able to come say hi."

Zach's smile turned into a frown, "No. I just lost my quarterfinal. All I ever do is lose!"

Zach kicked the locker in front of him for good measure before zipping up his bag. Dawn frowned and answered, "Hey, I understand where you're coming from. I struggled a lot with Contests early on. Listen, how many Ribbons do you have?"

"…Three." Zach muttered.

"That's good! It's only one less than me." Dawn said with a smile, "So you don't always lose, Zach. Experience is the best teacher. You can still easily qualify for the Grand Festival in May if you work hard and believe in your Pokémon."

After several seconds of silence, a smile crept onto Zach's face. He threw the straps of his backpack around his shoulders and turned to Dawn, beaming, "You know what, Dawn? You're right. I can still do this."

"That's the spirit, Zach!"

Dawn brought up her hand and high-fived Zach. From there, the young Coordinator trotted out of the locker room, an unrelenting smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he disappeared from view.

* * *

Dawn stared Tara down from across the empty battlefield, holding one Poké Ball in each of her hands. The people in charge of the Celestic Town Contest had come up with an interesting wrench in the competition's format, changing the Battle Stage to a double battle format at the semifinal round, whereas the two previous rounds (and the Performance Stage) had only allowed a single Pokémon for each Coordinator.

Tara called on her Pokémon first, arcing both Poké Balls into the air, _"_ _Jigglypuff, Yanma, it_ _'_ _s battlin_ _'_ _time!_ _"_

Dawn mirrored Tara, calling on her two chosen Pokémon, _"_ _Absol, Togekiss, spotlight!_ _"_

Tara's Jigglypuff and Yanma were launched from their Poké Balls surrounded by a veil of musical notes. On Dawn's end, Absol leaped into the field surrounded by heavy black mist while Togekiss spiraled into the air in a burst of bold pink hearts. The Jubilee Pokémon sang gleefully before drifting down to rest beside Absol, staring at the two opponent Pokémon. Absol in particular watched with an unnerving glare, analyzing its pair of adversaries for any potential weaknesses. The Disaster Pokémon huffed, its thick white fur seemingly dancing in the artificial breeze of the stadium's air conditioning. This was Absol's first-ever Contest appearance, and admittedly, the reserved dark-type wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The explanations Dawn had offered and the training Absol had undergone was nothing short of unusual.

" _What a diverse selection of Pok_ _é_ _mon!_ _"_ Marian shouted into the microphone, _"_ _With the signal from our judges, we_ _'_ _ll be ready to get this battle underway!_ _"_

Not a moment later, the judges off to the side gave the okay, and a bell rang twice to signal the start of the match. Tara responded immediately, "Jigglypuff, use Rollout on Absol. Yanma, help out Jigglypuff with Tailwind!"

Yanma buzzed its way backward as Jigglypuff readied itself, coiling up into a ball and rushing forward. Yanma beat its wings with impressive speed, generating a powerful gust of wind from behind its body that caused Jigglypuff to noticeably accelerate across the field.

"Togekiss, get in front of Absol and use Safeguard."

Togekiss lofted over to Absol leisurely, arriving in plenty of time and generating a Safeguard veil that would be sure to make Jigglypuff bounce right back to where it had come from. Instead, though, Tara called for a counter, as if she'd expected Dawn to respond this way.

"Jigglypuff, jump over that Safeguard and use Pound." Tara ordered coolly.

Jigglypuff stopped rolling and planted its feet, bounding well over the reach of Togekiss' Safeguard wall and landing right behind Absol. The Disaster Pokémon flinched and whirled around, but Jigglypuff was already attacking, landing a strong Pound attack right into Absol's chest. Despite coming from such a small Pokémon, the hit was a powerful one, and it sent Absol off of its feet, crashing into Togekiss as a result. Jigglypuff jeered at the two Pokémon in response and Dawn lost a piece of her points.

Dawn gritted her teeth, silently acknowledging Tara's quick thinking as she came up with a response of her own, "Absol, get back up and use Dark Pulse!"

Absol scrambled to its feet, glaring angrily at Jigglypuff. How dare that round furball strike it! The Disaster Pokémon planted its feet and spat a nasty Dark Pulse, leaving only a mere second for Tara to respond. Somehow, the blonde Coordinator managed it.

"Jigglypuff, dodge!"

Jigglypuff chose to launch itself high into the air to avoid the Dark Pulse, which cut cleanly through the thin air that was left behind and struck nothing, sacrificing another small dash of Dawn's points.

Dawn grinned at Jigglypuff's folly. Leaping into the air like that left Jigglypuff totally exposed, and fortunately, accuracy was no problem at all for Absol.

" _Psycho Cut._ _"_ Dawn commanded, a smile already appearing on her face. Absol snapped its teeth and locked its eyes on Jigglypuff's airborne form. The dark-type bounded forward and then reared back, its curved horn suddenly shimmering with pinkish energy. With one swing of Absol's head, the Psycho Cut attack rushed up into the air, leading Jigglypuff on perfectly and making contact in the middle of the Balloon Pokémon's descent. A powerful explosion ripped out through the air after the collision, and Jigglypuff tumbled out of the ensuing smoke cloud with none of the grace it had ascended with, crashing into the ground and bouncing like a basketball back towards Tara.

Tara lost a chunk of her points, tying her back up with Dawn as Marian applauded the move, _"_ _Wow! An outstandingly accurate Psycho Cut from Absol avenges Jigglypuff_ _'_ _s early hit!_ _"_

"Togekiss, use Aura Sphere on Jigglypuff."

Togekiss sang and lifted into the air, spiraling gracefully as she generated a shimmering ball of Aura above her head. The pulsing sphere blazed toward Jigglypuff's grounded form, threatening to compound the damage that had been taken on by Absol's Psycho Cut.

"Yanma, use Detect!"

Yanma buzzed in front of Jigglypuff protectively, narrowing the pupils of its huge eyes. Something glittered in those pupils, and a dim glow appeared around the bug-type, stopping the Aura Sphere in its tracks before it could make contact. The ball of energy harmlessly disintegrated, and Tara quickly followed with another command.

"Now, Yanma, use Bug Buzz on Togekiss!" Tara ordered. The Clear Wing Pokémon took off and Tara turned her sights to Jigglypuff, who had now recovered from the damage of Psycho Cut, "Jigglypuff, run circles around Absol with Rollout."

Jigglypuff went off to the races, charging at Absol once again by rolling rapidly along the ground. The Balloon Pokémon circled the Disaster Pokémon from a moderate distance, kicking up dirt and creating a decent dust devil in its wake. The spiraling dirt began to circle around Absol, confusing the dark-type and obscuring its view of Jigglypuff. Up in the sky, Yanma relentlessly harassed Togekiss, striking her with damaging energy waves from its wings and zipping back and forth between the Jubilee Pokémon's blind spots, compounding the damage of the attack. As Jigglypuff's dust devil intensified, Dawn saw a large piece of her points decrease.

Gritting her teeth, Dawn called out to her Pokémon one by one, "Togekiss, get Yanma off of you with Air Slash!" The Jubilee Pokémon cooed with slight irritation, finally fed up with Yanma's harassment. Togekiss' two wings glowed with bright bluish energy and Togekiss did a quick barrel roll, sending out a beautiful two-pronged Air Slash that spiraled in the air that brutally slashed at Yanma from all sides. With the annoying bug-type now off of her, Togekiss swooped downward toward the dust devil raging on the field.

"Absol, use Dark Pulse on the ground!" Dawn ordered above the roar of the unnatural dust devil. She watched as Jigglypuff's small, round form continued to circle around the whirlwind's perimeter, waiting for Absol to respond. As Jigglypuff moved to complete yet another round, an explosion of black energy ripped out across the ground, spreading out in an instant and beaming Jigglypuff away. The dust devil, now deprived of its source, quickly receded, once again revealing Absol to the crowd.

" _Sol!_ _"_ the dark-type Pokémon barked gruffly. Tara's points dropped, but she was still slightly ahead of Dawn. Togekiss landed a few feet away from Absol, cooing.

"Absol, Togekiss, let's go! Use Night Slash and Sky Attack, together!"

As Absol and Togekiss quickly advanced, Tara moved to counter, "Jigglypuff, meet Absol head-on with Gyro Ball. Yanma, go for a ride!"

Yanma zipped over and latched onto Jigglypuff's head just before the Balloon Pokémon coiled up her body and spun outward like a top. Silvery energy formed a protective layer around the pair, completely obscuring Jigglypuff and making it appear as if Yanma were riding atop a ball of light. As a result, Absol and Togekiss both advanced to the same point with the intent of meeting their two opponents together.

Togekiss arrived first, and on Tara's immediate command, Yanma leaped off of Jigglypuff's head and executed a perfect Bug Bite, sinking its small yet sharp teeth into the scruff of Togekiss' neck. The Jubilee Pokémon cried out in pain and swooped away from Jigglypuff, leaving only Absol racing at the spinning Balloon Pokémon. Absol instinctively reared up and allowed Jigglypuff to come to him before bearing down on the normal-type with sharp claws bathed in shadow. Jigglypuff flattened under the strike and fought back with spirited Pound attacks, but Absol was much too fast and accurate. After landing his fill of Night Slashes, Absol followed up with a Psycho Cut, jettisoning Jigglypuff away once again.

Meanwhile, Togekiss was struggling mightily with Yanma. The Clear Wing Pokémon continued to bite painfully down into Togekiss' delicate skin. With a worried look, Dawn turned her focus up to Togekiss, calling out to the usually-graceful fairy-type.

"Togekiss, stay calm! Throw Yanma off of you by spinning!"

Togekiss mustered enough of her nerves to spin violently through the air, almost reaching the rafters at the arena's ceiling. With a sudden jerk, Togekiss felt Yanma's grip loosen, and the Jubilee Pokémon chose to use her Safeguard move, a decision that instantly removed Yanma's small jaws from her body. The bug-type fell through the air, flapping its wings rapidly to regain control.

"Sky Attack!" Dawn howled, "Absol, help Togekiss out and use Dark Pulse!"

Togekiss bolted forward, an aura of destructive energy crackling to life around her irregularly-shaped body. Not a moment later, a black beam connected with the Dark Pulse, spreading its foul aura around the attack and turning Togekiss into a meteor of black energy streaking across the sky.

" _Ah!_ Um, Yanma, use Ancient Power!" Tara stammered. The Clear Wing Pokémon obeyed and summoned large boulders out of thin air, lobbing them at the fast-approaching Togekiss. The Jubilee Pokémon only squinted, her veins burning with furious resolve as she crashed head-on into the first boulder and shattered it, passing through a cloud of dusty rubble and colliding with the next one. The same result followed until Togekiss crashed into Yanma, dealing the maximum brunt of the Dark Sky Attack combination. Yanma ricocheted off of Togekiss' body and fell like an anvil, going limp in midair.

It was hardly a question when the bug-type hit the ground unceremoniously, and the swirls that appeared in Yanma's large eyes only confirmed what everyone expected. Yanma was unable to battle anymore, leaving Jigglypuff all alone against two obviously superior opponents. The rest of the time on the clock soon ran out, with Tara playing a humiliating game of keep away with only a few attempts at attacks in the process. Although Jigglypuff did manage a few good hits, Absol and Togekiss were too strong, too fast, and too coordinated, and it showed on the scoreboard, which didn't favor Tara in the slightest.

Dawn spent the next several minutes preparing for her match in the final round, her back turned to the television screen in the locker room. Once she was done closing her two chosen Poké Balls in Ball Capsules, she slapped two choice Seals on the covers and glanced at the TV. Maury was on the screen, in the final minute against his battle with Ursula. Maury was using his Torterra and a Roserade against Ursula's tag team of Flareon and Vaporeon.

" _Roserade, use Magical Leaf, and Torterra, use Leaf Storm!_ _"_ Maury ordered. The two grass-types worked together, the large Torterra, pointing his Leaf Storm upward rather than out as Roserade mixed a burst of glowing leaves into the vortex. The result was a shimmering vortex of rainbow-colored leaves. The crowd marveled at the sight and Torterra through the glowing Leaf Storm at its two opponents. Flareon and Vaporeon moved to dodge in a panic, but still each took a decent hit from the powerful whirlwind. The battle continued until the time on the clock expired, and the camera feed on the TV switched to a view of the scoreboard.

Maury led by a small margin, and he broke a huge grin when he was declared the winner. Only a few moments later, Maury burst into the locker room, glowing as he met Dawn's eyes.

"So, it looks like we're going to see each other out there, after all." Dawn said with a grin.

"I can't wait!" Maury beamed, "We've never gotten the chance to battle each other in a Contest."

Just then, Ursula slipped in through the curtains blocking off the locker room, absolutely fuming as usual. She threw a glare in Dawn's direction, catching her attention. Maury noticed Dawn's distraction and turned around, smiling warmly as he saw Ursula.

"Hi, there. I just wanted to thank you for the battle," Maury said, extending a hand to Ursula, "My name's Maury."

"Yeah, I knew that." Ursula said with a scowl. She deliberately passed over Maury's handshake, stalking over to her locker and swinging open the door as she reached for her bag. Maury threw Dawn a puzzled look, surprised by Ursula's lack of sportsmanship. The peach-haired Coordinator threw her backpack over her shoulders and tucked away the last of her Poké Balls, running a hand through her coiled peach locks.

"Just so you know, you got _lucky_." Ursula growled, "Next time, you won't be beating me."

Ursula stalked out of the room, practically spewing steam from her ears. Maury frowned, "Well, she's a character."

"Ursula and I have history. She's not the type to humbly accept defeat and be gracious about it." Dawn answered, scowling.

"Noted…" Maury said, "Well, I'm going to go get my Pokémon ready. I'll see you out there."

"See you, Maury." Dawn answered, "Remember, I'm not taking it easy on you!"

"Me neither." Maury assured her before disappearing around a corner to the other section of the locker room.

* * *

Ash leaned back in his front row seat, fighting the urge to prop his feet up on the short wall in front of him. Pikachu and Riolu sat on either side of him, left to their own devices. The floodlights in the arena suddenly shut off, drowning the stadium in blackness for a few seconds before a single shaft of light blazed down from a large bulb underneath the jumbotron, shining its glow down on the center of the battlefield. Marian stood gracefully and smiled, her radiant teeth glinting in the spotlight as she greeted the crowd once again.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we're finally here: the final round of the Celestic Town Contest!"_ Marian declared, drawing an approving roar from the crowd before she continued, "It's been an exciting, star-studded Contest, and we're confident that this final round will be quite the spectacle! Both of our finalist Coordinators have already obtained four Ribbons, meaning that when this battle is over, one of these ultra-talented Coordinators will punch their ticket to the Grand Festival!"

The crowd erupted again, eating up the prospect of a true all-star Contest Battle just minutes away from starting. Marian basked in the crowd's applause and then gestured to the Contest crew that was shrouded in darkness. Another spotlight flicked on, shining down on an empty patch of ground.

"And now, it's about time we introduced our finalists." Marian decided, "In the red corner, as cool as he is stylish, hailing from Eterna City, give it up for Maury!"

The crowd broke out into frenzied applause as a shape emerged from the curtains on one side of the stadium. The shape belonged to a teenage boy, clad in a conservative, stylish white suit jacket over an eye-popping green shirt. His light brown hair was parted to the side, but it still retained its boyish messiness. Maury flashed a smile, waving to the crowd and spinning one of his two Poké Balls on the tip of his finger.

As the crowd gradually quieted, Marian turned her sights to the other end of the stadium. An identical spotlight flicked on, illuminating an identical empty space of dirt just like Maury's spotlight had. Ash's eyes—already well-adjusted to the darkness filling the rest of the stadium—spied the curtains shifting as someone walked out. Right on cue, Marian welcomed Maury's opponent.

"And in the blue corner, talented and beautiful, following in the footsteps of her legendary mother…hailing from Twinleaf Town, let's hear your welcome to Dawn!"

The applause offered to Maury had been quite strong, but it had nothing on Dawn's. Almost everyone in the crowd knew who Dawn was; she was a regular who had long since made her mark, though the ultimate prize of Coordinating had still eluded her. The stadium itself vibrated with the roaring. Even Maury looked around in awe, gazing at the shifting crowd as they let everyone know who they favored. But rather than be intimidated or upset, Maury glanced at Dawn from across the field and smirked. He was ready to claim his fifth Ribbon, and no amount of applause would faze him.

Marian trotted off of the dirt battlefield and her spotlight went out just before the rest of the lights in Contest Hall flicked back on. The crowd somehow amped it up even more as the lights returned and the two Coordinators on the field inched forward to their battle boxes.

"Woo! Go Dawn!" Ash hollered.

" _Pika-pi!"_

" _Rio-lu, Ri!"_

The rest of the crowd's roaring effectively drowned out the trio's hollers of support, the men, women, and children flailing excitedly as each passing second drew them closer to the match.

* * *

Dawn stepped foot into the neatly carved-out battle box, staring down her opponent from across the field. Her skin shook under the strain of the raucous applause echoing from every corner of the stadium, but other than that she remained steadfast. From across the field, Maury gave a courteous nod. Whatever happened in the next five minutes, he truly hoped that it would be a hard-fought battle.

Without wasting another second, Maury called on his Pokémon, slinging two identical Poké Balls out onto the field. _"Gardevoir, Gligar, it's showtime!"_

Dawn matched him, _"Ambipom, Quilava, spotlight!"_

There was only a brief moment of silence before Marian called for the battle to begin. The clock started winding down, ticking off a few seconds before Maury made the first move.

"Gligar, use Feint Attack!"

Gligar gave a toothy smile and blazed through the still air. Once the Fly Scorpion Pokémon was about halfway across the field, it suddenly vanished into thin air, fading out of the sight. Ambipom and Quilava frantically looked around, confused.

" _How intriguing! Maury opens the match with a Feint Attack, and Gligar has completely disappeared from view! Just where could Gligar be?_ _"_ Marian cried into the microphone.

"Um, Ambipom, Quilava! Watch your backs!" Dawn called, "Quilava, use Flamethrower on Gardevoir!"

Quilava huffed and opened its mouth, stirring up the scorching fires in its belly and summoning them to its throat. Orange flames coughed out of Quilava's mouth as the fire-type readied the attack, churning until they reached full power.

"Gligar, now!" Maury shouted suddenly. There was a flash of light at Quilava's side, and Gligar reappeared, slashing its hooked claws across Quilava's side. Quilava fell into the ground and cried out, wincing from the stinging pain. Gligar laughed, waggling its tongue and flying away.

"A-Ambipom, get Gligar with Swift!" Dawn managed. Ambipom obeyed, slinging a wave of shimmering golden stars after the fleeing Fly Scorpion Pokémon, but the attack fell short as Gligar escaped too quickly for the Swift to catch it. Quilava staggered to its feet, inhaling deeply and recovering from the sudden attack. The Volcano Pokémon growled in Gligar's general direction. He would not be caught like that again.

"Okay, Ambipom, Quilava, let's loosen up and get started. Quilava, circle around Ambipom with Flame Wheel, and use Flamethrower at the same time!"

Quilava purred and became enveloped in a wheel of hungry fire before racing around Ambipom. From inside the Flame Wheel, Quilava used Flamethrower, shooting stray whips of red-hot fire all around Ambipom. The flames created an attractive cone of fire around Ambipom, but that wasn't the end of the combination.

"Ambipom, use Double Hit!"

Ambipom chittered eagerly, bringing up her two tail-hands. Violet energy roared to life around the two hands and Ambipom rapidly jabbed at the fiery cone surrounding her. The punches collided with the concentrated fire and sent bullets of flame out at Gardevoir and Gligar. The crowd applauded approvingly as the fiery bullets riddled Gardevoir and Gligar, stunning both of Maury's Pokémon. Quilava stopped circling Ambipom and returned to normal, watching with a smile as Gardevoir and Gligar took the brunt of the combination attack. It had worked!

" _How impressive! Dawn and Ambipom use a combination of Quilava_ _'_ _s fire-type moves and Double Hit to deal out some long-range damage!_ _"_

Maury made his next move without hesitation, "Gardevoir, use Draining Kiss."

Dawn frowned, confused, "Draining Kiss?"

Gardevoir's form flickered and the psychic-type teleported, reappearing right beside Quilava. The feminine Embrace Pokémon batted her eyelashes, cooing at Quilava before bending down and placing an innocent kiss on the Volcano Pokémon's cheek. Quilava's vision blurred and its legs suddenly gave out as a burst of red energy left its body. Quilava crumpled to the ground and the energy seeped inside Gardevoir, energizing the psychic/fairy-type.

"Oh, no!" Dawn gasped, "Ambipom, use Focus Punch!"

Ambipom immediately pounced at Gardevoir, summoning powerful energy to her two tails and aiming at Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, Teleport!" Maury shouted. Gardevoir effortlessly vanished as Ambipom attacked, avoiding the attack easily and reappearing behind Ambipom. Ambipom turned around and flinched before attempting to attack again. Just like the last time, Gardevoir teleported away, once again reappearing close to Ambipom and taunting the Long Tail Pokémon into attacking. Each failed attack took away more of Dawn's points.

"Ambipom, stop!" Dawn cried. Ambipom flinched and turned to look back at Dawn, uncertain. With the normal-type distracted, Maury called out to Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, use Moonblast!"

Gardevoir waved her hands around and generated a bright light that pulsed with energy, quickly firing it at Ambipom's back. Ambipom whirled around, but the Moonblast simply connected with her chest, rocking the Long Tail Pokémon and slinging her across the dirt.

Ash tensed in his place in the stands, "Dawn's in trouble now," he remarked as he watched Dawn's points continue to decrease, putting Maury in a comfortable lead with 3 minutes to go.

" _Pi-ka-chu_ _…"_ Pikachu murmured, watching worriedly.

Dawn closed her mouth and tensed nervously, her brain scrambling. Maury was having his way with her in this battle, combining unexpected power with speed and trickery to gain the upper hand. Ambipom cringed, trying to stagger to her feet, as Maury ordered Gardevoir to advance. Gligar swooped in, laughing as its sloppy tongue dangled from its mouth.

The sound of an explosion echoed in the ears of both Coordinators and their Pokémon. Gardevoir and Gligar looked to their left, stunned by what they saw. A wide column of molten fire rammed into the two Pokémon, washing over them and throwing them back with explosive force. Dawn looked to the right side of the field, her eyes landing on Quilava. The Volcano Pokémon bared its teeth, digging its feet into the ground as it unleashed an Eruption attack. Gardevoir's Draining Kiss had nearly knocked Quilava out of commission so well that even Dawn had ignored the fire-type's presence. As Maury moved to corner Ambipom, he'd ignored the incapacitated fire-type, trusting too much in the effect of Draining Kiss.

The Eruption attack faded and Quilava stumbled before standing its ground and barking at Gardevoir and Gligar, who laid in a heap on the battlefield's sideline. The two Pokémon crawled to their feet, glaring at Ambipom and Quilava with furious eyes.

Dawn grinned eagerly, her veins burning with a competitive fire, "Oh, it is _so_ on…" she said.

"Gligar, use X-Scissor! Gardevoir, Moonblast!"

Dawn didn't hesitate as she answered, "Ambipom, use Double Team! Quilava, meet Gligar head-on with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava raced into the fray, wrapping itself in a wheel of fire and bounding into the air as Gligar unleashed an X-Scissor. Quilava cut right through the bug-type attack and spiraled toward the Fly Scorpion Pokémon, hitting with explosive force and sending them both down to the ground. Meanwhile, Ambipom relentlessly copied itself, causing Gardevoir to attack multiple illusions with her Moonblast attack.

"Focus Punch!" Dawn yelled to Ambipom. Out of the throng of copies, the real Ambipom zoomed forward in an instant, lunging through the air and aiming a crushing Focus Punch at Gardevoir. Maury called for Teleport, and Gardevoir escaped with ease. Turning to Gligar, Maury focused on getting Quilava off of his other Pokémon.

"Gligar, use Feint Attack!"

Gligar stopped thrashing underneath Quilava and grinned, fading out of sight quickly and then instantly reappearing at Quilava's side to land a full-force body check before taking to the air and hovering away to safety. The clock ticked down to two minutes, and Marian boomed into the microphone.

" _We_ _'_ _ve reached all-out brawl territory with only 2 minutes to go! There_ _'_ _s not much time left for either of our contestants! Just what will happen next?_ _"_

"Ambipom, use Swift! Quilava, use Flamethrower!"

Ambipom swiped her tails horizontally, spawning a wave of shimmering golden stars that rushed across the battlefield. Quilava added to the attack with a rousing Flamethrower, setting the stars alight with orange fire.

"Gardevoir, use Safeguard." Maury countered. Gardevoir sang and generated a large protective barrier that covered her and Gligar alike, deflecting the fiery Swift stars easily. As soon as the barrage was over, Maury followed with another command, "Now, Gligar, use Acrobatics on Quilava!"

Gligar zipped up into the sky, twirling and spiraling impressively through the air before dropping down from above Quilava with blinding speed.

"Ack! Ambipom, use Double Hit!"

Ambipom chattered and leaped to meet Gligar before it could attack Quilava, reaching the Fly Scorpion Pokémon in the nick of time and clobbering Gligar with a pair of critical punches. Gligar landed awkwardly a few feet away from Quilava, and Dawn decided to try out a different combination that they'd worked on.

"Ambipom, grab Quilava and use Double Team." Dawn ordered. Ambipom bounded over to Quilava and placed her tail-hands on either side of the fire-type before tensing, focusing her Double Team on both herself and Quilava alike.

"What in the world?" Maury said a few seconds later. A sea of Ambipom and Quilava clones formed a border around the battlefield, boxing in Gardevoir and Gligar.

"All right! Awesome job, you two!" Dawn beamed. Maury lost more of his points, putting him in more of a hole with only a minute to go in the match.

"Gardevoir, use Moonblast on the ground!" Maury commanded. Light formed in Gardevoir's hand and the Embrace Pokémon blasted the dirt at her feet, causing the Moonblast attack to ripple out across the ground and wipe out nearly all of the copies. Dawn chewed on the skin of her lower lip, irritated at how easily the combination had been thwarted. The remaining Ambipom and Quilava fakes flickered out of existence, revealing the two Pokémon standing on opposite ends of the field.

"Get 'em, hurry! Gardevoir, use Psychic! Gligar, use Slash!" Maury shouted, a hint of panic in his voice. He was running out of time. Gardevoir reached out with her psychic powers, capturing Ambipom and Quilava in a telekinetic grip and dragging them closer, making the pair an easy target for Gligar. The Fly Scorpion Pokémon raked a wide slash of its claws, branding Quilava and Ambipom with its painful mark.

"Gardevoir, use Draining Kiss on Ambipom! Gligar, tag team with Acrobatics!"

Gardevoir surged forward, taking the lead as Gligar built up power and tailed close behind. Ambipom wobbled on her feet, dazed by Gligar's surprisingly powerful Slash attack.

"Ambipom, focus!" Dawn yelled, her voice muffled by the pounding in Ambipom's ears. Ambipom locked eyes with Gardevoir, leaving only a handful of seconds to react. The daze left Ambipom's head, clearing her ears to Dawn's command, _"_ _Swift Spin!_ _"_

Ambipom tensed and spun, reaching up and balancing on her toes as a thousand golden stars danced off of her body, spiraling violently in a protective veil. Gardevoir tried to skid to a halt, but instead collided with the Swift vortex and ricocheted off of the barrage.

"Quilava, use Flamethrower on Ambipom!" Dawn called. Quilava eagerly planted its feet and spewed another gust of hot flames. The fire caught the edges of Ambipom's spinning Swift vortex and spread around the edges, lighting the stars on fire and adding another damaging layer to the vortex. Gligar managed to avoid the layer of stars, but a wayward burst of fire caught Gligar's wing and downed the shifty flying-type. The successful combination chewed up another sizeable chunk of Maury's points, and the clock wound out its final seconds.

" _That_ _'_ _s it! Time_ _'_ _s up!_ _"_ Marian declared. Dawn and Maury both turned to look at the scoreboard, seeing the clear result. Dawn's circle of points was larger by a small yet substantial margin, leaving no surprise when Marian announced the winner, _"_ _After an excellent Contest Battle, we have our winner, ladies and gentlemen! The point count makes it clear that the winner_ _—_ _and the Coordinator who has just punched their ticket to the Sinnoh Grand Festival is_ _…_ _Dawn!_ _"_

The emotion of pride exploded onto Dawn's face and she jumped into the air. Ambipom and Quilava scampered over to their beloved Trainer and huddled close, chattering excitedly. Dawn beamed, "Ambipom, Quilava, you two were awesome out there! Thanks to you guys, we're going back to the Grand Festival!"

Ambipom and Quilava cheered and followed Dawn to the judges' table, where she was to claim her Ribbon. Mr. Contesta met her halfway, carrying a slim Ribbon Case in his two hands.

"Congratulations, Dawn," said Mr. Contesta as he popped open the Ribbon Case. Inside was a Ribbon that was two shades of pink, one dark and one light. "I'm looking forward to seeing you compete in the Grand Festival."

"So am I, Mr. Contesta. I promise, my team and I will bring our A-game." Dawn answered with a smile. She gently grabbed the new Ribbon and clutched it between her fingers, her heart swelling. It was the third time she'd been here, claiming the last of the necessary Ribbons to enter the Grand Festival.

Hopefully, the third time would be the charm.

* * *

A bead of nervous sweat dangled along Ash's brow as he brought up his hand. For a second, he started to rethink things, but he banished those negative thoughts and tenderly knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened with a _click_ and Dawn poked her head out, holding Piplup in the grasp of her free arm.

"Oh. Hey, Ash. What's up?" Dawn asked, her expression brightening.

" _Lup?_ _"_

Ash put on his best smile. "Hey. I wanted to come check on you, and, uh…ask if you'd want to go walk around the town with me."

Dawn gazed at Ash for a few seconds, and then smiled, "Walk around Celestic Town? Sure. Let me get ready real quick."

The door separated them again and Ash waited patiently in the hallway for a good ten minutes before Dawn exited her room, looking the exact same as she had before. Ash wanted to ask what she'd been doing in there that had taken so long, but he knew better. Dawn took pride in her appearance, even if Ash couldn't see any difference. So, he put on a smile and walked in perfect stride beside her on the way out of the Pokémon Center.

In the Center's lobby, they promptly ran into Maury, who was stocking his bag full of on-the-go supplies. He was dressed much more casually than Ash or Dawn were used to seeing him; a loose-fitting green T-shirt paired with dark denim pants served as his new getup. His light brown hair was messy as usual, but in a different way from how he styled in for Contests.

"Maury?" Dawn asked, stepping into the teen's vicinity.

Maury perked up and turned, recognizing Ash and Dawn. "Ah, Dawn! And Ash, too! It's great to see you guys."

"It is?" Dawn asked.

"Of course! I was finishing up my packing to head out of Celestic Town. I was convinced that I wouldn't see you again until the Grand Festival." Maury said, "Sure, I'm a little down that I've still got to win my last Ribbon, but I'm content with the fact that I lost to you today, Dawn. Your Pokémon were incredible, and it's clear you've trained them well."

Dawn blushed at the praise and Maury turned to Ash, reaching out to clasp his hand in a handshake. Ash eagerly recriprocated, shaking Maury's hand firmly. The trio talked for a few moments before Maury decided it was time for him to leave. His sights were set on an upcoming Contest in Floaroma Town, and the journey would take him through the tunnels of Mt. Coronet. With the Coordinator gone, Ash and Dawn left the Center for their own venture through Celestic Town.

The city-in-development was well-lit tonight, taking away from the beauty of the night sky. If they'd been here a decade ago, the two Trainers would be walking underneath a place lit only by the moon and stars. To combat this, Ash and Dawn headed north, steadily escaping the glare of the streetlights and glowing buildings for the darker woods beyond the growing city's reach.

"I'm still reeling from that battle." Dawn finally said, unable to keep a smile off her face, "It's been a long journey, but we're finally going back to the Grand Festival."

"I'm really proud of you, Dawn." Ash answered, "You've worked so hard since day one. I really do think that you're going to win it this time."

"Aw, thanks, Ash." Dawn said. She bumped into him with her shoulder, hardly doing much to disrupt his balance. They locked eyes, both of them grinning.

And then Dawn lurched up and snatched Ash's hat, freeing the mop of thick hair underneath, "How do you wear this thing all the time with such long hair? Doesn't it ever get uncomfortable?" Dawn asked, inspecting the hat. She then removed her beanie and replaced it with Ash's hat, tucking it tightly onto her head. Boisterously, Dawn declared, "Wow! I feel like a Pokémon Master in the making already!"

Ash laughed as Dawn made a show of walking down the street with the stolen hat, "Hey you, Pikachu! Are you ready to go on an adventure?" Dawn called, doing her best impression of Ash.

" _Pika-chu!"_ the mouse answered.

Ash indulged Dawn for several minutes before fumbling for his hat, stealing it back from her and returning it to his head, "Ah, there we go. All is right with the world again."

Dawn rolled her eyes and slipped her beanie back onto her head, giggling all the way. Pikachu, Riolu, Piplup, and Buneary walked as a group in front of the pair, practically unaware of their two Trainers as they chattered endlessly.

"Alright, Ash. What are we really doing out here?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Thought you'd ask me that eventually," Ash said with a grunt, "I, uh…I wanted to spend a little time together. Just us."

"So, like a date?" Dawn asked, smiling hopefully.

"Er…yeah. Like, uh…like a date." Ash finally managed. He smiled nervously. Dawn gave him a genuine smile and knocked him on the shoulder, this time successfully knocking him off his balance (though Ash quickly recovered).

"All you had to do was ask me, you dummy." Dawn teased.

"Lesson learned." Ash conceded with a chuckle.

Eventually, the bright lights of the city vanished behind them, and their party walked into the tranquil forests. Multiple campfires were visible through the thick vegetation. With an eager confusion, Ash, Dawn, and the Pokémon jogged through the brush and into the clearing, coming face-to-face with several groups of people, each huddled around their own warm hearths. There were a few grills scattered along the clearing, each manned by two to three people as mountains of burgers and other meats were cooked on the griddles.

"Hullo there, travelers! Come to enjoy the Celestic Lights?" called a man at one of the nearest fires.

"Celestic Lights?" Dawn asked.

"You heard right," answered the man, "Every year at the end of winter, we release hundreds of paper lanterns into the sky! You've come at just the right time; the food is almost ready!"

Dawn held a puzzled look on her face before she looked over at Ash, who was trying to hide the faint smile on his face.

"Did you have something to do with this, Ash?" Dawn asked.

"I may or may not have stumbled upon an advertisement on a street corner for this. I thought you might like it." Ash admitted, "Do you want to stay?"

Dawn looked around for a few seconds until the smell of the grilling burgers wafted into her nose. She savored the smoky smell, and her stomach growled ever so slightly. "I'd love to," she answered then, smiling at Ash.

"Wonderful!" declared the man at the fire, "It's not often that we get newcomers to this. My name is Trent."

"What exactly are the Celestic Lights, Mr. Trent?" Dawn asked, "You said you release paper lanterns into the sky, but what for?"

"Please, just call me Trent. 'Mister' makes me feel old." Trent quipped. He then answered Dawn's question, "It's an ancient tradition here in Celestic Town. Centuries ago, the people of Celestic Town held a celebration at the end of every winter that culminated in the release of these lanterns into the sky." Trent showed Dawn one of the lanterns he had at his side before placing it back on the ground, and continuing, "Back in those times, most people considered the beginning of spring to be the start of the new year. The releasing of these lanterns symbolized the end of hardships, both physical and mental, and the start of a new day."

"That's _beautiful."_ Dawn marveled.

Trent smiled, "Yes, it certainly is an amazing sight. Unfortunately, as the town grew and we reached the times we live in now, the tradition started to fall out of practice. It no longer became feasible to release the lanterns on the first day of spring, so now we choose to carry out the tradition on the final Saturday of winter. Most of us are here every year, wanting to observe the traditions of our ancestors. Many of us release lanterns of our own to symbolize the end of our hardships."

"May we release a lantern?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Absolutely! It would be wrong of us not to offer one to you both. We're so thankful that you've decided to come here tonight." answered Trent.

" _Hey, everyone! The burgers are ready!"_ announced one of the people manning the grills. The people around the campfires clamored toward the tables, quickly forming a line. Ash and Dawn followed, calmly taking their place in line. Pikachu, Riolu, Piplup, and Buneary ran around the camp with a handful of other Pokémon, laughing and playing excitedly. After several minutes, Ash and Dawn were able to exit the line with their food. Ash had predictably piled up two packed burgers, adding ketchup, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and more to the two sandwiches. Dawn stayed conservative with her food, applying only a few condiments and vegetables and limiting herself to a single burger.

After some time of eating, sharing stories, and even a little campfire singing, Trent called for the attention of everyone at the individual fires. It was time to release the lanterns!

Ash grabbed two of the closest paper lanterns and brought them back with him to Dawn, one blue and one pink. Lighters began to be passed around the groups and Ash glanced at Dawn.

"What should we release these things to?" Ash asked.

Dawn thought for a moment before deciding, "I think we should release them to finally achieving our goals. We're both so close, and after so much work, too. And I think we're more equipped than ever to finally succeed."

"I can't argue with that." Ash said with a shrug. One of the other people at the fire handed their lighter to Ash, and he quickly lit the candle under his before handing it to Dawn. The lighter produced a small flame that spread heat throughout the paper lanterns, expanding them and causing them to pull against their grip.

"On three?" Ash asked. Dawn nodded, and they counted together.

" _One. Two. Three!"_

They let go of the lantern and it drifted up into the air, following the hordes of other paper lanterns into the sky. A gust of wind carried the lanterns at an angle through the sky, and the people whispered amongst themselves in awe.

Feeling a surge of courage, Dawn reached down, gently touching her fingertips to Ash's at first before moving to clasp their hands together. Ash gave a faint smile, although he didn't look at Dawn. Dawn looked back up at the huge group of lanterns, watching as one by one they began to vanish from sight.

Dawn glanced down, seeing her Pokémon alongside Pikachu and Riolu. The four Pokémon chatted quietly, watching the sea of paper lanterns with equal awe. Dawn then flicked her glance back to Ash, who stood there quietly. After looking down at their connected hands, and then out to ensure no one was watching, Dawn decided. She stood up on her toes and quickly leaned over, pecking Ash on the cheek. This time, he flinched, and he looked over at Dawn. The Coordinator smiled sheepishly and blushed. Ash finally smiled and Dawn could've sworn that she saw a little color rise to his cheeks as well.

Ash squeezed Dawn's hand for a second, a silent gesture that he felt the same way too. They didn't know it, but both of their hearts fluttered, a giddiness in their chests making them uncomfortable and yet elated all the same.

Eventually, when the lanterns were all out of sight except for a few distant flickers among the stars, people began to pack up their things. The grills were shut and the tables were folded, and one by one the fires started to be put out. Dawn and Ash quietly left the clearing, headed back for the Pokémon Center. Tomorrow, they'd get on their way to Ash's final Gym destination: Sunyshore City. It was hard to believe that it had been over a year since they'd left Twinleaf Town once again for their second Sinnoh journey. With Dawn qualified for the Grand Festival, Ash had just one more obstacle to complete before he thought himself ready to return to the Sinnoh League.

The Pokémon Center was totally quiet when they returned, with only Nurse Joy and a few Trainers in the lobby. Ash and Dawn walked down the back hallways to their rooms, the first stop being Dawn's. Pikachu and Riolu jumped down from Ash's shoulders, trotting further down the hallway as Ash and Dawn stopped outside Dawn's door. She opened the door, letting Piplup and Buneary head inside, and then closed it, turning back to Ash.

"So, um…" Ash started, unsure of how to formulate his thoughts into words.

"Yeah." Dawn said, seemingly understanding what he was trying to say.

"Okay." Ash answered with a nod. They stood there for a few seconds before Ash reached out and lightly tugged Dawn toward him, placing a short kiss on her forehead, "G'night, Dawn."

Dawn smiled, "G'night, Ash." She then disappeared behind her door, and Ash slowly started to walk away back to his room.

That is, until the click of Dawn's door opening turned his attention back. When he trained his eyes in her direction, she was already running at him, and she planted her feet right in front of his before reaching up as high as she could to kiss him with everything she had. Their lips met and the mostly unspoken feelings they had for each other silently crossed that bridge. There was no doubt anymore, and if there was, it was quickly shattered when Dawn placed her arms around the back of Ash's neck to deepen the kiss.

They parted a few seconds after that, in desperate need of air. The two Trainers sheepishly locked eyes, not sure how to address what had just happened.

"S-Sorry, I…" Dawn stammered, locking her hands together behind her back and rubbing them together in a nervous gesture, "I just needed to…"

"Yeah, I get it." Ash cut her off, "That was…that was nice."

"Yeah, it was." Dawn agreed with a nervous giggle.

"So…I guess we're…" Ash started.

"Yeah. If it's okay with you." Dawn interrupted, "I'd like that."

"Cool." Ash said bluntly, nodding and smiling. Dawn mirrored him and then sheepishly walked back into her room, but she didn't come running out of it this time. Ash was perfectly fine with that, and he turned to walk back toward his room for the second time. When he finally looked up away from the ground, he saw Pikachu and Riolu staring at him with stunned expressions.

"Not _one_ word." Ash said defensively, passing the two Pokémon and leading the way back to his room. But once his face was out of their line of sight, Ash couldn't help but smile like an idiot.

* * *

 **Well? Was that okay? I hope so. I thought it was high time that we killed the awkwardness bug between Ash and Dawn. So, now their relationship is more or less solidified. Thanks to everyone who has stuck around so long.** **If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review and tell me what you thought! If you didn't like this chapter, shoot me a review as well! Tell me what criticisms you might have.**

 **Now that I am on break, I should be able to crank out another chapter before the start of next semester, which is the second week of January. Our heroes are headed to Sunyshore City next, where a battle with Volkner (and maybe another powerful Trainer) awaits! So, until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	66. Flint and Steel

**And I'm back with another chapter of The Journey Continues. Sorry for the long wait this time, guys, I think this is the longest I've ever made y'all wait. Winter break was really busy, I think I had a whole 200 words of this chapter written until about 2 weeks ago. Anyway, our heroes have finally made it to Sunyshore City, with a battle against Volkner on the horizon! But along with Volkner, they'll meet another familiar face.**

 **Also, VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE. Earlier this month I officially aged down Ash and Dawn, for varying reasons. Previously, Ash was almost 18 at this point in the story, because he was 16 at the story's beginning. That has been changed. Now, each previous journey of his took him 1 year to complete, so he began the story at 14 years old and is now 15, approaching his 16th birthday at this point in the story. Similarly, Dawn originally started the story at 14 years old, making her nearly 16 at this point. Now, she started at 13 years old, and is not far from turning 15.**

 **I did this because once the story is over, I had some ideas for what they would both do next. Note: this is not me saying I will write a sequel. I plan to write a couple of epilogues that illustrate things that happened after the story is said and done. How that will work out in practice remains to be seen, but the age change will stand permanently.**

 **If you go back to Chapter 2, you will see that I've done this. However, I do realize there might be some mess-ups in saying what their ages are throughout the story, or for example how long Ash and Pikachu have been together. If you guys notice this in past chapters, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know and I can correct it, but individually that is far too much work to scan over 60+ chapters of text for small errors that may well not even be noticed. If I see it on my own, I will fix it.**

 **Now that that's over, review replies:**

 **Colton Fox: I did? Larvitar had since evolved all the way into a Tyranitar in the wild, and Pidgeot came back as well. Zorua is a Unova Pokémon, which is something I haven't touched on with this story.**

 **StecV: You're right, there is a lot of type advantage stuff going on. Since in the games, type advantages are virtually the be-all, end-all of battles, I'm just used to that and it's leaked into my writing. I didn't even focus on the type changes that happen with Mega Evolution. Thanks for the review, hope you enjoy what's left of the story and keep reviewing.**

 **Lance Curry: Thanks as always. No plans for a lemon scene in this story, I think that would be a little outside my parameters and not something I could do well. That's just me. As far as writing my own stuff, I've unfortunately yet to come up with something that I can really flesh out and finish besides this story, but half the work is already done with fanfiction. I would love to publish an original work, though. Maybe someday. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 66_

 _Flint and Steel_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Near Sunyshore City**_

The gravely ground crunched under Ash and Dawn's footsteps. A road sign came into view, reading simply, ' _Sunyshore City – 1 Mile'_. It was the middle of April now, and the weather had begun to warm up, though a comfortable breeze was whistling through the mountain path and keeping the two travelers cool.

"We're finally almost there: Sunyshore City is just over this pass!" Ash beamed.

"You've really been hyped up for your battle with Volkner," Dawn said with a smile.

"You bet I am. Volkner's the toughest Gym Leader in Sinnoh, and I bet his personal team is even stronger than his Gym team," Ash answered, that ever-present competitive fire igniting in his brown eyes, "It's crazy to think that we're finally about to challenge the last Gym Leader in Sinnoh."

"You've worked so hard, Ash. We'll be right there with you every step of the way, cheering you on from the sidelines." Dawn assured him.

" _Pip-lup!"_ chirped Piplup, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Ash answered with a genuine smile. Shortly after that night in Celestic Town, they'd run into some struggles with their relationship. They'd been naïve to think that after their kiss in the Pokémon Center hallways that everything would have fallen into place so easily.

It had all culminated in Veilstone City. They'd stopped for the night, but Ash had mustered up the courage to invite Dawn on an official dinner date. They'd left the Pokémon at home and everything, and it had just been…awkward. They'd had no idea what they were doing the entire time! Part of that could be attributed to inexperience, of course, but it didn't shake the discomfort of the entire ordeal. So, they'd come to a decision. Their feelings for each other were much too strong to break things off, but part of the reason they worked so well together before this newer chapter of their journeys together had been their unshakeable friendship. They supported each other like no one else had before, fought with the same fire in their eyes, and were the best of friends, even with their differences and the rough patches of their beginnings.

So, their decision had been to avoid all of those traditional romantic things like dinner dates, holding hands everywhere they went, all those things. Their romantic relationship would be little more than an extension of their own personal friendship. When the opportunity arose, they would still do the things that couples did, but as far as most onlookers were concerned, they were just two good friends. And, Ash had to say, it had worked out surprisingly well. The knowledge of their relationship was need-to-know, and almost everyone else didn't. Their mothers had been the only ones they'd told. And they were happy this way, working toward their dreams with each other at their side, just like always.

Ash snapped back into reality as he registered that they were approaching a bluff. They inched closer to the edge, looking on in wonder as the faint skyline of a city slid slowly into view. The rocky cliff descended at an angle through a thick forest, with craggy junctures of rock jutting out from the ground most of the way down. It would be a dangerous way to get to the city, and though the thrill-seeker in Ash was tempted to attempt it, he focused on the view of Sunyshore City from above, eyeing the countless skyscrapers and the crystal-clear sea that sat silently on the city's coastline. Beyond that sea was the Sinnoh League, patiently waiting for his return.

They walked further down the path away from the scenic viewpoint and soon wound up in the sprawling city. Solar panels lined every visible building, adding to the great solar power grid that kept Sunyshore City energized by clean, renewable energy. If Ash remembered correctly, it had been Volkner who had led the initiative to solar-power the entire city, and by all accounts it had been successful.

He still remembered his experience when he had first arrived in Sunyshore City, hoping to battle the toughest Gym Leader in all of Sinnoh for his final badge. But when they'd gone to the Gym, there had been a big pile of free Gym Badges at the door, offering one to anyone who was interested. How the Pokémon League hadn't caught wind of this, Ash didn't know. Volkner, the Gym Leader, claimed to be uninterested in battling challengers anymore, spending his days at the Sunyshore Tower constantly focused on further renovating the city and advancing its technology. This turn of events had led Ash and his friends to Flint, who—after battling Ash in front of Volkner—helped them reignite the electric-type Trainer's interest in battles and give Ash the chance to earn the Beacon Badge for real.

Now, he was here again almost two years later, hoping to challenge the cream of Volkner's Pokémon crop before moving on to the Sinnoh League.

The Sunyshore City Gym was not far from the Sunyshore Harbor, where the Sunyshore Lighthouse stood tall above everything, a shining beacon of the city's fame. A clearing was nearby, where the Sunyshore Gym stood surrounded by a ring of trees. The walk to the Gym, though, led Ash and Dawn into the path of the Sunyshore Tower. Ash admired the uniquely-shaped building as they walked closer, noting the hundreds—if not thousands—of solar panels lining the peculiar tower. The building was the center of the city's solar power grid, and it had been the center of a few adventures in Ash's first visit to Sunyshore. Back then, their favorite Team Rocket goons had tried to steal the tower from its very foundation, somehow managing to transform the building into a rocket ship that they intended to fly back to their boss. That plan, of course, failed spectacularly. The memory led Ash to wonder where Jessie, James, and Meowth were now. He knew they were training to become agents of the International Police. Perhaps they were in some faraway region, working undercover to break up a dirty criminal syndicate.

Ash snorted. The thought was just a tad laughable, although the trio had appeared to shed their incompetence with Team Rocket's arrival in Sinnoh. So maybe they were transferring the potential they'd showed in their previous kind of work to the International Police. He was certainly wishing them the best.

As the shadow of the Sunyshore Tower started to creep over the two Trainers, the front doors slid open with a whirr and a tall, slim man stepped out from behind them onto the sidewalk, squinting as a shaft of sunlight shined on his face. Recognizing him was all too easy as Ash glanced at the young man's spiky blonde hair and blue jacket.

"Volkner!" Ash called. The Sunyshore City Gym Leader turned his head and brightened as he recognized Ash and Dawn. He met the pair halfway down the street, smiling all the way.

"Ash." Volkner greeted, "You've kept me waiting. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever show up ever since I got your challenge letter last year."

Ash nervously scratched the back of his head, letting out an uneven chuckle, "Yeah, it's been a long and busy journey. It's taken a lot longer than we'd intended, but we're here now!"

"And Dawn, I hope you're doing well. Believe it or not, I actually watched one of your Contests a few months ago," said Volkner, "It was strange, I've always rolled my eyes at Pokémon Contests, but you managed to make your battles enjoyable to watch."

Dawn blushed, flattered, and Volkner looked past her, his face suddenly changing in confusion, "Excuse me for asking, but where might Brock be? I assumed he would be traveling with you."

"Oh, Brock is back in Kanto, studying to be a Pokémon Doctor." Ash explained.

Volkner nodded in understanding, "Well, now that we've run into each other on the street, I can guess what you're here for."

Ash grinned, that boundless boyish energy bringing color to his face, "You betcha, Volkner! I wanna challenge you to a Pokémon battle between the best Pokémon we've got!"

"I would be honored to accept your challenge, Ash, but I have a prior commitment." Volkner answered quickly.

" _What?!"_ Ash gasped, stunned, "Aw, man!" Ash cried, suddenly crumpling to the sidewalk with a groan.

" _Piiii-ka-chu!"_ added Pikachu, lying immobilized on the concrete next to Ash.

Riolu stood at Dawn's feet, having bounded off of Ash's other shoulder when his Trainer suddenly tumbled to the ground. The action was confusing to the fighting-type, to say the least. Dawn looked down at Ash as well, a sideways frown on her face.

"No, no, I didn't mean that I wanted to reject your challenge, Ash," Volkner continued, "I'm probably itching for this battle even more than you are! But I was just on my way to meet a friend for lunch. You remember Flint, don't you?"

Ash immediately perked up from his place on the ground before shooting up to his feet, "Flint? How could I forget? I haven't seen him since the Sinnoh League! How is he?"

"Maybe you could ask him yourself." Volkner decided, "Ash, Dawn, would you two like to tag along with me? I'm sure Flint would enjoy catching up with the two of you as well as me."

"Are you sure about that, Volkner?" Dawn asked, "I'm sure Ash and I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Yeah, totally." Ash agreed.

"Nonsense! I insist." Volkner answered.

Ash and Dawn exchanged a look, seemingly communicating silently before looking back at Volkner again. Ash grinned, "Well, it's hard to turn you down now. We're in."

Volkner led Ash and Dawn to Sunyshore Harbor, where the rumble of all kinds of boats produced an endless loudness that grated on the ears. The locals didn't seem to mind; there were kids no older than eight running around the open area and laughing as pedestrians walked every which way, talking over the din of the ships. On the edge of the harbor was the Sunyshore Lighthouse, pointing at the clear blue sky as sunlight shimmered off of its pristine white exterior.

A short building not too far from the lighthouse was their destination. It was a contemporary building made of wood, with large glass windows at regular intervals. Big blue letters standing above the building's roof spelled out "Hungry Sailor Deli", and an artfully drawn sailor with a huge smile on his face and a sub sandwich in his hand served as the establishment's logo. The group walked under the blue awning and through the open doorway, a breeze of delicious deli smells wafting into their noses. Ash felt his mouth water at the smell, and Volkner quickly scanned the room, finding Flint easily in the mostly-full restaurant. The Elite had his back to the trio as he sat in a booth, his curly, bright-red hair giving him away.

Flint flinched as Volkner barked at him when they reached the booth, but he quickly cracked a wide grin as he laid eyes on his longtime friend. The two seasoned Trainers and close friends shared only the briefest of hugs before pulling back.

"It's good to see you, Volkner." Flint said.

"Likewise, old friend. I brought two more with me, by the way. I hope you don't mind?" Volkner answered, gesturing to Ash and Dawn off to the side. Flint hadn't seen them at first, but he had a similarly warm reaction as he recognized the two teens.

"Whaddya know, Ash and Dawn. I don't mind it at all." Flint assured them. He offered a handshake to both teens and they all shuffled into the booth; Flint and Volkner on one end, Ash and Dawn on the other. A waitress came by in the next half-minute and took their orders: Flint ordered a spicy grilled chicken sandwich, Volkner and Dawn each called for chicken salad sandwiches, and Ash requested the chicken club.

When the waitress walked off to take their order tickets back, Flint turned his focus to Ash.

"So, Ash, it's been quite some time. I can't help but notice you've grown taller. And, you've put on some muscle." Flint started.

"I thought I'd noticed that too," Volkner chimed in, "You're different from the last time you were in the city. Just where did you put on all of that muscle?"

Ash smiled, eager to recall the story to the Gym Leader and Elite, "After Tobias beat me in the Sinnoh League, I made a journey to Mt. Silver, which is a huge mountain that divides the Kanto Region from Johto. It's some of the harshest terrain in the world, and I wanted to train my Pokémon to be stronger than ever. On the way…I guess I decided to make myself stronger too."

"I have heard of Mt. Silver…" Flint answered with a hint of awe in his burning eyes, "It's always been a dream of mine to explore the mountain and challenge myself. Unfortunately, being a member of the Elite Four is a lot stricter than you might think. I never have the time to take an extended vacation."

"The wild Pokémon up there are the toughest I've ever seen," Ash explained, "When I got back from my time up there, I decided to travel Sinnoh again with Dawn. I'd never gotten as close to winning a League as I did here in Sinnoh, so I decided to give it another go while Dawn took on some more Contests."

"Volkner mentioned to me some time ago that you'd been challenging the Gyms again. That would explain why you're here in Sunyshore." Flint reasoned.

"That'd be right," Ash beamed, "It's been a long, hard journey, but we're finally here."

"I'm glad you've made it one piece." Flint assured him, though Ash felt as if he had a deeper meaning behind his words. It was fairly possible that he was aware of the events at Spear Pillar just a few short months ago. How much of it was the truth, there was no way to know. Flint turned his attention to Dawn, "So, now that we know how Ash is doing, how are your Contests going, Dawn?"

"They're going _great,_ Flint!" Dawn beamed, "A couple of weeks ago, I qualified for the Grand Festival next month!"

"You have my congratulations. I wish you the best." Flint said sincerely.

The sandwiches arrived not long after, and they were every bit as delicious as advertised. Flint chowed on his spicy sandwich without any sort of flinch as Ash predictably mowed down his club sandwich. Later, the checks were split and the food was paid for, and the group of four exited the Hungry Sailor Deli, returning to the bright and busy Sunyshore Harbor.

Flint checked his wristwatch and exhaled, "It seems I still have some time before my ship leaves for the Hoenn Region."

"Whatcha going to Hoenn for?" Ash asked.

"I'll be out there for a couple of weeks. I've been asked to help preside over the upcoming Hoenn League. Cynthia personally recommended me." Flint explained, "You should keep an eye out for the TV when the League comes around. I'll be announcing a few battles, handing the trophy to the League Champion, and I might even challenge some of the Hoenn Elites to battles once it's all over."

"That sounds really awesome, Flint! I traveled through Hoenn a couple of years ago and have a really close friend who should be entering the League soon. You'll have to keep an eye out for him, his name is Max." Ash told him.

"Max. I'll remember that, you have my word," Flint promised, "But, since I've got some time, I've been thinking…Volkner, do you mind?"

Volkner grinned, knowing his old friend like the back of his hand, "Not at all, Flint. Take it away."

"Alright, then," Flint said with a nod. He turned to look Ash in the eyes, a brief gleam passing through his irises, "Ash, I want to see for myself how far you've come since we last met. I'm challenging you to a battle!"

* * *

There was no way that Ash was declining Flint's challenge. It wasn't every day that a member of the Elite Four freely challenged another Trainer to a battle. Often, it went the other way around. The two Trainers took their places on opposite sides of the Sunyshore Harbor's cobblestone clearing, and whispers of what was about to go down spread like wildfire through the passersby throughout the harbor. Before either Trainer had even revealed their Pokémon, a sizeable audience had stopped to watch, people of all ages forming a rectangular border around the hotshot Elite Four member and the mysterious Trainer with messy raven hair. The crowd whispered endlessly, and most of those whispers were focused on Ash. Nobody seemed to know who he was.

Flint laid out the terms of the impending battle, hollering across the makeshift battlefield so that Ash could clearly hear him, "This battle will be a simple 2-on-2. Substitutions will not be allowed; once you call out a Pokémon, they'll have to battle 'til they drop! Think you can take the heat?"

Ash snorted and grinned, a tangible air of confidence around him, "I _know_ I can, Flint! Bring it on!"

Impressed by his adversary's confidence, Flint gave a crooked grin, chuckling to himself. He hoped that the teen's confidence was well-placed. Flint slipped a small Poké Ball out from his pocket, enlarging it at the press of a button, "Alright, then. I'm going to use…Steelix!"

Flint lobbed the capsule ball high into the air, and it opened with a simple click that belied the power of the Pokémon stored inside it. Tendrils of silvery light poured out of the Poké Ball, spilling onto the ground and building up like a never-ending series of shining bricks. The features of Steelix began to appear; first its massive tail, then its thick, winding body, and finally its massive plate-like head. The Iron Snake Pokémon was exceptionally large, stretching to at least thirty—maybe even forty feet long in total.

Ash knew who he was going to use already as he pulled the chosen Poké Ball from his belt and activated it. Rearing back, Ash beamed the capsule out onto the field with practiced expertise, putting a beautiful spin on it. The Poké Ball opened and spilled out a drastically smaller cluster of light that formed into Riolu.

The size mismatch was absolutely overwhelming, even for Riolu. The Emanation Pokémon had expected a much smaller foe, so the little guy couldn't hide its surprise as Riolu carefully trailed the entire length of Steelix's gargantuan body with its eyes. When the two Pokémon finally made eye contact, Steelix jawed at the tiny fighting-type, its low growl jettisoning a staggering amount of air that caused individual furs on Riolu's coat to waver.

"I hate to say it, Ash, but I think you're a little outmatched here." Flint said, taunting him only slightly.

Ignoring the Elite, Ash called out to Riolu, "Riolu! I know Steelix is big, but no Pokémon is too big for you, ya hear? Just listen to me and be ready to move, and we can win this fight!"

Riolu took in a deep breath, filling its body with strength. The Emanation Pokémon reopened its eyes, staring into Steelix's threatening crimson irises and standing tall, yipping a taunt at the giant Iron Snake Pokémon. Steelix released a low growl, and Ash took a deep breath, noting the sweet sea-salt taste to it. It made sense, considering they were at a harbor.

"Steelix, use Rock Polish." Flint ordered. Steelix grunted in acknowledgement and its body began to shimmer, streaks of light scratching along the steel-type's body.

 _That'll make Steelix move faster. We've got to keep one eye on him at all times,_ Ash's internal voice echoed. Although his natural instinct told him to advance and attack, Ash knew better. Flint was no fool, he knew that the increase in speed Steelix had just gained would allow for much faster counters to up-close attacks. Plus, Riolu was so small by comparison that a physical attack would be almost impossible. The end of Steelix's _tail_ was more than twice the size of Riolu.

"Steelix, use Dragonbreath!" Flint commanded. Steelix leaned, setting up an angled attack on Riolu before opening its gigantic jaws and spitting a blast of erratic energy.

"Riolu, dodge and use Copycat!" Ash countered. With practiced ease, Riolu rolled to the side across the ground, lunging up to one knee and opening its small mouth. An identical Dragonbreath attack erupted from Riolu's mouth, sailing through the air in a blink and connecting with Steelix's huge head. The Iron Snake Pokémon recoiled, stunned, but quickly recovered and returned to normal. The little fighting-type had spunk, that much was certain!

"Steelix, use Iron Tail."

Steelix growled and rushed straight at Riolu, the bottom of its giant body shrieking against the stone of the harbor's grounds.

"Riolu, wait until Steelix gets in close and jump over the tail!" Ash ordered. Riolu obeyed, waiting patiently with tense muscles. Steelix arrived and towered over Riolu, glaring down as it brought its huge tail in a curved slash. Right on time, Riolu leaped, arcing high over Steelix's tail. The Iron Tail attack _whooshed_ along the empty ground and Riolu started to curve around in midair, anticipating Ash's next command before it happened.

"Use Aura Sphere!" Ash called. Riolu instantaneously began drawing its Aura into a ball, turning around to look at where Steelix was supposed to be. Instead, Steelix's tail reappeared into view, sailing head-on at Riolu and connecting with brutal force. Riolu beamed down to the ground silently, falling like a stone and smacking into the unforgiving ground. Riolu winced as it staggered back to its feet. Where had that come from?!

Ash stared in awe at Steelix's display of speed. Only a single Rock Polish move, and the Iron Snake Pokémon was practically gliding along the ground. Flint saw Ash's surprise, and he called out to him with a smirk.

"Shocked, Ash? I've had Steelix for years, and our Rock Polish is no joke, that's for sure!" Flint beamed, "Let's see about that speed disadvantage, now, eh?"

Ash grinned now, firing back at Flint, "I'm glad! That means this'll be more of a challenge. But don't get too cocky just yet, Flint!"

"Of course not," Flint agreed, "Steelix, use Dragonbreath!"

Riolu narrowly dodged the following attack and went toe-to-toe with Flint's Steelix. Thanks to the Iron Snake's increased speed, the task became exponentially more challenging. The two Pokémon traded blows, with Riolu striking exclusively from a distance. Steelix had much more success, landing hits from both up close and far away.

" _Steelix, use Stone Edge!"_ Flint commanded at some point.

Steelix whirled away from Riolu, generating dozens of pointed stones around its body. In another second, Steelix launched the sharp stones in multiple volleys, keeping Riolu from dodging the oncoming attacks. On Ash's command, Riolu was able to destroy a few of the stones with Force Palm, but the fighting-type was inevitably riddled by the stones in the next few seconds, taking massive damage and rolling away.

"Now, use Dragonbreath." Flint ordered quickly. Steelix fired on the defenseless Riolu, nailing the Emanation Pokémon with the energy blast. Riolu whined and tried again to stagger to its feet as electricity crackled and popped around its body, indicating paralysis. Riolu gritted its teeth at Steelix, trying with every muscle to stand up again and keep going.

"Your Riolu has heart, Ash." Flint complimented, "It's been fun, battling with it. But I'm afraid this round is over, now that Dragonbreath's secondary effect has finally taken hold."

Ash blocked out Flint's voice, focusing on Riolu and tapping into their shared Aura connection. It wasn't something Ash did often; he usually only tried it with the likes of Pikachu, Riolu, and Gengar (since the ghost-type had been the one to reach out telepathically when they first met).

 _~Riolu!~_

A silence lasted for just a few seconds before Riolu immediately responded, though its tone clearly stated the pain the fighting-type was in.

 _~Ash? I-I can't move! It hurts…~_

 _~I know it does, Riolu. But I know you've still got some fight in you! You've been awesome today, going toe-to-toe with Steelix. I'm really proud of ya…~_

Riolu's response came through with a rush of happiness, _~Thank you, Ash…~_

 _~No, thank you, Riolu. But I know you can do this. I've been able to sense it for awhile now! You're ready to take the next step, you're just afraid to do it! I know you know what I mean!~_

Riolu paused before answering, _~Do you really think so, Ash?~_

 _~I know so. Riley told me every now and then when I was stressed to just relax and let go, and I'd be okay. It's the same with you! You're special, Riolu, and I know that you've got what it takes. So prove it to me! Let go of your fear!~_

There was another pause, but Riolu's voice came through once again with a new strength, _~Okay! Okay, I'll do it! I won't be scared anymore…here goes!~_

Steelix shifted across the flat ground, inching closer to Riolu's cowering form. The Emanation Pokémon continued trying to stand, refusing to go down. Flint exhaled, relaxing his shoulders as he called out to Steelix, "Alright, Steelix. Get it over with."

Steelix grunted and opened its huge maw, preparing another Dragonbreath blast. This one would knock Riolu out for good. The steel-type's pitch-black throat began to glow with various colors of light, and energy began building up just inches away from its teeth.

Riolu visibly relaxed, gently closing its eyes. Ash sensed Riolu's relaxing, feeling the little fighting-type relieve the tension in its muscles. Another pop of paralyzing electricity crackled close to Riolu's head, and then Ash felt it: a wave of sudden energy coming from deep inside Riolu, finally rushing to the surface to be let out.

Riolu's small form turned a sharp white color as light shrouded its entire body. The crowd erupted into whispers, and Flint's jaw dropped. Steelix even stopped readying its attack to watch with surprise. Riolu's form grew, its arms and legs lengthening as its body slimmed and its small dull ears became taller and sharper. The rounded bumps on Riolu's forearms grew as well, sharpening down to a point on the back of the evolving Pokémon's hands.

"I don't believe it…" Dawn marveled from the sidelines, "After all this time, Riolu's finally evolving!"

The crowd continued to murmur and the light around Riolu began to die, revealing the newly-evolved Aura Pokémon in all its glory. Lucario stood kneeling on the ground, staring into Steelix's crimson eyes with a competitive conviction. In Ash's head, the Aura Pokémon's presence suddenly appeared, only slightly present but enough for Ash to feel the changes. Where there was once uncertainty and timidity, now there was an overwhelming confidence, and a refined strength that was just begging to be revealed.

Steelix snapped out of its trance, growling threateningly and quickly readying another Dragonbreath. The steel-type wouldn't let Lucario's evolution take away its victory!

"Lucario, dodge!" Ash yelled, briefly relishing the sensation of addressing the fighting-type as _Lucario._ With its paralysis healed by evolution, the Aura Pokémon seemingly teleported sideways, avoiding Steelix's Dragonbreath attack with ease. Ash quickly followed up, "Now, use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario brought its paws back to its hip, generating a cobalt sphere of pulsing Aura. With a simple motion that Lucario had long since perfected, the Aura Pokémon sent the sphere of energy flying toward Steelix, making contact just underneath the steel-type's head. Steelix roared and spiraled out of control, tumbling in a giant heap to the ground. Next, Lucario brandished a rod of cerulean energy and charged toward Steelix.

"That's Bone Rush!" Ash gasped in recognition. Flint's Steelix slithered back to its full height and tried to ward off the suddenly fiendish Lucario, but the effort failed miserably as Lucario used Steelix's long body as stepping stones, landing multiple precise hits with its newly-learned attack.

Flint knew he was quickly losing control of the battle, and he scrambled to try and reclaim the upper hand. Though he'd been in this situation countless times, he was morbidly uncertain that he'd be able to wrest control of this one. In a move of desperation, he called for a Stone Edge attack, opting for Steelix to keep its distance. But in doing so, Lucario was given the chance to show off another freshly-learned move.

The Stone Edge pieces came flying at the Aura Pokémon, but Lucario stood tall. Its red eyes suddenly glinted with a blazing blue glow, and Lucario danced out of the way of each and every one of the Stone Edge projectiles, demonstrating its new Detect move with perfection.

"Alright, Lucario!" Ash cheered, thinking of all the new strategies he could come up with thanks to Lucario's newest attacks, "Let's finish this thing! Use Bone Rush!"

Lucario sprinted low along the ground, igniting a Bone Rush rod in its paws. Flint called for an Iron Tail to knock off the fighting-type. Steelix growled and readied its heavy tail, expertly balancing on the rest of its long body and lashing out the end of it in a crushing slash. Lucario squinted as the Iron Tail approached it, and with an acrobatic move, the Aura Pokémon speared the Bone Rush rod into the ground and vaulted upward, easily soaring over Steelix's powerful tail. Lucario landed, planting its feet and looking straight up. Steelix's huge head was directly above the Aura Pokémon, and Lucario rocketed off the ground with an Aura-boosted jump, creating another Bone Rush rod and slashing a clean upward stroke that knocked Steelix's head back and sent the Iron Snake reeling.

Steelix crumpled to the ground with a thunderous crash, every ounce of its massive weight pounding into the stone ground. The Iron Snake Pokémon laid still, its large eyes replaced with unending swirls. Steelix was unable to battle!

The crowd buzzed again, murmuring with shock and awe. All eyes were now on Ash, and it seemed that some members of the audience were starting to recognize him.

" _Call me crazy, but isn't that the kid who almost won the Sinnoh League a few years back?"_

" _Wait, I think you're right! Didn't he have to battle that guy with the Darkrai?"_

" _Oh, I remember that battle! He was the only one to defeat that Trainer's Darkrai in the whole League!"_

Flint called Steelix back into its Poké Ball, addressing the cold capsule warmly, "Don't get down on yourself, Steelix. You were awesome out there. Take a nice, long rest." Flint tucked away the Poké Ball and turned his attention toward Ash and Lucario. The teenager was just over two feet taller than the fighting-type, but it didn't stop them from executing a high-five (or high-three, in Lucario's case?). Ash slipped out his Pokédex, scanning Lucario in an effort to quickly learn all he could about the newly-evolved Aura Pokémon.

The Pokédex chimed as it finished the scan, an automated voice coming from the speakers, _"Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, and the evolved form of Riolu. Lucario can sense other Pokémon's Aura and anticipate their thoughts and movements before they happen."_

Ash scanned the information that popped up on the little screen, noting the Aura Pokémon's new typing. "Hey, I forgot about that one," he remarked, "Lucario, you're part steel-type now." Ash took a glance at Lucario's new moveset: Aura Sphere, Bone Rush, Detect, and Copycat. Once he was done, he snapped the Pokédex shut, looking back up and noticing that Flint was staring at him.

"Ash, I'm impressed, and pleasantly surprised. You battle with your Pokémon well…" Flint praised. He then regained his typical competitive look, revealing his second and final Poké Ball, "But I'm gonna have to go out on a limb here and say you got lucky. I won't hold back with this next one. Magmortar, get out there!"

The Poké Ball burst open and ushered Magmortar onto the field. The Blast Pokémon sneered and pointed its arms into the sky, spewing identical blasts of flame from its twin cannons. Ash immediately recognized the type disadvantage that he now had and noted that Lucario was also far from 100%. Its sudden evolution had offered a victory over Steelix, but it was clear that fatigue was beginning to set in for the Aura Pokémon.

"Lucario, think you can keep it up?" Ash called, "Magmortar's a fire-type, so we've gotta be careful here!"

" _Lu,"_ huffed Lucario. The Aura Pokémon brought up its paws and took a battle stance, watching Magmortar carefully.

"Magmortar, use Sunny Day." Flint ordered.

The sun's rays became impossibly brighter as they started to beat down on the harbor. A thick shaft of sunlight fell on Magmortar, and the Blast Pokémon flashed a crooked smile as its power steadily increased.

Feeling a sense of urgency, Ash barked an order to Lucario, "Lucario, use Aura Sphere."

Lucario quickly executed the move, sending a ball of cobalt energy flying directly at Magmortar. Flint simply smirked, coolly commanding Magmortar to counterattack, "Magmortar, use Fire Punch on that Aura Sphere."

Magmortar tucked in its right arm, summoning a flash of flame that surrounded the end of its cannon-like arm. The tall fire-type unleashed the punch as the Aura Sphere drew near, cutting clean through it and nullifying the attack. Flint immediately followed that with another call for Fire Punch, and this time Magmortar advanced on Lucario.

"Uh, oh." Ash said with a gulp, "Lucario, dodge and use Bone Rush!"

Lucario dove out of Magmortar's path, quickly righting itself and lashing out with a Bone Rush aimed at the heavy fire-type's leg. Magmortar tripped over the rod of energy, but quickly retaliated with a perfect block to deflect Lucario's next attack. Despite being grounded, Magmortar still had an advantage.

"Magmortar, use Flamethrower!" Flint yelled. Before Ash or Lucario could react, Magmortar unleashed an eruption of scorching fire from its mouth, connecting perfectly with Lucario's chest and sending the fighting-type flying to the other side of the field near Flint. Flames licked hungrily around Lucario's body and the Aura Pokémon smacked into the ground with a _crunch_. Lucario staggered to its feet, but a flash of red flame ignited around its chest and forced Lucario to go down to one knee. Magmortar's Flamethrower had left a grievous burn across Lucario's torso, instantly hampering the fighting-type.

"Magmortar, let's finish this," Flint ordered, "Use Feint Attack."

Magmortar vanished from view, leaving Ash and Lucario completely in the dark. "Lucario, use Aura to sense where Magmortar is!" Ash howled. Lucario did as asked, closing its eyes and focusing. The appendages on the back of its head rose into the air as Lucario searched for Magmortar's Aura. In a flash, the fighting-type found said Aura, but unfortunately, it was too late.

Lucario tried to use Detect, but Magmortar reappeared before the Aura Pokémon could do so, slamming into Lucario with all of its weight. Lucario slumped backward into the ground and its head thumped onto the stone with a _smack,_ making Ash clench his teeth and tense. Lucario didn't get back up, indicating that it was down for the count.

"Lucario, return!" Ash called, summoning the fighting-type back into its Poké Ball. Looking at the capsule, Ash beamed, "Hey, Lucario, you were amazing out there. I'm so proud of you for overcoming Steelix like that and evolving. You've earned a good rest."

Ash looked back up at Magmortar, and the Blast Pokémon roared triumphantly, spewing another blast of fire into the sky.

Ash dove into the depths of his thoughts, _Magmortar's got a lot of firepower from long range, and he showed he can hit hard up close, too. Sunny Day being in effect will make it tough on a water-type, but it won't last forever._

Ash picked his next Pokémon, looking to Flint before tossing the Poké Ball up and calling on his final Pokémon, "Buizel, I choose you!"

The Sea Weasel Pokémon materialized on the ground, standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. _"Bui-bui!"_ barked the water-type, staring down the much larger Magmortar without an ounce of fear.

"I remember your Buizel!" Flint admitted. The water-type had been Ash's first choice when he battled against Flint two years before, but despite its type disadvantage, Flint's Infernape had felled Buizel in a single blow. This time, Ash and Buizel both were determined to not go out like that; they would put up a far better fight this time.

" _Bui!"_ Buizel huffed.

"Seems like Buizel remembers you, too, Flint." Ash answered, "This time, we're gonna win!"

" _Bui-bui!"_ Buizel agreed enthusiastically.

"We'll see about that. Magmortar, use Flamethrower!" Flint ordered. Magmortar grumbled and opened its maw, spitting another beam of searing fire from the depths of its throat.

"Buizel, dodge and use Water Pulse!"

Buizel expertly rolled across the ground, avoiding the short reach of Magmortar's Flamethrower. The Sea Weasel instantly rose to his feet, generating a perfect sphere of water and launching it at the Blast Pokémon. As the Water Pulse traveled through the air, the sun viciously beat down on it, weakening the blast before it could strike Magmortar. Although a decent amount of water doused Magmortar's body and did some damage, the move was not nearly as strong as it could've been, and Magmortar shook off the attack easily.

"I thought you'd know better, Ash…" Flint called, "Sunny Day powers up fire-type moves, sure, but it also weakens water-type moves. You might have a type advantage, but we've still got the environment on our side. Magmortar, use Feint Attack!"

Magmortar faded out of sight again and Buizel frantically looked around, searching for any sign of the enemy. A few instants later, Magmortar reappeared at Buizel's side, lashing out with a brutal body check that lifted Buizel off the ground and sent the Sea Weasel rolling.

"Buizel, get back up and use Aqua Jet!"

Buizel scrambled to his feet and lifted off the ground in a missile of water, speeding straight for Magmortar. Flint stayed deathly calm, barking a short order to Magmortar, "Use Fire Punch."

Magmortar moved stunningly fast, surrounding its cannon-like arm in a plume of fire and delivering a swift right hook that knocked Buizel sideways. The wind left Buizel's lungs in a pinch and the Sea Weasel winced, trying to get back to its feet before Magmortar could try anything else.

"Magmortar, use Fire Punch again." Flint ordered.

"Buizel, use Sonic Boom on Magmortar's legs." Ash countered. Buizel fought the pain in its side and twirled around, whipping out his tail and releasing a clear-colored shockwave. The Sonic Boom cleared the distance in less than a second, making contact with Magmortar's legs and tripping it up. With Magmortar momentarily distracted, Ash followed up with another command, "Now, Water Pulse!"

Buizel, re-energized, sent another Water Pulse flying, this time making direct contact with Magmortar's chest. The Blast Pokémon roared and Flint quickly bounced back, refusing to let Buizel just take the momentum in the battle.

"Magmortar, use Flamethrower!"

"Buizel, jump!" Ash shouted. Buizel leaped high into the air, causing Magmortar's Flamethrower to chase him across the sky. The Sea Weasel landed at Magmortar's back and readied a Water Pulse, but Magmortar simply turned its body and unleashed a second Flamethrower attack. Buizel launched its Water Pulse, but the sun beat down even more on the harbor and powered up the fiery blast. The Flamethrower eviscerated the Water Pulse and kept going, striking Buizel before the water-type could avoid it. The blast hit like a truck, spinning Buizel around and knocking him unceremoniously to the ground.

"Buizel, get up!" Ash called, but Buizel struggled to move.

"Let's get this taken care of," Flint said confidently, "Magmortar, Feint Attack."

Magmortar started to fade, but motion from Buizel caused the Blast Pokémon to halt, watching carefully. Buizel shook as he tried to stand, damaged heavily by Magmortar's powered-up fire-type moves. The Blast Pokémon hit really hard, even with Buizel having a type advantage.

Finally, Buizel looked up, locking eyes with Magmortar. Buizel's pain turned into fury, and the Sea Weasel howled as a small bead of water formed between his two hands. Buizel would have no more! But rather than attack, the Sea Weasel launched the bead of water into the sky, watching as it exploded high up above them. The brutal sunlight instantly weakened, and slate gray clouds suddenly expanded from thin air.

"No!" Flint gasped.

"That was—" Dawn stammered.

"—Rain Dance…" Volkner finished her sentence.

Raindrops started to fall—steadily at first, but quickly increasing into a solid downpour. The rain splattered against the stone at a high volume, creating a hazy layer of vapors that clung to the ground. Some members of the crowd groaned and they did what they could to protect themselves from the rain.

" _Pip-lup!"_ cried Dawn's partner excitedly. As a water-type, he loved rain, and it was a welcome sight after the several minutes of scorching sunlight. Other than that, though, almost everyone was disappointed at the weather change. Except for Ash, of course.

"Alright, Buizel!" Ash whooped, "You learned how to use Rain Dance! Time to jump back in it! Use Water Pulse!"

Buizel brought out its hands, generating a sphere of churning water. The differences were obvious in the rain; the Water Pulse was quite literally pulsing with energy, its power increased by the heavy rainfall. Buizel spun with blinding speed and launched the blast, hitting Magmortar clean in the chest.

"Now, use Sonic Boom!" Ash ordered. Buizel leaped into the air and spun with surprising speed, corkscrewing and launching three shockwaves that each collided with Magmortar in different places.

"It looks like Buizel is moving faster." Dawn pointed out.

"Yes, he is." Volkner agreed, "That would be Buizel's special ability: Swift Swim. It increases a Pokémon's speed while it's raining."

"Swift Swim, huh? I don't think we've ever seen Buizel's special ability in action. This is awesome! Ash might be able to win this battle!" Dawn beamed.

"He's definitely got the advantage. But it's not over, Flint won't give up so easily." Volkner replied. If a simple weather change were enough to knock Flint out of a battle completely, he wouldn't have risen as far as he had and become the best of Sinnoh's Elite Four.

Proving Volkner's point, Flint called to Magmortar, ordering the Blast Pokémon to strike with Feint Attack. The move succeeded, sending Buizel into the dirt, but the Sea Weasel Pokémon was back up on his feet easily. The heavy rainfall continued all around the area, pelting Magmortar's scorching skin and causing the droplets to instantly evaporate into superheated steam that drifted off its body.

"Buizel, use Aqua Jet!" Ash shouted. Buizel lifted off into the air, speeding toward Magmortar. Flint casually called for a Flamethrower and Magmortar unleashed the blast of flame straight at the oncoming Buizel. Bravely, Buizel charged straight into the fiery wave, briefly disappearing. The Sea Weasel came flying out the other end and rolled across the ground, evading Magmortar's immediate reach as Ash called for a different attack.

"Buizel, use Ice Punch into Magmortar's leg!" Ash called. Buizel obeyed, delivering a speedy punch into the fire-type's right leg that hit way harder than expected.

" _Maaag!"_ cried the Blast Pokémon as it collapsed to one knee. Ice suddenly formed around Magmortar's leg, expanding into a block that immobilized Magmortar temporarily. Unfortunately, the ice was already melting due to Magmortar's high body temperature, so Ash moved to act quick.

"Now, Buizel, use Water Pulse and don't let up!"

Buizel unleashed blast after blast, spinning and using his momentum to send the Water Pulses flying into Magmortar's body. The pulsing spheres of water exploded as they made contact, biting off chunks of the fire-type's stamina with each successive hit.

"Magmortar, fight back! Use Flamethrower, full power!" Flint ordered.

Magmortar growled as it unleashed a Flamethrower straight at Buizel, its leg finally freed from the ice after what felt like an eternity in only a few seconds. In the process of breathing yet another mountain of fire, Magmortar collapsed back to one knee, severely weakened by Buizel's powered-up onslaught.

"Buizel, escape with Aqua Jet!" Ash cried. Buizel narrowly made it out, lunging sideways and lifting off into the air surrounded by another missile of water. Magmortar followed Buizel determinedly, though he was still unable to hit the Sea Weasel thanks to the added benefit of Swift Swim allowing Buizel to outrun the Blast Pokémon. Buizel circled around the field of battle, keeping just out of reach of Magmortar's fiery blast.

" _Buizel, end it! Hit Magmortar with Aqua Jet, now!"_

Buizel hooked sharply, adjusting and pointing at Magmortar from the fire-type's direct left.

"Magmortar, use Fire Punch when Buizel gets close!" Flint shouted, sounding desperate. Magmortar readied the counterattack, breathing heavily as Buizel speedily approached, closing the distance in mere seconds. The Sea Weasel squinted, determined to put an end to the brawl, and braced.

Magmortar unleashed its punch like a cannonball, swinging in a crushing uppercut. Buizel arrived first, striking Magmortar straight in the head with all his might. Magmortar's fist ascended and cut clean through the watery Aqua Jet underneath Buizel in the next instant, making contact with the water-type's stomach. In the next instant, Magmortar's head snapped backwards and Buizel was lobbed into the air from Magmortar's sucker punch, arcing well over the fire-type's head and crashing into the stone ground several feet away. Buizel struggled to all fours, looking up at its downed opponent. Magmortar laid totally still on the stone, but so did Buizel.

Neither moved for several seconds.

"It's a tie! Magmortar and Buizel are both unable to battle." Volkner declared.

Flint stood in place, stunned, but he slowly pulled out Magmortar's Poké Ball and returned the fainted Blast Pokémon. The rainstorm above calmed and the dark clouds began to recede, returning the sun to the harbor.

Ash ran over to Buizel excitedly, "Buizel! You were awesome out there!" he beamed as he stooped down to stroke the water-type's head. The Sea Weasel slowly regained consciousness, hearing Ash's words and immediately frowning

" _Bui?"_ Buizel purred, confused. Magmortar had knocked him out, and yet Ash still praised him!

"Buizel, I don't care one bit that you ended up knocked out. You took Magmortar with you. Even if you didn't, though, I'd still be real proud of you," Ash praised, "Learning Rain Dance was such a huge help. Just think of what we can do when we refine that."

" _Bui…"_ Buizel gave the best smile he could manage, though it quickly turned into a grimace of pain as his muscles cried out from all the hits Magmortar had landed. Ash frowned as he felt Buizel slipping away.

"It's okay, Buizel, you've earned a lot of rest." Ash said with a weak smile. Buizel chattered gratefully and then slumped harder into Ash's arms, slipping back into unconsciousness. The teen returned the water-type to his Poké Ball and stood up, suddenly realizing that some of the spectators were staring, mostly in awe. Flint was walking over, his hands shoved in the pockets of his dark gray pants, but a smile graced his face.

"Now _that_ was fun." Flint declared once he reached Ash, Dawn, and Volkner, "Ash, you are your Pokémon are even tougher than I could've imagined. I never expected to end up tying with you today."

" _Excuse us! Coming through!"_ trilled a woman's voice. Three people shoved their way through the crowd; one woman and two men. The two men carried a video camera and a boom-mic between them, while the woman held a slim microphone in her hands. She smiled brightly and fixed her posture as she addressed Ash, "Hello, there! We're reporters with Sinnoh Now, and we happened to come across that spectacular battle! If you don't mind, we'd like to interview you!"

Ash looked at Dawn with a nervous expression and shrugged as she smiled, "Eh, sure, I guess so."

"Excellent!" beamed the reporter. She did an about-face and the cameraman pressed the recording button, while the man holding the boom-mic stepped out of sight and held the device close by to pick up sounds, "Live from Sunyshore City, we've come across a spectacular battle between a Pokémon Trainer and Flint, a member of Sinnoh's Elite Four! But the final result was most unexpected: this mysterious Pokémon Trainer and Flint came to a tie! We've stopped to ask a few questions to this Trainer!"

The cameras turned on Ash, who gulped as the reporting crew stepped closer to him. The woman asked her first question, "Young man, is it true what the people are whispering around here? Are you _the_ Ash Ketchum?"

Ash smiled sheepishly, both embarrassed and gratified by the emphasis on him. "Why, yes, I am." Ash answered, grinning.

The reporter beamed, "Just as we suspected! But my, you haven't been seen since you competed in the Sinnoh League two years ago!"

"That would be sorta right," Ash answered, "After losing in the semifinals I went away to train for a while, and I've been traveling around Sinnoh again for the last year or so with my friend, Dawn."

"Tell us, you just came to a tie against a member of the Elite Four. What are you feeling right now?"

"Oh, it wasn't a full-on battle, just a friendly match. But, I have to admit, I feel like all the training I've been doing has been validated. But I've still got a long way to go." Ash answered.

"So, then, would you say that you plan to attend this year's upcoming Sinnoh League in June?"

"Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any. Yes, I have every intention of returning to the Sinnoh League this summer. I'm really excited to test myself against the best."

"That's wonderful! I'm sure the League will be very happy to have you," the reporter beamed. She turned back to the camera, smiling, "Well, I'm afraid that's all the time we have for this interview. I'm Cassandra with Sinnoh Now, reporting live from Sunyshore City."

The camera stopped recording and the crew relaxed. The reporter, Cassandra, beamed as she turned back to Ash and the group, "Thank you so much for that interview. If you keep an eye on the television, you might see us air the clip during the nightly news!"

"Sounds great. Thanks." Ash said.

Cassandra and her crew scurried away, disappearing into the throngs of pedestrians. The few straggling spectators of the battle shuffled away in one direction or another, stunned by what they'd seen. There was no doubt that word of Ash's accomplishment here today would travel fast, so much so that Ash wondered what people would say about him.

"Well, that was interesting." Dawn deadpanned.

"I'd say the cat's out of the bag. The whole region's about to know you're back. After the Sinnoh League two years ago, all they could talk about was you, Ash. Everyone was stunned that you were able to defeat Tobias' Darkrai _and_ his Latios." Volkner said.

"Flint, is that true?" Ash asked. He had never paid attention to the news, so he'd had no idea.

"Sure is," Flint answered, "Come to think of it, that whole tournament was weird. That Tobias guy pretty much just dropped off the face of the Earth afterwards; never put his name in the Champion League or anything." Flint glanced at his wristwatch, grimacing as he read the time, "I need to get on my ferry here soon."

As if on cue, a PA system began pouring words all along the streets of the harbor, _"Attention all passengers. The 2:00 ferry to Slateport City will begin boarding in ten minutes. All passengers should begin making their way to the designated dock and prepare for boarding."_

Flint turned to Ash, Dawn, and Volkner, "I'd better not be late. Ash, thank you for the battle. If you can win the Sinnoh League, you just might be able to earn the chance to have a Full Battle against me. Now, you said your Hoenn friend's name was Max?"

"That's right, Flint. He's got really dark blue hair, and he's a little skinny, wears glasses. I have a feeling you'll know him when you see him." Ash answered.

"Hmpf, probably." Flint snorted. He turned to speak to Dawn, "And Dawn, you have my support in the Grand Festival. I'll do what I can to find it on TV in Hoenn. Good luck."

"Thank you, Flint. Enjoy the Hoenn Region." Dawn beamed.

"I will do my best to. We shall see each other again when the League rolls around." Flint said. He high-fived Volkner, gave a lax sort of salute in farewell, and then turned to stroll away toward the docks. Before he could get out of earshot, though, he turned back around, a shit-eating grin on his face.

" _Hey, Ash!"_ called the Elite, _"Kick Volkner's ass for me!"_

Volkner snickered, muttering, "Jackass…" as Flint vanished into the sea of hurrying travelers. The spiky-haired Gym Leader turned back to Ash and Dawn with a lopsided grin still stuck on his face, "Anyway, Ash, how would you like to battle first thing in the morning tomorrow? I imagine you'd like to rest your Pokémon and take it easy for what's left of today."

"Sounds good to me, Volkner. We'll be there." Ash answered.

"That's perfect!" Dawn agreed, "It'll give me plenty of time to get our cheering outfits ready!"

Volkner smiled, "Perfect. I'll see you both in the morning, then. I have some things to take care of at the Gym. I'll be waiting."

Volkner turned and strolled away, whistling to himself. As the Sunyshore City Gym Leader went one way, Ash and Dawn went the other way, heading toward the Pokémon Center to rent out rooms for themselves.

* * *

Soon enough, it was nighttime, and Ash was ready to hit the hay. He laid under the heavy, soft blankets of his room's bed, with Pikachu tucked in close to his side. For an indeterminate amount of time, Ash gently reached out with Aura, quietly listening to the consistent _ba-bump_ of Pikachu's heart and the mouse's steady breathing. Eventually, the need to sleep overcame him, and he carefully curled up in bed, one of his hands gently resting around Pikachu's roundish body.

He laid still like that, dreaming of his upcoming battle with Volkner, until the orange morning sun came up, peeking through his window and signaling the start of a new day.

* * *

 **All right, that's that. Chapter 67 will showcase the battle with Volkner. I'll do my best to get that one out in less time than it took me to release this chapter.**

 **Also, I want to ask a favor from my readers. I've been thinking that a filler chapter or two could be necessary in the future to bridge gaps between Sunyshore City, the Sinnoh League, and the Grand Festival. While I'd like to finish this story in a timely manner, I also don't want to just jump several weeks or months in time like I have been doing. These are big moments, and skipping over so much time like that flattens the chance to have things like character development and Pokémon evolution. I'm running out of ideas on how to evolve members of Ash's roster, and evolving them mid-battle is getting old and a little bit plot armor-ish. And there are still a few that I want to evolve. I won't say who ;).**

 **So, if anyone out there would like, I strongly encourage you to shoot me some ideas on things that would happen in filler chapters. You can do this in a review or in a PM, I'll take either one. From there, I'll take your suggestions and see what sticks. Thanks, everyone! If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review in the box below and tell me all about it. If you didn't like this chapter, still consider leaving a review and telling me what you didn't like.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	67. Ash vs Volkner 2: Electric Boogaloo

**Welcome back to another chapter. It's the biggest moment so far of Ash's Sinnoh journey. Dawn has earned her five Ribbons, and the time has finally come for Ash to try and defeat the personal team of Sinnoh's toughest Gym Leader.**

 **I want to say thanks to everyone who has sent in suggestions for the story, and if you think of other ideas sometime in the future, don't hesitate to send them in as well! I appreciate every suggestion.**

 **Now, review replies:**

 **Lance Curry: I aged down Ash and Dawn because of plans for the future of this story's canon. In particular, Ash was about to be 18, and I thought that was a little old. So I went to my established timeline and just made Ash's journeys take less time, making him and his companions younger. I just revised the parameters I had set when I first started this story, which was a long time ago and a time when my plans for the story were very different. Also, if I were to write a story for another community, it would definitely be Gravity Falls, which is probably my favorite TV series ever.**

 **duskrider: I don't know if you've continued reading to this point or not, but if so, thanks for the praise! I'm glad you liked how I wrote Riley's character.**

 **Also, to everyone who has brought it up, I am trying to implement more Pearlshipping. There is some at both the beginning and end of this chapter. It's just not something I'm experienced with so I struggle with it sometimes.**

 **Anyway, enough of that. Thanks as always for taking the time to read my story! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 67_

 _Ash vs. Volkner 2: Electric Boogaloo_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sunyshore City**_

Ash woke up, his body and mind trained by now to rise with the sun, if not earlier. Just as he suspected, orange rays of early morning sunlight were slipping through the blinds of his room's window, segmented by the flimsy blinds. With a groan, he squirmed underneath the blankets, struggling to work out the sleepiness in his arms and legs. The sudden motion caused Pikachu to stir.

"Morning, buddy. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Ash mumbled.

" _Pi-kaaaaa…"_ the mouse droned as he stretched his back, arcing his belly up into the air and stretching out the kinks in his own body. After a couple seconds of that, Pikachu whirled around and sat up, yawning as he blinked rapidly. Then, just like that, he was wide awake. Pikachu turned to Ash and bounded forward, burying his head into the teenager's chest playfully. Ash giggled and mock-wrestled with the electric-type before climbing out of bed, stretching himself out completely. He reached over and opened the blinds, staring for a moment at the sleeping city.

Thanks to the Sinnoh's cold climate, the previous April night had turned cold after the sun disappeared, and a cold mist had rolled in from the sea and left a thin blanket of gray on the city streets. Warm orange sunlight was beginning to shine on the dark roads, however, banishing the haze bit by bit.

It wasn't much longer before Ash finished his morning routine. He threw on his vest and fingerless gloves, clenching his hands into balled fists before placing his hat atop his head. Pikachu bounded up to the teen's shoulder.

" _Pi-ka,"_ the mouse chattered excitedly.

"Just one more Gym Leader, Pikachu, and then we'll be off to the Sinnoh League." Ash said, staring into space as he stood in front of the mirror.

" _Pi-ka. Pika-chu."_

"Yeah, it's been a long time coming. But we've still got to work to do." Ash agreed, "C'mon, let's go downstairs."

* * *

Dawn found him in the yard, training as usual. Lucario and Gabite squared off, trading careful, precise blows in an exercise meant to get them ready for the day's upcoming battle. Dawn was dressed in her cheerleading uniform, as were Piplup and Buneary, who walked at her sides. Together, they walked out from under the awning, exposing themselves to the sunlight.

Pikachu was the first one to notice them, and he called out excitedly before leaping off of Ash's shoulders and bolting over to Piplup and Buneary. The two Pokémon squealed and followed Pikachu in a game of chase. Lucario and Gabite stopped sparring and looked up curiously as Dawn walked over to Ash. She reached inside her bag, pulling out two round pastries.

"Morning, Lucario and Gabite. I made you both Poffins last night! They're perfect for getting your energy up!" Dawn beamed. Lucario and Gabite wandered over, the fighting-type in front. Lucario sniffed the Poffin in Dawn's hand carefully before snatching it and stepping back, taking small, cautious bites. Gabite was different, claiming his Poffin and scarfing it down in a single gulp before grunting appreciatively.

"Hey, Dawn." Ash greeted, pulling her in for a brief hug. They stayed close after pulling away, quietly watching their Pokémon run around the yard. Dawn linked her hand with Ash's, noticing how warm his hands were.

"Ready for the big battle?" Dawn asked him.

"Definitely. We've been working really hard for this. I think the team is as ready as they can be." Ash answered. He glanced over at his girlfriend, giving a small smile, "And I know that I'm ready, since you've been with me all this time."

"Aw, Ash." Dawn said with a blush, "There's no one I'd rather be cheering for. You know you'll have our support, always and forever."

"I couldn't ask for much more." Ash answered with a grin. He stooped down and pecked her on the forehead. In response, Dawn stood up on her toes and kissed Ash on the cheek, blushing as she slumped back down to her two feet.

"I should probably give the rest of your team the Poffins I made them," Dawn decided.

"Yeah, let's go do that. We need to round them up anyway. It's almost time to head to the Gym." Ash agreed. With that, they walked across the yard to their horde of Pokémon, hand in hand.

* * *

Volkner was waiting outside the Gym personally as the building came into view. The Sunyshore Gym was a circular building made of the most advanced building materials. Opaque windows lined the building and a roof made entirely of solar panels leaned at an angle off of the building, supported by several red beams that were buried into the edge of the concrete ring around the outside of the building.

Volkner wore an unending smile as Ash and Dawn walked down the path, inching closer toward the Gym. Pikachu was perched on Ash's shoulder and boasted a competitive smile. Dawn walked calmly at Ash's other side, clad in her cheerleading outfit. Piplup and Buneary were at her feet, looking equally as confident as their Trainers.

They came to a stop once they were within conversational distance with Volkner. The Gym Leader gave a curt nod and spoke, "Morning, Ash, Dawn. You're looking…prepared."

"We're ready to give you a shock, Volkner." Ash answered.

"I've been looking forward to this since the day I got your letter," Volkner said, "Let's get on with it, I'm done waiting."

Ash and Dawn followed Volkner into the building, the _whirr_ of the automatic doors music to their ears. They passed through the front office and through the immediate double doors that led into the huge battling facility, the size of which was surprising when one looked at the Gym from the outside. Dawn broke away from Ash and Volkner, running giddily to find the best spot she could on the balcony overlooking the field of battle. Ash and Volkner walked down the stairs together from there.

"So what's the story with you two?" Volkner asked suddenly, catching Ash off-guard.

"The story?" Ash asked.

"I'm not _that_ out of touch, Ash." Volkner snickered.

Ash groaned, "Alright, you got me. We've been sort of dating for the last few months, I guess."

Volkner gave him a wry smile, "That's nice to hear, I'm happy for you. I can tell Dawn really cares about you. I mean, try and find me another Trainer whose traveling companion dresses up in something like _that_ for a Gym Battle."

Ash looked at the floor and smiled, "Yeah, I guess I am a pretty lucky guy."

They walked out onto the dirt battlefield and Volkner started to walk away, headed for his end of the field, "Good luck, Ash," he said before walking out of earshot. Ash walked calmly to his battle box. Dawn did a cheer, her voice and her Pokémon's calls echoing through the empty room. As Volkner arrived at his box, a robot appeared and flew to the sideline to act as the referee. Each of its arms had flags at the tips, and the machine hummed electronically.

" _The battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Volkner, the Sunyshore Gym Leader, will now begin. Each Trainer will use four Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all of one Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle,"_ the robot whirred, _"If both Trainers are ready, the battle will commence."_

"I'm ready!" Volkner assured.

"You know I'm ready!" Ash beamed, "Let's go!"

The robotic referee raised its mechanical arms, swinging them down in a fluid motion, _"Very well. Battle, begin!"_

Volkner slung a Poké Ball from his belt, "Jolteon, you're up!"

Ash unclipped his first Poké Ball from his belt, grinning as he felt that usual rush that he got from battling, "Lucario, I choose you!"

The two Pokémon exited their Poké Balls, landing on the field at the same time. Lucario appeared with his eyes closed, gingerly reaching out and sensing Jolteon's Aura. The fighting-type reopened its eyes and bared its sharp canines, growling at the electric-type on the other end of the field. Jolteon's stiff, long golden furs bristled and coils of electricity crackled around them. Volkner's Jolteon was notoriously fast, so Ash and Lucario would have to be both fast and smart to win.

Volkner wasted no time, throwing tradition to the wind and jumping at the chance to call for the first move.

"Jolteon, use Charge Beam."

Jolteon tensed and lightning came to life all around its body, consolidating at a single point in front of Jolteon's canine head. The electric-type gave a silent command and the electrical blast launched, aimed straight for Lucario.

"Lucario, dodge." Ash ordered. The Aura Pokémon sidestepped easily out of the Charge Beam's path. Once the electric attack had missed, Ash quickly moved to answer it, "Now, use Bone Rush."

Lucario sprinted forward, creating a thin rod of brilliant energy between its paws. Jolteon waited patiently as Volkner gave a calm order, "Jolteon, dodge the attacks and use Double Kick."

Lucario leaped into the air and landed just a few short feet away from Jolteon, lashing out with a low swing. Jolteon leaped over the sweeping attack and dodged the next one, acrobatically diving between Lucario's spread legs. The Aura Pokémon gasped and tried to whirl around, but Jolteon was already delivering a kick to the back of Lucario's legs. Lucario yelped and staggered to one knee, but Jolteon landed its second kick straight into Lucario's back, shoving the fighting-type into the ground. Lucario got a face full of dirt and immediately glared back at Jolteon. The Lightning Pokémon grinned smugly.

Lucario's right paw still hummed with the sound of the Bone Rush staff's existence. With a simple flick of the wrist, Lucario swept the energy rod across the ground, connecting with Jolteon's legs in a surprising retaliation attack.

"Great recovery, Lucario! Do it again!" Ash hollered. Lucario sprang to its feet, bringing the Bone Rush rod up for an overhead swing into the ground.

"Dodge!" Volkner barked. Jolteon obeyed instantly, rolling along the ground and out of the way. Lucario's downward slam tore up the empty ground, offering a moment of confusion that was all Jolteon would need. Volkner's resounding voice echoed through the Gym, _"Thunderbolt!"_

Another split-second and Lucario's body glowed with the flash of overwhelming electricity. Lucario rocketed backward, smacking down onto the ground and rolling across the dirt. Lucario carefully stood back up, rattled, but far from going down.

"Jolteon, use ExtremeSpeed."

Jolteon's form flickered and the air around it started to draw toward the Lightning Pokémon. In another second, Jolteon charged at full speed, moving so fast that it nearly faded from view.

"Lucario, Detect." Ash ordered calmly. Lucario closed its eyes and dodged effortlessly, watching Jolteon's Aura signature fly by. As soon as the speedy electric-type had passed, Lucario stuck out its arm, anticipating Ash's next command.

" _Aura Sphere."_

With practiced ease, Lucario formed a ball of pristine blue energy and launched it at Jolteon's side, scoring a direct hit. Jolteon yelped as the sphere exploded against it and a thick cloud of smoke filled the air between the two Pokémon. The black smoke diffused and faded, revealing Jolteon standing still and awaiting Volkner's next command.

"Jolteon, use Double Kick!"

"Lucario, Bone Rush!"

The two Pokémon charged at each other. Jolteon lowered its belly to the ground, hoping to land a swift kick to Lucario's leg. The Aura Pokémon stabbed its weapon downward, narrowly blocking Jolteon's kick, but the Lightning Pokémon smirked and then launched upward, delivering its second kick straight into Lucario's chin. Lucario grimaced, but quickly recovered from the attack and went to work attacking Jolteon with Bone Rush. The speedy electric-type managed to dodge several of the swipes before leaping back, anticipating Volkner's command.

"Jolteon, Charge Beam!"

Jolteon growled and then unleashed a thin electrical blast. Ash called for Lucario to block the attack, and the Aura Pokémon expertly spun its Bone Rush staff at high speed, using it as a makeshift shield that deflected the Charge Beam's electricity. Once the blast was finished, Lucario immediately rushed forward, lunging up into the air to pound Jolteon into the ground.

"Now, Jolteon! Thunderbolt!" Volkner shouted. Jolteon smirked and unleashed another blast of lightning, although this one was stronger in every way. The golden bolt sang as it cut through the air, connecting perfectly with the spike on Lucario's chest. The spike acted as a conductor and let Lucario feel the full wrath of Jolteon's powered-up Thunderbolt, launching the Aura Pokémon far away to the other end of the field.

Lucario hit the dirt and rolled, surrounded by a vortex of crackling electricity. As the Aura Pokémon tried to stand up, it stiffened, struck by a sudden wave of paralysis.

"Oh, crap!" Ash groaned. He cursed. He knew that a move like Charge Beam often boosted a Pokémon's special attack, and he'd allowed Lucario to walk right into the trap.

"That was perfect, Jolteon!" Volkner praised, "Now, use Double Kick!"

Jolteon sprinted straight at Lucario, its light feet pounding rapidly on the ground. Ash grimaced and called out to Lucario, mounting a desperate defense.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario stood on one knee and stared down the approaching Jolteon, holding out its paw and chucking a quick cobalt sphere. Jolteon dodged the attack without a sweat, simply avoiding the Aura Sphere's path before continuing its headlong charge. Lucario threw another Aura Sphere, but Jolteon dodged that one, too.

Finally, Jolteon reached striking distance, and Lucario readied itself for one last strike. Surely, this one would succeed!

" _Urk!"_ Lucario grunted as a wave of paralysis froze its muscles. Lucario's attacking arm stiffened in place, and Jolteon completed its sprint without the slightest hint of opposition. The Lightning Pokémon leaped, bringing its two back legs forward. The first kick curved up and snapped back Lucario's head, and the second made contact with the fighting-type's exposed face. A fragment of spit flew from Lucario's mouth into the dirt, quickly followed by the Aura Pokémon slumping backwards for good.

Jolteon landed effortlessly and swerved around, admiring its victory. The robotic referee raised its left mechanical arm, pointing to Volkner's side of the field.

" _Lucario is unable to battle!"_ the robot declared in fragments, _"The winner is Jolteon!"_

"Oh, man. Lucario, return!" Ash heaved. With a click of the Poké Ball, Lucario was dragged back inside, returned to a safe place where it could rest. Ash caressed the pristine Poké Ball, smiling down at it as he spoke, "Lucario, you were great out there. You tried your best, even though it didn't work out. All that means is that we've just gotta keep on training. But for now, get some rest."

Ash tucked away Lucario's Poké Ball, taking only a few moments to decide on his next fighter.

" _Gabite, I choose you!"_

The Cave Pokémon spawned from the airborne Poké Ball, landing with a _thump_. Gabite released a screech and flaunted its clawed arms, locking eyes with Jolteon.

"Ah, a ground-type." Volkner observed, "Guess we won't be using electric-type moves…good thing we have a few substitutes! Jolteon, use Extreme Speed!"

Jolteon raced forward, the wind howling as the electric-type sprinted closer. With only a few seconds to react, Ash called out to Gabite to counter.

"Gabite, meet 'em head on and use Rock Smash."

Gabite screeched and charged forward, heading on a collision course with Jolteon. The dragon-type lowered its head, an aura of strength forming in front of its tucked-in body. The two Pokémon collided, and Jolteon immediately ricocheted backward. Gabite slowed and watched its foe fly away, grinning with glee at the sight and screeching triumphantly.

Jolteon climbed back to its feet and snarled, staring down Gabite. Volkner called for a Double Kick, sending Jolteon back into the fray. Volkner gritted his teeth as Jolteon broke into a sprint, knowing how risky the move was. His hands were tied by Gabite's ground typing, which prevented Jolteon from striking at a distance with either of his electric-type attacks. If Gabite's Rock Smash was any indication, the dragon-type hit really hard.

"Gabite, bring up your arms and block that Double Kick!" Ash ordered. Gabite did as asked, crossing its arms and creating a makeshift shield with its fine. Jolteon leaped up at Gabite, landing two swift kicks into the dragon-type's arms that did next to nothing. With Jolteon suddenly left exposed, Ash jumped at his chance, "Now, use Dragon Claw!"

Gabite dragged its arms back, screeching as violent energy came to life and circled around its slim arms.

"Jolteon, get back!" Volkner barked. The Lightning Pokémon obeyed, vaulting backwards as Gabite executed a downward strike that tore into the ground. The dirt erupted into a thick cloud, hiding Gabite from sight. Volkner immediately advanced, ordering another Extreme Speed attack. But when Jolteon dove through the dust and cleared it, Gabite was nowhere to be found. All that was left was a wide hole in the ground. Volkner's eyebrows shot up and he gasped, it was just what he was afraid of! Gabite was using Dig!

"Jolteon, get—" Volkner started, but Ash's call cut him off.

" _Now, Gabite! Do it!"_

The earth under Jolteon's feet cracked for a split-second before exploding. Gabite rammed the full force of its weight right into Jolteon's underbelly, rocketing several feet up into the sky and dragging the electric-type with it. Jolteon continued to fly upward as Gabite descended, going limp and spiraling back toward the ground. The Lightning Pokémon landed with a _crunch,_ sliding through the dirt and digging a shallow trench in it from skidding. Jolteon came to a stop and stayed still, its eyes giving away its condition.

" _Jolteon is unable to battle,"_ chattered the robotic referee, _"The winner is Gabite!"_

Volkner sighed and grabbed Jolteon's Poké Ball, returning the fainted electric-type and singing its praises, "You were great out there, Jolteon, we put a dent in Ash's team. Now, get some rest."

Volkner tucked away Jolteon's Poké Ball, quickly replacing it with another. He eyed Ash and smirked, saying all he needed to without ever opening his mouth. Volkner felt a rush, similar to what he'd felt the last time he'd gone toe-to-toe with Ash. But today, they were both stronger. The question still remained, however, about which one was stronger than the other.

" _Magnezone, you're up!"_

Volkner's Poké Ball burst open, spilling silvery light that shaped itself into the saucer-like body of Magnezone. The electric/steel-type released a short series of different tones and beeps before chanting in a robotic voice.

" _Mag-ne-zone!"_

"Magnezone's both steel-type and electric-type, that means we have a double advantage…" Ash muttered, "Volkner definitely knows this, so why would he call out Magnezone?"

Hastily, Ash decided to order Gabite on the attack, calling for the Cave Pokémon to use Dig. Gabite quickly shuffled underneath the ground, leaving a moderately-sized hole in its place.

Volkner smiled, "Magnezone, use Magnet Rise."

Magnezone beeped and tendrils of electricity showered off of the steel-type's belly, steadily lifting it away from the ground. The Magnet Area Pokémon already technically hovered above the earth, but the use of Magnet Rise pushed it safely away from the ground. Predictably, when Gabite tore out from underneath Magnezone, the dragon-type failed to reach Magnezone, who backed up and leered at it.

"Magnet Bomb." Volkner barked. Magnezone's magnets shimmered and clusters of silver spheres formed around them. Panicked, Ash shouted for Gabite to get back, but Magnezone unleashed its attack before Gabite could escape, battering the dragon-type with the Magnet Bombs.

Gabite screeched at the barrage and scampered away when the attack finally subsided, putting distance between it and Magnezone. The Cave Pokémon hissed at the steel-type and Ash pondered his options.

"Gabite, let's try digging under the ground and using Rock Smash." Ash ordered. Gabite burrowed under the ground again, seemingly using Dig. Volkner wasn't fooled, but he still watched carefully, eyeing the entire battlefield.

Gabite's dorsal fin poked out from underground, racing at Magnezone from the side. Volkner called out to Magnezone, but Gabite was moving too fast to be countered. The dragon-type erupted from the ground early, leaping above Magnezone and tucking in its body. From there, Gabite dove down, summoning all of its strength and diving straight down. Gabite crashed into Magnezone with brute force, sending the steel-type crashing into the ground. Magnezone ricocheted off of the earth, sliding several feet away. Gabite stood up quickly, grinning and baring its sharp teeth.

"Awesome job, Gabite!" Ash beamed. Thanks to Magnezone's newfound immunity to Gabite's Dig attack, Rock Smash would be Gabite's biggest advantage. Gabite taunted Magnezone, but Volkner remained steadfast.

"Now, Magnezone, let's try Flash Cannon."

Ash tensed, shouting a panicked command to Gabite, "Use Dragon Pulse!"

But Magnezone had already charged up the attack. Gabite's throat glowed and a premature blast of energy began to form as Magnezone unleashed its Flash Cannon attack. In a panic, Gabite released the half-baked Dragon Pulse. The two attacks collided with explosive force, but Magnezone's Flash Cannon easily prevailed, smashing into Gabite and sending the dragon-type flying.

"Now, Magnezone, use Gyro Ball." Volkner ordered. Magnezone hummed and zipped forward, its body shimmering with a damaging aura.

"Oh, crap. Gabite, use Dig to escape!" Ash stammered. Gabite tore up the earth with its claws, barely shuffling under the ground in time. Magnezone flew over the fresh hole in the ground before skidding to a stop and turning around. As Gabite reappeared safely back on Ash's side of the field, Magnezone allowed the glow of Gyro Ball to subside, watching its dragon-type adversary carefully.

After a few seconds of calm, Volkner barked another order, "Magnezone, do it again."

Magnezone's body shimmered and whistled as Magnezone flew through the air at high speed, its sights locked on Gabite.

"Gabite, use Rock Smash."

Gabite charged to meet Magnezone head-on, lowering its shoulder for a body check. Streaks of bluish energy formed in front of Gabite, attesting to the power it was building up. The two powerful Pokémon collided and were immediately thrown back by a brutal explosion, both of them taking damage as they careened in opposite directions. Magnezone righted its saucer-like body easily, but Gabite did not fare as well, landing awkwardly on the ground and sliding. The dragon-type crawled back to its feet and screeched at Magnezone before a wicked sensation of pain struck out across its shoulder.

Gabite dropped to one knee, nursing its injury but keeping one eye on Magnezone. Ash grimaced. With Gabite's Dig attack being nullified by Magnezone's Magnet Rise, Rock Smash was the only attack that would fare well against the steel-type, since Ash knew that dragon-type moves weren't very effective against steel-types. The next course of action, then, was clear.

" _Gabite, return!"_ Ash called, whipping out the Cave Pokémon's Poké Ball. Gabite collapsed into light and returned to the capsule, safely tucked away where it could rest before returning to battle. Ash switched out the Poké Ball with his third choice, grinning confidently.

"Infernape, I choose you!" Ash shouted, putting a perfect spin on the Poké Ball as he pitched it out onto the field. The capsule ball opened and Infernape emerged from the ensuing light, chanting eagerly and beating its chest. The plume of scorching flames on its head burned hungrily, causing the air around the fire-type to sizzle.

"I figured this would happen eventually," Volkner mused as he looked Infernape up and down, "But we're hardly fazed. Magnezone, use Charge Beam."

Magnezone hummed and quickly fired a thin blast of electricity, aiming for Infernape's chest.

"Infernape, dodge and use Dig to get closer to Magnezone!" Ash countered. Infernape quickly burrowed under the ground, avoiding the Charge Beam easily. Several seconds of silence ensued and Volkner ordered Magnezone to prepare a Magnet Bomb attack for when Infernape resurfaced.

"Infernape, use Close Combat!"

Infernape ripped out from under the ground just a handful of feet away from Magnezone. Volkner quickly commanded Magnezone to unleash its attack, but Infernape deftly somersaulted over the volley of Magnet Bombs, reaching the peak of its ascent and dropping back to the ground in a mere second. After another split-second of stalling, Infernape attacked, unleashing a swift series of excellent punches and kicks to every weak point in Magnezone's body.

Magnezone wailed and crumpled close to the ground, and Infernape grinned as Ash called for a Flamethrower attack, hoping to put Magnezone out for good.

"Not yet! Magnezone, use Charge Beam!" Volkner shouted. Infernape reared back its head, summoning a huge blast of flames from within, and prepared to unleash the blaze. In those few seconds of waiting, Magnezone executed its attack, pointing a Charge Beam at the Flame Pokémon's chest and striking home. Infernape's Flamethrower attempt instantly failed and the Charge Beam discharged a decent voltage through its body.

Magnezone beeped approvingly and a rush of strength poured into it, boosting its special attack. Infernape climbed back to its feet, inhaling sharply as it recovered from the well-aimed blast.

"Magnezone, use Flash Cannon."

At Volkner's order, Magnezone started to prepare the attack, its body shimmering with a bright silver light. A large ball of energy formed in front of the Magnet Area Pokémon. Coolly, Ash ordered Infernape to charge forward, heading straight into the oncoming Flash Cannon attack.

At just the right moment, Ash called to Infernape, _"Use Flare Blitz!"_

Infernape leaped forward and summoned all of the strength in its body, conjuring a protective shield of thick, scorching flames. The spherical Flash Cannon blast met Infernape head-on…and shattered instantly, opening a clear path for Infernape to crash into Magnezone. The Flame Pokémon grinned and the hungry flames became stronger, changing from their usual orange to a blinding blue as their heat increased. Magnezone beeped for a split-second in fear, frozen by its own surprise as Infernape made contact.

Intense heat rippled out in every direction, even blowing Dawn's hair back all the way up in the stands. The heat passed as quickly as it had come and a pillar of smoke shrouded the point where Infernape and Magnezone had collided. A second later, Infernape somersaulted out of the smoke, landing cleanly before a rash of reddish sparks appeared around its body, dealing recoil damage. Magnezone remained hidden until the smoke finally cleared, revealing the electric/steel-type to be fainted. Instantly, the idle robot referee raised one of its mechanical arms, announcing the outcome.

" _Magnezone is unable to battle. The winner is Infernape!"_

Volkner returned Magnezone, praising the steel-type for its perseverance. It was hard to blame a steel-type for falling to a powerful fire-type move. With a grin, Volkner called out to Ash from across the field.

"Say, Ash! This has been a lot of fun, it's every bit as exhilarating as the last time we battled. Infernape is even tougher than before!" Volkner beamed.

"You can thank the last two years of training for that, Volkner!" Ash answered, "We've all gotten stronger since the last time we were here. And you know that I'm happy to be here, battling you again."

Volkner nodded appreciatively, but his praising smile turned to a sly, cunning smirk, "I hope you're ready for what comes next," Volkner said vaguely as he pulled his third Poké Ball from his jacket. The spiky-haired Gym Leader reared up and lobbed the Poké Ball high into the air, calling forth his next fighter, _"Rotom, go!"_

The Plasma Pokémon spawned from the Poké Ball, but it wasn't in the usual form that Ash had expected. Instead of its usual slim, jagged shape, Rotom's body was wide and almost cubical, with a pump clutched in one of its peculiar blue 'hands'. A big, blue circle with a black rim was placed squarely in its stomach, and its mischievous blue eyes were on top. Ash gasped, recognizing the form from their experience in the Old Chateau near Canalave City, where a cheeky Rotom had had a ball harassing Ash, Dawn, and Brock by possessing appliances and wreaking havoc.

"You seem surprised, Ash." Volkner commented.

"Only a little. Where did you manage to capture a Rotom?" Ash asked.

"It's a long story, really. Besides, I've been thinking about using Rotom in this battle for a while now. I'm sure you're aware that Rotom has the ability to possess certain appliances. My Rotom in particular is currently possessing a washing machine," Volkner explained, "And now that Infernape has made an appearance today, Rotom was the obvious choice. Thanks to possessing the washing machine, Rotom has access to a few new moves."

Ash stiffened, making the connection. Seeing the teen's recognition, Volkner stopped wasting time, _"Rotom, use Hydro Pump!"_

Rotom flashed a mischievous grin and clutched the orange pipe at its side, building up pressure for a few brief seconds before unleashing the water inside it straight at Infernape. The Flame Pokémon stiffened and the water-type attack made direct contact, knocking Infernape off of its feet. Winded, Infernape stood back, heaving hard already after the super-effective move.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch."

Infernape sprinted, moving fast enough to appear as if it were flying. The fire-type's fist hanged back, shining with a white aura. In another instant, Infernape was on Rotom, landing a swift punch that threw the sneaky electric-type backwards.

"Rotom, use Rain Dance." Volkner ordered. Rotom snickered and formed a small sphere of water, launching it into the sky. Ash gulped and dark clouds formed over the field, blocking out the piercing lights mounted on the rafters up above. Thick raindrops began to pelt every inch of the field, and Infernape hissed as the rainwater made contact with its body.

"Rotom, Hydro Pump!" Volkner barked. Rotom pointed its tube-like appendage straight at Infernape and unleashed another powerful blast of water. Already, the Hydro Pump looked much more powerful, pulsing with otherworldly energy in the rain.

"Infernape, dodge it!" Ash cried. Infernape obeyed instantly, leaping up and over the Hydro Pump and somersaulting backwards through the air, putting some distance between it and Rotom as the unsuccessful Hydro Pump petered out. Ash called out to Infernape once the fire-type landed, shouting words of encouragement, "Infernape, we can overcome this! Just stay focused!"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Ash." Volkner fired back, "Rotom, give 'em a taste of Thunder."

Golden electricity surged around Rotom's body, drawing strength from the rainstorm. The Plasma Pokémon slung the powerful lightning bolts into the dark clouds above, lighting them up with a shimmering yellow glow. The clouds continued to flash violently as Rotom manipulated the electricity inside them, and Infernape staggered back worriedly as it didn't know what to expect. Suddenly, the bolt of Thunder ripped free from the clouds at a perfect angle, striking Infernape right in the chest in a mere split-second. The Flame Pokémon screeched as the lightning circled through its body, finally vanishing after what felt like a lifetime.

"Infernape!" Ash cried, worried. The fire-type hesitated and then climbed back to its feet, baring its teeth at Rotom and inviting more punishment from the Plasma Pokémon. With a slight hint of desperation in his voice, Ash gave another order to Infernape, this time calling for Close Combat.

Infernape dashed forward, dodging an attempted counterattack and bringing the pain. After the Close Combat flurry was over, Rotom hit the dirt, rolling over and jumping back up to its feet. Infernape sagged its shoulders, its defense capabilities weakened after Close Combat. Recognizing the opening, Volkner commanded Rotom, "Use Hydro Pump!"

Rotom unleashed another high-pressure burst of water. Infernape stiffened in panic, futilely bringing its arms up in an attempt to defend against the blast. The Hydro Pump hit with explosive force, launching Infernape backward through the air. The Flame Pokémon fell towards the ground from gravity, taking every ounce of the Hydro Pump blast before hitting land with a _crunch._ The Hydro Pump receded and Infernape laid still, knocked unconscious by the blast.

" _Infernape is unable to battle! The winner is Rotom!"_ declared the robot on the sidelines. Ash cursed and returned the fainted Infernape to its Poké Ball.

"You were awesome out there, Infernape. I'm sorry that I put you in a bad spot against Rotom. Get some rest, buddy, you've earned it." Ash tucked away the Poké Ball and pondered his next move. He had one unrevealed Pokémon remaining, and now he wasn't sure what to do. Initially, he had planned to use Pikachu, but using Sceptile or Torterra would give him an advantage with Rotom's water typing.

" _Pika,"_ Pikachu chattered, looking up at Ash with a confident expression. In English, the little mouse's voice echoed in Ash's head.

 _~Let me in, Ash!~_

Ash responded, sending his thoughts in the space of an instant, _~You want to take a shot at Rotom, buddy?~_

Pikachu's answer was obvious enough even before the energetic reply filtered in through Ash's thoughts, and it was all the convincing that Ash needed. He'd stick to his guns and send in his trusty partner of six years, who he knew wouldn't let him down, "Okay! Pikachu, get in there!"

Pikachu bounded onto the field of battle, standing up on his hind legs and tensing. Small bolts of lightning glittered around Pikachu's rose-colored cheeks, crackling ominously. Rotom slapped its tube onto the ground, using its other arm to beckon Pikachu forward. Rain continued to soak the field, covering the two Pokémon with a shroud of darkness.

" _Come on, Pikachu! You can do it!"_ Dawn cheered from the sidelines. Piplup and Buneary added to the cheer of goodwill, sending a series of indecipherable well-wishes down to the electric mouse.

"Rotom, use Thunder!" Volkner ordered, making use of the rainstorm to turn the move into a surefire hit. Rotom charged up a menacing electric blast, locking on to Pikachu and launching a crooked bolt of doom.

Unfazed, Ash smoothly called for a counter, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail to deflect that."

Pikachu turned his body so that his jagged tail was out front. The Thunder struck home onto Pikachu's steel tail, exploding and deflecting into several arms where they trailed harmlessly out of the way. A smaller portion of the electricity curled around Pikachu's tail, surging around the energized tail and staying put. Ash and Pikachu both recognized it, and they both had the same idea as the Thunder finally died out.

"Pikachu, throw it back!" Ash shouted. Pikachu grinned and reared up, swinging his tail in a horizontal strike that launched what was left of Rotom's Thunder straight back. Rotom and Volkner gasped, and the Plasma Pokémon leaped out of the way, avoiding the counterattack. Rotom's attention turned to the spot it had been to watch, which left just a second of time for Ash and Pikachu to unleash a Thunderbolt that caught the Plasma Pokémon unawares, shocking it to the core.

Rotom hit the ground, stunned, but quickly crawled back to its feet. Volkner shook off his surprise and focused, dishing out commands to Rotom.

"Rotom, use Shadow Ball!"

"Pikachu, dodge that and use Electro Ball."

Pikachu executed perfectly, avoiding Rotom's Shadow Ball attack and launching a sphere of his own, although his crackled with electricity. Rotom fell victim to the Electro Ball, which dealt extra damage thanks to the Plasma Pokémon being slower than Pikachu.

"Rotom, Thunder!" Volkner snapped.

Rotom summoned another punishing bolt of lightning, drawing power from the storm around it. This time, the electric attack struck home, hitting Pikachu mid-stride and stunning the electric mouse. Luckily for Ash, Pikachu easily shook off the attack.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu dashed forward, earning another Shadow Ball attempt from Rotom. When the ghostly sphere came close, Pikachu shifted to the side with lightning reflexes, avoiding the ghost-type move entirely and closing in on Rotom. The Plasma Pokémon's blue eyes widened and Pikachu raked a jagged slash along Rotom's belly, knocking it off balance. Pikachu landed to the side and whirled around, ready for Ash's next command.

"Now, finish it with Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled. Pikachu jettisoned all of the electricity in its cheek sacs in one brilliant bolt, striking home and dealing massive damage. Rotom wailed electronically as the lightning ran its course, shocking all of the strength out of Rotom. When the Thunderbolt was done, Rotom stumbled, failing to get a footing as the world spun around it.

Rotom finally slumped into the ground with a resounding _thud,_ leaving no doubt of its status. Without missing a beat, the referee-bot declared Rotom unable to battle, giving Ash a 3-2 lead.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash praised as Pikachu came bounding back to him. Volkner quietly returned Rotom, whispering words of praise. After all, Rotom had taken down a huge wild card in Infernape, who had happened to win Ash's first battle with Volkner outright. Plus, despite being down, Volkner had a secret upper hand. He'd already decided on his fourth and final Pokémon, and he had ways to counter both of Ash's remaining battlers.

Volkner spun the chosen Poké Ball on his fingertip, nodding at Ash as they locked eyes. A silent message passed between them, one of absolute respect for the other. Unwilling to delay any further, Volkner called on his final battler.

" _Electivire, it's show time!"_ Volkner called, summoning the powerful Thunderbolt Pokémon with a flick of his wrist. Electivire roared and stamped one of its huge feet into the ground, kicking up a puddle of water that had formed as a result of the rain. The pouring rain pelted Electivire and matted up its already-long hair, tangling it up and making the burly electric-type look even more unruly.

"Pikachu, come back." Ash ordered. Pikachu didn't hesitate, bounding out of the rain and back to Ash's side. Electivire's special ability was Motor Drive, which would nullify all of Pikachu's electric-type attacks and boost Electivire's speed in response. That ability had proved disastrous when Ash had battled Paul in the Sinnoh League, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake this time. Calling on his only other remaining Pokémon, Ash sent out Gabite, starting up the dragon-type's second scuffle of the day.

"Gabite, use Dragon Pulse."

Gabite opened its jaws, forming a blast of bluish energy. As Gabite released the blast, Volkner coolly told Electivire to dodge it, which was an easy move.

"Now, Dragon Claw!" Ash ordered, hoping to land a quick attack. Gabite glided across the ground at high speed, reaching striking distance in little more than the time it took for Electivire to jump out of Dragon Pulse's way.

Quickly, Volkner, ordered a counter, "Electivire, block Gabite's attack!"

Electivire brought up its burly arms and Gabite struck, slashing through Electivire's thick fur and striking the muscly skin underneath. Electivire flinched, but didn't react beyond that.

"Hammer Arm!" Volkner ordered.

"Gabite, get back!" Ash shouted.

Electivire threw its fist up high, filling it with energy. The fist thundered toward the ground and Gabite sprang backwards, narrowly dodging before the Hammer Arm tore up the space that the Cave Pokémon had been standing mere instants before. The ground cracked from the impact and jettisoned enough force to stun Gabite.

"Electivire, cage Gabite in with Thunder." Volkner ordered. Electivire chattered and jettisoned a small bolt of electricity straight above it. The electricity burst apart and curved toward the ground, trapping Electivire and Gabite in a cage of surging electricity.

Ash gasped with recognition, knowing the tactic from his Sinnoh League battle with Paul. Paul and Electivire had taken a tip from Ash's Counter-Shield strategy, using Thunder in a special way that impeded movement. Volkner, it seemed, had taken a different spin on the idea and perfected it.

"I just want to thank you and Paul for giving me this idea," Volkner said as if he'd read Ash's mind, "I've been waiting to spring this one on you. Electivire, use Ice Punch!"

Electivire quickly advanced, a frozen fist threatening to deal calamitous damage.

"Um—Gabite, dodge!" Ash stammered, scrambling his brain for an out. Gabite narrowly sidestepped Electivire's Ice Punch, and Ash quickly determined his next move. _"Use Dig and attack!"_

Gabite burrowed under the ground, causing Electivire's second attack to miss. A few seconds later, Gabite resurfaced behind Electivire, putting the full brunt of its weight into a diving tackle aimed at the back of the Thunderbolt Pokémon's knee. Electivire snarled as it collapsed to one knee, lashing out and grazing a wayward Ice Punch into Gabite's leg. Gabite screeched and staggered back, shrugging off the scratch and digging back underground, this time shuffling out of the Thunder cage and reappearing a safe distance away.

Electivire collapsed the Thunder cage, taking a few moments to breathe. The two Pokémon stared each other down, as did Ash and Volkner.

After what felt like an eternity, the silence was broken by Volkner's next command, "Electivire, use Ice Punch again!"

Electivire charged forward and the two Pokémon grappled with each other, trading blows. Unfortunately, Electivire's Ice Punch was extremely effective against Gabite. Eventually, Gabite's leg was frozen, and the dragon-type was breathing heavily while Electivire was still in good shape.

"Electivire, let's put an end to this. Use Hammer Arm."

Electivire surged forward once again, its clenched fist glowing with a piercing white light. Gabite remained immobile, leaving the dragon-type as a sitting duck.

"Alright, time to bring out the big guns…Gabite, use Draco Meteor!"

Gabite pointed its mouth toward the sky, summoning all of the strength it had left. A burning orange sphere appeared in its mouth, and a moment later it was flying into the air. Electivire stared up in awe and the blast suddenly exploded, raining arms of destruction onto the battlefield.

" _Electivire, go!"_ Volkner yelled.

Electivire sprinted, Hammer Arm at its side and at full strength. Draco Meteor pelted the field, detonating in seemingly every place on the ground. A meteor caught Electivire on the shoulder, ruining its balance mid-sprint. Another meteor grazed the electric-type's arm and spewed a column of smoke into its face, and the rest of Draco Meteor crashed down to earth, creating a thick smokescreen in which everything went still.

"Did we do it?" Ash gasped hopefully. Gabite peered into the smoke, focusing its senses on any possible movement. Suddenly, Gabite's eyes went wide and the ground began to shake. Electivire erupted from the thick cloud of smoke, growling furiously.

In the stands, Dawn gasped, _"Oh, no!"_

Ash stiffened, his brief hesitation ruining any chance of a counter. Panicked, he called for Gabite to protect itself with Dragon Pulse. Electivire planted its feet and came to a stop just a few feet from Gabite, bringing back its arm and swinging a sucker punch long before Gabite could fire off its attack. The punch made contact, hitting with every ounce of strength in its powerful lumberjack's arm. The swing carried through, lifting Gabite just a couple inches off the ground before discarding the dragon-type into the ground. Gabite slipped out of consciousness on contact with the earth, swirls replacing its eyes as they snapped shut.

" _Gabite is unable to battle. The winner is Electivire!"_

" _Vire!"_ roared the Thunderbolt Pokémon. Electivire bent its knees and rocketed into the air, sailing backward through the air, landing on its two feet with a _boom_. Ash grabbed Gabite's Poké Ball, returning the beaten dragon-type with heavy praise.

Ash sighed and breathed in calmly, turning to look down at Pikachu. "Well, Pikachu, looks like you're back on. You ready?"

" _Pika-chu!"_ chattered the mouse. He leaped onto the field, his veins burning with anticipation and the rush of the upcoming fight. Electivire's eyes narrowed in recognition. The tall, burly Thunderbolt Pokémon recognized the mouse, who had felled him in their first battle two years ago. Electivire's twin tails swished back and forth like those of a cat.

Before the battle could begin, the rain suddenly quieted, decreasing to a drizzle before silencing completely. The dark clouds started to recede, and electric light spilled back onto the field. Volkner shrugged, "Alright, let's get this started. Electivire, use Thunder."

Electivire sneered, generating a massive amount of electricity around its body. Ash called for Pikachu to use Quick Attack. Pikachu sprinted forward as Electivire consolidated its lightning into a crooked, golden bolt that flew straight at Pikachu. With expert ease, Pikachu dodged the heavy lightning bolt, closing in on Electivire.

"Pikachu, change to Iron Tail and knock Electivire down, then attack!" Ash called. Pikachu's tail went up, shining brilliantly with a silver glow. Speeding right in between Electivire's legs, Pikachu slid into the ground and hooked his jagged tail around Electivire's ankle, tripping the muscular electric-type into the ground. Electivire snarled as it hit the ground and Pikachu bounded backward, somersaulting forward and landing a precise hit into the Thunderbolt Pokémon's back.

"Electivire, get up and use Hammer Arm!" Volkner yelled, just a little frustrated. Pikachu landed just a little too close to Electivire, and the Thunderbolt Pokémon surged up to its feet. With surprising speed, Electivire threw down a powerful fist, hitting the ground with enough force to lift Pikachu off the ground and sling the lightweight mouse away.

"Now, use Fire Punch."

Electivire's advanced and summoned a veil of fire around its fist. The ground shook as Electivire thundered toward Pikachu, but Ash was hardly concerned.

"Pikachu, charge Electivire head-on and hit him with an Iron Tail."

Pikachu obeyed without hesitation, bolting forward and readying another Iron Tail attack. The two electric-types met and Pikachu leaped into the air, aiming for Electivire's head. In response, the Thunderbolt Pokémon brought its fist up in a swift uppercut, but Pikachu was moving too fast to be struck. Electivire's eyes widened as it realized that it had misjudged Pikachu's speed, and the electric mouse raked its jagged tail in a painful slash along Electivire's shoulder. The contact caused a series of small explosions along the tall Pokémon's shoulder, stunning it as Pikachu flew past and landed in the dirt.

Electivire kneeled, heaving deep breaths as exhaustion began to take a toll. Despite defeating Gabite, the shifty dragon-type had proved a formidable foe, taking several hits while also dealing significant damage on its own. Gabite's last-ditch Draco Meteor had been especially effective, leaving Electivire bruised and battered going into its showdown with Pikachu. Conversely, Pikachu was in good shape after defeating Rotom with relative ease and avoiding damage against Electivire.

Volkner, though, was far from giving up.

"Electivire, use Thunder to trap Pikachu in."

Electivire got a gleam in its eye, quickly standing up and discharging blasts of electricity that formed another dreaded cage of crackling lightning. Pikachu's head snapped left and right, studying the electrical cage. Electivire stepped forward, grinning haughtily as it regained Pikachu's full attention.

"Fire Punch." Volkner ordered.

"Pikachu, dodge it!"

Pikachu made use of its small frame, zipping out of Electivire's reach. The Thunderbolt Pokémon followed Pikachu around at a slow pace, waiting for the mouse to slip up as hungry flames waited patiently around Electivire's fists. Pikachu came to a stop at a significant gap in the electrical cage, glancing through the gap with surprise.

" _Pika?"_ the mouse murmured, moving to escape from the cage. As he did so, the arms of lightning narrowed, blocking Pikachu's path and giving him a shock as he came into contact with the barrier. Electivire immediately took its chance, grabbing Pikachu with its large, empty left hand and lobbing the mouse into the air.

Pikachu quickly fell down to Earth and Electivire grinned, stepping back and unleashing a perfectly-timed jab that caught Pikachu in midair, redirecting the mouse's downward path into one that saw Pikachu fly at high speed into the electric barrier, receiving another painful shock as he broke through the barrier and crashed into the dirt.

The Thunder trap collapsed and Electivire stepped leisurely toward Pikachu's crumpled form, a conceited smile on the burly electric-type's face. Pikachu squirmed, staggering up to his feet and breathing carefully, wincing as a bruise formed in his side.

" _Vire! Vire, vire…"_ purred Electivire.

Pikachu shivered and steeled itself, meeting Electivire's gaze with a stubborn glare. _"Pi-ka-chu!"_ snapped the mouse as he shook off the pain.

"Pikachu, you've got this! This one's far from over!"

Volkner gritted his teeth, "Electivire, use Hammer Arm!"

Electivire snarled and charged forward. Ash called for a dodge at the last second, and Pikachu avoided the downward slam. A Quick Attack command saw Pikachu glance Electivire on the shoulder but do little else.

Electivire stood back on its feet, noticeably sluggish. Hammer Arm's side effect was beginning to take hold, sabotaging the electric-type's speed. Electivire could get its speed back by simply taking an electric-type attack, but Ash wasn't foolish enough to give Volkner that luxury.

Volkner knew it, too. "Electivire, use Thunder," he grunted. Electivire churned out a high-powered bolt of lightning, firing off more bolts in rapid succession as Pikachu continued to dodge them.

Finally, a blast of Thunder struck Pikachu in the side. The air exploded, spewing smoke in all directions as Pikachu rolled away toward the side of the field, hidden from all parties by the black smoke.

Unable to see his partner, Ash dove into his mind, searching for the mouse. When he detected Pikachu's Aura, he immediately called out telepathically.

 _~Pikachu! You ok?~_

The reply was immediate, _~As good as I can be. I can still battle…~_

 _~Okay. I believe in you, Pikachu. Let's catch Electivire off-guard and use Iron Tail, yeah?~_

Pikachu's response was acted out rather than spoken. Pikachu suddenly tore through the smokescreen, his tail alight with a metallic glow. Electivire flinched, staggering back, but quickly heeded Volkner's order for Fire Punch. Electivire composed itself just as Pikachu arrived, the mouse leaping up and aiming for the Thunderbolt Pokémon's head. Electivire unleashed an uppercut, but not before Pikachu curled over and delivered a brutal Iron Tail to the face. Electivire's fist traveled up and into Pikachu's back, lifting the mouse up and over Electivire's head.

Pikachu managed to catch himself on his feet as he approached the ground, though Electivire was not so lucky. The Thunderbolt Pokémon stood on all fours, its body stiff as spirals of electricity crackled to life around it, indicating paralysis. A moment later, Pikachu was suddenly inflicted with a burn. Flames danced around the mouse's skin, leaving both electric-types on the field weakened. The two Pokémon stared each other down…before Electivire slipped, crumpling into the ground.

" _Electivire is unable to battle!"_ droned the robot referee, _"The winner is Pikachu, which means the battle goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

Pikachu gasped with relief and slumped to the ground, breathing hard and just barely keeping consciousness. Ash sprinted out onto the field, beaming as he carefully scooped Pikachu up in his arms.

"You did it, Pikachu. We won! We're going back to the Sinnoh League!" Ash raved, cradling Pikachu. He let his backpack fall to the ground and fished out a Burn Heal, gently spraying it on the reddish gash coloring Pikachu's back. The spray medicine worked almost immediately, allowing Pikachu to move around freely.

Dawn galloped down the steps onto the battlefield, running out to meet Ash. She leaped into his reach, latching onto him and hugging him tightly as she giggled. She was just so proud of him, having finally reached the end of his Gym re-challenging circuit. In Ash's eyes, he was finally ready to make his return to the League and make a serious run at winning a Conference.

Ash set Dawn back down on her feet, and she raised her hand up for a high-five. Ash grinned from ear to ear and clapped his hand with hers. Over on Volkner's side of the field, Electivire sat up on its backside, groaning as Volkner quietly praised him. As a group, Ash, Dawn, and the Pokémon walked over to Volkner and Electivire, drawing the pair's attention.

Pikachu bounded up to Electivire first, smiling genuinely. _"Pi-ka,"_ the mouse chattered, conversing with Electivire. The weary Thunderbolt Pokémon listened and then flashed a toothy grin, grunting in response, _"Vire!"_

Soon, everyone was outside of the Sunyshore Gym, basking in the harsh sunlight. The solar panels surrounding the building soaked in the solar energy, shimmering as they reflected some of the rays. Volkner stood with his back to the building, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Nevertheless, he smiled.

"I had a great time, Ash," Volkner said, "You somehow continue to impress me. It isn't every day that I lose with some of my strongest Pokémon."

"We had a lot of fun, too, Volkner." Ash replied, "We'll be in town for a while before we head off to the Sinnoh League."

"Glad to hear it. I'll be watching you when the League starts. You'd better go in there and make me proud," Volkner said, smirking.

"We'll do our best, I can promise that." Ash beamed.

"And Dawn," Volkner continued, turning his attention to the Coordinator, "When the Grand Festival begins, I'll be sure to watch. You'll have my support, 100%."

"Thank you, Volkner. I appreciate it," Dawn said with a smile.

"Don't mention it." Volkner insisted, "Take care, you two."

And just like that, Ash and Dawn parted ways with Volkner, heading down the road that would take them out of town. Though they were going to be staying in Sunyshore City for the foreseeable future, the two teens had decided to spend the upcoming afternoon on a nature walk.

Before they could leave town, they stopped at the Pokémon Center, where Ash's Pokémon could be fully rested while he and Dawn fed themselves and stocked up on supplies for the trip. Once all of their errands were completed, they headed out once again, leaving the seaside city further and further behind them with each step.

They walked, walked, and walked some more, finding themselves back on the ridge they'd visited the other day. The coastal city was down below, its crystal-clear waters shimmering underneath the sun. An unfamiliar warmth bore down on Ash and Dawn from the ridge, not a cloud in the sky to shield them from the sun's heat. Pikachu and Piplup stood at their Trainers' feet, silently admiring the environment.

Ash turned to look at Dawn, catching her attention. A shaft of sunlight illuminated her dark blue hair and highlighted her angelic features. Without an ounce of hesitation, Ash leaned in, connecting them at the lips. The kiss was sweet and innocent, and Dawn immediately returned it. They pulled away after a few seconds with Ash's hands linked together near the small of her back, and he smiled goofily at her. He liked to think he was getting better at the whole affection thing with Dawn.

"What was that for?" she asked with a thin smile, stifling a giggle.

Ash shrugged, mirroring her expression, "Just felt like saying thanks…for always being there with me, y'know? There's no one I'd rather be doing all of… _this_ with." He made a big show of gesturing with his hands, alluding to both their long, arduous journey and their blossoming relationship in the same moment, "It's crazy to think how much we butted heads when we first met, and look at us now."

Dawn giggled, "It's a nice development."

"It is." Ash agreed.

They stood there in silence for a few more moments, looking at the visage of Sunyshore City once again.

Dawn stood up on her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on Ash's cheek. He flinched at the contact, but smiled.

"What was that for?" Ash asked, mimicking her reaction from just moments before.

"I don't know," Dawn said with a shrug. She didn't really need a reason, she thought, "Maybe I just like kissing you."

"You know what? Me too." Ash mused, a light breeze blowing through his thick black hair as he leaned in to kiss Dawn once again. They couldn't help but laugh, causing them to pull apart. Dawn looked at the city below once more, sighing as she finished admiring the view.

"So, want to head back into town?" Dawn asked.

"Works for me," Ash agreed, "After you."

Dawn grinned, a warm feeling in her chest, and turned around to walk side by side with Ash, not a care in the world.

* * *

 **If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review in the box below and tell me what you liked. If you didn't like this chapter, still leave a review and air your grievances.**

 **I also want to take a second to shamelessly advertise for the story that was my inspiration: Another Road by Mezamun. I adapted many of their ideas for The Journey Continues, and today they released a huge chapter that has been a long time in the making. Not only that, but I believe they have done a better job than I could ever do of world-building, Pearlshipping, and giving their story that overall "Pokémon" feel. I don't know how many of you reading this now also read Another Road, but if you haven't checked out Mezamun's work, go do that. They deserve it.**

 **Anyway, I'll be back in a few weeks with a new chapter. Thanks again for reading The Journey Continues!**


	68. The More Things Change

**Welcome back to another chapter of The Journey Continues. It's a short-ish filler chapter today, and quick notice, I switched something around: the Sinnoh League will be taking place before the Grand Festival. It's going to be more exciting to write, and I also have my ideas for the League already prepared, not so much for the Grand Festival. So bear with me. I edited the last chapter to reflect this change.**

 **I want to specially thank Mezamun and his partner for their reviews on my last chapter, I really wasn't expecting that. Once again, everyone go check out their stuff, it's really great.**

 **Other review replies:**

 **DragonMack: Thanks for the kind words. If you want to write a story of your own, just pull up Word or whatever and type away. That's what I did. I'd be happy to help if you need it. Sometimes all you need is a little push, and it's a whole different animal posting the story on this site.**

 **Pearl shipper: Thanks for the idea, I may go take a look at that and see if I can draw some inspiration.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 68_

 _The More Things Change_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sunyshore City**_

Ash stared at the videophone screen as it booted up, working to connect with the receiving end of his phone call. Although the process didn't take that long, to Ash it felt like a lifetime. He was calling the Ever Grande City Pokémon Center in Hoenn, reaching out to two friends he hadn't spoken with in quite some time.

Finally, the face of May Maple appeared on the screen. Ash straightened up and grinned as he recognized his old friend, and May mirrored him.

" _Ash!"_ came May's voice through the videophone speaker. She was beaming, her trademark red bandana wrapped around her head. Almost immediately, May turned away from the screen, calling out to someone else who was with her.

" _Max, come here. Ash is calling."_

" _Yeah, I see that."_ Max groaned off-screen. The youth made no effort to approach the screen, but Ash could already read the situation. Max was in a mood that was all too familiar to Ash, one that he'd experienced in each of his previous journeys.

Max had just been eliminated from a League.

* * *

 _Ash and Dawn leaned forward, suspended in place on the couch with their eyes glued to the TV in the Pokémon Center lobby. The Center was bustling at this time of day, but it didn't bother either Trainer in the least. Together, they were focused on one thing and one thing only: The Hoenn League. The wall-mounted TV was decently sized, and its picture was in crystal-clear high definition._

 _It was the quarterfinals of the Hoenn League's annual Ever Grande Conference. On one end of the battlefield was an older Trainer named Cade, his messy almond-colored hair billowing in the wind. Opposite of Cade was none other than Max Maple, and their battle was nothing short of a struggle. Each Trainer was down to their last Pokémon; Max with Gallade and Cade with Vibrava. The battle had gone on for several minutes now, with the end result just inches away._

" _Vibrava, use Dragonbreath." Cade ordered._

 _Vibrava buzzed and spat a peculiar blast of energy that crackled in the air._

" _Gallade, use Protect!" Max shouted, his voice cracking just a tad. Gallade obeyed, its eyes shining blue as an impenetrable energy field appeared in front of it, absorbing the Dragonbreath until it was no more before collapsing._

" _Gall-ade, Gall," hummed the psychic/fighting-type. He'd come a long way under Max's tutelage, evolving into a Kirlia and then into Gallade with the help of a Dawn Stone. Ash had been unaware of any of these developments, having not seen or even heard from Max since their last meeting in Johto's Goldenrod City a year and a half ago._

 _The announcer's booming voice spilled from the PA system, crackling to life through the TV's speakers, "Gallade easily defends itself from Vibrava's Dragonbreath! Both Pokémon are beginning to look tired…but who will come out on top?"_

 _The camera switched over to a display of Cade and Max's teams. Six identical circles bordered each Trainer's portraits in a semicircle, showing images of their Pokémon. Each Trainer had five circles greyed out, indicating the Pokémon was no longer able to battle. Ash examined each of Max's team members, impressed. In addition to Gallade, Max had called upon Marshtomp, Swellow, Manectric, Duskull, and Magcargo. Cade, unfortunately, was no slouch either, having burned through Shiftry, Vigoroth, Sharpedo, Camerupt, and Lairon. At first glance, Cade had the advantage in sheer power, and Max had done well to push the older Trainer to this point._

 _The camera feed returned to the battle, where Cade was initiating another attack._

" _Vibrava, use Rock Slide."_

 _Vibrava's eyes glittered and a slab of jagged rocks formed in a heap above Gallade, suddenly dropping down as gravity pushed on them. Max called for Gallade to jump back, and the Blade Pokémon did so effortlessly, somersaulting backward and landing clean on its skinny legs._

 _The Rock Slide attack shattered as it made contact with the ground, spewing a haze of dirt and dust into the air that hid Vibrava from view._

" _Gallade, clear up that dust with—" Max started. He was interrupted by a shape exploding through the wall of dust. Vibrava sped along just above the ground, reaching Gallade and burying its sharp teeth into its torso._

 _Gallade screeched, thrashing but failing to get Vibrava to detach. Max flinched, stammering a response, "Gah! G-Gallade, use Psycho Cut!"_

 _Gallade seethed and executed a downward chop that struck Vibrava on the back and forced the Vibration Pokémon to let go. Unfortunately, the effects of the two attacks were totally opposite. Vibrava landed a safe distance away, relatively unharmed, while Gallade dropped down to one knee and nursed its new wound. The mark left by Vibrava's Crunch was obvious, and it became even more clear that Gallade wouldn't be able to take much more._

" _And Vibrava lands a huge attack in the confusion caused by Rock Slide! It would seem that Cade is closing in on victory!" declared the announcer._

" _Not as long as we have anything to say about it." Max grumbled with a clenched jaw, "Gallade, use Close Combat."_

 _Gallade sped toward Vibrava, closing the gap quickly and unleashing a furious series of punches and kicks. The attacks made contact with critical points on Vibrava's body, battering the Vibration Pokémon. Cade called out to Vibrava as the series of attacks continued, ordering Vibrava to get back. Vibrava shifted backwards, causing Gallade's next punch to swing through empty air and throwing the Blade Pokémon off balance._

" _Dragonbreath!" Cade snapped. Vibrava spat another energy beam, striking home on Gallade's chest. Gallade staggered back from the hit and fell back to one knee, immediately overcome with paralysis. Tendrils of yellow lightning circled around Gallade's body, and Max was clearly at a loss for words._

" _Vibrava, this is it! Use Double-Edge." Cade barked. Vibrava stirred and took to the air, flying lowly along the ground and locking its sights on Gallade's chest for the finishing blow._

" _Gallade, use Protect!" Max ordered. Gallade looked up, locking eyes with the approaching Vibrava. Gallade's eyes shined blue, but the light suddenly vanished after that, with only a spark of blue energy flickering in front of its body before going out. Protect had failed!_

" _No!" Max yelled. Vibrava collided with Gallade, throwing all of its might into the psychic-type's chest. Gallade flew, lifted off the ground by the sheer force of Vibrava's collision. Whistling through the tense air, Gallade landed on its back, sliding through the dirt and coming to a stop, going still._

 _The referee waited for a few seconds, and after seeing no movement from Gallade, lifted his flag._

" _Gallade is unable to battle. The winner is Vibrava, which means the victory goes to Cade!"_

* * *

Ash knew that Max would need a pick-me-up after a loss like that, knowing exactly how the boy would feel. He'd undoubtedly be quite hard on himself.

May had to force Max to come up to the screen, and it was clear that the youth didn't like it. Under normal circumstances, he'd be overjoyed to see Ash, but his crushing loss in the Hoenn League was taking precedence over any positive emotions.

"Hey, Ash…" Max grumbled, looking down.

"Hey there, Max…" Ash answered with a frown. He glanced at Dawn by his side, "We watched your battle."

"So you saw me lose." Max said immediately, still dejected.

"Only after we saw you win a couple of times," Ash said, "Even in that last battle, you were great. Your team was really tough. I tell ya, you did a lot better than I did in my first League."

"But I still lost. I could've battled better. I owed it to my team." Max sighed.

"I've felt that way after every loss I've ever suffered," Ash admitted, "But there's no use dwelling on the past, now is there? You can't just win every time without fail, you've gotta make mistakes and learn from them so that you can be better the next time around."

"Yeah, Max!" May said with a smile, "Take it from Ash, nobody wins 'em all. How many other rookies made it all the way to the quarterfinals?"

Max looked at the ground sheepishly. It was clear that Ash and his sister were getting to him, "…None," Max admitted, immediately going quiet.

"You see? You really were amazing in the League. And now that you've got one under your belt, you can go into the next one with the lessons you've learned." Ash went on. Max smiled as best he could.

" _Ash Ketchum?"_ called Nurse Joy from the front desk. She was leaning over the desk, looking at Ash and Dawn at the videophone, "Your Pokémon are ready."

"Oh, okay! One sec, Nurse Joy." Ash answered. He turned back to May and Max, "I've gotta go real quick, be right back."

Ash disappeared, leaving just Dawn to talk to May and Max.

" _And how are you, Dawn?"_ May asked.

"I'm awesome, May." Dawn beamed, "I earned my fifth Ribbon in Celestic Town and will be in the Grand Festival next month. But before I do that, Ash has the Sinnoh League not long from now, the ferry leaves in a week."

"Really? That's wonderful for Ash. I'm sure he's excited." May said.

Dawn nodded, "Yeah, he's been working really hard for this. Anyway, May…" Dawn said, looking to make sure that Ash was still occupied with reclaiming his Pokémon from Nurse Joy. Satisfied that he was too occupied to notice her scheming, she turned to look back at May, "I wanted to ask you and Max something…"

* * *

Dawn pumped her fist in the air, "Togekiss, Piplup, use Sky Drill!"

Piplup leaped onto Togekiss' back and the Jubilee Pokémon lifted into the air, charging up a Sky Attack. Piplup latched its flippers on either side of Togekiss' head and began to turn as he used Drill Peck. Piplup's spinning caused Togekiss began to spin also, until the pair were rapidly turning as one. The combination was an extension of one they'd used in the Grand Festival, using Piplup's Drill Peck to spin both Pokémon and create a graceful combination capable of delivering calamitous damage. As they went, the crimson aura created by the combination streaked behind them, dancing in the air and creating a beautiful scene.

Togekiss pulled up just before she hit the ground, spinning gracefully back up into the air. The Jubilee Pokémon stopped turning, flying normally again. Piplup's elongated beak shortened and the Penguin Pokémon chirped confidently as Togekiss flew back to Dawn and landed.

Ash stood on the patio, hands on his hips, watching the combination at work. Dawn beamed at her Pokémon, fervently praising them.

"… _Well, I think that's enough for the morning, Togekiss,"_ Dawn decided, stretching out her back. Togekiss cooed and went on her way, observing the rest of Dawn's Pokémon as they started to play. Mamoswine curled up in the corner of the yard and dove into a nap, while Absol sat with Togekiss to watch Piplup, Buneary, and Pachirisu play. Togekiss occasionally chirped at them, warning them not to play too rough.

Dawn walked over to Ash on the steps of the patio as the older teen released Pikachu to play with the others. Ash smirked at her, "That Sky Drill was pretty cool looking," he commented, "I'm looking forward to seeing it in the real thing."

"Thanks, Ash. That one's been tough on Piplup and Togekiss, and there's still work to be done to make it perfect. But that was the best run they've had with the combination, so they're making progress." Dawn explained, "When are you starting back with training?"

"I think I'm gonna let Pikachu play some more before jumping back into it. Lucario and I need to do some more work, so I've been thinking about heading out of town somewhere private to work with him. And Croconaw needs some more practice with Ice Fang, so we'll do that, too."

Ash's Totodile had evolved at long last a few weeks ago, and with the evolution had come a slew of new moves, most notably Ice Fang. Ash had been raving about Croconaw's potential, thanks to its crushing jaw strength.

"Well, we'll just be here doing some training of our own, if you're going to go out to the forest," Dawn said. She stood up on her toes and kissed Ash on the cheek, which made him smile.

The pair relocated to one of the wire tables on the patio and sat down, talking and watching the Pokémon play before the familiar whirr of the Pokémon Center's automatic doors rang in their ears, drawing their attention. The doors slid open and an Espeon bolted out, prancing across the ground and arriving at the table, where it promptly slinked around Ash and Dawn's legs repeatedly, purring.

"Hey, look at that, an Espeon." Ash commented, reaching down to stroke the cat's head, "Hey there."

" _Espe-on,"_ purred the psychic-type cat.

Ash's mind wandered, "We haven't seen an Espeon since…" Ash trailed off, suddenly putting two and two together. He looked down at Espeon again, who was looking up at him now, _"Wait a minute…"_

The back doors slid open again and out ran two young Trainers; one boy and one girl. The boy had light brown hair and youthful blue eyes, and he wore a light blue windbreaker and cargo shorts. The girl had long hair the color of milk chocolate, with radiant green eyes that gave away her smile before her mouth did.

"Espeon?" called the boy. The psychic-type bolted out from under the table, reaching the boy and clambering up to his shoulder before playfully nuzzling his cheek. The boy laughed, but remained concerned as he stroked Espeon's cheek, "You know you can't run away like that…"

The two young Trainers looked up, and Ash and Dawn recognized them instantly.

Corey and Layla.

* * *

The group of four now sat at a larger table, each in their own wire chair. In the yard, Corey's Espeon and Layla's Vaporeon had joined a game of freeze tag with the other Pokémon.

"It's been a while since we heard from you two," Ash started, "How are things?"

"They've been great!" Corey answered, "We're here for my eighth Gym Badge before the Sinnoh League!" Corey unzipped his backpack and slid out his Badge Case, popping it open and sliding it over to Ash as proof. Just as the boy had said, he now owned seven Badges, with the only empty slot in the case a gouged-out opening meant for Sunyshore's Beacon Badge. Since their last meeting, Corey had earned Pastoria's Fen Badge, Hearthome's Relic Badge, Canalave's Mine Badge, and Snowpoint's Icicle Badge.

"This is amazing, Corey. All you need is the Beacon Badge." Ash marveled, "The Gym Leader here is named Volkner; he's an electric-type specialist. I could even help you train!"

"That would be awesome, Ash!" Corey beamed, "But I'm not the only one who's been busy. Layla just earned her fifth Ribbon in Daybreak Town."

Dawn brightened, smiling at Layla, "Daybreak Town? That's where I got my fifth Ribbon in my first run out here. Now you're qualified for the Grand Festival!"

Ash piled on, "Yeah, that's a really amazing accomplishment, Layla."

Layla smiled sheepishly, as shy as ever, "Thanks, you two."

"Anyway," Ash said, "This year, the Sinnoh League is before the Grand Festival. We were going to take the ferry out of the port next week so we can make it in time. Once you get your Beacon Badge, Corey, you and Layla can ride with us, if you want."

Corey looked at Layla, and she nodded agreeably. "That sounds great, Ash!" The youth thought of something else, jumping out of his seat with a big grin on his face, "By the way, Ash and Dawn, I want you guys to meet my new team. Come on!"

Corey ran out into the yard, getting Ash, Dawn, and Layla to follow him. Ash and Dawn's Pokémon glanced up at the young Corey curiously.

"So, you all know Espeon…" Corey started, gesturing to his partner. The psychic-type cat remained still as a statue, confusing Corey, "Um, Espeon?"

Pikachu bounded over, tagging Espeon and chattering, _"Pi-ka. Pika-Pikachu."_ Espeon moved again; apparently the Sun Pokémon had been 'frozen' during the game and had intended to remain so until released. Now unfrozen, Espeon leaped up onto Corey's shoulder and rubbed its cheek on Corey's, making the youngster giggle.

"Anyway, you all know Espeon, but there's more than a few new faces with me," Corey said. He unhooked five Poké Balls from his belt, lobbing them as a group into the air, _"Everyone, come on out!"_

The five capsules popped open, shooting jagged beams of white light into the air that fell to the ground and formed into the shapes of different Pokémon. The light cleared and revealed Luxray, Staraptor, Yanmega, Duskull, and Rhyhorn as the rest of Corey's remaining team. Espeon leaped down to the ground and joined its fellow Pokémon, completing the team of six.

"Say hi, everybody!" Corey beamed. The six Pokémon all gave a collective greeting and immediately started sniffing the new Pokémon around them. Duskull vanished from sight and reappeared behind Buneary, jumping out and giving the Rabbit Pokémon a good spook before fading out of sight again. Yanmega clearly approved of the stunt, chortling heartily as Duskull reappeared beside it.

Corey frowned, "As you can see, Yanmega and Duskull are the ones with the… _personality_ on the team."

"This is a solid roster here, Corey." Ash commented.

"Thanks, Ash!" Corey beamed at the praise, "But this isn't even everyone. My mom's looking after the rest of my Pokémon back in Eterna City. She's watching my Grotle, Tyrogue, Bibarel, and Gastrodon."

"That's amazing, Corey. You've caught a lot of great Pokémon." Ash praised. The older teen then clenched a fist, grinning, "Now, I've got an idea. What d'ya say we head out of the city to the woods and do a little training? I wanna see how far you've come!"

* * *

They picked a small clearing as the site for the training session. Trees surrounded the group, but the sun beat down on the earth from the sky without impediment. The sounds of a nearby river could be heard if one stayed absolutely silent. A cool breeze blew through the wood, keeping the Trainers comfortable under the relentless sun.

Corey had called upon Rhyhorn, who would likely be his most essential piece when battling Volkner. The short but stout rock/ground-type faced off against Pikachu, who Ash had called on with the intent of simulating Volkner's electric-type Pokémon.

" _Rhyhorn, use Take Down!"_ Corey ordered.

Rhyhorn advanced, its short legs carrying it across the ground quickly. The earth rattled with each step from the Spikes Pokémon, but Pikachu remained still, smirking confidently.

"Pikachu, avoid Rhyhorn's attack and strike back with Iron Tail." Ash countered. Pikachu squatted and lunged, leaping high enough into the air to clear Rhyhorn's less-than-stellar height. Rhyhorn raced underneath Pikachu's small body with the force of a battering ram, but the electric mouse was smarter, faster, and more determined. With impeccable timing, Pikachu readied a crushing Iron Tail, spinning around in midair and executing a perfect upward swing that caught Rhyhorn in the back of its heavy head, connecting with a concussive force.

Pikachu used the momentum to somersault and land perfectly on his feet in the clear, while Rhyhorn tripped after taking the Iron Tail attack and skidded across the ground, digging into the undisturbed ground with a groan.

"Rhyhorn!" Corey gasped.

Ash used the example as his first lesson to the youth, "You see, Corey, there's a handful of reasons that Volkner has earned a name for himself as the top Gym Leader in Sinnoh. His Pokémon hit with brute force, but each of them are just as fast as they are strong, if not faster…" Ash explained, referring to Jolteon in all but name, "Plus, just like Pikachu's Iron Tail, Volkner's Pokémon can use moves to counter types they're weak against, especially ground-types. So, while a Pokémon like Rhyhorn gives you a type advantage, that's definitely not going to just give you the win. You'll have to work harder than that to earn the Beacon Badge."

Corey nodded in understanding, putting his focus back on Rhyhorn.

"Rhyhorn, get up and use Rock Blast!"

Rhyhorn grumbled and crawled back to its feet, shaking its heavy head. A moderately-sized rock formed in front of Rhyhorn's mouth, rocketing straight at Pikachu at Rhyhorn's behest. As soon as the blast was off, the Spikes Pokémon formed another pointy boulder. Pikachu easily avoided the two rocks before Rhyhorn accelerated its attacking speed, outgunning Pikachu and scoring two hits in five volleys.

"Great job; Volkner likes to attack from a distance. Sometimes it's best to fight fire with fire," Ash said, "But that still won't solve all of your problems. Pikachu, get in close with Quick Attack!"

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu yapped, bounding forward in a lunge that changed to an all-out sprint. Corey panicked and ordered another Rock Blast. These next incoming volleys, however, were child's play for Pikachu, who zigzagged and escaped each rock.

"Change to Iron Tail and hit 'em where it hurts!" Ash yelled. Pikachu jumped up and dove into the ground, gliding expertly across the dirt and sliding under Rhyhorn's belly to strike with a painful Iron Tail across the rock-type's exposed underside. Rhyhorn yelped as the air around it exploded as a result of the contact, weak in the knees already. The pesky Pikachu had found its weak spots like it was nothing, dealing devastating damage in only two hits.

"Rhyhorn, use Take Down again!" Corey ordered. Rhyhorn swallowed its pain and charged after Pikachu, covering enough ground to take Pikachu by surprise. Lowering its head, Rhyhorn delivered a blow with all of its body weight, discarding Pikachu to the side. Rhyhorn galloped in a wide circle after that, bellowing triumphantly.

"Wait a minute," Dawn pointed out, "Shouldn't Rhyhorn be taking some damage of his own after that Take Down?"

"Not my Rhyhorn!" Corey beamed, "He's got a special ability called Rock Head that protects him from taking any recoil. It's saved our butts a couple of times already!"

" _Horn!"_ bellowed Rhyhorn.

Ash grinned approvingly as Pikachu stood back up, winded but still in great shape, "That was good, Corey. Let's see if you can keep it up. Pikachu, you ready to jump back in?"

" _Pi-ka!"_ answered Pikachu.

"Okay, Pikachu, get 'em!"

* * *

Dawn and Layla returned to the clearing some time later carrying sacks of fresh food. As Ash and Corey dug further into their training, the two girls had decided to go and pick up food for the group. Knowing the boys would approve, they'd selected a burger joint in town.

"Food's here!" Dawn called, catching the attention of Ash and Corey. They were standing near the far tree line, training various members of their teams in certain exercises. Corey's Espeon was working on its Psychic, improving both the strength of the attack and its control when using it. Corphish and Croconaw engaged in an accuracy exercise, trying to hit Pikachu with their ranged attacks while the shifty mouse constantly moved.

"All right!" Ash beamed. He had been getting hungry, so as usual, Dawn had arrived at the right time. He asked Croconaw and Corphish to stop and released the rest of his full team, permitting them to rush off to the nearby river for a break. Corey did the same, releasing his team of six. Seeing them, Dawn and Layla called out their Pokémon as well. Normally, it would be inadvisable to send so many Pokémon off to one place without their Trainers, but Ash and Dawn in particular were confident that their Pokémon could handle themselves.

As the Pokémon ran off to the river, Ash and Dawn pulled out folded blankets from their bags, combining them on the ground to create a larger space for the four Trainers to eat. Dawn passed around the designated burgers. Ash's was obvious, being a double-patty fully loaded burger that was almost too big for the bag it came in. Layla had ordered for herself and Corey, passing a plain cheeseburger to Corey as she ate a regular club sandwich. Finally, Dawn grabbed her own burger, a typical cheeseburger with a few different vegetables.

"Woah, this is good." Ash commented. He glanced at the bag, reading it, "Sunny Shore Up, the best burgers, fries, and sandwiches in the region."

"So far they're living up to that!" Corey said.

"They're pretty good," Dawn agreed, "And their menu makes sure to say that they don't use any Pokémon products."

"They've got five stars from me," Ash said. It was a common topic of controversy that Pokémon were used for various meats and such. Legislation in the past several decades had outlawed such practices, and meat products were instead exclusively produced through synthetic means that provided the necessary proteins while never actually being produced from a once-live Pokémon.

The Trainers ate in relative silence for the next several minutes until a Pokémon's cry echoed through the trees.

 _~Ash, you've gotta come quick!~_ Pikachu's voice appeared in Ash's head, _~Some of the others are fighting!~_

"That doesn't sound good!" Corey gasped as he stood up and looked toward the source of the cries. It was easy to tell that they were coming from the river.

"Let's go see what's up!" Dawn decided.

"Right behind you!" Ash added.

The four Trainers ran through the thicket and weaved past tree after tree. Mixed Pokémon cries became louder and louder, blending in with the sounds of the river as they inched closer.

Ash was the first one to break through the trees, coming to the riverbank. Indeed, most of the Pokémon were in a stand-off, apparently divided into two obvious camps: that of Ash and Dawn's Pokémon versus Corey and Layla's Pokémon.

Corey's Rhyhorn and Espeon were at the head of their group, butting heads with Ash's Croconaw. Charizard served as the water-type's main backup along with Primeape and Tauros. On Rhyhorn and Espeon's side, Corey's Staraptor and Yanmega snapped at those opposite of them. Interestingly, though, Ash's Corphish stood in between the two groups, trying desperately to defuse the situation. The majority of the other Pokémon kept themselves a safe distance from the scuffle.

 _~Pikachu, what's going on?~_

 _~Croconaw and Corphish were swimming in the river with Piplup. Rhyhorn was getting a quick drink and Croconaw got a little too close and hit Rhyhorn with a wave of water. Now, Rhyhorn's really upset and Croconaw won't apologize.~_

Ash grimaced. Now that he'd evolved, Croconaw had lost its lovable personality from when it was a mere Totodile. Once a jolly Pokémon that often broke out into dancing, the new Croconaw was well aware of its strength and had turned cocky as a result, reminding Ash of the old Charizard. Based on Pikachu's description of the events, it made sense to Ash that Croconaw would be unwilling to admit its mistake. Charizard and Primeape, ever the warmongers, would've been quick to back up the water-type.

Pikachu bounded over to Croconaw, trying to talk sense into the proud Big Jaw Pokémon. Croconaw leered at Pikachu and shoved the mouse away, turning its focus back on Rhyhorn. Corphish was next, the Ruffian Pokémon trying to talk down Croconaw. This time, Croconaw ducked its head and rammed Corphish out of the way, turning to attack Rhyhorn next. If the rock/ground-type hadn't wanted to get wet, it shouldn't have gotten so close to the shore!

Corphish interrupted the attempted attack with a Bubblebeam, blasting Croconaw in the face. The Big Jaw Pokémon recoiled until the attack subsided, turning its angry eyes on the smaller Ruffian Pokémon. Even Charizard noticeably gulped, not expecting the disagreement to turn into friendly fire, and started to attempt to calm Croconaw down.

Croconaw ignored Charizard, only further irritated by the fire-type's change of tune, and charged Corphish head-on, tackling the smaller water-type with a headfirst charge. Corphish slammed into the ground with Croconaw on top of it, and all hell broke loose as the other Pokémon suddenly clamored in shock.

The Trainers took it as their cue to try and step in.

" _Croconaw, Corphish, stop it!"_ Ash ordered, but the battling water-types didn't listen. Pikachu headed a group of Pokémon trying to force the two Pokémon to stop, but they too were shaken off. Croconaw used Ice Fang, clamping its powerful jaw down onto Corphish's arm. Corphish complained and used Bubblebeam at point-blank, but Croconaw held on tight, a testament to its jaw strength.

"Come on, you two! Cut it out!" Ash shouted, standing above the two Pokémon. Once again, they ignored him, and Corphish reared back its craw, summoning a rash of strength and pouring it into a Crabhammer attack. Corphish slammed the attack into the side of Croconaw's head, detaching the Big Jaw Pokémon's grip and knocking it to the side. Corphish immediately returned to its feet and lambasted Croconaw, snapping a stream of obscenities at the unapologetic water-type.

Suddenly, Corphish's body became awash with white light. The Ruffian Pokémon's body became longer and leaner, and its pincers grew in both size and strength. The crown of its head reshaped itself into a star and the light disappeared, revealing Corphish's stronger evolved form. Its once cream-colored belly had morphed as well, displaying a sleek red and blue pattern, and the newly-evolved Pokémon clicked its jagged pincers together as it growled angrily.

" _Crrrrraw-daauunt!"_

Ash gasped, admiring his new Pokémon before snapping back to reality. He stepped in between the two water-types, looking back and forth to glare at both of them, "Croconaw and Corph—Crawdaunt, you two stop this nonsense right now. There's no reason for you two to fight like this! We don't need attitudes like this right before the Sinnoh League, you hear me? If we want to win the Conference, we're gonna need to be a team, so, both of you put your differences aside, and Croconaw, go make up with Rhyhorn."

Croconaw mellowed as Ash talked down to him, immediately becoming embarrassed as he replayed his actions in his mind. The Big Jaw Pokémon looked up at the newly-evolved Crawdaunt, frowning before mumbling a nervous apology.

" _Naw…"_

Crawdaunt looked Croconaw in the eye, relaxing and nodding, _"Daunt."_

Croconaw shuffled over to Rhyhorn, who held its judgmental gaze on the offending water-type. Croconaw apologized genuinely, lamenting its childish actions. Rhyhorn mellowed as the apology went on, apparently forgiving Croconaw and returning to normal. As a show of their return to normalcy, Croconaw and Rhyhorn ran off with a handful of the other Pokémon to play tag. Ash looked at Crawdaunt, who was curiously staring down at its new form.

Pikachu tagged along, bounding over to Crawdaunt as Ash stooped down to be closer to Crawdaunt's eye level.

"Hey, Crawdaunt." Ash greeted, smiling at the Rogue Pokémon.

" _Daunt? Craw-Craw-daunt."_

"Yeah, I see. I'm really proud of you. You did a great job under that kind of pressure, thanks for working so hard to keep everyone else from fighting." Ash praised, "And now that you've evolved, you'll be even stronger than you were before."

" _Daunt!"_

"This might come with a few kinks, but I promise we'll work on them, okay?" Ash smiled, "Now, go back to what you were doing, buddy."

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ Pikachu chattered cheerily, congratulating Crawdaunt on its evolution. Crawdaunt met the congratulations with a cheery wave before diving back into the river to relax.

Ash looked around at the other Pokémon, who had since gone back to their business as if nothing had happened. Charizard blazed through the sky, taking part in a test of speed against Corey's Staraptor and Yanmega. Piplup and Layla's Vaporeon swam in the river, ferrying other small Pokémon back and forth across the banks and cheering. Over in the game of tag, Croconaw sprinted away from Rhyhorn, who seemed to be 'it', before diving into the river to escape. Rhyhorn skidded to a stop on the shoreline, grunting with annoyance at Croconaw as the Big Jaw Pokémon resurfaced and jeered.

Eventually, the break was over, and it was back to training once again. A new form brought new strengths to Crawdaunt, and Ash beamed with pride when Croconaw tried to assist Crawdaunt as the Rogue Pokémon struggled later in the day. Things were back to normal after the momentary dispute, and everyone was looking ahead to the Sinnoh League.

* * *

Ash walked through the darkened streets of Sunyshore City, having excused himself from the group as the others prepared to go to sleep. Dim streetlights, powered by stored solar energy, kept the streets from going totally dark. A handful of pedestrians walked each way down the streets, not one of them paying Ash any attention as they went.

Eventually, Ash's ears were filled with the din of the ocean crashing against the port. Over a dozen ships sat idly in the waters, tied to the docks and anchored down. There were no streetlights this far out, allowing Ash to see the stars in all their glory. At the edge of the docks stood the Sunyshore Lighthouse, its pristine white color darkened by the night sky. Ash's attention fell on a line of binocular stands nailed to the ground. There were about a dozen of them, each pointed toward the endless stretch of ocean expanding away from Sunyshore City.

Ash, with only Pikachu on his shoulder, quietly walked to one of the binocular stands, seeing that they were powered by coin. Ash fished through his pocket, grasping a coin and sliding it into the empty slot. The machine whirred as it accepted the coin, swallowing it to wherever it stored them and activating the binoculars. Ash stooped and peered through them, amazed by how far out he could see with them.

Ash turned the binoculars, searching for a particular place. Deep in the distance—and thanks only to the high-powered binoculars—Ash spotted his target. A large, singular island came into view, its southern edge colonized by a town bathed in light. A few tall, round stadiums stood in the center, surrounded by circles of houses. Beyond the seaside town stretched a series of rolling hills and thick forests, ages old and yet still undisturbed by mankind.

"There it is, Pikachu…" Ash said, allowing the electric mouse a chance to peer through the binoculars himself, "Lily of the Valley Island. In just a couple of days, we'll be back there. It's been a long time coming…we've worked so hard for the last two years."

 _~I'm ready, Ash, and so is everyone else,~_ Pikachu echoed in Ash's head.

"I know we are," Ash answered, looking through the binoculars again and staring at the distant island, _"And this time, we're gonna win."_

* * *

 **That's a wrap, and the Sinnoh League is almost here. The trip to Lily of the Valley Island begins in the next chapter, with a surprise or two for our characters along with it. Thanks to everyone for reading.**

 **If you liked this chapter, consider leaving your thoughts in a review below, I'd appreciate it. Other than that, I'll see you all next time!**


	69. All Aboard!

**And, we're back with another chapter. Now we start the buildup to the Sinnoh League, where we've been working towards for the better part of the last year and a half. I'm pretty amazed to be almost at 70 chapters in this story now, so thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and stuck around to push me to where we are today. Today, our heroes' ferry to Lily of the Valley Island is leaving port, and the short journey will carry an unexpected surprise for Ash. Just what will that be? You'll have to read and find out!**

 **Review replies:**

 **Mezamun: Thanks! I was happy to write that part, Corphish has had virtually zero spotlight from me, and he's sure to get some more screen time now that he's evolved. Totodile/Croconaw has suffered from much of the same, so that'll change, too! I felt that a haughty personality seemed to fit the design of a Croconaw in general, but I think I'll keep some flashes of old Totodile, perhaps after a win in battle. Thanks for the review!**

 **dhun2302: Personally, I really like Vibrava in general, not sure why. In any case, Gallade in general can really dish it out, but doesn't take hits very well. Plus, I wrote that Gallade wasn't fresh at that point. I guess it doesn't matter now. And yes, Corey has been collecting the rest of his badges since parting ways with Ash ~10 months ago in-world.**

 **That's all from me. Also note this: Corey has defeated Volkner between this chapter and the one before it.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 69_

 _All Aboard!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Sunyshore City**_

The city was busy today, with the docks seeing the worst of it. It wasn't surprising, really. Today, one of the ferries to Lily of the Valley Island was leaving port, and by all accounts the ship would be at maximum capacity.

Ash weaved through the hordes of idle people, dragging Dawn, Corey, and Layla with him. His ferry ticket was clutched in his left hand, blowing in the salty breeze.

"Excuse me! Comin' through!" Ash clamored, narrowly avoiding a few pedestrians. He was sure he was getting dirty looks as he passed the people by, but he wasn't concerned with that. He needed to be on the boat on time!

Finally, he reached the end of the dock, where the ferry that would take him and his friends to Lily of the Valley Island stood still in the water. The boat suddenly unleashed an ear-splitting yell from its horn, echoing its sound across the entire city.

"Here we are. Everyone have their tickets?" Ash asked.

"Yep!" Dawn beamed, revealing hers. Layla did the same. Corey grinned and brought up his hand…only to find that it was empty.

" _Ack!"_ Corey gasped, "It's gone! I don't understand, I must've dropped it!"

"Uh oh…" Ash groaned, "C'mon, we've gotta find it."

Pikachu was already taking care of it, spotting a small slip of paper dancing in the wind a short way down the dock. _"Pikapi!"_ cried the mouse as he immediately leaped off of Ash's shoulder. He landed atop the head of another pedestrian, startling the person before leaping to the next head and using it as a stepping stone. A line of people complained as the electric mouse bounded from head to head, finally jumping off of the last person and catching the fleeing ticket in between his teeth. Pikachu landed cleanly on his feet and then bolted back the way he'd come across the ground, reappearing at Ash's feet with Corey's ticket.

" _Pika!"_ beamed the mouse.

"Thanks, buddy." Ash smiled, grabbing the ticket and handing it to Corey.

"Sorry, Ash…" Corey groaned, embarrassed, "Thanks for acting fast, Pikachu."

Corey reached up as Pikachu clambered back up to Ash's shoulders, giving the mouse's head a quick scratch behind the ear. Pikachu made no secret of his appreciation, releasing a thrilled, _"Chaaa!"_

"Don't sweat it, Corey, accidents happen. Now c'mon, let's get on this ship!"

Ash broke into another run, lumbering to the attendant at the bottom of the steps. People of all ages walked up the steps that allowed them to board the ship, and Ash subconsciously wondered how many of them were competing in the Sinnoh League and how many were simply tourists and spectators.

" _Last call!"_ shouted the attendant, _"This is the last call to board for all passengers bound for Lily of the Valley Island!"_

"Hey!" Ash yelled, skidding to a stop at the attendant's side, "We need to get on."

The attendant nodded, taking Ash's ticket and examining it. After verifying that it was the real deal, the attendant produced a handheld hole puncher and punched a round hole on the edge of the ticket, handing it back to Ash and repeating the same process for Dawn, Corey, and Layla. Together, they raced up the emptying boarding steps and filtered inside the ship, appearing in the decorated interior.

The innards of the ship were fashioned with the finest dark-hued wood, and a red-and-orange carpet made of the most expensive fabrics covered the entirety of the floors. A wide desk was situated against the far wall, where a line of passengers stood to consult with the several concierges on duty.

Rather than wait in line to get their room assignments, the four Trainers decided to survey the ship's amenities, following the signs and weaving through the halls in order to get to the upper deck.

As expected, the deck was huge, spanning almost the entire length of the ship. A giant pool sat at the front end of the deck, surrounded by hundreds of lawn chairs. Shuffleboard courts and even a few basketball courts were nearby, each of them fenced in. Various forms of onboard entertainment populated the area up to the center of the sundeck, but the back end of the deck was conspicuously empty. The whole ship seemed a little bit out of place for being a simple ferry to Lily of the Valley Island, clearly being intended for expensive cruises.

The ship's deafening horn once again tore through the air, and the ferry started to trudge forward, leaving the docks behind inch by inch. They were off!

"Hey, let's go to the back of the boat." Ash suggested, "It's always cool to watch the city get smaller and smaller as we leave."

"Yeah, let's do that!" Dawn agreed. They shuffled off to the stern, standing on a small, empty deck when they arrived and leaning on the back railings to watch the city shrink behind them. A massive, churning wake trailed behind the boat, a product of the ship's massive engines below.

A light weight appeared on top of Ash's head, and the Trainer looked up, locking his eyes on a Beautifly. The tranquil bug-type cooed gleefully.

Ash thought he saw Dawn look behind them out of the corner of his eye, but before he could follow her gaze, two hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind, turning his vision black.

" _Guess who, Ash?"_ said a singsong voice.

Ash gasped, tugged the petite feminine hands down from his eyes, and whirled around. His jaw dropped as he laid his eyes on May. The brunette Coordinator beamed, and she wasn't alone. Misty, Brock, Max, Gary, and even Delia stood behind May, all smiles. Ash opened his mouth, but no words came out and his breath hitched.

"Meowth got your tongue?" Misty asked, smirking.

"Guys!" Ash finally said, bolting up to them. He dove into a hug with Misty and Brock first, then with May, and then man-hugged Max and Gary before saving the biggest bear hug for Delia, "What are you all doing here?" he asked, hardly believing his own eyes.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gary deadpanned.

"You didn't really think we were going to miss this thing, did you?" Misty asked, her hands on her hips, "After everything you've done and all of the hard work you've put in, the least we can do is come all this way to support you in the League."

"Wait, really!?" Ash gasped, almost overwhelmed. He looked at Brock and Misty, "T-this is great! But…how are you two able to do this? I would've thought you'd have too many things on your plate. What about the Cerulean Gym, a-and medical school?"

"The Gym's closed for repairs at the moment, once it's done my sisters will be running the Gym after it reopens until I get back…under my _strict_ instructions…" Misty explained.

"And the semester ended a few weeks ago for me," Brock added, "I decided to put my internship search on hold to come support you and Dawn. I have plenty of time to pick those up."

Ash surged forward and hugged his two oldest friends again, moved. "Thank you, guys…so much. But…how did you all get here?"

Misty looked past Ash, zeroing in on Dawn as the Coordinator walked up beside Ash. Ash followed Misty's gaze and looked at Dawn, putting two and two together as a big smile grew on his face, "You put all this together, didn't you, Dawn?"

"Yup!" Dawn beamed, hands on her hips. She stepped forward and hugged May and Misty, explaining after she pulled away from them, "I talked to May and Max right after the Hoenn League when you went to go check on your Pokémon, and I contacted Brock and Misty before then about the League. I even gave Professor Rowan a call, too, and he agreed to let Gary off work for a few weeks in order to support you." Dawn offered a hug to Brock next, sighing with relief, "It's so great to see you guys again. I'm glad you could make it."

Delia strolled up to Dawn and hugged the girl tight, smiling sweetly, "Dawn, dear, it's so good to see you again. Thank you for keeping Ash out of trouble for these past several months."

Dawn cast an instantaneous glance at Ash, knowing that that wasn't entirely true. No one except those who had been there were aware of the incidents with Team Rocket and at Spear Pillar. And Ash didn't like to admit it, but Dawn was aware that every now and then he suffered from nightmares, and even more often, he couldn't sleep. When they slept on the road, she woke up to the sounds of him walking around their campsite late at night more often than she slept without interruption. It was something that he'd shoved down inside himself, insisting that he was fine, but his dismissals were never very convincing. Some symptoms existed in Pikachu as well, since he'd endured the worst of Team Rocket's mistreatment and experiments. Ash had told her once before, and she was sure that the issues were reoccurring, but Ash was never willing to talk about it. Luckily, the pair still had training and battling to look forward to, which as far as Dawn could tell, kept them upbeat and positive.

"Of course, Delia. It's the least I can do." Dawn answered, returning to reality.

Brock cut in, "Delia's told us the basics of what you two have been up to lately, so let me be the first to congratulate you both on everything you've achieved."

"Yeah, it's no small task to take on every Gym Leader's best Pokémon and come out on top!" Misty asserted. She stooped down to greet Pikachu, who eagerly leaped forward into her arms and nuzzled up against her cheek with a happy _"Pikachu-Pi!"_. It had been too long! Misty reciprocated Pikachu's glee, rubbing a calm hand up and down his head and back. The electric mouse tensed and then relaxed, going almost limp in Misty's grip as she started to scratch his back.

"And not to mention that Dawn's got another Grand Festival coming up!" May said in a singsong voice as she wrapped a friendly arm around her fellow Coordinator.

Gary walked up beside Ash and slugged him on the arm, "But hey, let's talk about the real goods, Ashy-boy!"

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, puzzled.

"Oh, yeah, that's the best part of all!" Brock added, "We've gotta congratulate Dawn on her other big accomplishment."

Dawn was now confused, "Other…? Guys, what's going on?"

"We think you know," May smirked, a glint in her eye.

Misty piled on next, "We're talking about you and Ash over here finally making it official."

Brock curled an arm around Ash's neck and shoulders, grinning, "Our little Ash is growing up, you guys!"

Ash groaned and locked eyes with Delia, who was giggling. "You didn't think I'd be keeping _that_ little detail from all your friends, did you, dear?"

"Oh, yeah... _that_." Ash muttered, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he refused to make eye contact with his friends. Dawn was very much the same, having not expected to have this sprung on her either. The rest of their friends shared in a big, hearty laugh, and Brock continued as he wiped a wayward tear from the edge of his eye.

"Let me tell you, it wasn't easy sitting on my hands when we all traveled together," Brock said, "Turns out, it was only a matter of time!"

Ash half-scowled, half-pouted, "If you knew for so long then why didn't you say anything?"

"Yeah…" Dawn agreed, "We could've used a little push here and there along the way, you know how dense we could be..."

"You can't possibly have been denser than ol' Ash!" Misty snickered, "Honestly, getting through his thick skull is a real accomplishment! You should get a big trophy, or something."

"No kidding. They should give you the title of Top Coordinator just for that!" May said with a beaming smile.

"Well, it _was_ a hell of a time just getting him to say that he liked me back…" Dawn pondered aloud, smirking at Ash. The older teen groaned and pulled his hat down in front of his face, at a loss for words. Even his own girlfriend had turned on him now.

Brock slapped Ash on the back, "Alright, guys, I think we've embarrassed Ash enough." His eyes then nearly popped out of his head as he thought of something, "Aw, man, I just realized that Ash landed a real girlfriend before I did."

Ash put on a smug grin as Brock gave him the upper hand, straightening his posture and puffing out his chest, "Ch-yeah, Brock-o, it'll be nice to be the one giving you pointers every now and then!"

Misty, May, and Max all piled on Brock from there, jabbing him with teasing comments that the Doctor-in-training didn't appreciate, but probably deserved. Gary shook his head and snickered, "Never thought I'd see the day, Ashy-boy. I'm going to have to step up my game before you turn on me, too." He and Ash shared a laugh at that, slapping each other on the backs.

"And how are you, Gary? Dawn mentioned you were still working for Professor Rowan?" Ash asked.

"Not for much longer, actually. I'll be moving back to Kanto in a few months and working with Gramps." Gary explained.

"Really? What about Tracey?" Ash asked.

"Tracey's cool, he's supposed to be heading to another region to work with the professor there and study a whole bunch of new Pokémon for Gramps. I can't recall its name off the top of my head, but I'll ask Gramps about it."

"Is that so? That's great for him!" Ash said with a smile. He had seen Tracey a few times when he was in Pallet Town for the holidays, but hadn't really had the chance to catch up with his old traveling companion.

"Yeah, Gramps seems to think he's earned the chance to go out on his own, plus he wants me to take over the lab when he retires. Speaking of Gramps, though, he'll be meeting us at the island in a few days." Gary said.

"Professor Oak's coming, too?"

"Yep, his schedule's a little tight, but he insisted that he couldn't miss this."

Delia smiled. The mood was positive. She had taken great delight in telling Ash and Dawn's friends about their relationship, but had also been aware that they would besiege them both with jokes and teasing. She glanced over to the side of the group, noticing Corey and Layla. The two youths were looking very uncomfortable, as they were dreadfully out of the loop and surrounded by strangers.

"Oh, Ash, Dawn! Who are your young friends here?" Delia called. Everyone in the group looked over at the two youngsters, changing their focus.

"Er, right." Ash answered, "Now that _that_ is out of the way," he grumbled, throwing a look at Brock, Misty, and the others, "Guys, this is Corey and Layla. They traveled with us in Sinnoh for a little bit before we parted ways."

Corey took a step forward, putting on his friendliest smile, "Hi! My name's Corey, I'm a Pokémon Trainer. I'm entering the Sinnoh League once we get to the island!"

Shyly, Layla waved at the older Pokémon Trainers, "I'm Layla. I'm a Coordinator." She tucked a lock of her chocolate hair behind her ear, nervous as usual.

Brock and Misty stepped forward as a pair, all smiles.

"Hey there, I'm Brock, former Gym Leader of Kanto's Pewter City." said the Doctor-in-training.

"And I'm Misty, I run the Gym in Cerulean City. We were Ash's first traveling companions."

"Gary Oak, former Trainer and current Pokémon Researcher. _And,_ this knucklehead's original rival." Gary introduced himself, elbowing Ash with a snicker.

"My name's Max!" beamed the young blue-haired Trainer. His smile was genuine, happy to see that there were others his age within the group.

"And I'm May, Max's older sister. We traveled with Ash when he was in the Hoenn Region. It's great to meet you two!" May smiled, waving at the two youngsters. Everyone started to get acquainted, and once that was done, Misty butted in, ready to let loose.

"Hey, let's go check out the rest of the ship, already! We only get to be on this thing for the day, so let's make the most of it!" Misty insisted.

"That's a great idea!" Ash agreed, "C'mon everyone, let's go!"

* * *

The huge upper deck was covered by a mass of people, making movement difficult, but the group had luckily managed to snag a line of poolside lawn chairs. Corey and Layla had really hit it off with Max, and the three youths had wasted no time leaping into the pool. May and Dawn relaxed in their chairs, the two younger women taking the opportunity to sunbathe while Delia sat up straight to watch the three youngsters in the pool.

Over on the nearby shuffleboard court, Ash and Gary had teamed up against Brock and Misty, and the results were rather laughable.

"Ugh! How does anyone do this!?" Ash complained as he botched another shot.

Misty took her turn next, sliding the shuffleboard disc across the ground and launching it with just the right amount of force to slide it into the highest-scoring point box. Misty was single-handedly annihilating Ash and Gary, and she was taking great pleasure in it. Brock was as well; despite not being much more effective than Ash or Gary were, he was on the winning side, and that was enough for him.

"C'mon, seriously, Misty? How are you so good at this?" Ash groaned.

"Back when I was a kid, there was a rec center in Cerulean City. They had a shuffleboard court there, and when I wanted to get away from my sisters and couldn't go swimming, I'd go there and practice." Misty explained, "I guess I had a knack for it, so I kept it up, though training Pokémon eventually took its place. Call it muscle memory."

" _Makes sense, with her being all muscle and no brains,"_ Gary snickered into Ash's ear. Ash broke out into snickering as well, and Misty threw a cross look at them both.

"Wanna say whatever that was out loud, Gary?" Misty threatened, her knuckles turning white as she tightened her grip on her shuffleboard cue. She wouldn't hesitate to whack him upside the head with the cue.

"Nope." Gary answered matter-of-factly. Misty nodded in a very 'that's-what-I-thought' kind of way.

"Good. Now, throw your disc so we can finish this ass-whipping we're handing you, 'kay?" Misty taunted.

Gary rolled his eyes and moved forward, sliding his disc across the court. He managed to land the disc on a scoring spot, but it did nothing to alter the final result. Misty and Brock shared a high-five to celebrate the win, and the four Trainers headed back to the poolside deck, where seats had been saved.

"Oh, good, you guys are back." May smiled, "How'd shuffleboard go?"

"Yours truly kicked Ash and Gary's behinds!" Misty declared, plopping down in the empty seat to the left Dawn and May. Misty stretched and broke out a bottle of sunscreen, applying it little by little up and down her skin as the sun beat down on the deck.

"The weather is so great today," Dawn commented, laying slack in her chair. Sunglasses covered her eyes and the sun reflected off of her figure. She wore a fashionable swimsuit and her long blue hair was pulled back in a ponytail hidden behind her back.

May agreed, "It really is, it's been so rainy in Petalburg City lately that this is such a— _Max Maple, I told you to put on sunscreen! Your shoulders are already starting to burn!"_

Max was standing with Corey and Layla in the steps of the pool, laughing and giggling until May started shouting at him. Indeed, the youngster's exposed shoulders and upper arms were starting to take on a pinkish tint that would only worsen if he stayed out in the sun. Embarrassed, Max shuffled out of the pool and grabbed his towel, quickly drying off and going over to May so that she could apply sunscreen before his burns became worse.

The ship's PA system suddenly erupted with noise, spilling words out onto the busy deck.

" _Attention, all passengers. We are pleased to announce that we are on our way to Lily of the Valley Island. We are aware that many of our passengers intend to enter the Lily of the Valley Conference upon arrival, so we are happy to announce that there is an indoor battling facility below decks. All Pokémon Trainers on-board are welcome and encouraged to visit the Battle Deck and take part in exhibition battles with other passengers. Thank you for your attention."_

"Battle Deck!?" Max repeated, frantically looking back and forth between Ash and Corey.

"I was hoping I'd heard that right, they had me at 'battle'!" Ash beamed, "Let's go check this place out!"

"Right behind you!" Max answered, scrambling away from May and bolting after Ash. The boy's arms and face were still a little white due to the fresh sunscreen, but he threw his shirt over his body and ran.

"Hey, wait for me!" Corey shouted, bounding out of the pool and snatching his towel as he chased after Ash and Max. Layla now stood alone at the edge of the pool, confused. Defeated, she stepped out onto the deck, approaching the chairs and grabbing her towel to dry off and sit down.

"Well, that didn't take long," said Misty.

"And here I thought we'd all get to spend a little time together." Dawn grumbled, a slight scowl on her pretty face.

Brock started to step away, "I should…probably go supervise them. Goodness knows they may need it."

"Hey, don't leave me behind." Gary insisted, walking off with Brock and leaving the girls by themselves.

* * *

The Battle Deck wasn't hard to find. Unfortunately, many others had had the same idea as Ash and the others, so the halls were steadily swelling with people. The indoor facility was about the size of a standard Gym Battle Room. The floor was blue and made of a hard surface, with taped white lines making out the borders of the battlefield. Portholes lined the walls, offering small glimpses at the sea.

The line moved at a steady pace, with Ash and his friends reaching the front in a timely manner. When it was their turn, the female attendant smiled, "Good morning, and welcome to the Battle Deck. How may I help you?"

"May we sign up?" Ash asked.

"Absolutely. I'll just need a Trainer Card from each person who wishes to participate."

Brock and Gary were the only members of the group uninterested in taking part in the battles, so they refrained from handing over their cards. The attendant verified the three Cards and handed them back, gesturing for the group to move along. As the line continued to shorten, a series of large flat-screen TVs mounted on the walls came to life, displaying a manufactured tutorial video. A robotic voice filtered through the speakers, echoing through the rectangular room.

" _Welcome to the S.S. Great Adventure's Battle Deck, a unique facility that allows Trainers to take part in Pokémon battles with other passengers. We hope you are enjoying your stay on the ship," said the recorded voice, "Before we begin, we have a few rules that must be shared. All passengers are expected to follow these rules at all times, for they exist with the safety and participation of all passengers in mind. Failure to comply will result in immediate removal from the facility."_

The robotic voice paused before moving on. Shiny text appeared on the flashy TV screen and the voice recited the rules.

" _First, unless specific challenges are made and agreed upon by both parties, all battles will be randomly assigned by computer. Second, due to time constraints, we ask that each Trainer only use one Pokémon per battle. Finally, due to the nature of this facility, we have a short list of moves that are not allowed to be used on the Battle Deck. Included on this list are moves such as Earthquake, Draco Meteor, Dig, and other moves that result in significant damage to the field of battle or the environment. If you own any Pokémon that know any of these moves, we ask that you refrain from using them in this facility. A complete list of banned moves can be found on the wall by all entrances and exits."_

" _We hope you enjoy your time on the Battle Deck. Thank you for choosing the S.S. Great Adventure."_

The TVs went dark and the robotic voice disappeared. After a few seconds, the screens lit up again and began randomly determining the first battle based on the database of Trainers that had entered their names. While Max and Corey ran over to the attendant and set up formal challenge so that they could battle each other, Ash, Brock, and Gary talked amongst themselves.

"It's not as state-of-the-art as I was hoping." Ash commented.

"The place looks a little experimental," Gary chimed in, "I'd wager they want to see if this place is popular before they pour a bunch of money into it making it look good."

"Maybe so. So, why'd you come down here with us if you're not gonna battle, Gary?" Ash asked.

"Meh," Gary answered with a shrug, "I just didn't want to be left alone with the girls on the deck. Who _knows_ what gossip they're talking about…"

* * *

" _Sooooo, Dawn…"_ May cooed, practically jumping up and down out of her chair as she failed to hide her excitement, "Tell us all about you and Ash! I wanna know exactly how it happened!"

Dawn gulped, knowing that she'd have to leave out a lot of key details. Their mutual confession had been immediately followed by misfortune and life-threatening danger. But, she supposed she could give May and the others the gist of that day and leave out the darker details.

"Well, it really wasn't all that exciting. We were training at Lake Acuity in Snowpoint City, and I guess I was finally sick of bottling it all up inside," Dawn started, "So, I asked him if he ever thought about our future together. He talked about what a great team we were, but he wasn't talking romantically, y'know? I guess I finally just said 'screw it' and finally told him I liked him. He…wasn't exactly expecting it."

"I almost hit him in the mouth," Dawn continued, "He just stood there, looking dumb, and asked for a couple of minutes to himself. I don't know what he was thinking about for those couple of minutes, but after that he came over to me and said he liked me back."

"Aw, that's cute! You had him all flustered." May said in a singsong voice, "I was the same way when Drew—" May immediately stopped herself, realizing what she'd done, "I mean, uh…you didn't hear that."

"Oh, we _totally_ did!" Misty answered, leaning in with a wicked grin, "Spill, Maple."

May looked mortified and she gulped, trying to find the best way to elaborate, "Um, I guess Drew and I are—I don't know—seeing each other…? We ran into each other in Rustboro City one day after my last Grand Festival and kept in touch, and I guess here we are."

"That's so cool! I've never met Drew, I'll have to come to Hoenn sometime and meet you guys." Dawn said.

"You know what? I'm going to stick around for the Grand Festival, I bet Drew would love to come!" May realized, smiling.

"That would be wonderful!" Dawn agreed, "Anyway, I'm glad it's worked out with Ash the way it has. We're friends first, and I'm really happy with it like that. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it works for us."

"Honestly, I think that's the best way to go about it with him," Misty said, "Ash never struck me as the type to go on dates and be lovey-dovey in public."

"I couldn't agree more. We tried shortly after we really made it official, and…it was kind of awful. We were so awkward with each other and we just felt out of place." Dawn explained, "But whenever I'm with him, I can't help but smile. He's got so much energy and so much love for people and Pokémon, and there's nothing he wants more than to win this League. I'm really glad you guys are here to support him, I know it means a lot to him."

"Don't mention it, girl," Misty answered with a grin.

"It really is the least we could do," May said, "I'm glad you guys called when you did, Max was really bummed out after getting knocked out of the Ever Grande Conference. You and Ash helped cheer him up, and he couldn't wait to get here to Sinnoh."

"I'm glad he's feeling better. Ash was hurting for him too after we saw the end of the battle." Dawn echoed, "Has he thought about what he'll do next?"

"I'm not sure," May answered, "I imagine he'll go check out a different Region, but I'm not sure where. I doubt he's decided. I wonder how the Battle Deck is going for them right now…"

* * *

" _Ash?_ Ash!"

Ash stiffened and blinked a few times, dragging himself out of his stupor. He'd been staring off into space. Brock was at his left, trying to talk to him. Gary had disappeared to use the restroom, leaving Ash and Brock to stand near the sidelines. A battle was going on at the moment, but Ash wasn't particularly interested with it. He'd been staring off into space when Brock tried to get his attention.

"Sorry, Brock-o. What's up?"

"I just want to make sure you're doing okay." Brock said.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine." Ash said nonchalantly.

"That's not what I mean, Ash. How are you, _really?_ I want to know." Brock added, "I'm going to be a Doctor, and my knowledge isn't limited to Pokémon. I want to be sure that you're doing well after what happened at Spear Pillar. I'd be stunned if anyone came out of something like that without any trouble."

"W-what exactly do you want me to tell you?" Ash asked, nervous.

"Are you eating right, are you sleeping okay, just the usual things. I know you probably don't want to have this conversation, but it's been weighing on my conscious since I left Sinnoh." Brock said, "I feel like I should've stayed, to make sure you guys were alright."

"Don't beat yourself up like that, Brock, we couldn't have asked you to do that." Ash frowned. He took a deep breath, "But…I guess I'm eating like normal, but sleeping doesn't always go well. It's not an everyday thing, but I'll wake up a lot in the middle of the night or have nightmares. And most of them are about the same thing. I zone out a good amount during the day, too. I don't talk about it with Dawn, but I'm sure she knows something is up. I've seen Pikachu struggle every now and then, I think he has his fair share of nightmares too."

"I figured as much. The fact of the matter is that what happened to you both is pretty traumatic, and it would be the same for anyone who went through that."

"Will it get better?" Ash asked, suffering a shake in his voice that hadn't been there before. He really had been ignoring his own health lately.

"I don't know. As much as we know about post-traumatic stress, it affects everyone differently. And it can be a whole different game when it comes to Pokémon. I'm sure you and Pikachu will be fine, because you're both really strong, but I want you to know you can always talk about it with me. And I won't say a word to anyone unless you want me to." Brock said, "But you can always count on me and everyone else. There's always help right around the corner." To emphasize his point, he rested a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder and offered a smile.

Ash smiled back, "Thanks, Brock. I…I appreciate that. I'll let you know if anything happens."

Gary picked that moment to return, not having heard the conversation between the two close friends. "Hey look, Max and that Corey kid are up." Gary pointed out, turning Ash and Brock's attention to the battlefield.

The two youngsters stood on opposite sides of the rubber battlefield, staring each other down with confident smiles on their faces. A ship employee served as a stand-in referee and called for the battle to begin. Wordlessly, Max and Corey brandished their single Poké Balls, slinging them out onto the field.

" _Luxray, let's go!"_

" _Gallade, you're up!"_

The two Poké Balls burst open, releasing the Pokémon held inside on opposite ends of the field. The bipedal Gallade huffed as it appeared, bringing its sword-like arms close to its body. In contrast, Luxray stood on all fours, lashing its tail back and forth as tendrils of static electricity coiled through its unruly black fur.

Corey, predictably, dove in headfirst, "Luxray, use Crunch!"

Luxray roared and bounded forward, baring its glistening canines. Max remained calm and Gallade stayed still, waiting until the Gleam Eyes Pokémon reached striking distance.

" _Teleport."_

The command was short and sweet. Gallade didn't even blink; its entire body instantly vanished, reappearing in a blink behind Luxray. The charging electric-type blazed through where Gallade had once been, coming to a confused stop and turning around to see an unharmed Gallade standing behind it.

"What the…?" Corey muttered, "Luxray, go again."

Luxray charged after Gallade again, but Max simply ordered another Teleport and Gallade returned to its original spot, effortlessly dodging Luxray's attack.

"You're gonna have to do better than charging in blind against me and Gallade," Max said, almost a bit smug, "Gallade, let's give 'em a taste of what we've got. Use Psycho Cut."

Gallade threw an arm out to its side, channeling psychic energy into it. The Blade Pokémon made to sprint forward, only to teleport closer to Luxray. Gallade teleported again and again, covering impossible distances in just a few paces before appearing at Luxray's side.

" _Luxray!"_ Corey panicked, but that was all he was able to get out before Gallade brought the pain with a downward slash. The energy of Psycho Cut buried itself in Luxray's side, exploding and kicking the electric-type across the rubber field. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon groaned as it crawled back to its four feet, a persistent pain lurking in its side.

"Luxray, use Charge." Corey ordered. Luxray purred and relaxed, feeling energy rush through its veins. The electric-type's thick fur glittered with static, attesting to the power it had just built up.

Max was wary. A misstep too close, and Luxray would be able to unleash a powered-up electric-type attack. Carefully, Max called to Gallade, "Gallade, use Night Slash."

Malevolent energy circled around Gallade's slim arms, and the Blade Pokémon sprinted straight for Luxray. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon tensed, waiting for Corey's inevitable command, "Luxray, dodge and use Discharge!"

" _Lux…"_ growled the electric-type. It jumped back from Gallade's attempted attack, readying an all-out blast of electricity.

"Teleport!" Max yelled. Gallade moved to escape by slipping through space, but Luxray's attack was too fast. A hundred bolts of yellow lightning struck out in all directions, most of them homing onto Gallade. As the Blade Pokémon faded out of existence, the lightning made contact, thwarting Gallade's escape and sending incalculable voltage through its body.

" _LAAAAAAAADE!"_ Gallade howled, dropping to one knee as the Discharge calmed. Smoke rose off of Gallade's body, wafting up and fading out of sight as it met with the cool air of the room.

"Luxray, quick, use Spark!"

Luxray charged forward in a cocoon of electricity, meaning to pile on even more damage while Gallade was vulnerable.

"Use Night Slash again!" Max yowled. Gallade looked up at the approaching Luxray, glaring, and immediately teleported, projecting itself right behind Luxray and reappearing to execute two brutal swipes in Luxray's blind spot. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon fell over itself as the Night Slashes made contact, once again rolling away from Gallade. Luxray climbed to its feet again, though with a noticeably weaker resolve. Gallade's attack strength was truly something else, and in only two hits the Blade Pokémon had eaten away at Luxray's energy.

Corey gritted his teeth. Luxray didn't match up very well with Gallade. The Blade Pokémon was faster and stronger, and its ability to Teleport to where it needed to be was just another added advantage. Corey then shook his head, his thoughts betraying him. He wouldn't just give up, he couldn't. He had to believe in Luxray.

"Luxray, use Spark."

"Gallade, Close Combat."

Luxray charged, surrounding by crackling lightning, and Gallade rushed forward to meet it, bringing up its fists to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks.

"Now, Discharge!" Corey barked. Luxray kept running, but changed its attack, spitting countless arms of lightning straight at Gallade. The Blade Pokémon skidded in a panic and the electricity connected, pumping another round of voltage through its body. Luxray continued to advance, mustering up enough electricity to mimic Spark as it smashed into Gallade with a full-body tackle.

Gallade hit the rubber floor and bounced closer to Max, weak in the knees. Gallade's strengths came at a price: its thin body couldn't take many hits, and it was beginning to show. Max gritted his teeth and scowled. This was why he had lost in the Ever Grande Conference, because he wasn't able to keep Gallade out of harm's way enough. He needed to rethink his strategy.

"Gallade, let's put an end to this, quick. Use Night Slash." Max ordered. Gallade charged again, its eyes fixed on Luxray.

"Discharge." Corey ordered.

"Teleport!" Max shouted. Luxray unleashed another fit of lightning, but Gallade teleported as the electrifying arms came close, reappearing at an angle and charging Luxray again. Luxray attempted another Discharge, but Gallade simply teleported to a different place.

"It's not working…use Crunch!"

"Gallade, let 'em hit you!" Max shouted.

Gallade turned to look at Max in disbelief.

"Trust me, Gallade! You can handle this!" Max insisted. Gallade nodded, trusting in its partner, and gave itself up, coming to a stop and allowing Luxray to sink its teeth into Gallade's arm. Gallade roared, staggering, and Corey grinned.

"It's over now!" the youth shouted.

"I wouldn't say that," Max answered, "Gallade, Close Combat."

Gallade's eyes glittered, and using its free hand, the Blade Pokémon delivered a swift hook that knocked Luxray back. Stepping forward with a purpose, Gallade unleashed another punch, this one a jab that stunned Luxray.

"Uh oh!" Corey gasped, "Um, Luxray, Discharge!"

"You know what to do, Gallade!" Max yelled. Luxray spat another Discharge and Gallade teleported out of the way, reappearing as the Discharge passed and falling upon the Gleam Eyes Pokémon. Gallade dished out a few more punches, adding in a swift knee to Luxray's chest for good measure, and teleported again, this time appearing at Luxray's side. Gallade lunged, turning in the air and delivering an expert roundhouse kick right into Luxray's ribs that lifted the electric-type off the ground and dispatched it across the battlefield.

Luxray landed with a _thud_ and slid across the rubber for just a few feet, coming to a stop and laying still. The referee waited for a few seconds and then raised one of his flags, declaring the result.

"Luxray is unable to battle. The win goes to Gallade!"

"Yes!" Max whooped, "Great job, Gallade! Return!" Max clicked the button on Gallade's Poké Ball and the Blade Pokémon disappeared, returning to the capsule.

"Luxray, come back!" Corey called dejectedly. "You were great out there," Corey said to the Poké Ball once Luxray was safely inside, "Take a good rest, okay?"

Max and Corey were ushered off of the battlefield, headed to the bleachers as the computer began randomly selecting the next two Trainers to battle. Corey reached the group first and slumped down in his seat, though he was closely followed by Max. The Petalburg boy smiled, nudging Corey on the arm.

"Hey, Corey, I had fun. Luxray's got a lot of power," Max said, "You know, if you want, I'd love to help you train Luxray a little before the Sinnoh League. That Discharge was great, but it could be even better, and I think we can work on that Spark-Discharge combo you used to make it hit real hard. What do you say?"

At first, Corey wanted to ignore Max out of spite, but as he thought over the boy's words, he smiled. Max had already participated in a Conference himself, so just like Ash, he might be able to teach him a thing or two, "You know, I think that could help us out a lot. Once we get to the island, let's do it!"

"Great!" Max beamed.

The TV screen beeped as it came to life with its two selections for the next battle. On one end of the screen was Ash.

"All right, my turn!" Ash said, surging out of his seat, "See you guys!"

Ash bolted down the bleachers, heading to his battle box as the computer decided who his opponent would be. A few moments later, a plain-looking boy stepped up to the box on opposite side of the rubber field. Ash clutched his chosen Poké Ball, and Pikachu hopped down to stand and watch at Ash's feet. The referee blew his whistle, the two Trainers called on their Pokémon, and the battle began!

* * *

The girls were in the same spot they'd been left when the boys returned, still talking amongst themselves. Layla noticed them first, and she waved at Corey. As the youth blushed and waved back, the other girls turned around to see the rest of the group

"Hey, everyone." Brock greeted.

"Hey, you guys. How was the Battle Deck?" Misty asked.

"Pretty cool," Max said, "Me and Corey got to battle."

"Yeah, Max is gonna help me train some before the Sinnoh League!" Corey added.

"That's sweet of you, Max." May commented.

"Aw, shucks…" Max said, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the ground. He looked back up, shifting his glance between Corey and Layla, "But hey, now there's just one thing left to do."

Corey and Layla shared a confused look. Max paused, purely for dramatic effect, and then released a bellowing yell from deep within his lungs, _"COW-A-BUNG-AAAA!"_ he shouted, flinging off his shirt and leaping into the pool. With childlike grins, Corey and Layla stripped to their swimsuits and followed.

May's smile twisted into another upset scowl. Max hadn't even bothered to put on sunscreen! Refusing to let him get burned, May scrambled out of her chair and marched to the edge of the pool to begin the process of dragging Max out of the water and making him put on sunscreen.

As Dawn looked on, snickering, Ash leaned against her chair, smirking at her as his weight caused the chair to slide a little bit across the deck.

"Can I help you?" Dawn asked, giggling.

"Oh, no, I'm all good." Ash answered, sliding her chair a little more. Delia held a watchful eye over them from her seat, smiling wistfully at them. Ash continued, "So, what are you going to do once we get to Lily of the Valley Island?"

"May and I will probably go shopping at some point, since there's still going to be a couple of days before the League." Dawn said, "Other than that, nothing particularly special. I'll probably spend my time training with May for the Grand Festival."

"You should take Misty shopping with you." Ash suggested.

"What are you plotting, Ash Ketchum?" Misty snarled from a few chairs down. Ash snickered relentlessly at Misty's comment, and the Cerulean City Gym Leader threw him a glare before she too broke into restrained laughter.

A squeaky voice came from Ash's feet, interrupting the group's laughter, _"Excuse me, mister?"_

Everyone looked down to see a young boy with messy red-orange hair. The kid's hairdo was unruliest around his ears, but he had a sweet smile and charming blue eyes that drew the attention away from his mess of hair.

"Hey, there…" Ash said, "Everything okay?"

"Y-Yes…" squeaked the child, "I just wanted to come say hi…I watched you on the Battle Deck just a little bit ago, and it was really cool."

"Well, thank you," Ash answered, "What's your name?"

"I-I go by Petey, mister."

"Well, Petey, you can just call me Ash. It may not look like it, but I'm still a kid, too." Ash said, "How old are you, Petey?"

"S-seven, sir—Ash," Petey said, correcting himself, "When I'm old enough, I want to be a Pokémon Trainer just like you."

"Oh, yeah? Do you love Pokémon?" Ash asked.

"I-I sure do!" Petey answered, his eyes shining boyishly, "My papa was a Trainer when he was younger, and we have a pet Houndour at home. But…I don't know, I'm not so sure that I'd be good at it…"

Ash dropped down to one knee so that he was closer to Petey's eye level. A genuine smile appeared on Ash's face as he answered, "Hey, don't worry yourself like that. If you love Pokémon, and you treat yours well, then that's all you need to be a great Trainer. I'll tell you what, Petey, Pokémon training isn't easy, there's a lot of hard work that goes into it, and a lot of times you might feel like you aren't good enough. But failure is part of the game, and if you trust in yourself and your Pokémon, there's nothing they won't do for you, I can promise you that!"

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu added.

Petey beamed and giggled at Pikachu, eagerly reaching out to brush his fingers against the mouse's soft fur. "Thank you, mister Ash. My family and me are gonna be in the stands watching the Sinnoh League. I'll be cheering for you!"

"I appreciate that, Petey." Ash answered. He reached out and ruffled the boy's red-orange hair. After that, Petey turned and scampered across the deck, returning to who must've been his parents. They were plain-looking people, but it was clear that Petey got his hair color from his mother, who had long, curly orange locks. Petey's mother and father waved at Ash appreciatively, and the Trainer tipped the bill of his baseball cap to them.

"That was sweet of you, Ash." Dawn said, grazing his arm.

"So, I get points for that? Cool." Ash answered with a smirk. He laced his fingers with hers, smiling as he looked at her.

"Hey, Ash!" Max called from the pool, "C'mere real quick, we wanna ask you something!"

With blind trust, Ash walked over to the edge of the pool, squatting down. Max, Corey, and Layla stood in the shallows close together, waiting expectantly.

"What's up?" Ash asked.

" _GET HIM!"_ the three youngsters yelled as one. Together, they swiped their hands across the surface of the water, spraying Ash with a wall of pool water. He reflexively recoiled and raised his arms to protect himself, but it did nothing as the water smashed into him and spilled through every possible hole in his meager defense, soaking him to the skin.

Ash carefully lowered his arms, dripping wet, "…Oh, I'm going to get you guys back for that," he growled, though there was no actual malice in his voice.

Ash shot up to his feet and stripped off his vest and shirt, threw off his shoes, and wriggled out of his jeans with unexpected quickness, revealing that he had in fact worn swim trunks underneath his day clothes. Max, Corey, and Layla all paled, whirling around in the water and trying to swim away.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ash yelled, sprinting and leaping into the water after the three youths.

Ash's clothes landed in a heap in one of the empty chairs. Dawn made a point to get out of her chair and arrange the clothes on the back of the chair so that they could properly dry in the sun. She cast a look back to the pool, where Ash had captured Max and Corey and was holding them by their waistbands with one hand each. The two youngsters were in a state of gleeful panic, scared for what Ash was going to do to them while also being unable to contain their laughter.

Ash lobbed Corey and Max haphazardly into the air, only being able to make them fly for about a split-second before they crashed back into the water. Layla had escaped to the other end of the pool, and she watched with muted laughter until Ash zeroed in on her.

"Don't get too comfortable, Layla, because you're next!" he yelled, immediately lunging forward and swimming as fast as he could. Layla stiffened and panicked, but Ash somehow reached her before she could maneuver her way out of the pool to (relative) safety. He locked his hand around her lower arm and held her back for just enough time to drag himself up and wrap his other hand around her, upon which he launched her back toward where Corey and Max were treading water.

Still unsatisfied with his revenge, Ash rushed the three youngsters again, weaving through the other pedestrians in the pool in order to reach them. This time, the young trio attacked as a unit, figuring offense was the best defense against Ash's wrath. Corey and Layla wrapped themselves around him and Max climbed atop Ash's back, grabbing onto locks of his raven hair and tugging. Ash complained, though Max wasn't really hurting him, and thrashed about, laughing gleefully the whole time as he resisted the three kids from dragging him down.

"That's Ash…" Misty said, "he always finds a way to be the life of the party."

"Well he's gotta put all of that extra energy towards something." May commented with a snicker.

A few minutes later, Ash waded over to the edge of the pool, pushing himself out with only his arms. As he did so, his taut muscles rippled, and Dawn's cheeks warmed as she realized she was staring. Ash sauntered over, dripping water from every inch of his body as he grabbed a towel and furiously went to work drying his thick hair. When he finished, he made a big show of declaring his victory over Max, Corey, and Layla, who were all drifting lazily in the water.

"Who dares to challenge me next? Anyone?" Ash said dramatically. No one said anything, and so he moved on, "Well, then, I guess I have to pick."

Dawn shrieked as she was suddenly lifted out of her chair in one fell swoop, losing her magazine as her whole world flipped upside down. When her dizziness passed, she found Ash had hefted her over his own shoulder. She tried to scowl, but couldn't help but laugh as she repeatedly smacked him on the back.

"Put me down!" she complained with a laugh. Ash walked as she continued to hit him, but to him the contact was nothing more than an annoyance.

Their friends laughed as they watched this unfold, but they suddenly hushed. Dawn, noticing the sudden quiet, stopped hitting Ash and immediately saw where they were.

The edge of the pool.

"Ash Ketchum, I swear, if you do this…" Dawn threatened.

Ash paused for a second, "Sorry, Dee Dee, but you shouldn't have said anything. Now I just want to do this even more."

"I've told you a thousand times not to call me that name!" Dawn hissed. Her threats didn't deter Ash, so she turned to calling for help, "Misty! May!" Dawn shouted, but they didn't budge, pointing and laughing as they waited for Ash to dispatch her into the water.

"Bombs away, captain!" Ash declared. With that, he stepped off the corner, falling six inches into the deep end of the pool and submerging underwater. Dawn's shouting was cut off as she fell underwater too, and she fought like mad to escape from Ash's grip. He let go once they were under, grinning uncontrollably as she kicked her way up and back to the surface.

Dawn reappeared at the water's surface, spitting water out of her mouth and coughing. Ash came up next, just a few seconds behind but with a huge grin on his face. Dawn's expression twisted into one of feigned rage and she splashed him with a significant wave of water before slapping him on the arms and chest repeatedly.

"I'm going to kill you!" Dawn roared, but all it did was make Ash laugh.

"Stop it, that tickles!" he giggled, which should've enraged her more, but she watched him laugh and felt her fury melt away. She simply couldn't stay mad at him. Her blood cooled, and she afforded one more smack to Ash's arm. Her long blue hair was drenched, curling over her left shoulder and sticking to her skin.

"Hey, you two! You don't get to go for a swim without me!" Misty declared, jumping out of her seat and diving into the water.

May watched for a few seconds, "Well, I might as well join them," she said, untying her bandana and letting her light brown hair down before surging out of her chair and jumping into the pool. Feeling left out, Brock followed.

"You coming, Gary?" he asked, looking back before he made his leap.

Gary pondered the thought, "…Sure, why not," he finally said, and dropped everything but his swimsuit underneath before following Brock into the water after their friends.

Delia yelled after them to be careful, but she was fairly sure that her wishes had fallen on deaf ears. Now alone on the row of chairs that they'd grabbed, Delia started to unpack towels for each of the kids in the pool, sitting down on a chair in the middle to watch them from a distance.

* * *

The sun was on its way down in the sky as Ash and his friends dried off, each of them wrapped in their own towel. Ash began to dry out his ears as Dawn redressed herself nearby. She held up her discarded top, feeling it with her hand and smiling when she found that it had dried sufficiently after the last few hours in the sun.

Once everyone was dressed, the group started to walk around the deck, slowly being overcome by idleness.

But, as if on cue, a nearby sailor let loose an ecstatic bellow.

" _Wa-ha-ha! Land, ho!"_ declared the sailor, pointing a fat finger ahead of the ship. Sure enough, a moderately-large island was slinking into view on the horizon. People nearby that had heard the sailor shuffled toward the front of the ship, but Ash and his friends were at the head of that group. Ash ran, on autopilot, across the wooden decks until he reached the bow of the ship. His hands found the railing that guarded the edge, and he gazed in awe at the approaching island, admiring its vast hills and forests. Even a freestanding mountain stuck out of the ground to point at the evening sky. On the slowly-enlarging coast was a quaint town populated by houses, and at the center of all that civilization were the stadiums.

"We're finally here, Pikachu. After all this time, after all the work we've put in, we're back." Ash breathed, almost shakily. It was almost too hard to believe.

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ Pikachu answered cheerily. The mouse put on a stern face, knowing and welcoming the challenges that awaited them. The road to this point had been hard, in both good ways and bad. But they were here. That had to count for something.

Ash's friends trickled in one by one to be as close to his side as they could, ending up standing in a sort of staggered formation as the ship's narrow bow wouldn't allow them to all stand side by side. Regardless, they all watched the island as the ferry inched closer, cutting cleanly through the water and rocking along the waves.

Ash flicked a glance to his side, recognizing Dawn. He carefully interlocked his fingers with hers, getting her attention. They didn't speak; the message was clear: he was happy that she was here with him. And all the rest of his friends, too. With them all at his side, he knew he could conquer anything.

And that feeling swelled up inside him to the point where it threatened to spill out of him. His pulse racing with anticipation, Ash decided he'd let it. Damn what anyone else thought.

And so, he looked to the heavens, not caring who heard him.

 _"Get ready_ , _Pokémon world! We're gonna prove that we're the best there is!"_

" _Pi-kachu!"_

* * *

 **If you liked this chapter, I'd appreciate it enormously if you left a review below. Tell me all about your thoughts. If you didn't like this chapter, leave me a review as well and tell me why.**

 **I'll see you all again soon with the next chapter. Later!**


	70. The Road Less Traveled

**Welcome to another chapter of The Journey Continues. I hope you guys enjoy, because a lot happens in this chapter. I want to thank everyone who sent in a review for the last chapter, the response was universally positive and that made me really happy to see.**

 **Review replies:**

 **TheDarkWolf16: I've addressed this in a few author's notes, but I am very on the fence about doing a sequel to this story. I will decide on that when this story comes to a close.**

 **Lance Curry: I'm currently thinking about what would be the best way to incorporate Darkrai. My concern is overpowering Ash, which is something I definitely want to avoid. This is also pretty poor planning on my part, though. I will come to a solution one way or another, though.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 70_

 _The Road Less Traveled_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

A deafening horn echoed through the alleyways as another ship slid into port down at the docks. The noise was of little concern to one certain Trainer, who sprinted down the streets with his beloved partner Pikachu at his side. The center of Lily of the Valley Island's town was moderately developed, with a handful of buildings reaching several stories up. The majority of the town, though, was more of a village.

Ash and Pikachu strayed well ahead of the rest of their group, bolting straight for Trainers' Village where they could book accommodations for the League.

Ash and Pikachu slowed as they exited the main areas of the town, staring in wonder at what they saw. They stood in a huge clearing with neatly-cut grass and well-kept cobblestone paths. In the center of the massive clearing was a great circular stadium that glowed in the evening sunlight. Three smaller stadiums formed a triangle around the bowl, but this central stadium was the king. The last time he'd been inside, Ash and his team had fallen to Tobias' Darkrai and Latios, awarded the hollow victory of being the only team to take down the enigma's Darkrai. This time, neither Ash nor Pikachu had any such plans to go home empty-handed.

The others caught up to them, skidding to a stop when they saw Ash standing still as he looked at the stadium. They'd expected him to keep going without them.

"There it is, Pikachu," Ash finally said, "That's where we'll win the Conference."

"We know you'll do it, Ash!" Misty agreed.

"Yeah, we'll be cheering you on the whole way!" Dawn added.

Ash smiled, "Thanks, guys."

" _Look out! Comin' through!"_ shouted a wild voice behind the group. Everyone whirled around to see the commotion, laying eyes on a blonde-headed blur blazing straight toward them.

"Is that…?" Dawn started.

The blur skidded to a stop in front of the group, revealing its features. A teenage boy with a full head of curly, blonde hair appeared, barely stopping himself by standing on his toes. Irritated, he started to complain.

"Hey, people! Get outta the way or I'm gonna fine—" started the boy. He looked up, locking eyes with Ash, _"Wait, Ash!?"_

"Barry!?" Ash echoed.

The two Trainers advanced on each other, meeting in a firm handshake.

"I knew it! I knew you'd be here for the Sinnoh League!" Barry chanted, "Lemme tell ya, my team and I have been hard at work since we last saw you! We're gonna battle at some point in this League, and if you can't keep up, Ash, I swear I'm gonna fine you for everything you've got!"

Ash smirked, clenching a fist confidently, "I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Barry."

"And hey, look at that! Dawn and Brock are with you!" Barry buzzed, looking past Ash.

"Hiya, Barry." Dawn smiled and waved.

"It's been quite some time. Have you been well?" Brock added.

"Sure have! Boy, are you both gonna be shocked when you see how much tougher my team is!" Barry beamed.

Barry and the rest of the group quickly became acquainted, and Barry tagged along as they headed off toward Trainer's Village. The hike led them up a pass to a set of stairs ascending a great hill, where the Village served as its own little subdivision. Dozens of small, private homes littered the hill, surrounding the on-site Pokémon Center. It was a recent addition to the island, built so that all competing Trainers could stay in an area separate from the rest of the town. The tall hill overlooked the coastal town to the south and the stadiums to the east, while an uncharted expanse of forested and mountainous terrain stretched for who knows how long on the north side.

The crown jewel of Trainer's Village was its Pokémon Center, which was by far the tallest and largest building on the hill. The red-roofed building stood two stories high and was lined with a row of windows on each floor. The inside was a mess of business, as Ash and his friends weren't the first arrivals for the League and wouldn't be the last. A Nurse Joy stood behind the front desk as several assistants worked elsewhere, each and every one of them helping Trainers with their every need.

"Man, this place is swamped!" Barry said.

"They must be hard at work getting provisions for the League. They look a bit shorthanded." Max agreed.

Max and Barry weren't kidding. Many of the assistants were doing their best to carry in loads of medical supplies and equipment, and they weren't having the best go at it. There were even some Trainers waiting in line that were getting upset with how long things were taking.

"I'll offer to lend them a hand," Brock said, stepping out of line and moving with enough of a purpose that none of the others could question him. Brock marched right up to the front of the line and politely addressed Nurse Joy, sharing a few words before he hopped behind the desk, waving his arms to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone, please listen up! If you have Pokémon in need of medical attention, please form a line in front of me! All Trainers that are signing in or that have questions, please remain in line before Nurse Joy!"

Brock's announcement effectively halved the long line of people, allowing the process of waiting in line to move exponentially faster. Spurred by Brock's example, Misty, Dawn, May, and Gary all broke away from the line to help the struggling assistants. They found themselves carrying stacks of boxes loaded with equipment and supplies and even helping the occasional Trainer with their needs.

The whole scene made Ash smile. He really did have the best friends around.

Soon enough, Ash, Barry, and Corey were at the front of the line. Nurse Joy put on a friendly smile, "Good evening. How may I help you three?"

"Hiya, Nurse Joy. My name's Ash, and these are my friends Barry and Corey. We're all here to register for the Sinnoh League." Ash said.

"Excellent. May I please see your Trainer Cards and your eight Gym Badges?"

The trio of Trainers handed over the necessary identifications, and Nurse Joy easily verified all three of them. From there, their names were put into the system and they were officially entered into the pool of Trainers. Shuffling out of line, Ash, Barry, and Corey all joined their friends to help wherever they were needed, and before long the Pokémon Center had turned quiet with inactivity.

"We really can't thank you enough for all of your help today." Nurse Joy said. She drummed her fingers against the desktop in front of her, smiling.

"It's the least we could do, Nurse Joy." Brock assured her, "You guys were really swamped today, and we're just happy that we could help."

"Yeah, really!" May agreed.

"Please accept all of our thanks," Nurse Joy answered, gesturing to the roving assistants scattered around the Center's large lobby, "If there's anything any of us can do in return, don't hesitate."

Accepting the offer and saying their farewells, the group prepared to head out of the Center, their sights set on the town below.

* * *

Ash dragged himself out of his seat in the booth, carrying an emptied breakfast plate. Dashes of syrup decorated the used china along with the slightest leftover crumbs of pancakes. It was another day on Lily of the Valley Island prior to the Conference, and like always, Ash had started his day with a hearty (but not necessarily healthy) breakfast. Dawn, Brock, and Barry followed close behind him, having also finished their breakfast. On this morning, the Pokémon Center was especially busy. Only a day and a half remained before the League would hold its opening ceremonies, and the last of the competing Trainers had all but arrived on the island. Although the line for the front desk was virtually empty, the lobby was a packed hub of activity.

The four Trainers handed over their used plates to one of the designated attendants and headed over to the front desk so that Ash could retrieve the Pokémon he'd left with Nurse Joy overnight. Yesterday had been another day of hard work that saw his team exhausted by the day's end, but it was all in all a good day. Every hour that Ash had spent training since they'd arrived had only reinforced his belief that his team was ready, and yesterday had been no exception.

"So, what's on the docket today, Ash?" Brock inquired.

"I don't know, really," Ash admitted, "I figure more training can't hurt, but the team also needs to get as much rest as they can before the League starts in a few days."

Ash, Dawn, Barry, and Brock walked up to the Pokémon Center's front desk, only to be stopped by what they saw. Only one person was in line, his back to the group. The teenager's light purple hair fell down in several directions, and the confidence that he carried himself with seemed to radiate off of him, leaving his identity unmistakable.

" _Thank you,"_ the Trainer said as he claimed a tray of six Poké Balls. He turned around, stopping cold when he locked eyes with Ash. The boy held a scowl for a moment, but his lips curved into a smile.

"Ash," said the Trainer.

"Paul," Ash answered, breaking a grin of his own. The two Trainers stepped forward and met each other in a firm handshake.

"You're here. I'm glad." Paul remarked.

"Me too, Paul. It's good to see you. It's been awhile."

"It has. I've spent the last year training in the Battle Zone and challenging the Battle Frontier. It's been a great boon to me and my team, but we have unfinished business here." Paul explained.

"So do we." Ash answered, clenching a fist and grinning eagerly, "I've gotta say, Paul, I'm really glad to know that you're here. I have a feeling we'll meet on the battlefield."

"I hope for the same," Paul agreed. He looked past Ash to the three others accompanying him, acknowledging them each, "Dawn. Brock. Barry."

"Hi, Paul." Dawn said with a smile. Paul nodded at her.

"H-Hey Paul. Long time no see." Brock said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He wasn't aware of the changes Paul had made to both himself and his training style.

"It has been. I hope you're well." Paul greeted.

"Hiya, Paul! I'm real stoked that you're back on the island for the Conference!" Barry beamed.

"As am I. Good luck to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Victory Road." Paul said. He started to walk past Ash and his friends, but Ash stopped him.

"What's that? Victory Road?" Ash asked, "I never knew there was a Victory Road here."

"Yeah, that's strange," Brock agreed, "There's a famous cave near Indigo Plateau in Kanto called Victory Road, but in Sinnoh?"

Paul snickered, "Hmpf, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you've never heard of it. They only opened it recently. The north section of this island is covered by mountains containing several caves. It's home to some of the toughest Pokémon and the toughest terrain this side of the Battle Zone, and since it didn't have a name, they named it after the cave in Kanto. I'm going to spend my day traveling through there to test my Pokémon."

Dawn and Brock already knew what Ash was thinking before he spoke. Ash looked at Pikachu, "That sounds like something we could do, eh, Pikachu?"

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_ agreed the mouse.

Paul shrugged, "You're welcome to join me, but I'm leaving now. I'll meet you at the cave's mouth if you can be there in the next half hour."

"You got it, Paul! We'll be there!" Ash assured. Paul went on his way out the door, disappearing from sight with only a wave to acknowledge Ash.

"Well, Pikachu, looks like we found something to do today. Let's go tell everyone the news!" Ash beamed.

" _Pi-ka!"_

"Hey, you're not gonna leave me outta this one!" Barry snapped, "If you do, Ash, I'll fine you for ten million!"

"Don't you worry about that, Barry, 'cause you're comin' with us!" Ash assured. He ran off back to the table where everyone else was at, closely followed by Barry. At a much more leisurely pace, Dawn and Brock tailed them.

Brock whistled disbelievingly, "I never thought I'd see the day where Ash and Paul were _cordial_ to one another."

"You should've seen them in Veilstone City," Dawn answered, "They were friendly with each other. It seems like Paul's really turned over a new leaf." As she and Brock neared the table, Dawn glanced at Ash and Barry and sighed, "Honestly, you'd think those two were brothers with all the energy they've got. I don't know if I can keep up with both of them."

Brock chuckled, "Well, that's why you have the rest of us."

Dawn smiled, "Yeah…I'm really glad that you're here, Brock, and everyone else, too."

"Don't mention it, Dawn. We're all just as happy to be here. All of us want to see Ash win. Well, except maybe Barry." Brock said.

Dawn chuckled in agreement, and they melted back into the group as Ash and Barry declared to everyone that they were heading to Victory Road.

* * *

The all-terrain car rolled to a stop, its large wheels grinding against the gravely ground with a whine. Once the vehicle was stopped, its several doors opened on both sides, spilling out all of Ash's group one by one. A somewhat tall mountain greeted them, beset on all sides by several more mountains that covered the northern half of the island. As promised, Paul stood patiently near the entrance, keeping a silent, watchful eye on Ash's group.

"You came," Paul said, "and you brought the fan club."

Ash deadpanned, "Funny, Paul. These are all my friends that I've traveled with over the years." Ash said. He gestured to the others, "Plus my mom. Everyone, this is Paul. We were rivals during my first run through Sinnoh."

Paul introduced himself to everyone before turning back to Ash. The teen was looking up at the mountains, examining them, "So, this is Sinnoh's Victory Road, huh?"

"The caves inside these mountains make up what the Pokémon League calls Victory Road," Paul explained, "The caves eventually lead up to an exit some ways up the tallest mountain on the island, which is roughly in the middle of this area."

"Well, looks like me and Barry are coming with ya, Paul." Ash said. He glanced back at his friends, turning to say farewell to them for the time being. First, he looked down at Corey.

"You sure you don't want to come with us, Corey?" Ash asked.

The youngster shook his head, "No, I'm all good. I'll stay down here with Max and Layla. Me and Max are going to do some more training."

Ash flashed a grin, "Alright. Don't drive everyone else too crazy while I'm gone." As he said that, he tousled Corey's exposed hair with a rough hand. Corey squirmed, thrashing out of Ash's reach. Max quickly replaced Corey, sharing a fist bump with Ash.

"Take some pictures, will ya?" Max asked nonchalantly.

"I'll see what I can do." Ash answered with a smirk.

May was next, then Brock, and then Misty. When it was her turn, the Cerulean Gym Leader squinted at him, "You don't do anything stupid, 'kay, Ash?"

"When have I ever?" Ash answered sarcastically, sharing a chuckle with Misty before hugging her.

Dawn followed Misty in the lineup. She looked up at him into his eyes, chewing on the edge of her lip as she seemed to ponder her next words.

"I know why you're doing this, Ash, but please be careful..." she finally said, "I'm glad you challenge yourself, but don't push yourself too hard. You come back in one piece, okay?"

Ash smirked and his arms slinked around the lower portion of her back, pulling her closer to him, "No need to worry, right?" he said.

Dawn narrowed her eyes, "That's when I worry the most. Somehow, it's way less convincing when you say it."

Ash clasped his hand around Dawn's, gently bringing it up and kissing the back of her palm before flashing a smile, "Well, if there _does_ end up being a reason to worry, you'll be the first to know. Promise."

Lastly, there was Delia. She smiled brilliantly, hugging her teenaged son tight. When she pulled away, her expression turned stern, "You have all of the snack bars I made you? And the bottles of water?"

"Yes, Mom." Ash groaned. Delia's mood softened, and she hugged Ash again.

"I'm so proud of you, son. I hope you know that." Delia said.

Ash hugged her back, moved, "Thanks, Mom."

Delia pulled back, preventing any tears from slipping out. She always got emotional when Ash left for another journey, and even if he was only going to be gone for a day, it felt as if him leaving to traverse Victory Road was a journey in and of itself.

One by one, Ash's companions climbed back into the tour car that had brought them to the mountain. A driver wearing in a League-issue polo started up the engine once more, and once everyone was in the car, he went to work turning the vehicle around. In another moment, the car was blazing out of sight, rumbling across the dirt path back towards the town.

Ash, Paul, and Barry stood silently on the grass, staring at the mouth of the cave. Beyond the blackened entrance was all-new territory, and neither of the three Trainers knew what to expect.

"Well, no time like the present, right, Pikachu?" Ash said optimistically. Pikachu agreed, and they stepped up, followed closely by Paul and Barry.

* * *

" _Ack!_ I can't see anything in here!" Ash complained. Any semblance of light was lost just a few feet inside the mountain cave.

A flashlight flicked on, illuminating the path. The flashlight was nestled in Paul's hand, and he shook his head before taking the lead.

"Oh, right." Ash said, swinging his backpack over his right shoulder and rifling through it. He had remembered to pack a flashlight of his own, and he flicked the switch once he slipped it out of the bag to add another cone of light into the dark cave. Barry produced his own flashlight, and three bright beams of light kept the cave decently lit. Now armed with three flashlights, the three Trainers afforded a glance around the mountain cave.

They were in a small chamber inside the mountain. Several tunnels branched out of the chamber, likely heading through the rest of the mountain as well as the neighboring ones. The silence inside the cave was almost eerie, but it was regularly broken by what could only be the sounds of wild Pokémon rummaging around.

"Hey, I have an idea." Barry spoke up. Ash and Paul looked at him, and the hyperactive teen grinned at them, "How about a competition? These caves lead to the top of the mountain, right? How's about we all go a different way and race to the top? The first one to make it is destined to win the League!"

Ash was immediately hooked; competition was his middle name! "Heck yeah, I'm in!"

Paul shrugged, "I'm not so sure about the whole winning the League thing, but sure, why not? I'm going this way."

Paul immediately headed off, walking towards one of the tunnels on the left and leaving Ash and Barry behind. Barry fidgeted and then twirled his flashlight in his hand, "Okay, Ash, I'm gonna go that way," he said, pointing to one of the tunnels on the right, "I'll see you at the top…after I beat you there!"

Barry dashed off, disappearing inch by inch into the darkness until even the beam of his flashlight couldn't be seen. Ash looked at the tunnel right in the middle, shrugging, "Well, Pikachu, guess it's you and me. Whaddya say we check out this way?"

" _Pi-Pika-chu!"_

And so they went, heading straight into the middle tunnel. The narrow path wasn't a long one, and it reopened into a much larger chamber than the one they'd been in before. Along the walls, iron lanterns were staked into the rock, offering just enough light that the flashlight was no longer necessary. After that, the next thing Ash and Pikachu noticed was the endlessly changing terrain. All across the chamber, the ground rose up in formations about twice Ash's height (and oftentimes more). Several paths weaved back and forth around the chamber, interconnecting with each other and producing a maze.

The trek took Ash and Pikachu everywhere, jumping on and off the trail to wander through adjacent caves. They crossed the gaps between the many rock formations via several crudely-built wooden bridges. All the while, the occasional wild Pokémon would cross their path before retreating or disappearing deeper within the caves.

Finally, the pair reached an especially tall formation of rock deep within the cave. A long line of well-carved grooves jutted out of the rock face in front of Ash, traversing the entire height of the formation up to the top.

Ash chewed on his lip for a second, "Hmm, we don't have Torterra with us, otherwise he'd be able to give us an easy lift. So, I guess we're climbing up there ourselves."

" _Pi-kaaaa…"_ Pikachu groaned, almost apprehensively.

Ash flexed his fingers as he answered his partner, "Relax, Pikachu, I know it sucks, but this is the only way we know that we can go. Plus, I bet if we get to the top of this thing we'll be able to see where the rest of the cave and where we've gotta go next."

Pikachu gave in, padding up to the gouged-out handholds. "You go first, buddy," Ash offered. Pikachu latched his little hands on one of the first sets of handholds, clambering up with relative ease. Once Pikachu was a few feet up, Ash followed, though at a much slower pace. Unlike Pikachu, he'd have to physically find the handholds with his hands and feet. Pikachu had the big end of the stick, being so small that the handholds were very close together for him. As a result, the act of climbing up the rock face was more akin to swinging on monkey bars.

Halfway up the huge rock face, Pikachu looked down for a moment, calling to Ash.

"I'm alright, buddy!" he called.

As soon as the words left his lips, the foothold he'd nestled his right foot in collapsed, leaving nothing but empty space for his leg. Ash slipped immediately, the weight of his right leg threatening to drag him painfully down across the rock face. Acting fast, Ash tightened his hold with his hands, barely clenching his fingers tightly enough to hold onto the handholds up above him.

" _Pikapi!"_ Pikachu cried, starting to vault down little by little to Ash.

"I'm alright!" Ash insisted, digging his left foot further in. With a great amount of strength, Ash dragged his dangling right leg up, scrabbling blindly for another foothold before his arms gave out.

Finally, he found one, and dug his foot in carefully. He relaxed, raising his hands up another level and bringing up his left foot. Pikachu sighed with relief, turning back around and clambering further up the rock face. With his footing now restored, Ash comfortably climbed up after his partner, having no such difficulties the rest of the way.

Pikachu was waiting for him at the top. Ash's hands arrived first, closely followed by his head. With a final heave, Ash dragged his lower body up and over the top before hugging the ground and rolling over onto his back.

Ash breathed in and out both quickly and heavily, a rush of euphoria soon washing over him.

"Heh…" he started, keeping his laughter at a low tone, _"Ha, ha, ha…"_

" _Pikapi."_ Pikachu chattered above him. Ash flicked his eyes open, meeting Pikachu's eyes in the low light. The mouse pointed at something beyond them, marveling, _"Pika-chuuuu…"_

Ash sat up and climbed to his feet, looking to where Pikachu was pointing at. His eyes fell on a decently-sized lake, nestled in between two risen platforms made of ancient rock. The crystal-clear water shimmered, remaining perfectly still and unburdened by any disturbances.

"Wow…" Ash gasped, "Who would expect to find a lake this deep inside of a mountain? Where could all of this water even be coming from?"

Ash knelt down and placed his hands on the cold rock, concentrating. His senses expanded, his mind's eye guiding him as he carefully visualized everything underground as if it were a schematic.

"Amazing…" Ash commented, his eyes still closed, "There's an underground reservoir that pumps water up here and to other areas in the mountain. It's strange, though, the reservoir is connected to the ocean through a bunch of tunnels, which should mean the lake is…"

Ash opened his eyes, spotting Pikachu at the lake's edge. The electric mouse dipped down and flicked out his tongue, taking a sample of the lake's water to drink. Almost immediately, Pikachu writhed and spit out the water, quickly scraping at his tongue to get rid of the taste.

"…Saltwater." Ash finished. He rubbed the back of his head as he watched Pikachu, before snickering as he watched the mouse frantically try to banish the salty taste from his mouth, _"Heh-heh-heh…ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"_

Pikachu stopped at the sound of laughter and turned to look at Ash. The teen's infectious laughter passed to the mouse and Pikachu ended up giggling as well, _"Piii-ka-chu! Pi-Pika-chu!"_

"Whaddya say we take a quick break here, eh, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

" _Chaa!"_ Pikachu agreed. This would be a perfect rest stop!

Ash slumped down on the ground, unclipping the five Poké Balls on his belt and tossing them outward so that the Pokémon inside could stretch their legs. Buizel, Staraptor, Sceptile, Infernape, and Tauros spawned from the Poké Balls, all happy to be released. Buizel dove into the lake excitedly, relishing the feel of the water against its fur. The trio of Sceptile, Infernape, and Tauros remained near Ash, while Staraptor took to exploring the cave through the air, making sure to stay close at hand and not become lost.

Ash tore off the wrapping from a protein bar, biting into it and quickly chewing it. The snack didn't have the greatest taste, but its yields would be useful. Buizel popped up at the water's surface, the flotation sac around his neck at full capacity.

" _Bui, bui!"_ called the Sea Weasel cheerfully.

"Ahoy, Buizel!" Ash shouted back, laughing, "Having fun out there? I know saltwater isn't exactly to your liking."

" _Bui!"_ Buizel asserted, spiraling in the water. Ash grinned, pleased that Buizel was enjoying himself even if the water was a little salty. He took a swig of clean water from the bottle he'd packed, sighing with relief.

Air bubbles sneakily floated to the surface around Buizel's body, immediately confusing the water-type. Seeing the bubbles too, Ash stood up to try and see what was causing them. Buizel peered through the water, flicking his eyes back and forth before suddenly gasping in surprise.

Immediately, Buizel vanished under the water, violently tugged down by an unseen force.

"Buizel!" Ash yelled, immediately dashing to the edge of the water. Sceptile, Infernape, and Tauros ran to Ash's side, shouting incessantly with Pikachu.

" _Tile! Scep-tile!"_

" _Tauros-taur!"_

" _Infer-nape!"_

" _Pika-piiiiii!"_

When Buizel didn't come back up for a few seconds, Ash started to slip off his vest. "He's not coming up, I'm going in to find him."

Ash's vest fell to the ground and the water's surface erupted at the center. Buizel scrambled into view, gasping for breath and shouting at Ash and the others.

" _Bui, bui!"_

"Buizel, what happened!?" Ash shouted back.

Ash's answer came in the form of two tentacles rising up from underneath Buizel, attempting to ensnare the Sea Weasel and drag it back down. Buizel reacted this time, throwing out two Ice Punches to battle the tentacles back. The snake-like appendages recoiled and slipped back underwater, offering only a few seconds before they returned. This time, the tentacles were only one of many attached to a huge blue body. A helmet of thick, blue skin topped with two round garnet spheres snaked into view. Below the upper body were two thick blue appendages protecting a black, round void carrying two menacing eyes.

The enormous Tentacruel let loose an earsplitting screech, rattling the ears of Ash and the other Pokémon. Buizel paddled backwards, hoping to find solid ground to stand on. The Tentacruel laid its eyes on the smaller Sea Weasel, and the crimson orbs atop its head shimmered evilly. The Jellyfish Pokémon raced forward, aiming to capture Buizel.

"Ah, Buizel, use Water Pulse!" Ash commanded. Buizel whirled around, seeing Tentacruel coming after it, and fired off a defensive Water Pulse that made direct contact with the poison-type's body. Tentacruel flinched, offering more time for Buizel to escape, but quickly recovered and renewed its charge. Extending one of its many tentacles, Tentacruel reached out just as Buizel started to scramble out of the water, looping the tentacle around Buizel's foot and dragging the water-type back into the surf.

" _Tile!"_ Sceptile barked, looking at Ash defensively.

"You got it, Sceptile. Use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile snarled and dashed, moving with such speed that it galloped across the water. Green energy roared to life out of the Forest Pokémon's arm, swiping a diagonal slash that stunned Tentacruel, forcing it to release Buizel.

Buizel began treading water as Tentacruel staggered away from it, glaring at the offending Jellyfish Pokémon. The Sea Weasel Pokémon's fear had morphed into a burning anger. Its pride had been damaged, and such a slight could not be allowed to pass.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called. Pikachu summoned a great bolt from its cheeks, unleashing a shimmering electrical blast. Tentacruel reacted quickly; the red spheres atop its head glowed and a translucent wall formed in front of it, deflecting the Thunderbolt easily.

"Gah! That was Barrier!" Ash observed.

" _Bui, bui!"_ Buizel snapped at Pikachu, his eyes alight with anger.

" _Pi?"_ Pikachu answered, confused.

" _Bui, bui! Bui, bui, bui-bui!"_

"Buizel, what are you doing?"

Pikachu bounded back over to Ash, looking up. The mouse's voice appeared in Ash's head, echoing.

 _~Buizel wants to defeat Tentacruel on his own!~_

"…R-really?" Ash answered. He took another look at Buizel, who held his gaze with a confident glare before Buizel flashed a smirk. Spurred by Buizel's confidence, Ash agreed with a nod, "Okay, Buizel, you're on! Sceptile, come back!"

Sceptile leaped high into the air, soaring across the lake from the opposite bank and landing effortlessly beside Ash. Tauros, Infernape, and Pikachu sent words of encouragement Buizel's way, while Sceptile simply chewed on a tiny twig and nodded in the Sea Weasel's direction.

" _Crrrrruel! Ten-ta-cruel!"_ growled the hostile Jellyfish Pokémon. Some of its tentacles snaked above the water's surface and lashed back and forth, while crimson light illuminated the crystalline spheres on its head. Buizel whirled around in the surf, baring its teeth at the offending Tentacruel.

" _Bui, bui!"_

Tentacruel suddenly charged forward, a handful of its tentacles taking on a violet hue.

"Poison Jab." Ash observed, "Buizel, use Sonic Boom!"

Buizel coiled its body and leaped, surging above the water with the help of its powerful spinning tails, and corkscrewed several times, sending a wave of sonic energy with each lash of its twin tails. The Sonic Boom waves hit Tentacruel head-on, stopping its charge but failing to do much more. Buizel dipped back into the water, staying afloat by inflating the sac around his neck.

Tentacruel quickly recovered and came after Buizel again, spitting a burst of dark purple needles. The Poison Sting landed, peppering Buizel with toxic pinpricks. In another instant, Tentacruel was on the Sea Weasel, wrapping its many tentacles around Buizel's body and squeezing.

" _Buiiii!"_ Buizel cried, pained by the Constrict attack. Tentacruel growled menacingly, wrapping more and more tentacles around Buizel and preparing to drag the Sea Weasel down with it.

"Buizel, you've gotta get out of there! Um…use Aqua Jet and spin!"

Buizel focused, thinking up an alternative first. He bit down on the nearest of Tentacruel's tentacles, burying his small but sharp canines into the blubbery flesh. Tentacruel shrieked, stunned, and Buizel took the opportunity to use Aqua Jet, launching into the air with such a force that it ripped itself free of Tentacruel's loosened appendages. Sprays of water flew off of the spinning Aqua Jet and Buizel unraveled itself, looking down on Tentacruel as gravity overtook him.

Beaming, Ash howled, "Buizel, go get 'em!"

Buizel grinned and planned its attack, determining the best way to get Tentacruel out of its comfort zone. The Sea Weasel Pokémon positioned its body and sailed straight down, burying himself underneath the water and hiding from Tentacruel's immediate view. The Jellyfish Pokémon murmured cautiously, preparing to slip underwater itself. Before the water/poison-type could do so, an eruption of water rocketed it out of the air, driving the Jellyfish Pokémon with a missile of water. Buizel hefted Tentacruel upward with Aqua Jet, forcing the poison-type up into the air where it flailed aimlessly several dozen feet above water. The Aqua Jet petered out and the two water-types separated from each other, making a moment of eye contact.

Angered, Tentacruel lurched forward, activating Poison Jab and catching Buizel by surprise. Tentacruel delivered a dozen swift jabs to Buizel's slim body, causing Buizel to cringe as it too began to fall downward. Immobilized, Buizel had no defense against Tentacruel as the Jellyfish Pokémon reared up with one of its thick tentacles and unleashed a devastating hook punch across Buizel's face, instantly making Buizel unresponsive. The pair of Pokémon plummeted back to the water; Buizel landed first in a painful belly flop, while Tentacruel landed in full control of its body.

Buizel drifted back up to the surface, unmoving. Recognizing its triumph, Tentacruel screeched and advanced, slowly coiling some of its tentacles around Buizel's body and dragging the Sea Weasel underwater.

" _No!"_ Ash cried, "We can't let Tentacruel get Buizel!"

Sceptile, Pikachu, and Tauros all rushed to the edges of the lake, prepared to dive in after Tentacruel and Buizel. Infernape tagged along as well, though he likely wouldn't be able to do much. It didn't matter; Buizel was their friend! Ash appeared at their side, inches from diving into the water.

But before Ash could make the jump, the lake lit up with a blinding glow, filling the entire lagoon with a brilliant white color. Ash's arm came up, trying to protect his eyes from the sudden glare.

"No way…" Ash gasped, lowering his arm and staring, "Could it be?"

In answer, Tentacruel erupted from under the water, driven violently from the water by a powerful pillar of water. The aquatic missile dissipated as Tentacruel once again began to fall back toward the earth, unraveling until it revealed the user.

The water-type was tall, its head streamlined and its arms decorated by singular fin-like appendages. A flotation sac wrapped around its body from its neck to its backside. The evolved Pokémon let loose an angry screech.

"Buizel evolved! Buizel evolved into Floatzel!" Ash shouted, amazed.

Tentacruel, falling through the air, panicked and looked up at its powered-up adversary. Out of nowhere, the small Sea Weasel Pokémon had thrashed awake and, in the absence of a possible flight response, began evolving. With a distorted cry, Tentacruel unleashed an explosion of Poison Sting needles as it fell, hoping to at least do something.

Floatzel flashed a smug grin and dove down to meet the Poison Sting attack, inflating its large flotation sac so that it protected his body. The Poison Sting needles bounced harmlessly off of the inflated sac, disintegrating into nothing.

"That's the same tactic Crasher Wake would use!" Ash said, amazed. Floatzel continued to dive down after Tentacruel, summoning freezing energy into its clenched fists. Floatzel latched onto Tentacruel and delivered a quick series of punishing Ice Punches, causing the Jellyfish Pokémon to wail as it failed to contest the evolved Sea Weasel Pokémon.

Tentacruel and Floatzel hit the water as one, submerging for a moment. When the pair resurfaced, Tentacruel had broken away from Floatzel, hovering the top half of its body above the surface. Tentacruel glared at Floatzel, who simply stared back with a smug grin, and then submerged, swimming away back to wherever it had come from. This was a fight that it could no longer win, and the wicked Jellyfish Pokémon knew it.

Silence held over the cave for a few seconds as everyone, including Ash, stared at Floatzel. Then, the party erupted into cheers, lauding the water-type's success. Floatzel swam its way out of the water, climbing back onto land as the rest of Ash's Pokémon swarmed it. Pikachu clambered up onto Floatzel's shoulders, chattering encouragingly. Sceptile offered a simple fist bump to the evolved Sea Weasel Pokémon, while Infernape and Tauros offered words of congratulations. Staraptor swooped back in as well, having watched the whole brawl from a safe distance while allowing Buizel (and now Floatzel) its moment in the sun.

" _Starr!"_ Staraptor trilled, swooping around the party.

Ash stepped up, and the other Pokémon quieted. Floatzel, now an inch or two taller than Ash, looked slightly down and smirked at the Trainer, giving a short bark and a nod.

Ash grinned from ear to ear and surged forward to hug Floatzel, "Welcome to the team, Floatzel. I'm so sorry that I put you in danger like that. It won't happen again."

Floatzel afforded a brief whine. Ash couldn't blame himself! Because of all their training, Floatzel had been able to save himself! He owed everything to Ash!

Ash pulled away, smiling nonstop. He glanced at the lake, where the water continued to wash up against its constraining shores after the violent commotion. Ash frowned, "Man, that Tentacruel was really strong, huh? Where did it even come from? It's a little unusual to find a Tentacruel in a lake, even if it is a saltwater one."

The Pokémon hummed blankly, at a loss. Ash then shrugged, "I guess it doesn't matter. We need to get moving again, though. Everyone, return!"

Ash called Infernape, Sceptile, Tauros, and Staraptor back into their Poké Balls, leaving Pikachu and Floatzel as he tucked the four capsules away. Next, he slipped out Floatzel's Poké Ball, grinning, "You really were awesome, Floatzel. I'm so proud of you."

" _Zel!"_ yipped the large Sea Weasel.

"Now, Floatzel, return!" Ash called, bringing Floatzel back into its Poké Ball. Pikachu hopped back up on Ash's shoulders, chattering.

" _Pi-ka."_

"Yep, we're almost there, buddy. I can feel it." Ash said. He walked forward, avoiding the saltwater lake, and they headed back on the trail. The lanterns hung at various places on the walls soon disappeared, forcing Ash to return to his flashlight for guidance. They traversed winding paths for what felt like miles, avoiding dips and divots in the ground until the path steadily became more and more straightforward.

It wasn't long before Ash saw a light that wasn't coming from his flashlight. Curious and eager, he picked up the pace until they rounded a bend. Ash and Pikachu were met by a steep incline crowned by a large opening in the rock. Sunlight filtered through the opening, casting a shimmering glow on the incline.

"That's gotta be the exit, Pikachu!" Ash beamed. Pikachu hopped off of the teen's shoulder, chattering excitedly.

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

"C'mon, let's go!" Ash agreed. Together, Trainer and Pokémon sprinted up the hill. The steep hill tried to halt their progress, but both of them were physically strong enough to fight against that resistance. They inched up the mound, passing in between two rough rock faces as they neared the top.

And finally, they reached the exit. Ash put his hands on his knees and heaved, sucking in as much air as he could to refill his lungs. He glanced up and stared at the exit as if it were some gateway to another reality, and after looking down at Pikachu, walked forward with the strangest caution.

Everything was white for a moment, but the glare quickly vanished as Ash adjusted his eyes to the sunlight. The view that awaited him was nothing short of stunning. The mountain's edge formed a stable rock plateau, allowing Trainer and Pokémon to see the entire island. The sun was starting to set in the distance, casting an orange glare over the land and sea. Far down below, countless mountain spires littered the earth, eventually giving way to a coniferous forest that stretched to the coastal Lily of the Valley Town. A river could even be seen in the distance, bordered on one end by a lake as the river itself spilled into the surrounding ocean.

Past the town, a little closer to Ash and Pikachu, was the crown jewel of the island: Lily of the Valley Stadium. Surrounded by its three smaller sister arenas, the stadium towered above everything, a beacon of excellence that commanded attention and respect.

"It's _amazing…"_ Ash marveled, awestruck. The island was the picture of tranquility, and it was hardly a dot on the map, not to mention the people populating the island. It got Ash thinking. They'd seen so much of the world in the past six years. They'd even seen parts of worlds that weren't their own. But there was still much to see, so much of their world that they'd never laid eyes on.

" _Pika-Pika…"_ Pikachu agreed.

"Hey, Pikachu…once we're done here, what do you say we travel somewhere new again?" Ash asked.

" _Pikapi?"_

 _~You mean it, Ash?~_ Pikachu's voice asked in his head.

"Absolutely," Ash said, "We've worked so hard for the last two years, and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but looking at all this from so high up, it reminds me of the joy of traveling. Remember when we were on Mt. Silver, when the sun was coming up over Silver Town? I've never seen anything as beautiful as that, watching the sun cast over the frozen mountains and the icy forests. It makes me want to see what else the world has to offer. Think about all the people and Pokémon we could meet if we traveled a brand-new Region, and all the amazing things we'd see. There's nothing that compares to those possibilities."

Pikachu looked out at Lily of the Valley Island below, and then back at Ash. A smile formed on Pikachu's lips. He'd follow Ash anywhere!

" _Pikapi!"_

 _~Of course I want to go, Ash! Let's go! Let's go to a new place when we're done here, let's keep seeing the world!~_

Ash beamed, tugging Pikachu into a hug, "You're the best, buddy! We'll find a new place to go, sure, but first, we've got business to take care of!"

The pair sat on the plateau for several more minutes, silently admiring the view, before a new voice called out behind them.

"I'm not surprised to find that you're already here."

Ash and Pikachu whirled around, laying eyes on Paul. Their old rival pushed a lock of purple hair away from his eyes, "Tell me you haven't been here long."

"Nah, Paul, not long. Maybe fifteen minutes." Ash said, "Come check this out. It's amazing."

Paul padded over to the plateau, standing and looking over the island with a watchful eye and a silent tongue. He didn't comment, seeming to simply take in the view.

"…I want to thank you, Ash." Paul finally said, turning his attention down to the seated teenager.

Ash looked puzzled, "T-thank me?"

"Yeah…" Paul answered, taking a breath, "You've pushed me to be better these last two years, ever since you beat me the last time we were here. And I didn't want to just become stronger. I started to treat my Pokémon better. I wanted to make them battle for me not out of fear or anger, but out of respect. And they do now. I believe in them, and they believe in me."

Ash grinned, "I'm really happy to hear that, Paul. Man, when we were rivals, you drove me crazy. You were so strong, and after that battle by Lake Acuity, I started to wonder if I'd ever match your level. When we battled here two years ago, I really did sense that change in you. I'm not sure how. And I was so proud to say that you were my rival."

"I remember what you said to me that evening…when I was going to leave the island. You said you wanted to battle again, and I was walking off I knew I wanted to as well. I ended up staying another day to watch your battle with Tobias…"

Ash frowned, looking at his feet when Paul mentioned that 'battle'. Luckily, Paul didn't dwell on it.

"After that, I went back to Snowpoint City, like I said I would. I battled Brandon more times than I could count. And every time he would beat me, no matter how hard I'd trained. That was when I really changed my methods. I started to put my Pokémon's needs first, and I discovered that our bonds made us stronger than before. So, I went back to the Battle Pyramid and challenged Brandon again. And that time, we won. It wasn't long before you showed up in Veilstone City, and we got the chance to battle…but if you ask me, it wasn't really a rematch. Not the kind we wanted."

Ash knew what Paul was saying, and he finally climbed to his feet so that he was eye-level with Paul. Ash extended his hand as he spoke, "I know what you mean, Paul. And I agree. Our chance for a rematch, _a real rematch,_ is here, in the Sinnoh League."

Paul let a small smile slip, and he nodded, reaching out to clasp his hand with Ash's in a firm handshake. "May we be lucky enough to get that rematch."

Another voice howled from inside the mountain, its owner unmistakable.

" _C'mon, Empoleon, there's the exit! We're almost there!"_

" _Em-pol! Em-pol-eon!"_

The sounds of frantic scrabbling and scratching echoed from inside the cave, until out came a dirtied Barry and Empoleon. The Trainer's clothes bore splatters of mud and grime, but the blonde-headed boy was all smiles.

"Woo-hoo! We did it!" Barry declared, unaware that he wasn't alone, "We made it out of Victory Road first!"

"Hi, Barry." Ash said, stifling a laugh as he waved.

Barry's eyes nearly popped out of his head, _"Wha!?_ Ash!? And Paul, too!? Aw, man! We were the last ones out!"

Barry smacked his forehead with his own hand, groaning.

"Hey, don't sweat it, Barry. Me and Paul have only been out here for a couple of minutes. How was your trip through Victory Road?" Ash asked.

Barry brightened, "It was great, just what me and Empoleon needed! And, check this out!" Barry dug through his bag, closing his fingers around a lone Poké Ball. His hand flew out, showing off the pristine capsule ball, "While we were in there, I caught a Steelix!"

"A Steelix? Really?" Paul asked, intrigued.

"That's quite a find, Barry. Great job!" Ash praised.

"Thanks, you guys! You know, we may have lost the race up here, but I don't mind that much, 'cause I can't wait to see what Steelix can do!" Barry said, practically jumping up and down. Barry strolled over to the plateau's edge, glancing at everything below. "Holy moly!" the blonde Trainer gasped, "I gotta say, this was worth the trip. Just look at that! You can see the whole island from here!"

"And even further." Paul said. He stepped up, pointing a finger straight out west. Ash and Barry squinted as Paul explained, "It's a little hard to see, but that's the Sinnoh mainland."

"I can see it," Ash said, able to make out the faint outline of what was likely Mt. Coronet, illuminated by the setting sun behind it, "It's hard, but I see it."

"Man, I don't know what you guys are talking about. I can't see anything." Barry complained, his eyes not as fine-tuned as Ash's or Paul's.

Paul ignored Barry, turning his focus to the north, "And then there. That's the Battle Zone. If you look closely, you can see the Battle Tower."

Barry's eyes lit up at the Tower's mention, "I can see that one! You know, my dad is Palmer, the Tower Tycoon!"

Ash nodded, remembering the time he'd met and battled against Palmer. The Tower Tycoon had been almost as strong as Brandon, and defeated Ash and Grotle during the Twinleaf Festival.

"I challenged the Battle Tower and defeated Palmer last fall." Paul said nonchalantly.

Barry did a double take, stunned, _"WHAAAAT!? You beat my dad at the Battle Tower!?"_ Barry shouted, "Paul, you've gotta teach me your ways! It's my dream to defeat my dad!"

Paul shrugged indifferently.

Ash sighed, "Well, you guys, this has been fun, but I think I'm about ready to head back down. The sun's nearly down, and I could use some food!"

"I've gotta agree with Ash on that one…" Barry said, stretching and releasing a big yawn, "I'm feeling pretty beat up from Victory Road, I could use a hot meal and some rest."

Ash laughed briefly, "Really, Barry? _You're_ tired? Now I've seen it all."

"Don't you worry, Ash, just a quick power nap and I'll be up and ready to go!" Barry boasted. Ash snickered in response, unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt.

Ash lobbed the capsule off the edge of the plateau, calling on the Pokémon inside, _"Staraptor, let's go!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and Staraptor emerged, crowing, _"Starrrrr!"_

Barry called upon his own Staraptor and Paul summoned Honchkrow, and the three Trainers hopped upon the backs of their flying-types, rapidly descending down the side of the mountain and back to town by taking to the open air. As they flew, Ash afforded a single glance back at the plateau they'd left, and then turned his back on Sinnoh's Victory Road.

* * *

The Pokémon Center's automatic doors slid open, bidding Ash and Barry entry. They'd parted ways with Paul in order to return to Ash's friends, who would be waiting for them at the Center. The sun was all but gone, the evening sky rapidly turning to night with each passing second.

Everyone was seated around a large table, talking and laughing. Both teens, though, noticed that there were a few new arrivals. The first was a tall man with slicked-back, spiky blonde hair, his back turned to the two teens.

"Dad!?" Barry gasped.

Palmer, the Tower Tycoon, turned around in his seat, laying his eyes on Barry. He flashed a warm smile and shot out of his seat, taking long strides toward Barry.

"My boy!" Palmer said, wrapping his arms around Barry and pulling him into a tight hug. Barry hugged him back, squeezing.

"What are you doing here?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" Palmer asked, "I couldn't miss your next Lily of the Valley Conference challenge. When I heard you were re-entering, I made sure to request time off. I wanted to surprise you, though."

"How did you know where to find me?" Barry asked.

"I hailed him down," Dawn explained, "We saw him walking through town and told him what you were up to."

Palmer confirmed this, "Dawn told me you and Ash had gone off to Victory Road. I'm mighty impressed; the Pokémon League only opened that area of the island recently, and I've been meaning to try it myself. They say only the best Trainers can successfully make it through."

"Well, that's me!" Barry said, "I'm one of the best Trainers out there!"

Palmer chuckled, "Maybe work on being a little more modest, son."

Another voice called out to Ash, garnering the older teen's attention. Two men greeted him, one in a unique blue hat and another, older man in a lab coat. Both were easily recognizable.

"Riley! And Professor Oak!"

"Hello, Ash." Riley greeted with a curt nod.

"How are you, my boy?" Oak asked, flashing a friendly smile.

"I'm doing great!" Ash assured, "I'm so glad you guys are here!" He vaguely remembered that Riley had met Professor Oak once before, when the Aura Guardian had been searching for Ash almost two years ago. A thought struck Ash, and he turned to Professor Oak, "But, Professor, what about the lab?"

Oak raised one of his hands, shaking it nonchalantly, "I left Tracey in charge. He's more than capable of running things there for a few weeks on his own, and he also isn't the only aide I have. You'll have to talk to him when you need Pokémon."

"Hey, that's great! I haven't talked to Tracey in a long time. I hope he's doing well."

"As for me," Riley said, "When I heard from Dawn, I knew I couldn't miss the chance to see all of your progress firsthand, and what better place than the biggest stage in Sinnoh?"

Ash glanced at Dawn, a big smile on his face, "Is there anyone else coming that I should know about?"

Dawn beamed, "No need to worry! Everyone's all here! And just in time, too, because the opening ceremonies are tomorrow night!"

"Man, that's right!" Barry realized, "I've gotta get one last training run in with my Pokémon!"

Ash looked at Pikachu on his shoulder, smiling, "You know, I think we're as ready as we can be. How's about we spend tomorrow resting up, buddy?"

Ash scratched the space behind Pikachu's ears, causing the electric mouse to squirm, _"Chaaa…"_ Pikachu squealed, _"Pi-ka-chu!"_

"Sounds like it's settled." Ash said. He promptly found an empty seat at the large table and slumped down, stretching his legs as he did so.

* * *

The hour was late, and it was time for Ash to retire to bed. He'd stayed up with the whole gang for more than few hours, talking, laughing, and sharing stories. Trudging, he climbed into his empty twin bed, staring at the dark ceiling as Pikachu climbed up and slumped onto the sheets at Ash's side.

Ash glanced at Pikachu, reaching out and gently rubbing the mouse's side. Pikachu met Ash's eyes.

"Can you feel that, Pikachu?" Ash asked, "The rush? We've come so far, and it's led us here. I want more than anything to prove we deserve to be here."

Their telepathic bond kicked in, sending Pikachu's thoughts directly to Ash's mind, _~We_ do _deserve to be here, Ash. Everything we've done together in the past two years has led up to this~_

"Yeah…" Ash sighed, "There's been a lot. From Mt. Silver, to the Gym challenge, to Team Rocket…"

Ash trailed off at the mention of the villainous syndicate, silently glancing at Pikachu again, "Pikachu, is everything okay with you? Like…when you think about Team Rocket, does it make you tense up and make you nervous?"

Pikachu didn't look at Ash, _~…No…~_

"Pikachu." Ash said, this time more sternly, though his tone came from his genuine love for Pikachu rather than anger.

Pikachu gulped, his whole body tingling all over. The mouse's voice echoed in Ash's head again, _~I see their faces when I'm asleep~_

"Faces? What do you mean? Whose faces?"

 _~All kinds…people and Pokémon. Sometimes it's Giovanni and his Executives, other times it's the other Pokémon I saw in the ring. I fought a Rhydon while I was in there. I fought with everything I had because I didn't know what else to do. And yet, that Rhydon wasn't a bad Pokémon. Looking at its eyes, I thought Rhydon was just angry, but later I saw that anger for what it really was~_

Ash sat there patiently, waiting for Pikachu's reply.

 _~…Fear,~_ Pikachu's voice finally stated, _~Mortal fear, like its life depended on victory~_

Ash's breath hitched, "You don't think…"

~I don't know. _But I'll never forget the way that Rhydon looked at me as they dragged it back to its cage~_ Pikachu admitted.

The mouse went on to describe, in great detail, the other abuses and mistreatments he had suffered, from the unwanted experimentation to the shock-lashing he'd received after his failed attempt to find Ash.

"Oh, Pikachu, I'm so sorry that I let you go through that. And that I never asked you about it." Ash mumbled, his voice shaking. He reached out a hand to his beloved partner, stroking the electric-type's head and neck gently, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I put you in danger."

Pikachu very clearly shook his head, a telepathic shout appearing in Ash's head, _~You can't blame yourself, Ash! That's what you always do, you bear the burden so that others won't have to! What happened wasn't your fault, okay?~_

Ash reluctantly nodded, "Okay…I'm sorry, Pikachu. You know what I won't forget about that? Proton and Petrel. One morning, Petrel came to visit me in my cell… except he was dressed up like May. Totally fooled me, too. When I figured it out... I don't think I've ever been that _angry_ at someone before." Ash's voice trembled a little bit as he remembered that seething rage he'd felt, "I told him I'd kill him, Pikachu. At that moment, I felt like I had enough anger to actually _kill_ someone. And then after that, I couldn't stop thinking about it…I thought I was losing my mind."

Pikachu listened intently, mortified as Ash recounted his experience, "And then Proton, that sick freak took pleasure in torturing me. He didn't even want any information out of me, he just wanted to make me bleed. And both of those guys are out there somewhere, free as a couple of birds. It makes me sick to my stomach, knowing firsthand the kinds of things they did, and the things they've done to you and all the other people and Pokémon that they've hurt."

Pikachu waited a few moments before responding, _~I'm sorry you had to go through that, Ash…I wish that I could've been there for you. But the good thing is that we beat them, right? It didn't play out like we might've expected, but they aren't part of our lives anymore~_

Ash let a slight smile slip through his stone-faced mask, "You're right, Pikachu. It's been green pastures since then. It's all in the past, and we're still kicking."

Ash yawned deeply, squirming underneath the sheets, "Well, I think I'm going to hit the sack. Tomorrow's an important day, and each day after that is gonna be more important than the last. G'night, Pikachu…thanks for talking to me."

 _~No problem, Ash. G'night~_

Trainer and Pokémon curled into sleeping positions, slowly shutting their eyes and seizing upon some of the best sleep they'd gotten in a long time.

* * *

 **That's a wrap. Ash and Pikachu have conquered Victory Road, Buizel has finally evolved, and the opening ceremonies will take place in the next chapter! Depending on the length of what I write for Chapter 71, I'm thinking that I will write in some of the first battles of the League. If not, the League will formally begin in Chapter 72. Either way, we're almost there, so hang in there for a couple more weeks.**

 **If you liked this chapter, I'd appreciate it enormously if you left a review in the box below! Your support keeps this story going. I'll see you all again soon, but until then, stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	71. Passing the Torch

**Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another chapter. At the end of this chapter, I have an announcement to make, and it is of the hiatus variety. I will explain more there. Thanks to everyone for sticking around to this point, I hope you enjoy this latest installment.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 71_

 _Passing the Torch_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Ash's finger swiped across the screen, bringing up a new Trainer portrait and six tiles showing their most-used Pokémon. The teenager eyed the portrait, drinking in the information provided. Trainers with all levels of experience were contained in the database, each and every one of them slated to compete in the Lily of the Valley Conference. Of course, the majority of these Trainers wouldn't make the field of sixty-four; there were easily over 200 Trainers in the database.

Ash felt a sudden presence at his side, and he knew who it was without having to look any further than his peripheral vision. The navy-blue suit-jacket top and unique hat were more than enough of a giveaway.

"Riley," Ash greeted, swiping his finger across the screen again.

"Hello, Ash. Scouting the competition?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, just trying to see if there's anyone that really sticks out. I know that Paul's on this list, but I know what I need to know about him already," Ash said. He swiped again, this time with just a little more aggressiveness.

Riley's eyes narrowed as he scanned his former apprentice. He silently felt the fluctuations in the boy's Aura, rising his suspicions, "That's smart. It's always best to study your competition so that you can be prepared."

The Aura Guardian suddenly leaned in, staring at Ash and ensuring the teen could see him out of his peripheral vision, "So, why are you really here, doing that? I may not know you quite as well as some of your other friends, but I know you aren't much of a scout. You prefer to play things by ear."

Ash tensed, and then relaxed, sighing, "…Am I really that easy to read?"

"Only a little bit." Riley answered quickly. Ash groaned.

"Honestly…" Ash started, swiping again, "I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I didn't do this the last time I was here for the Conference, and there's a part of me that feels like it cost me. Last time, I only heard about that Tobias guy from Barry. I wonder if, had I known about the guy beforehand, if I could've done better against him."

Riley pondered the thought before answering, "Ash, if you ask me, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You defeated _two_ Legendary Pokémon on that day, if I'm not mistaken. I think you did as well against Tobias as you possibly could. And your performance apparently convinced the Pokémon League to make some changes."

"Yeah…" Ash offered, not having an answer other than that, "You know, apparently he never showed up for his challenge against the Elite Four."

"I wasn't aware," Riley replied, "Do you wonder where he is now?"

"Absolutely. More than anything, I want another shot at the guy. Losing to Tobias led me to train on Mt. Silver." Ash admitted.

"Perhaps one day you will get that chance, somewhere in the world."

"I would like that," Ash said. He shut off the screen he was using and stepped back, "Well, I think that's enough studying for now. Where are the others?" After a group breakfast, everyone had headed into town and gone in different directions. Ash had come to the main League building in the town—a two-story building bearing the symbol of the Conference—to research other Trainers. The building's lobby served as a Pokémon Center, complete with several PCs and another Nurse Joy, while the space beyond that was strictly off-limits to unauthorized personnel.

Riley shrugged, leaning against the wall, "Off doing their own things at the moment. I believe Dawn went with May and your mother to shop, some of the others are with Brock and Professor Oak doing something or other. I thought I'd stick around nearby. I've always been a bit of a loner."

Ash chuckled, "Well, I'm glad. It's been a long time."

"It has," Riley agreed. He gazed around the lobby, eyeing all kinds of people as they walked back and forth through the room, "Hey, Ash?"

"Yeah, Riley?"

"I trained you on Mt. Silver, and in that time I saw firsthand how strong you and your Pokémon had become. And I know that was just the beginning. So, for what it's worth, my money would be on you in a rematch with Tobias." Riley said.

Ash smiled, looking at his feet, "…Thanks, Riley. I appreciate that."

Just then, the front doors to the League building slid open with a whirr of machinery, bidding entry to a single man with curly red-orange hair. The man's hands were shoved into his pockets, and he wore a yellow V-neck shirt with a collar.

Ash beamed, "Hey, it's Flint!"

The fire-type master walked through the lobby, glancing back and forth at the Trainers filling the lobby. Everyone knew who he was, and the whispers that circulated around the room proved it. However, little by little, everyone went back to their business, allowing the Elite to walk in peace.

Flint approached the front desk a short distance from Ash, calmly handing over his identification to the security guard. Ash eagerly ran over to the Elite, catching Flint's attention.

"Ash!" the Elite exclaimed, smiling, "Hello. I was hoping I'd find you here at some point. How are things?"

"They're great, Flint. I'm all ready for the League to start tomorrow."

"I'm sure. The opening ceremonies are tonight. I'm headed to the Pokémon League's final meeting before everything kicks off." Flint explained, "Odds are that we'll see each other again in the stadium tonight." Flint looked past Ash as Riley walked up. The two men nodded at each other, though Flint didn't know the Aura Guardian.

"Oh, Flint, this is Riley, my friend from Iron Island." Ash introduced.

"Iron Island," Flint acknowledged, "I've had many a training session there. Quite the environment."

"It is," Riley agreed, "I find it to my liking."

The security guard returned with Flint's identification, handing over the card wordlessly. Even though the guard knew who Flint was, it was still standard procedure to verify him before allowing him into the restricted areas.

"I need to go, I may or may not be a little late to the meeting right now." Flint admitted. He then flinched as a thought came to him, "Hey, Ash. Come with me."

"What?" Ash stuttered.

"To the Pokémon League meeting. Cynthia will allow it, and there's something you might be able to do for us." Flint insisted.

"You mean it?" Ash asked, exchanging a glance with Pikachu, "W-well, I guess if you say it's okay…"

"It will be," Flint promised. He turned to the burly security guard at the desk, "Hey, he's going to be with me."

"Sure thing, sir. I'll just need to verify he's who he says he is," the guard said with a nod.

"Of course," Ash answered. He found his identification and handed it to the guard, who ran it through a scanner, confirmed Ash's identity, and handed it back.

Ash turned back to Riley, "I guess I gotta go."

"Don't worry about it, Ash. Have fun. I'm going to go find the others and see what they're up to." Riley said.

"Okay. I'll keep in touch and meet you guys soon." Ash answered. With that, Riley turned and started to walk away, and Ash accompanied Flint through the security checkpoint, officially entering the restricted areas of the building.

"So, you're sure they'll be okay with me being at the meeting?" Ash asked once he and Flint were further down the hallway.

Flint shrugged, "Yeah, sure, it'll be cool. The security out there is really a bit overkill, this last meeting is just a formality to tie up any loose ends before the Conference starts. And, since the only people that rank higher than me on the Committee are Cynthia and the League President, I have more sway than most. That's why they let you in without any resistance."

"Being part of the Elite Four seems to have its perks." Ash commented.

Flint chuckled, "It certainly does." The pair approached a set of double doors with a sign on the front. The sign simply read ' _Meeting in Progress'._

"Here we are," Flint said.

"Flint, you said there was something I could do for the Pokémon League. What is it?" Ash asked.

Flint waggled his finger and shook his head, "Uh-uh, not quite yet, Ash. You'll get your answer in just a moment." The fire-type master reached for the door handle and opened the door, clearing the way inside. Upon entering, Flint made his presence known, "Alright, the fun is here! Hope you didn't start without me."

Another voice answered Flint as Ash stepped inside the room, drawling sarcastically, _"Oh, good,_ you're here. We were about to send a search team looking for you."

Flint didn't miss a beat, "Well, Lucian, I'm glad to hear that I mean that much to all of you. Oh, and I brought a friend."

Ash stepped out from behind Flint, shyly waving to the assembled committee. Along with four older men and women, the Elite Four and Cynthia were present, along with an elegant chair whose back was conspicuously turned to the rest of the table. Cynthia smiled warmly and waved at Ash.

"Hey, everyone…" Ash said with a nervous wave.

A voice suddenly came from the turned-around chair, "Say, is that who I think it is?" the chair whirled around, revealing an almost comically short old man. Had it not been for the man's very long and very full white beard and hair, Ash would've thought the man was younger than him. Instead, he knew who the man was right away.

"Mr. Goodshow!" Ash gasped.

"Well, I'll be!" declared Charles Goodshow, "Ash Ketchum, the Pride of Pallet Town! What brings you here?"

"Flint, actually." Ash said with a chuckle.

One of the unfamiliar men at the table cut into the conversation, scowling. The man had clean-cut black hair that was steadily being overrun with streaks of grey, attesting to his age, but he had a sort of poise about him. The scowling man spoke, not making an effort to be particularly respectful, "Flint, this is a _closed_ meeting. Why have you brought a child here?"

Before anyone could step in to defend him, Ash stepped forward, zeroing his gaze on the man, "Actually, sir, I'm sixteen years old, and I'm competing in the Conference tomorrow."

"That does not change the fact that you are not supposed to be here," the older man fired back.

Flint stepped toward the table, leering, "Mr. Yamaha, _I_ brought Ash to this meeting for good reason. Ash is exceptionally gifted and cares a great deal for his Pokémon, likely more than at least half of this committee. He's also going to be our new torch-bearer."

That last comment sparked debate within the small committee, miring the room in confusion and dialogue.

"You want a competitor to replace our last torch-bearer?" the man, Mr. Yamaha, inquired.

"Absolutely. Ash is as qualified a person as you will find, and I have it on good authority that he has persevered through no small amount of adversity on his path here," Flint insisted, "We have a vacancy thanks to Ricardo's illness, and I want to fill it. I move that we vote on making Ash the last torch-bearer."

Cynthia spoke up, "I second this motion, President Goodshow."

Charles Goodshow gave a wiry smile through his thick beard, "Very well. All in favor, say 'aye'."

The rest of the Elite Four voted in favor of Ash, bringing the vote count supporting him to five. In addition, two people on the other end of the table agreed.

"The majority has spoken," Mr. Goodshow said, "And just to throw in my two cents, I vote in favor of this young man becoming our new torch-bearer! Ash, if you please, all we need now is your consent."

Ash immediately wanted to say yes, but he had a question or two, "Er, how is this going to work, exactly, Mr. Goodshow?"

"Oh, it'll be simple, really!" Mr. Goodshow insisted, "Everyone will be in the central stadium like usual. Since you'd be the last torch-bearer, you'll be at the end of the tunnel leading in. After my opening address, the torch will be run into the stadium, looking for the last person to hand it off to. That's where you come in, boy! All we'll need is for you to be in position, grab the torch from the runner that shows up, and carry it with you across the field to us. From there, we'll take the steps up to the top of the stadium and ride the elevator to the cauldron, and you'll light it yourself! Easy!"

Ash clenched a fist, "Hey, sounds like fun! What do you say, Pikachu?"

The mouse tensed up and threw a smaller fist into the air, cheering, _"Pi-Pikachu!"_

"Sounds like a yes to me!" Ash beamed, "Alright, Mr. Goodshow. We'd be honored to carry the torch and light the flame!"

"Splendid!" Mr. Goodshow said. He slapped his hand on the table, "Motion carried, and meeting adjourned."

The unfamiliar men and women on one end of the table pushed their chairs back and filed out of the room, followed by three of the Elite Four Trainers. Ash recognized each of their faces as they approached him.

Lucian, the Elite Four's psychic-type master, greeted him with a nod and handshake before producing a book from his jacket and diving into its pages, walking effortlessly out the door as he read its contents. Aaron, the bug-type master, shook Ash's hand and followed Lucian out. Bertha was the last, and she was easily the friendliest. The old woman and ground-type master reached up and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, chuckling sweetly as she did so.

"I thought you were taller than the last time I saw you!" Bertha said with a laugh, "Thank you so very much for helping us with our little problem, and welcome back to Lily of the Valley Island, Ash."

Ash smiled, "Thank you, Bertha, the honor is all mine. It's good to see you again."

"And you as well, Ash. I've heard the stories of the challenges you undertook to get here." Bertha said, "I'll be watching your battles with great interest. But for now, I'm afraid it's time for this old woman to retire until the evening. These old bones of mine have grown quite tired."

Bertha reached up and tickled Pikachu's chin gently, curving her lips in a smile as Pikachu cooed approvingly, _"Chaaa~!"_ Bertha shook Ash's hand next, patted him on the arm, and then shuffled out of the room, leaving only Flint, Cynthia, and Mr. Goodshow inside the meeting room with Ash.

"Have you been keeping well?" Cynthia asked the teen, the slightest hint of genuine concern in her eye.

"Very well," Ash assured her, "These last few months have been…really great."

"I'm glad." Cynthia answered, "You and your Pokémon have truly deserved it."

If Goodshow and Flint knew what Cynthia truly meant, they didn't say. Instead, Mr. Goodshow returned to the topic of the torch-bearing.

"Thank you for your help, Ash. You and Flint've really saved us in the nick of time. We'll see you tonight at the opening ceremonies. Until then, you're dismissed. We'll reach you with the specifics before the ceremony starts." Mr. Goodshow explained.

"Sure thing, Mr. Goodshow. Thank you all so much for this chance. We're really honored to get to do this."

"The honor will truly be ours. I'm glad Flint brought you when he did, for I can think of no young man better than you to carry the torch down the final stretch and open this year's League." Mr. Goodshow said.

Ash's cheeks warmed at the praise and he rubbed the back of his head. Pikachu mimicked him as Ash nervously replied, "Aw, shucks…thanks, Mr. Goodshow."

"Don't mention it," said Charles, "Now, go on, I'm sure you've got more exciting things to do than hang out with a couple of old geezers until the opening ceremonies! Go on! _Heh-heh-heh-heh!"_

* * *

"So, I guess this is where we get off." Dawn said.

The group was inside the stadium, standing near one of the ground-level tunnels that opened up onto the actual battlefield.

"Yup!" Ash beamed, "I won't be on the field with all the other Trainers because I'll have to get the torch from the runner before me, but I'm really excited!"

"Lighting the torch is a huge honor! Man, I'm so jealous!" Max said, in awe.

"When Ash took on the Indigo League during our original journey together," Misty said, "He got to carry the torch part of the way."

"And during the Silver and Ever Grande Conferences, Ash was offered the chance as well." Brock added.

"That's weird," Dawn commented, "I don't remember any torch ceremony the last time we were here…"

"I think we missed it while we were out searching for Ash's Pokémon," Brock explained, "But this is the first time I can remember the opening ceremonies being held at nighttime."

"They must want to pack the arena full of people," May pointed out, "If they hold the ceremonies at night, more people will show up since they won't have any scheduling conflicts that they might have during the day."

The crowd above roared, their combined voices echoing through every possible opening in the stadium's build.

"Sounds like that's our cue," Misty called, "Time to go get our seats!"

Everyone took a turn saying farewell to Ash and then headed off together, disappearing into the throngs of people. Tugging his hat down, Ash leaned against the concrete wall of the tunnel, people-watching for several minutes until finally, there was no one left. The speakers started to pump out noise, stirring up the crowd into raucous cheering as the competing Trainers started to filter out onto the field.

Ash moved to the end of the tunnel, staying in the shadows just enough to not be seen as he watched the upcoming procession from a distance.

Nearly every seat in the venue was filled for the opening ceremonies, the crowd speaking with never-ending cheering. On the pristine dirt field below, dozens upon dozens of Trainers stood in a perfect line that bisected the battlefield, strange faces making all sorts of expressions. Standing opposite of the huge line of Trainers was a much smaller group of people, but each person's face was far less mysterious.

Sinnoh's Elite Four, along with Cynthia, stood together, two Elites at each of the Champion's sides. The remainder of the Pokémon League Committee from earlier formed a semicircle behind them, standing stiller than statues.

In front of the Elites, Charles Goodshow strolled out into the open, carrying a cordless microphone in his hand. The short elder swung the microphone up to his mouth, addressing the crowd eagerly.

" _Well! Good evening, Lily of the Valley Island! What a crowd! How are we doing tonight?"_ Mr. Goodshow asked, pointing the microphone aimlessly toward the crowd. The people in the stands roared approvingly, communicating their eagerness all at once. A plethora of camera flashes decorated the stands as people bookmarked this moment in their lives.

Mr. Goodshow chuckled and pulled the microphone back to speak again, "That's what I like to hear! You know, every year I wonder if I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. But then, I see all of our competitors' faces, I hear the roar of the crowds, and I witness the always-excellent competitions in every Conference I attend. And I think to myself, 'Who are you calling old?' and know that I just can't wait to be back out here!"

Mr. Goodshow laughed, drawing equal laughs from the people in the stands. The old man continued, "But enough about me! Let's hear it for all of our competitors!"

The crowd buzzed again in approval.

"Over two-hundred-and-fifty hearts and minds, all set on the same goal…" Mr. Goodshow started, trailing off. A few official-looking people stepped ceremoniously into the open from one of the tunnels on the opposite side of the building. One of them carried a shiny display case covered by a forest-green cloak. On Mr. Goodshow's signal, another person pulled the cloak away, revealing a slim golden trophy inside the case. The man carrying the trophy case hoisted it up above him for all to see, drawing cheers from the crowd. The cup stood about eighteen inches tall, decorated with expertly-crafted wings and topped by a finely-made Poké Ball ornament.

"The Lily of the Valley Conference Championship trophy!" Mr. Goodshow announced. The crowd exploded once again as the trophy was moved closer and closer to the Pokémon League's most esteemed dignitaries.

The crowd continued to roar, and Mr. Goodshow stoked their excitement with an encouraging, _"Yes!"_ After chuckling for a few moments, the elderly man refocused and started speaking again, "And now, let's turn our attention to my favorite part of these ceremonies: the Flame of Sinnoh, which will light the great cauldron at the top of this here stadium and burn for the entirety of the Conference!"

The crowd buzzed again as the pair of jumbotrons at Mr. Goodshow's back began glowing with life, forming a stunning visual of a live camera feed. Somewhere outside the stadium, an athlete jogged down the streets, his right hand fastened around a bronze torch topped with an awesome orange flame. A crowd that hadn't been able to make it inside the stadium lined the streets as the runner jogged past, tailed by an Officer Jenny and a company of security guards on motorcycles. The camera turned as the runner passed by, eventually filming from behind the group as Lily of the Valley Stadium towered nearby.

Little more than a minute passed before Ash heard the groan of the front gates being opened. Eager, he bolted back through the tunnel until he reached the gates, watching as the last runner padded through them underneath the cover of the stadium. Seeing Ash, the nameless runner smiled and slowed, extending his arm as the distance between them dwindled.

"She's all yours," declared the runner as Ash closed his fingers around the torch. He gently pulled it free from the runner, who quickly scurried out of the way, and Ash's eyes settled on the approaching motorcycles, listening as the humming engines drew closer and closer.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

" _Pi-Pika-chu!"_ the mouse answered ecstatically.

Without another word, Ash turned around started to run, leisurely at first but quickly picking it up until he reached a respectable jog. The rumble of the motorcycles followed him, a safe distance behind him while still keeping him protected. Concrete and darkness soon gave way to dirt and blinding lights, and the crowd erupted as Ash jogged out into the open, the Flame of Sinnoh hoisted high above his head. With a smile glued to his face, Ash glanced back and forth at the mobs of people in the stands, each of them cheering him on.

Up ahead, the hordes of Trainers parted straight down the middle, forming a path for Ash to take. The sound of the motorcycles behind him weakened as they stopped in the tunnels behind, leaving Ash alone to cross the field. As he passed through the mob of Trainers, Ash scanned the large group, inexplicably locking eyes with Barry. The blonde-headed bolt of energy gasped, stunned that his friend was carrying the torch, and Ash simply grinned. Mr. Goodshow and the Elites stared Ash down with identical smiles, waiting until he finally reached them and came to a stop.

"Excellent work, my boy," Mr. Goodshow said quietly, "Now come! We must take the flame up the steps to the cauldron."

Ash walked the short remaining distance to the wall, closing in on the steps that led all the way up to the twin jumbotrons, and in between them, the cauldron that would house the flame for the length of the competition.

Surrounded by Goodshow, Cynthia, the Elites, and a small contingent of security guards, Ash trotted up the steps, passing by scores of raucous people in the stands. His mind began to wander back as he made the trek, visualizing memories of the many important moments on his journey to this point.

The first flashback was, unsurprisingly, what had started it all: Tobias' duo of Darkrai and Latios taking down his entire team without breaking much of a sweat. Sure, Sceptile and Pikachu had respectively brought down the two Legendary Pokémon, but the gain had overall been little and Ash was knocked out of the semifinals by an embarrassing 6-2 score. The experience had been a driving force in his decision to go to Mt. Silver; a decision that had changed his life.

The next vision was the summit of Mt. Silver, where Ash and Pikachu had inexplicably met Ho-Oh. In the immediate backs of their minds had been their victory over Moltres, the apparent guardian of Mt. Silver's summit, in the final chamber before the peak. Right after that, Riley had come to them, which had begun Ash's discovery of his ability to use Aura and his training to become an Aura Guardian himself.

As soon as the vision had come, it was replaced by another. There were three things to see this time: the capturing of Gengar, Hippopotas, and Riolu. Each had proven themselves valuable battlers and even better Pokémon; true friends for life along with his many other friends.

When he was halfway up the stairs, Ash started to scan the crowd, inexplicably landing his eyes on none other than Misty. Surrounding her were the whole of Ash's group of friends, and they all cheered once they saw that he'd spotted them.

"Go, Ash!" Dawn yelled, the others similarly echoing her sentiments. Ash smiled, slightly nodding at Dawn, and then kept going up the steps, soon leaving his friends behind.

Next, Ash revisited his many scraps with Team Rocket, ranging from harmless inconveniences to the apocalyptic events at Spear Pillar. The memory of Spear Pillar itself tingled in Ash's brain, stirring feelings of fear and discomfort. But then, as quick as they had come, those feelings were banished by his next memory: that of his first kiss with Dawn, which had come after they'd thwarted Giovanni's calamitous plans.

And next, the memories he saw became more radical, bouncing back and forth throughout his six years of Pokémon training. In mere instants, he relived things from his beginnings as well as some of the highest points in his career; coming to own Pikachu and establishing his unshakeable bond with the mouse, meeting Misty and Brock, defeating Gary in the Silver Conference, and then challenging the Battle Frontier.

He visualized the Frontier Symbols he'd earned in Kanto and relived his victory over Brandon, relishing the rush of pride he felt at the memory. If he was strong enough to bring down the toughest of the Frontier Brains, surely he could win a Conference, right?

Eventually, they were finally at the top of the steps, blocked off from the cauldron by a heavy gate surrounding a small elevating platform. Ash's memories dissipated and returned to the back of his mind, thrusting him back into the now as a security guard unlocked the secure gate and opened it, allowing the company of people to slip inside.

Ash, Goodshow, and the Elites piled onto the platform, listening to the hum of machinery as it climbed up the side of the wall toward the great cauldron at the top. After the short elevator ride, the cauldron stood in front of Ash, waiting to be lit. Goodshow, Cynthia, and the Elites stood behind the cauldron, allowing everyone seated in the stadium to be able to see it.

"Go ahead, Ash," Mr. Goodshow said with a smile, "Light the flame."

Ash gulped and took a step forward, thinking one last time about everything that had led him to this point. He thought of every Pokémon that had lent him their strength on the long road behind them, his heart swelling at the memories. He believed in his Pokémon, and they believed in him!

The cauldron stopped his movement, and he looked at Pikachu. The mouse met his eyes, and with just the slightest of smiles, they nodded at each other. After so long, they were finally here. And this time, they'd win!

Ash shifted, meeting the flame and the cauldron with each other. The air hissed and ignited, forming into an impossibly large flame. The blaze stretched upward, eating up the air and building to its full height.

Ash examined the flame in awe, stepping back as the blaze started to radiate intense heat. Mr. Goodshow walked up to him, gently taking the torch from the teen.

"Well done, Ash…Let's hear it for our torch-bearer!" Goodshow said, raising his voice, "And with that, let this year's Lily of the Valley Conference begin! Thank you all for coming, but we encourage you to stay in your seats for the entertainment!"

The crowd's approval came like a peal of thunder, shaking the stadium to its foundations for a brief moment. Ash continued to stare at the flame, mesmerized, as its glow reflected off of his retinas. As some people began to stand and shuffle out of their seats little by little, the scores of Trainers on the field filtered off of the dirt. Performers started to take their place, preparing just the first of the entertainment routines meant to keep people in their seats after the rather short opening ceremony. Music began to spill out of the many speakers mounted in the stadium, releasing a thumping beat that pumped up the crowd.

Flint approached Ash, burying his hands into his pockets, "Impressive up close, isn't it?"

Ash flinched, glancing at Flint and then back at the flame, "Very." Ash answered. The flame danced a little bit in the cauldron, brushing a brief, warm wind into his face. His brain shifted to autopilot and he stared at the inferno's core; a combination of searing metal and hungry flame that burned with a unique glow.

"Unfortunately, our flame doesn't have a great legend attached to it like the Indigo or Silver Conferences," Flint said, likewise staring at the blaze, "But I like to believe that it has its own mystical origin."

The flame suddenly flickered and a space in its middle hollowed out, unfurling into two great multi-tiered wings and a magnificent plumage at the rear. At the top of the image, a curved beak and a crest came into view. But then, as quick as it had come, the shape was gone, replaced by a faint avian wail that echoed distantly in Ash's ears.

Ash flinched and staggered back a step, blinking rapidly as he climbed out of his stupor. Confusion washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him with a puzzled look. "F-Flint, did you see that?" Ash stuttered.

"See what?" Flint asked, looking away from the flame and at Ash. The Elite frowned, "Everything okay?"

Flint's response didn't help Ash's confusion. Had he just been seeing things? If so, that was one hell of an illusion, "Yeah, I'm good. I think I'm just tired."

 _~I saw the shape, Ash…~_ Pikachu's voice echoed in his head, _~And the cry…~_

Effortlessly tapping into his telepathic link with the mouse, Ash answered, _~You did? Call me crazy, Pikachu, but I could swear it was Ho-Oh.~_

 _~It's possible…at the very least, that's not just some old torch fire…~_ Pikachu offered. Ash relaxed. Knowing that Pikachu had experienced the sensation dashed his thought that he'd simply fallen victim to his own wandering mind. Maybe it had been a sign, a tip of the hat from Ho-Oh to Ash and Pikachu to bless them in the upcoming Conference!

Cynthia and the three remaining Elites started to walk away, congregating on the elevator platform to head down.

"Ash, Flint?" Mr. Goodshow said, gesturing for them to follow, "Time for us to go!"

Ash and Flint obeyed, walking side by side and boarding the platform with Goodshow. The elevator whirred and the platform descended, returning the group to the top of the steps so that they were once again surrounded by people.

"Once again, thank you for your help with the flame, Ash." Mr. Goodshow said, shaking the teen's hand.

"Ah, don't mention it, Mr. Goodshow. It's the least we could do, and me and Pikachu were incredibly honored to get to light the flame!" Ash answered.

The short, elderly man broke a wide grin, nodding, and then waved him off, "Now go on, enjoy the opening ceremonies with your friends. Good luck to you throughout the Conference, my boy!"

"Thanks, Mr. Goodshow. See you!" Ash said. He turned and dashed down the steps, searching the stands for his friends so that he could spend what was left of the evening with them.

* * *

"Ugh, this is taking forever." Ash groaned.

"Well, you're the one who wanted to get here as soon as possible after breakfast so you could check in. You should've known there'd be a big rush." Misty shot back. She yawned; they'd all stayed in the stadium for several hours last night, enjoying a free concert from an up-and-coming band as well as several other entertainment routines. As a result, they hadn't gotten an ideal amount of sleep.

"Sorry, Misty…but I could hardly wait anymore!" Ash defended, "Besides, this way, we can all get a bite to eat before I have to be back here for my battle."

"Seems like everyone else had the same idea…" May groaned.

The group was standing near the entrance to the main stadium the morning after the opening ceremonies. Multiple attendants handled the check-in booths, where every competing Trainer would have to check in before they could begin. After check-in, they would have their first preliminary battle randomly determined by computer, which would weed out the competition and narrow the field to the top sixty-four.

Ash continued to scan back and forth for an unoccupied booth, just as he'd done countless times today already. The doors had opened at 8 a.m. for registration, and things had been ultra-busy right off the bat. Ash and his friends had been standing around for over half an hour by this point, and the clock was rapidly approaching lunchtime. Finally, after the third of fourth run with his eyes, someone finally walked away from a booth, leaving it open.

"Aha! Let's go!" Ash shouted. He immediately sprinted toward the booth, managing to slip inside before another Trainer could take it from him. The attendant flashed a courteous smile from behind the window separating them.

"Good morning. Checking in?" the attendant asked.

"Sure am!" Ash answered.

"Excellent. I will need your Trainer Card and your Pokédex," the attendant said. Ash handed over the two items, sliding them through the slot under the window. The attendant grabbed the card and swiped it, transferring the necessary data into the system, and then pressed a large button on the desk as she grabbed Ash's Pokédex and plugged it into her computer. A holographic screen suddenly appeared in the clear glass window, displaying four different types of fields in a rectangular shape. A spinner formed in the center of the screen and started to spin, highlighting each different field several times before slowing and eventually coming to a stop.

The image of the chosen field enlarged, covering the other three pictures in the process. The battlefield was covered in shining, bluish-colored ice with several icy stalagmites protruding from the ground.

"Congratulations, your first preliminary match will be held on the Ice Field!" said the attendant, "The system will now randomly select your opponent."

Ash's portrait appeared on the holographic screen beside an empty box. The images of countless Trainers blurred across the emptied box as the system ran its course, once again slowing until finally coming to a stop on a single Trainer with spiky burgundy hair. The two portraits glowed and the screen vanished, allowing Ash to clearly see the attendant once again. She flashed a sweet smile, sliding a small, flat device along with Ash's Trainer Card through the slot.

"Your opponent has been selected, and your battle is scheduled for exactly 3:30. Please understand that if you are not able to be present for your match on time, you will automatically forfeit the battle…" the attendant explained. She pulled the Pokédex from the computer next, sliding it through the slot next, "Your Pokédex has also been specially updated with a new application that will allow you to scout other Trainers on the go so that you won't need to access a PC. You can also get other pertinent information, such as schedules, for the duration of the Conference using the same application."

"Wow, really?" Ash said, looking at the portable encyclopedia in his hand, "Thank you, ma'am."

"You're very welcome," answered the attendant, smiling sweetly, "Good luck to you."

Ash trotted back to the group, relaxed and with a smile on his face. A few minutes later, Corey returned, having finished checking himself in.

"Hey, Corey. Are you all set?" Ash asked.

"Yup!" Corey beamed, "I'm all ready to go!"

"Perfect! Now, what's everyone say we go get some lunch? I could use a bite to eat!"

May's stomach growled deeply, rumbling enough so that everyone in the group heard. May's face contorted with embarrassment as she placed a hand over her belly, and she broke a nervous smile.

"Heh…yeah, I think that'll work for me…" the Top Coordinator muttered.

* * *

The sky was as blue as blue could be, carrying only the slightest wisps of wiry clouds as the sun beat down on the island. Over the tree line, the unoccupied Lily of the Valley Stadium could be seen, though its smaller counterparts were invisible. Distant PA speakers spilled a great deal of noise that echoed across the island, narrating the first opening battles of the Conference.

A large table was placed on the grass, shielded from the sun by a large tent overhead. Off to the side, Brock was hard at work stirring a great pot of his famous stew. The table's benches were packed with the others. Dawn, May, and Misty sat on one side with Delia, Corey, and Layla. Gary sat with Professor Oak along with Riley and Max, saving an empty space for Brock once the food was finished.

However, there was a glaring absence from the seated group; a certain teenager and his Pikachu were not underneath the tent with everyone else.

Ash stood in the clearing away from his friends, roasting underneath the late spring sun. Professor Oak had spoken true when he said he'd brought his complete roster with him to the island. The Professor had even brought every last one of Ash's Tauros with him, despite the fact that only one of them—the herd's leader—ever saw action. It was important that all of the teen's Pokémon were here to support their beloved Trainer.

And so, Ash had called out each member of his roster, wanting to see all of their faces together. They came from all walks of life, but each Pokémon shared a common connection to the young man, and each was equally as precious to him.

Standing in the center of a ring formed by his many Pokémon, Ash smiled, scanning each of his beloved companions with a watchful eye.

"Hey, everyone." Ash greeted, "It's really great to see you all here."

The circle of Pokémon murmured agreeably. Charizard and Sceptile stood at the back of the group and stared quietly, projecting their strength and prowess with nothing more than their stone gazes and crossed arms. Further in, Ash's herd of Tauros formed the center of the group, bordered on the back by Ash's taller Pokémon and by the smaller members of the roster in front. A single Tauros, the leader of the large herd, squirmed between other Pokémon in order to claim its place at the front of the pack. Once there, the proud Wild Bull Pokémon sat down on its hindquarters, braying.

"I just wanted to get everyone together, you know, before this all goes down." Ash said, "And I want to thank each and every one of you for all of the hard work that you've put in for the last two years. The trials have been hard, but the rewards, I think, have been more than worth it. And after a long break and a lot of soul-searching, we're back where this latest journey began, about to take on another League together. I want to say that I'm so incredibly proud of all of you, and I'm proud to call you guys my friends."

The group of Pokémon all let out a cheer.

"I also want to take a look back and revisit everything that we've accomplished…to recount the long road that's led us here. This whole journey started two years ago on this island, though none of us really knew it at the time." Ash went on, "Together, we climbed the heights of Mt. Silver and became stronger than ever…"

The Pokémon turned back and forth to look at each other, agreeing with a series of acknowledging nods and proud grunts.

Ash continued, "We also made a lot of friends, both new and old…" Ash gestured to a handful of Pokémon as he said this. The horde of Pokémon formally welcomed back the likes of Primeape, Pidgeot, Butterfree, and Charizard before greeting the newer faces of Gengar, Hippopotas, Lucario, and Tyranitar.

"And we found our way back to the Sinnoh Region, defeating every Gym Leader's toughest Pokémon. Give yourselves another round of applause, eh?"

The Pokémon obliged, cheering once again.

Ash's smile didn't hold for long, though.

"But, the truth is…" Ash continued, silencing his Pokémon and garnering their attention once more, "Along this amazing journey, some things haven't been so great. We tangled with some really bad people on our path to get here, and I wish we could say that we came out of that unscathed. Some of you were directly hurt by that, and you all deserve a sincere apology."

A handful of the Pokémon exchanged looks as if they were silently communicating. The ordeal with Team Rocket and the events at Spear Pillar would not soon be forgotten by them, if ever.

"So, I'm sorry for putting those of you in the path of danger, and I'll do everything I can to keep it from happening again." Ash promised, "But I've realized that all that's in the past, and we don't have to worry about it anymore. As long as we have each other, we can overcome _anything._ In just a few hours, we've got our first League battle in two years. Professor Oak crunched a few numbers for us and figured out that if we make it all the way to the finals, all of you should get a chance to battle and show your stuff, so I'm gonna try with everything I've got to give all of you that chance."

The circle of Pokémon stirred at this, exchanging several glances with each other, excited by the mere opportunity. Each Pokémon also knew, though, that if they didn't give it everything they had, many of them wouldn't get that chance, so a silent commitment passed between the large group that they would do everything in their power not to let Ash down.

Ash smiled, as if feeling that his Pokémon's spirits were rising, "So when we go out there for the first time in a long time, all I ask is that you guys try your best and prove all our doubters wrong. You guys are the best Pokémon a Trainer could ever ask for. Together, we can win the whole thing, I just know it!"

Ash's Pokémon released another approving uproar, their doubts and questions dissipated and replaced by confidence.

"That's it! Let's go win that Conference Championship, together!" Ash added, drawing another roar from his team. Pikachu leaped down from Ash's shoulder, joining his friends and cheering excitedly.

After his speech, Ash returned each and every one of his Pokémon, tucking the majority of them away into Professor Oak's briefcase. With that done, he returned to the table, taking a seat next to Gary on one end of the table.

"Sounds like that was some speech, Ashy-boy." Gary said.

Ash chuckled, "Thanks, Gary. My Pokémon deserve all the praise in the world for the hard work they've put in."

"That they do, Ash," Brock said. The Doctor-in-training walked over with several bowls balancing on his arms, each filled with a hearty helping of Brock's delicious stew, "Order up!"

Brock slid the bowls across the table, adding to them with more and more until each person at the table had a bowl for themselves. With that, Brock wiped his forehead with a towel and crashed down into his seat on the other end of the bench, sighing as he began eating his own food.

" _Mmm,_ this is amazing, Brock." May said, relishing the taste.

"You can say that again," Ash agreed, "No matter how hard I try, I can't match your cooking, Brock." Ash scarfed down another spoonful of the dish, once again voicing his approval.

"Ash Ketchum, did I just hear you say that you _cook?"_ Misty asked incredulously.

"Hey, Pokémon training isn't the only thing I'm good at anymore!" Ash defended.

Misty laughed out loud, turning to Dawn, "Oh, Dawn, you're lucky. I can't tell you how many times Ash used to sit there and groan that he was hungry while me and Brock did all the work."

Ash scratched the back of his head, looking down, "Yeah, I'm not exactly proud of those moments."

"Maybe Ash really is growing up," Gary snickered, shaking his head jokingly.

"Oh, come now, leave him alone, all of you," Oak coolly chastised the rest of the group, "We're here to celebrate Ash's accomplishments before he competes in the Sinnoh League, not tease him for his shortcomings in the past."

"Yeah, I'm with the Professor on that one," Dawn agreed.

"Oh, fine, I'll lay off." Misty conceded, "In any case, Brock, your cooking is amazing as usual."

"Anyway, Ash and Corey…" Prof. Oak said, garnering the two Trainers' attentions, "We haven't quite had the time until now, but before you both go out there to compete, you'll want to be aware of a few new rules…"

"New rules? What do you mean?" Ash asked, looking up from his bowl.

Oak answered, "Well, first off, last year the Pokémon League unanimously passed a rule barring Pokémon of legendary or mythical status from competing in any and all tournaments."

"I heard about this!" Brock chimed in, "You must not know, Ash, but your battle with Tobias left quite an impression on the general community. You were a fan-favorite after your win over Paul, and after Tobias swept through the League like he did, there was a huge push to keep Trainers from using Legendary Pokémon because it offered an unfair advantage to a few select Trainers and diminished the quality of competition."

"Precisely, Brock." Professor Oak said, "So smile, Ash, you are single-handedly responsible for one of the more important rule changes in history."

Ash, disbelieving, pointed a finger at himself as he spoke, "M-me? H-history?"

"You heard right! But that's not the only big new rule for this year…" Oak continued, trailing off.

Gary took over, having more knowledge of this second new rule than his grandfather, "The Sinnoh Battle Frontier has been allowing Trainers to use Mega-Evolved Pokémon in their challenges for the past year as a test. Now, for the first time ever, Mega Evolution is going to be allowed in the Sinnoh League."

"Wait, really? Charizard and Sceptile will be allowed use their Mega Stones?" Ash asked.

"That's right. They're taking after the Kalos Region's rules on Mega Evolution, though. Only one Pokémon will be allowed to Mega Evolve on either side in any given battle," Gary explained, "So if you want to use Sceptile and Charizard in the same battle, only one will be able to use its Mega Stone."

"Hey, that's still awesome!" Ash said, "Charizard and Sceptile will be pretty excited, we've done a lot of work with their Mega Stones lately."

"Well, I think it's safe to say that this year's Lily of the Valley Conference will be quite exciting," said Dawn, "We're all going to be cheering super hard for both of you, Ash and Corey!"

"I'll drink to that!" Misty agreed. Brock threw a skeptical look at the Cerulean Gym Leader, raising an eyebrow. Misty rolled her eyes and closed her hand around the opened bottle of water in front of her, "Obviously I mean drink _water,_ Brock…"

Just for good measure, Misty tossed back her bottle, downing another gulp of water before preparing to dig into her meal.

"Thanks, you guys. You're all the best friends that a guy could ask for." Ash agreed, "Now, less talking, more eating!"

"Finally!" May declared. She challenged Ash to a race to see who could finish their food the fastest, egged on by the group as they laughed and hollered in camaraderie, wasting the time that they had left before the matches began.

* * *

Ash's nose was buried into his Pokédex, combing through data as he searched for information on his opponent through the application that had been installed on the device a few hours earlier. The stadium around them was packed with people both in the stands above and all through the many walkways below.

The group was seated at a table underneath the bleachers of Arena 3, where Ash and Corey's battles both happened to be lined up close together. Ash would be battling first in a little over an hour, with Corey following two matches later. Their remaining time would be spent scouting their opponents, watching the few battles before them, and heading down to the tunnels below so that they could make final preparations.

'League Pass', as the new application was called, was really the ultimate program. Just like the desk attendant had told him, the app held all the information he could possibly need, including schedules, maps of the islands, and a way to scout each and every Trainer entered in the Conference.

Ash scrolled down the mass of scheduled battles, searching for his timeslot. Once he found it, Ash clicked on the tab and expanded it, accessing the wealth of information contained inside. Two portraits appeared, one showing Ash himself and the other showing his mysterious burgundy-haired opponent.

"Hmm, looks like the guy I'm facing is called Marcus." Ash explained to his friends. He clicked on the Trainer's profile, diving further into another database so that he could scout. "He's from Hearthome City, and he's got a pretty solid record, too: couple of club tournament wins around the Region, a Top 16 finish in the Sinnoh League just last year, the whole works. Let's take a look at his Pokémon."

Ash clicked a few buttons, pulling up information about Marcus' most-used Pokémon: a tall, menacing dinosaurian rock-type. "Check that out, Pikachu. He's got a Rampardos, just like Roark."

" _Chu-Pi!"_ answered the mouse.

"That's not his only powerful Pokémon, either," Ash continued, scrolling down the list of named Pokémon, "Here's a Honchkrow, Magmortar, Lairon, and a bunch more…he's got a tough crew to pick from."

"Sounds like this Marcus guy won't be a walk in the park," Brock suggested.

"Yeah…" Ash agreed. He snapped his Pokédex shut and slipped it into his bag, turning back to his friends, "But you know what? I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't want to tear my way through the Conference like it's nothing, I want to be challenged by other great Trainers while we're here, too."

The crowd above them suddenly erupted, their roaring shaking the stadium. The loudspeakers all around the stadium exploded with noise from the announcer in the booth way above them, spilling his words out for all to hear.

" _And that's going to be it for Dawson and Electabuzz, as Lawrence's Bastiodon deals the final blow and secures their spot in the next round!"_

"Cool. This thing's in full swing." Ash said, smiling.

Professor Oak appeared on the other side of the tunnel and shuffled over to the group, carrying a tray with six Poké Balls. As the elder Professor arrived at the table, he set the tray down, exhaling.

"The Pokémon you requested, Ash."

"Alright, thanks, Professor!" Ash beamed, switching his five on-hand Poké Balls for the full plate of six. For this round, he'd only be allowed to use three Pokémon, and while Pikachu would be on his shoulder or at his feet for the duration of the match, the mouse wouldn't see action. Instead, Ash had selected a so-called "first team" of choices for the upcoming battle, but had decided to bring extra Pokémon to choose from instead if needed.

"So, Ash, who're you gonna use for this one?" Max asked eagerly.

Ash chuckled and waggled his finger at the youth, "Uh-uh. That's a secret, Max."

Max scoffed and crossed his arms, looking away from Ash.

"I think it's time I head down and get ready." Ash decided. He went to say farewell to each of his friends, sharing hugs or high-fives with them.

"Don't screw this up, Ashy-boy." Gary snickered. Ash snickered with him and lightly slugged his former rival in the arm. He spoke with Max, Corey, May, Brock, and Misty before Dawn was the last one left.

"Guess it's time for everyone to see the new you. Are you ready?" Dawn asked.

"Never been more ready…" Ash admitted, "No need to worry, right?"

Dawn rolled her eyes, "I hope not."

Ash raised his hand up, signaling for a high-five. Dawn immediately surged forward, clapping her hand against Ash's. Their hands came down as they smiled, and Ash turned to the rest of his friends as he started to backpedal away, "Catch ya later, everyone!"

Ash whirled around, and just like that, he was gone.

* * *

Ash found the competitor's entrance fairly easily, following the signs. The competitor's area was protected by two brawny security guards, but they let him through without hesitation as Ash showed his Trainer Card. Just past the gate were a long set of stairs leading to the tunnels underneath the arena, where the locker rooms and practice areas were hidden.

The competitor's area was surprisingly busy, with more than a dozen Trainers present. Some left shortly after Ash arrived, likely having been there after their battles, but there was still a decent amount of activity in the area. Ash sat down on a bench leaning against some unused lockers, stretching his legs as Pikachu hopped onto the bench himself and sat down on his backside.

A single TV in the locker room area was playing a feed of the battle going on up above them. The practice area was next to the locker room, with several windows allowing one to see into either room from either side. Four Trainers were at work inside the practice area, seemingly warming up some of their Pokémon for the battles ahead.

Ash almost shot up out of his seat when his eyes fell on an unmistakable mop of spiky, burgundy hair. It was Marcus!

"Check it out, Pikachu. That's the guy we're facing in a little bit." Ash said.

" _Pika?"_

"How's about we go say hi?" Ash asked the mouse. Pikachu shrugged and agreed, clambering back up onto Ash's shoulder. The teen surged out of his seat and walked to the glass door separating the locker room and practice area, pushing it open and walking onto the turf floor.

Marcus was warming up a Poliwrath, oblivious to Ash's presence until the water-type perked up with a grunt. Marcus flashed a look to his side, piercing hazel eyes staring into Ash's dark brown ones.

"Um…hey," Ash said with a short wave, "I just saw you over here and thought I'd come say hi. Looks like we're going to battle each other soon."

Marcus' eyes flicked down to Ash's feet and then back up to his head. Sporting a black turtleneck jacket with maroon trim down the sides, Marcus ran a hand through his spiky hair and rasped, "I guess we will…Ash Ketchum."

Ash smiled warmly, "So, I guess you looked into me, too."

Marcus scoffed, staring Ash down, "You don't have to look into someone when you already know them. The media's been singing your praises lately, though I have no idea why."

Ash's nose scrunched up, just a little bit offended by Marcus' unfriendly behavior, "W-what's that supposed to mean?"

Marcus very clearly rolled his eyes, "Come on. Your record is extensive, and it includes all of your screw-ups and bad calls. Plus, I watched you battle Paul two years ago, and all that did was confirm what your history suggests: that you're about as pitiful as they come. I hate to break it to you, Ash, but I came to this Conference with plans to win. You're just another lame obstacle."

Ash fought off the urge to scowl. He knew what Marcus was trying to do, and he wouldn't let it get to him.

"So, that's what you think?" Ash asked, "That I'm pitiful? That you've got me all figured out?"

Marcus' eyebrow raised, surprised that his adversary hadn't lashed out. Quickly, he dropped his eyebrow and added to his verbal attack, "What else am I supposed to think? You expect your guts to carry you to glory, despite eventually failing at every important turn. Your last League win came off dumb luck against a Trainer superior to you in every way. It's an unfortunate waste of some special Pokémon, too. Why, if they were in the hands of someone like Paul, perhaps they'd have seen the mountaintop by now."

Pikachu growled, his ears pinned back. _"Chuuuu…"_ the mouse chattered, irritated. Ash stroked the electric-type's head, cooling the mouse's boiling anger.

"Sorry to bother you so much," Ash said, "I guess you've got the old me pegged pretty hard."

"The 'old' you?" Marcus repeated, scoffing, "Please. You're even more stubborn than you look."

"You're not wrong," Ash said, taking the attempted insult without embarrassment, "I'm curious, though, what would you have done, since you're so much smarter than me?"

Marcus took the bait, "I could probably stand here all day and answer that, but since we don't have the time, maybe start with focusing on some basic strategy for once and pick your Pokémon in a way that benefits you, rather than just throwing out the first one that crosses your mind."

"Noted. Let me know how that works out for you." Ash said, giving Marcus a thumbs-up. Marcus' eye twitched as he stared at Ash, stunned into silence as the Pallet native turned and walked away, headed back to the locker room.

As their opponent vanished through the locker room doorway, Marcus' Poliwrath eyed the teen with confusion.

" _Pol?"_

Marcus shook his head. What game was Ash playing, he wondered? _"Tch._ Let's get back to warming up, Poliwrath."

* * *

The sounds of the crowd echoed through the tunnel, reaching Ash's ears as he waited. The sound systems lining the arena drowned out the crowd, the voice of an announcer spilling out into the stands and the air beyond.

" _And with the break period over, we hope you're all comfortable in your seats, because we've got an exciting battle on the Ice Field coming your way!"_

The crowd answered with resounding approval. The battlefield, formerly made of crisp green grass, started to mechanically lower into the ground, disappearing into a black abyss. The Grass Field was replaced by a field of glistening aquamarine ice that was littered with frozen stalagmites and rocks. As the new field locked into place, the announcer went back on the horn.

" _Sounds like we're all ready to me! So, let's introduce our next two competitors!"_ the announcer said, _"On the red end, hailing from Sinnoh's own Hearthome City, we have a returning competitor from last year's tournament. Last time, this Trainer fought his way to a Top 16 finish! Please give a warm welcome to Marcus!"_

The crowd rumbled as Marcus presumably exited the tunnel, eventually quieting down.

" _And on the blue end, a former favorite who made quite a splash the last time he was here. After one of the most thrilling battles in recent memory, our next competitor fell to an opponent sporting two Legendary Pokémon on his team, but not before taking both of them down and making his name known,"_ the announcer started.

"Here we go, Pikachu." Ash said, "This is it. You ready?"

" _Pi-Pika-chu!"_

Ash trotted forward, jogging through the tunnel as the announcer continued, _"Hailing from Kanto's Pallet Town, let's welcome back Ash Ketchum!"_

Ash passed out of the tunnel, the shining sun immediately thrusting its glare into his face. Grinning from ear to ear, Ash and Pikachu waved to the crowd, drawing roars that were far greater than the ones Marcus earned. The people knew him, and they made no secret of their excitement.

Ash met Marcus' eyes from across the field as he stepped into his battle box, mirroring his motionless adversary as a referee stepped up to the sideline box, a flag corresponding to each end of the field in either of his hands.

"Are you ready?" the referee called to Marcus. The burgundy-haired Trainer simply nodded, not pulling his cold stare away from Ash. Satisfied, the referee turned to look in Ash's direction.

"Are you ready?" he repeated.

"Sure am!" Ash answered eagerly.

The referee nodded and faced forward, staring down the chalked middle line that split the field in two. He raised his arms, bringing the flags into the air with them, and shouted.

" _Very well! Without further ado, let the battle begin!"_

* * *

 **That's a wrap on Chapter 71. Unfortunately, this is where I have to announce my brief hiatus. Rest assured, it will not be long, ideally ranging from 4-6 weeks. My reason for this is solely based on my schoolwork. I'm approaching the home stretch of the semester, and my schoolwork chewed me up and spit me out this week. In response to that, I'm going to push this story aside for the next month in order to focus on school. I also hate to be doing this at this exact point in the story, leaving you guys literally on the edge of what Ash has been working toward for this entire story. However, I choose to believe that some time off will help me plan the upcoming battles better and make them more exciting.**

 **If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review in the box below to tell me all about it. I would love to hear from as many of you as possible. Other than that, I'll see you guys again sometime next month, and the Lily of the Valley Conference will finally begin. Thanks for reading!**


	72. League Unchained

**Hey, everyone. Long time no see. I hope you all enjoy this next installment. If you'd be so kind, do send me a review after reading this chapter, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 72_

 _League Unchained_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh League – Lily of the Valley Island**_

The stadium rumbled as its corridors swelled with people trying to return to their seats. The break period in between battles was nearly over, and nobody wanted to miss a single second of the next match. Some spectators had their arms filled with a wide range of concessions; from popcorn and sodas to big, buttery pretzels.

Dawn and the others were part of this throng of people, slowly shuffling their way across the concrete ground towards the tunnel that would take them to their section. Thanks to their connection to Ash, the group had been able to score tickets in the lowest rows of the lower bowl, but they would be forced to break up into groups. Dawn would be with Brock, Misty, and Riley on the very front row, while May would be with Max, Corey, and Layla a few rows above them. Then, off to the side and furthest from the field, Delia, Gary, and Prof. Oak would sit together.

Dawn stood up on the tips of her toes, impatiently trying to get a glimpse above the crowd as the path became clogged. The horde of people in front of them were trying to filter into their tunnels, and it was very much a disorderly affair, resulting in a standstill.

Dawn slumped back down to two flat feet, "It's gonna be another few minutes."

May tapped her foot impatiently, "Ugh. I hope not too long, we don't want to miss any part of Ash's battle."

"Let's just be patient, now…" Professor Oak cut in, "We're all a little excited, the line will get moving shortly."

May sagged her shoulders, "You're right, Professor. Sorry."

"Oh, don't apologize, May." Professor Oak insisted, "When I was your age, I always wanted to be on the move."

" _He certainly did, heh-heh-heh!"_ called a voice. Professor Oak wore a puzzled expression, scratching his chin as the others around him looked around with confusion.

"Say, is that who I think it is?" Oak wondered aloud. He turned around, seeing no one behind him, before looking down and spotting one short old man with a beard. Oak spawned a youthful, diabolical smile that belied his age.

"Ah, Charles! Sorry about that, I didn't see you there…" Oak quipped.

Goodshow grinned at the joke, _"Tsk, tsk,_ Samuel. And here I thought you would've mellowed with age!"

The two old men bellowed with laughter for a moment before Goodshow continued, "Hello, all, sorry to interrupt. I saw Samuel from across the way and simply had to come say hello!"

"Professor, you know Mr. Goodshow?" Brock asked.

"Well, of course I do!" said the Professor with a smile, "Charles and I were rivals…back when we were young and prehistoric Pokémon roamed the world." Oak chuckled at his own joke.

"Oh, those were the days!" Mr. Goodshow agreed with a laugh, "I never did manage to beat Sam in a battle, however! He always had me beat when we were young, one way or another!"

"Even when we went our separate ways; me as a researcher and Charles as the head of the League, we did our best to stay in contact when we could." Professor Oak explained. The Professor turned to the shorter man, "Anyway, Charles, since we're stuck standing here, why don't we get you acquainted with everyone else?"

"Oh, I quite know most of your group. Brock and Misty, how are my two favorite Gym Leaders?"

"Actually, Mr. Goodshow, I haven't held the Gym Leader title since I met Ash…" Brock said.

Goodshow deadpanned, smacking himself on the head, "Oh, yes, that's right. Forgive me, Brock, I'd forgotten. Your younger brother Forrest is doing quite well in your stead, and the two of you look so very similar!"

"Thank you, Mr. Goodshow," Brock answered, "I'm glad you think he's doing well."

"However, _I_ do happen to still hold my title as Gym Leader!" Misty said, beaming.

"Of course. The most talented of the Waterflower sisters." Mr. Goodshow said, "And May and Max, it's been quite some time since I saw the two of you as well! May, I managed to catch your Grand Festival win in Johto! Congratulations on your ascension to Top Coordinator!"

May beamed, blushing a little, "Thank you, Mr. Goodshow. It's good to see you again, too."

"And young Max, finally a Pokémon Trainer yourself! You deserve congratulations on your performance in the Ever Grande Conference a few weeks ago! It's not every year that a rookie makes it all the way to the top eight!" Goodshow praised.

"Thank you, sir," Max smiled, "I was pretty bummed after I lost, but I'm going to be hard at work again soon!"

Oak stepped forward, gesturing to Gary, "And I'm sure you remember my grandson, Gary. He's been apprenticing under Professor Rowan for some time now, but he'll be transferring back to Pallet Town soon."

"Of course." Goodshow said, reaching out to shake the much-taller Gary's hand, "Young man, your grandfather and Professor Rowan are two of the best in the business. I've no doubt that you've learned very much from them."

"You'd be right. I've been really lucky to have them." Gary replied.

"And then this is Ash's mother, Delia." Oak introduced.

Goodshow shook Delia's hand, "It's very swell to meet you, miss. I can see where Ash gets his looks," said the short man with a wink.

Delia laughed and blushed just a little bit, "Well, I'm flattered. I hope my Ash hasn't caused you too much trouble."

"None at all, I assure you! He was fantastic yesterday." Goodshow insisted. He turned back in Brock and Misty's direction, spotting Dawn. Puzzled, the short man gestured to her, "And you, lass. I recognize you as the Coordinator who battled against May in the Grand Festival…but, forgive me, I'm afraid I can't recall your name."

Dawn smiled, "Oh, no need to worry, sir. My name is Dawn. I traveled with Brock and Ash through Sinnoh, and then again with just Ash."

"Dawn, that's right. It's always good to meet Ash's friends." Goodshow said, committing the name to memory as he shook her hand.

Delia pranced over, grinning like a teenage girl, "Oh, Dawn's more than just Ash's friend!" she sing-songed, "She and my Ash are, well, _going steady_ , so to speak!"

Goodshow smiled through his beard, "Well, now that _is_ some news! _Heh-heh-heh!"_

Dawn, meanwhile, covered her face in embarrassment, and Piplup mimicked her from his place atop her head. Goodshow chuckled again, "Oh, lass, there's no need to feel embarrassed. It makes me smile to know that Ash has found someone that makes him happy."

The crowd began to move again, suddenly moving much more fluidly.

"Hey, we're moving again!" Max gasped excitedly.

"I suppose that's our cue," Oak suggested. He turned to Goodshow, "It was great to see you again, old friend."

"And you as well, Samuel. Enjoy the battles, all of you. I'll be watching Ash from the press box upstairs, so I'll be rooting for him!" Goodshow said. He waved as the group shuffled through the tunnel, eventually vanishing from sight.

Dawn exited the tunnel first and beamed, running up to the railing separating the walkway from the lower bowl. The battlefield was rather small due to being in one of the three smaller arenas, but all that meant was that everyone would be closer to the action. A large rectangular plot of grass served as the battlefield, but everyone was aware that Ash's match was going to be on the more difficult Ice Field.

"So, Professor," Brock was asking as he came through the tunnel with everyone else, "You said back there that you and Mr. Goodshow were rivals when you were younger. I'm curious, what was that like?"

"Oh, well, it was a long time ago, of course. But yes, Charles and I met on the battlefield more than a few times during our careers. Though I never traveled with him, he was a good friend of mine. And he was just as short back then, although he had the excuse of youth." Oak explained, chuckling at the memories, "And as you know, he went on to become the president of the Pokémon League, while I took to researching Pokémon."

"It's kind of weird to think that Pokémon training has been around for so long…" Misty said, "Even after years and years, thanks to Pokémon, so many people that would never have met otherwise become connected in some way for as long as they live."

"And that even goes for us, too," Brock added, "Think about it, if not for Pokémon, I'm not sure that we ever meet Ash."

"Or us!" May said, curling her arm around Max's shoulder.

"Or me," Dawn beamed.

"You're all absolutely right. Pokémon are incredibly special…" Oak said, "the bonds that we're able to build with them allow us to cross boundaries unlike anything else. It's one of the main reasons why I chose to become a Pokémon Researcher after my retirement from training, because this characteristic fascinated me."

"When every life meets another life, something will be born…" Dawn repeated, her gaze fixed on the unoccupied battlefield.

"What's that, Dawn?" Delia asked.

Instead, Brock answered, "Dawn's repeating something that we heard when we met Cynthia, the Champion of the Sinnoh Region. This was back before Ash and Paul became friends, and they were arguing about the different ways that they trained Pokémon. Later, Cynthia took us to a monument outside the city inscribed with Unown letters that spelled out that phrase. She said that it had changed her entire philosophy on Pokémon training."

Oak stroked his chin, pondering the thought for a moment, "Fascinating. They are only words, and yet they are strong enough to transform a person's entire perspective."

The loudspeakers suddenly crackled with an electronic voice, echoing across the small arena.

" _Attention, the break period is nearly over. Please find your seats."_

"Well, time to go." Gary said. He scanned his ticket with his eyes and immediately began striding past the group to the staircase that would take him to his section.

"We'd best follow him," Oak said to Delia, and the two adults left the teenagers (and Brock and Riley) alone.

"Alright, kiddos, let's go find our seats!" May hummed, leading Max, Corey, and Layla towards another section. Dawn, Brock, Misty, and Riley headed down the nearby stairs to their front-row seats. Maneuvering past a handful of spectators neighboring them, the foursome parked in their spots on the bleachers.

The PA system filled with noise again as the announcer took over, struggling to contain his apparent excitement.

" _And with the break period over, we hope you're all comfortable in your seats, because we've got an exciting battle on the Ice Field coming your way!"_

Seemingly on cue, the grassy battlefield detached from its place, sinking into the ground on some kind of mechanical contraption. A few moments later, the Ice Field replaced it, reflecting rays of sunlight off of its bright surface.

The announcer came back on the PA system, calling to all who could hear, _"Sounds like we're all ready to me! So, let's introduce our next two competitors! On the red end, hailing from Sinnoh's own Hearthome City, we have a returning competitor from last year's tournament. Last time, this Trainer fought his way to a Top 16 finish! Please give a warm welcome to Marcus!"_

The crowd applauded and cheered as a figure trotted out from the tunnel to the left, which was marked with a few ordinary stripes of red color.

"So, that's Marcus…" Dawn commented, eyeing the teenager's spiky burgundy hair and black jacket. Three minimized Poké Balls were fastened to his khaki work pants by a belt.

Misty read the boy's face, noting his scowl, "He doesn't exactly look pleasant."

"It's probably just a game-face," Brock suggested, "He's being saddled with a really tough situation here, having to battle Ash right off the bat."

"Let's just hope that Ash isn't feeling complacent." Riley added.

The announcer arrived back on the horn, _"And on the blue end, a former favorite who made quite a splash the last time he was here. After one of the most thrilling battles in recent memory, our next competitor fell to an opponent sporting two Legendary Pokémon on his team, but not before taking both of them down and making sure no one forgot about him…"_

"Here it comes…!" Dawn muttered excitedly. Piplup squirmed with anticipation, shimmying down into Dawn's lap and chirping.

" _Pip-Pip-Piplup!"_

" _Hailing from Kanto's Pallet Town, let's welcome back Ash Ketchum!"_

The crowd erupted, and Ash trotted out of the opposite tunnel's shadow with a big smile on his face. Dawn, Brock, Misty, and Riley cheered as well, but their voices were easily drowned out by the raucous mobs of people that surrounded them. On the field, Ash jogged towards his box, smiling and waving back and forth to the crowds.

"Well he's certainly enjoying the attention." Riley chuckled.

"That's Ash, all right." Misty replied.

Ash slowed and finally came to a stop as he reached the carved-out box on his end of the field. Pikachu hopped down from the teen's shoulder, standing on his back legs and flashing a cool smile as adrenaline coursed through his veins. The electric mouse was on standby today, sure, but the energy and excitement of their first League match in two years was still present. The referee called to both Trainers, ensuring that they were ready and signaling for the battle to begin.

Marcus stripped a Poké Ball from his belt and enlarged it, slinging it out onto the field with a swift snap of his arm. _"Poliwrath, you're up first."_

Ash squinted as Marcus called on his Poliwrath, the same Pokémon that he'd been warming up in the competitors' area earlier. He only thought about his choice for a moment before closing his fingertips around his own first Poké Ball.

" _Muk, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball burst open in midair and the Sludge Pokémon materialized from it, spilling onto the icy ground and reshaping itself. The amorphous poison-type grumbled, its slimy body shifting constantly, and zeroed in on Poliwrath.

Marcus visibly snorted, unimpressed with Ash's choice but making no move to talk down to him just yet. Taking the first move, Marcus barked an order to his Pokémon, "Poliwrath, use Calm Mind."

Poliwrath visibly relaxed and closed its eyes, summoning a power from deep inside. Energy seemed to dance in the water-type's eyes as it reopened them.

"Muk, Poliwrath's gonna use that Calm Mind to boost its attacks. Be careful!" Ash warned.

Marcus didn't offer Ash the luxury of deciding on a move of his own, immediately moving to follow up on Poliwrath's boosted strength, "Poliwrath, use Water Pulse."

Poliwrath's fists came up and a sphere of pulsating water formed between them, churning violently in place. The water-type glared at Muk and spread its feet apart, winding up and slinging the Water Pulse blast.

Ash waited patiently, eyes fixed on the Water Pulse as it closed in on Muk. "Dodge," he ordered calmly. Muk heard the command and its shapeless body shifted, collapsing away from the Water Pulse and sliding across the ice before reforming, completely unharmed as the attack collapsed into thin air behind it.

Marcus smirked as he spoke, nodding, "Not bad. Poliwrath, get in close and use Focus Punch."

" _Pol!"_ the water-type snarled in response before leaping up into the air, easily clearing the distance between it and Muk. A bulky fist reared back as Poliwrath soared, storing up so much power that the air around the fist seemed to sing as the water-type went. Poliwrath landed cleanly on its feet right in front of Muk and lurched forward, delivering its punch.

"Dodge again!" Ash called. Muk obeyed, slithering out of Focus Punch's path. Muk reformed behind Poliwrath, who simply attempted another attack. Muk dodged that one, too, and then the next few Focus Punches before tiring out.

Muk jeered gleefully as it reformed a few feet away from the winded Poliwrath, and neither Marcus nor his water-type Pokémon were pleased.

"Are you ever going to attack, or are you just going to play keep-away!?" Marcus shouted from across the field.

Ash shrugged, "Meh. At some point. But for now, this is working pretty well."

Marcus gritted his teeth, "Poliwrath, use Water Pulse!"

Poliwrath, apparently recovered from its brief exhaustion, whipped off a speedy Water Pulse, catching both Ash and Muk off-guard. The water projectile smacked into Muk's face, exploding and dousing it with water that immediately stunned the Sludge Pokémon.

"Focus Punch!" Marcus yelled. Poliwrath lunged, summoning another spell of crushing strength and unleashing it in a right-hand jab. Poliwrath's fist soared forward like a speeding meteor, colliding with explosive force straight into Muk's center.

Muk tensed, taking the punch and stopping it cold in its tracks without so much as a grimace.

" _Wrath?"_ Poliwrath stammered.

Marcus' eye twitched in disbelief, "Wh… _what!?"_

Ash flashed a smirk, focusing on Muk, "Muk, use Payback."

Muk's eyes glinted with an otherworldly power, and its grimy body tightened around Poliwrath's trapped fist to ensure that it wouldn't get away. Knowing what was coming, Poliwrath thrashed, desperately trying to escape as the energy in Muk's eyes spilled over to the rest of its body. Muk lowered its slimy shoulder and charged, smothering Poliwrath in a full-body tackle that dispatched the water-type back across the field.

Poliwrath spun wildly as it flew back towards its Trainer, crashing onto the frozen ground and sliding several more feet. Groggily, the Tadpole Pokémon struggled to its feet, dizzy from the Payback hit. Marcus, meanwhile, was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened.

"I-I don't understand! How did Muk absorb that Focus Punch so easily!?"

Ash smirked and brushed his finger across his nose, "That's just how special Muk is! He's always been able to take hits, no matter how hard. Hey, Muk! Whaddya say we change things up a little?"

Two arms of violet sludge materialized at Muk's side, forming prototypical hands at the ends. Muk raised its two new arms and roared approvingly, _"Muuuu-uuuuk!"_

Ash grinned, "All right! Use Poison Jab!"

Muk raced across the ice, sliding easily across its slick surface thanks to its lack of legs. Muk's grotesque arms glowed with toxic energy, and Marcus immediately called for Poliwrath to use Water Pulse defensively. Poliwrath sent a sphere of churning water at its approaching opponent, but Muk simply broke down its body to dodge the blast before rebuilding and charging again.

Once it was on Poliwrath, Muk unleashed a flurry of deceptively fast sucker punches, each loaded with foul natural toxins. Poliwrath thrashed as the punches made contact, unsure of what to do.

Marcus had finally had enough, "Poliwrath, use Psychic!"

Poliwrath heard the command and stiffened, its eyes glowing blue.

"…Uh oh." Ash said, gulping.

Poliwrath threw out a hand, shoving Muk back a few inches and freeing itself from the irritation of Poison Jab. With that out of the way, Poliwrath took a telekinetic hold on the Sludge Pokémon and lifted it off the ground.

" _Muh?"_ groaned Muk as it left the ground, completely unable to control its own body.

Poliwrath flexed and, using its hand, dispatched Muk back to its side of the field. The poison-type flew and crashed into the icy ground, rolling a few feet across the ice before coming to a stop. Muk squirmed and shifted, moving so that it sat upright on the ground once again. Muk visibly heaved, having taken a lot of damage from Poliwrath's Psychic.

"Congratulations, Ash…" Marcus sneered, "I hadn't expected that I'd need Poliwrath's Psychic. Muk has proven me wrong."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Ash fired back. He looked back at Muk, "Muk, let's use Minimize."

Muk exhaled and its body rapidly shrank and grew in size. Minimize would help it to dodge faster, and Ash was expecting the boost to come in handy now that he knew Poliwrath could grab Muk from afar.

"Poliwrath, use Water Pulse."

"Muk, dodge."

Poliwrath's Water Pulse attack went flying through thin air once again as Muk effortlessly dodged it.

"Now, use Sludge Bomb." Ash ordered. Muk opened its ugly mouth and unleashed a barrage of grimy bullets, striking Poliwrath multiple times. Irritated, Poliwrath shoveled the residues of sludge from its body with its fingers, revolted by the grime's stench.

"Poliwrath, use Psychic."

"Dodge." Ash countered. Poliwrath summoned its hidden telekinetic powers, reaching out to grab Muk. Thanks to its evasiveness boost, however, Muk slithered out of the way, causing Poliwrath's Psychic to miss as a flurry of blue streaks closed around empty air. Poliwrath clenched its fists a little tighter and sneered at Muk, annoyed as the poison-type flashed an ugly, toothless smile.

Marcus growled, "Poliwrath, use—"

But Poliwrath suddenly cried, slipping to one knee as a grotesque violet gash appeared on its shoulder.

Poison.

"Yes!" Ash whistled. Muk's smile only grew.

"Damn!" Marcus complained, "Poliwrath, can you fight?"

Poliwrath heaved a few times, wincing as the poison took hold and siphoned some of its strength. _"Pol…!"_ the Tadpole Pokémon heaved, forcing itself back to its feet. A little poison wouldn't keep it down, not yet.

"Good," Marcus said, "use Focus Punch."

Poliwrath charged, tucking back a clenched fist and filling it with white-hot energy.

"Muk, use Sludge Bomb on the ground."

Muk didn't hesitate, spewing countless pellets of filthy grime and coating the path between itself and Poliwrath in a layer of sludge. Poliwrath had continued to charge forward and stepped in the sludge, losing its footing and slipping as it failed to break its fall on the ice with its powerful arms. Sludge decorated the water-type's body as it struggled to stand, leaving another opening for Ash and Muk.

"Now, Muk, use Poison Jab."

Muk raced forward, sliding along its own path of sludge and closing in on Poliwrath. Marcus gritted his teeth and barked a counter, reaching Poliwrath's ears just as Muk landed the first of its attempted toxic punches.

"Psychic!" the teen had snapped. Poliwrath immediately locked Muk in a telekinetic hold, stopping the poison-type mid-punch. At this point, Marcus knew better than to attempt a point-blank Focus Punch. If earlier had been any indication, Muk would easily be able to tank the attack. So, instead, he opted to pile on the extra damage that a poison-type like Muk would suffer from Psychic.

"Throw Muk back!"

Poliwrath reared up to sling Muk back with its psychic powers. Unfortunately, the poisoning that was haunting Poliwrath chose that exact moment to strike, stabbing the water-type with a searing pain. Caught off-guard by the sudden status condition, Poliwrath's psychic throw was severely weakened, only managing to lob Muk a handful of yards away.

Ash smiled as Poliwrath writhed, calling out to Muk. "Okay, Muk, let's finish this! Use Payback!"

Muk flashed a toothless grin and charged, sliding across the ice with remarkable efficiency as a punishing power built up around its body. Panicked, Marcus shouted at Poliwrath, screaming for a counter.

"Poliwrath, pull yourself together! Protect yourself with Psychic!" Marcus tried. Poliwrath stopped struggling as the sudden pain of poisoning ebbed away, but it was much too late. Muk was already on it.

" _Muh-Muk!"_ the Sludge Pokémon heaved as it smashed into Poliwrath, hitting with twice the strength of a regular attack. Poliwrath lifted off the ground and flew backwards, helplessly flailing as the wind whistled around its body. The Tadpole Pokémon finally slammed back-first into a large stalagmite, its motion instantly frozen as its entire body fell victim to the crushing pain of impact. Without any momentum left, Poliwrath simply slid down the face of the stalagmite and crumpled to the ground, motionless as it met the frigid floor.

The referee's left arm flew up, pointing the flag in his hand toward Ash's side of the field, _"Poliwrath is unable to battle! The win goes to Muk!"_

"Yes!" Ash hollered, pumping a fist into the air, "Awesome job, Muk!"

At the praise, Muk stormed back toward Ash, crushing the teenager in an affectionate grip. _"Muh-Muk!"_ the poison-type slurred, hugging the breath out of Ash.

" _Ack…_ Muk…can't…breathe…" Ash managed, gasping for air. Muk seemed to get the message and let go of Ash, and the Trainer stumbled a few steps backward, sucking in copious amounts of air as a low chuckle circulated through the surrounding crowds. Once his breathing calmed, Ash stood up tall again, and he smiled at Muk.

"Oh, man…Muk you were amazing. I'm proud of you. Now, get some rest, you've earned it." Ash said, still breathing a little heavily. Muk accepted the praise with a happy, garbled hum. Ash unclipped the poison-type's Poké Ball, calling for the Sludge Pokémon to return and rest.

* * *

Dawn clapped with the most enthusiasm out of the group as Poliwrath slipped into unconsciousness, squealing excitedly.

"Ash and Muk handled that excellently," Brock said, clapping with much more reserve.

"Poliwrath's ability to use Psychic was a definite surprise, but Ash wasn't fazed in the slightest," Riley agreed, "That kind of composure will take him a long way."

From their spot in the stands, they watched as Muk swallowed Ash in an excited hug. As the crowd laughed, Dawn and Riley gasped with surprise. Misty, however, joined the rest of the audience in laughter.

"Uh…what's Muk doing?" Dawn asked.

"Muk is pretty affectionate. You wouldn't guess it, but he _loves_ people, even complete strangers." Misty explained.

"It's even more unusual coming from a Pokémon species that often lives in solitude with others like it," Brock added, "but that's just how Muk has always been." Down on the field, Muk detached itself from Ash, leaving the Trainer to put his hands on his knees and take in a long series of sharp breaths. After a couple of seconds, though, he was good as new, and Muk was safely returned to its Poké Ball.

"So, what do you think will happen next?" Dawn asked, watching Ash curiously.

"I'm not sure…" Brock shrugged in response. He cast an eye to Marcus, who stood still as a statue, "But it looks like Marcus wasn't expecting to be in this position, at least not this early."

* * *

Marcus stared Ash down, scowling, "Not half bad, I guess…" he conceded, finally getting rid of the negativity in his expression. He wordlessly returned Poliwrath, focused on Ash and Ash alone, "But you haven't seen anything yet."

"I could say the same to you…" Ash fired back, brushing his thumb past his nose and smirking. Choosing his second Pokémon without hesitation, Ash tossed the next Poké Ball into the air, "Okay, Bayleef, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball popped open and a blob of silvery light leaped out, hitting the ground and forming the shape of Bayleef. The grass-type cooed as she was released, stretching.

"Hmph…perfect," Marcus said, revealing his second Poké Ball as well before flicking his wrist and sending out the Pokémon inside, "Honchkrow, you're up!"

Marcus' Poké Ball burst open and the energy inside it instead took to the skies, shaping itself into Honchkrow. As the light went away, the dark-feathered flying-type sliced through the air in a wide circle, scanning the icy battlefield below as well its opponent in Bayleef. With a haughty chirp, Honchkrow descended and landed gracefully at the top of a tall stalagmite near Marcus, puffing out its chest and stretching its wings to show the hidden crimson feathers on the inside.

" _Krow!"_ squawked the bird Pokémon as it glared at Bayleef.

Bayleef scraped her foot across the ice repeatedly, as if threatening to charge, _"Bay-leef, Bay…"_

"Okay, Bayleef. We know what we're about to get with Honchkrow, so let's stay focused!" Ash called.

"Honchkrow, use Nasty Plot." Marcus ordered.

Honchkrow lowered its head and glared at Bayleef, its eyes glowing with a frightening mischief. _"Krrrrowww…"_

"Bayleef, use Razor Leaf." Ash said. Bayleef reared back its long neck, summoning strength from the scythe-like leaf atop its head. With a flick of its neck, Bayleef discharged a small group of razor-sharp leaves that cut through the air to tear a path toward Honchkrow.

Coolly, Marcus answered, "Honchkrow, dodge those leaves and use Dark Pulse."

Honchkrow squawked and rocketed straight into the air, throwing out its wings once it had achieved an acceptable height and riding a gust of wind. Picking a position that left it at an angle from Bayleef, Honchkrow summoned its dark powers, forming a powered-up Dark Pulse beam and firing. The black blast was too fast for Bayleef and made direct contact, hitting with enough force to slide Bayleef back across the slick ice and deal decent damage.

" _Krow! Honch-krow!"_ the Big Boss Pokémon trilled as it swooped through the air. Bayleef looked up at the airborne dark-type and sneered, bothered by its haughtiness.

"I know, Bayleef." Ash said, "We'll get 'em. Let's use Razor Leaf again."

Bayleef summoned another volley of cutting leaves and sent them flying after Honchkrow. Humored, Honchkrow half-heartedly flew away from the approaching leaves, causing them to follow.

"Now, cut Honchkrow off with another Razor Leaf." Ash said. Bayleef obeyed, slinging another Razor Leaf out in front of Honchkrow. The Big Boss Pokémon neglected to pay attention until Marcus shouted at it.

"Honchkrow, in front of you!" he barked. Honchkrow flicked its head upward, only seeing the Razor Leaves for a split-second before they collided with its head, cutting across its body. Behind Honchkrow, Bayleef's first set of Razor Leaves also piled on some damage, slicing through Honchkrow's fine dark feathers.

" _Honch-Honch!"_ cried Honchkrow. The dark-type thrashed as the leaves raked across its body, but it quickly recovered and cast a cruel glare at Bayleef.

Marcus sneered, "You're going to have to try a lot harder than some basic grass-type moves to take down Honchkrow. Use Drill Peck!"

Honchkrow coiled its body and charged, using the wind to aim itself straight at Bayleef. The Big Boss Pokémon started to spin at high speed, pointing its sharp, elongated beak forward in order to strike Bayleef with a devastating head-on attack.

Ash smirked, "Bayleef, use Ancient Power."

Marcus stiffened as Bayleef summoned a cluster of round, glowing stones. Before Marcus could command Honchkrow to avoid the oncoming attack, Bayleef threw the stones, smashing them into Honchkrow from all sides. The dark-type's Drill Peck attempt immediately failed and Honchkrow hit the frozen ground, unable to regain its flight after being hit by Ancient Power.

"I know we're gonna need more than grass-type moves to beat a flying-type," Ash said, smirking, "So that's why Bayleef knows a rock-type move like Ancient Power!"

" _Baaaayyyy!"_ sang the Leaf Pokémon, smiling at its success.

* * *

"Yes! Get 'em, Bayleef!" Misty hollered.

"So that was Ash's plan. Bait Honchkrow to get in close and hit him with Ancient Power." Brock noted.

"It's a gamble, too. Paul used his Honchkrow against Ash a couple of times, and that Honchkrow always attacked head-on." Dawn pointed out.

Brock understood what Dawn was getting at, "Right, but Marcus' Honchkrow is different. Marcus likely taught Honchkrow Drill Peck for the move's sheer power, but with moves like Nasty Plot and Dark Pulse, this Honchkrow is more of a distance attacker. I think Marcus will be much more careful to avoid getting too close to Bayleef from here on out."

"But for now, the damage is done!" Misty insisted, "That Ancient Power will have roughed Honchkrow up big time. Ash just gave him and Bayleef an advantage."

"I hope so. But this round is far from over. Like I said, Marcus will be more careful later on. Ash may hold an advantage at the moment, sure, but there's a long way to go."

* * *

"Hmph. Decent." Marcus said, "Maybe I've underestimated you. But it'll take more than a surprise or two to beat us. Honchkrow, up!"

Honchkrow had recovered from the Ancient Power attack by now, and it launched back into the air with little trouble. Surveying its opponent from above, Honchkrow waited patiently for Marcus' next command.

"Air Cutter."

Honchkrow spiraled in the sky, swinging its wings open after an acrobatic spin that sent two blades of wind in opposite directions. The two blades curved at a wicked angle toward Bayleef, howling as they blazed straight at the grass-type.

"Bayleef, use Razor Leaf to block those attacks!" Ash said. Bayleef obeyed, summoning two more volleys of Razor Leaves and slinging them to each side to cut off the approaching Air Cutter blades. Instead, though, the blades slashed right through the Razor Leaf shields, covering the rest of the distance to Bayleef and striking home.

" _Bay-lee!"_ cried the Leaf Pokémon. The Air Cutters dug into her sides, dealing major damage. Up in the sky, Honchkrow squawked triumphantly, its body glowing with a faint energy. Bayleef's breathing became heavy, a huge amount of its energy having been dashed from the Air Cutter attack.

"What's with Honchkrow…?" Ash wondered aloud, his eyes fixated on the Big Boss Pokémon.

"That would be Super Luck…" Marcus said in answer, "Honchkrow lands critical hits more easily, and Air Cutter takes advantage of that ability by already having a high critical-hit ratio. Bayleef won't be lasting much longer taking hits like that."

Ash nodded, unfazed, "Thanks for the info. Bayleef, we're gonna duke it out from here, 'kay?"

Bayleef took in a deep breath, numbing the pain brought on by Air Cutter. She still had energy left to fight, and she hadn't even revealed her full move arsenal.

" _Bay!"_ trilled the grass-type.

"Awesome. Let's start by soaking up some sun!" Ash ordered. Bayleef visibly relaxed, taking in sunlight and standing still as the leaf atop her head pulsed happily.

"I don't like the looks of that, but we'll go anyway." Marcus muttered. He raised his voice to Honchkrow, barking another command, "Honchkrow, use Dark Pulse."

Honchkrow stirred as jet-black energy pulsed to life inside its throat, burgeoning in the dark-type's opened beak. The energy folded over itself, forming a chain-like figure as it blasted straight at Bayleef from above.

"Solarbeam."

The leaf on Bayleef's head glowed, stirring with energy. Opening her mouth, Bayleef released the energy she'd stored inside, combining it into a powerful golden beam. The Solarbeam erupted, racing up to meet Honchkrow's Dark Pulse and tearing it apart.

"Honchkrow, dodge!" Marcus shouted.

" _Krow!"_ trilled the dark-type. It dove straight down in the nick of time, avoiding the fury of Bayleef's Solarbeam.

" _Gah…_ " Marcus grunted as Honchkrow flapped its wings safely away from Bayleef, "That's all right. Solarbeam takes too much time to charge for it to be a viable attack. Honchkrow, use Air Cutter."

Honchkrow swiped its wings in a cruel curve, dispatching twin blades of air to slash at Bayleef's sides. Ash smirked, having prepared a counter this time.

"Bayleef, use Ancient Power to protect yourself!"

" _Bayyyy!"_ the Leaf Pokémon howled. Spheres of silvery light appeared around her body, growing as the Air Cutters approached her. Bayleef aligned the handful of boulders to protect her body, perfectly blocking the blades of wind.

"Now, attack Honchkrow with Ancient Power."

Bayleef lobbed a few of the boulders, spinning the remaining ones around her body with an unseen power. On command, Honchkrow barrel-rolled out of the way, ascending in an attempt to escape Bayleef's range.

"That's not gonna work, now is it, Bayleef?" Ash called.

" _Bay-Bay!"_ answered the grass-type. She launched the next boulder after Honchkrow, missing only when the dark-type corkscrewed out of the way.

"I'm tired of running." Marcus spat, "Honchkrow, use Drill Peck and put Bayleef in the dirt!" Honchkrow screeched and dove downward, spinning at high speed as a sharp point stuck out in front of it.

"Bayleef, hit 'em with everything you've got!" Ash countered. Bayleef threw the rest of her on-hand Ancient Power boulders, aiming to knock Honchkrow out of the sky.

"Honchkrow, dodge and keep going." Marcus answered. Honchkrow did as it was asked, spiraling away from the cluster of boulders and continuing its path to strike.

"All right, time for plan B." Ash said calmly, "Bayleef, use your vines to shut down Honchkrow's attack!"

Bayleef cooed and the ring of buds around her neck opened, spawning a group of long vines. Executing the technique with practiced ease, Bayleef launched the vines straight out at Honchkrow, latching onto the dark-type's sides and casually wrapping the vines around its body like ropes. Honchkrow's Drill Peck immediately faltered and the Big Boss Pokémon plummeted to the ground, smacking into the ice like a sack of potatoes.

"Honchkrow!" Marcus yelled, at a loss for words.

"Okay, Bayleef, let's wrap this up! Use Body Slam!"

Bayleef broke into a sprint, thundering across the icy ground with its thick, powerful legs. The vines wrapped around Honchkrow receded, retracting back inside Bayleef's buds, but the Big Boss Pokémon was still in the middle of recovering.

Marcus' brow furrowed as he turned irate, "Dammit, Honchkrow! Get out of there!"

But Honchkrow could not. The Big Boss Pokémon had taken real punishment throughout the battle, and it showed. Honchkrow struggled to even move on the ice as it tried to suck wind back into its lungs. Preparing a Body Slam attack, Bayleef bounced into the air, spreading its dinosaurian legs out wide and letting gravity take control. Honchkrow looked up, squawking with defeat.

Bayleef landed with a _boom,_ smothering Honchkrow with its weight. Dust spewed into the air, but there was no doubt of the result even as it took a moment for the dirt to clear and reveal the two Pokémon. Lying flat on the frozen floor, wings spread wide, was one fainted Honchkrow.

The referee blew his whistle and raised the flag pointing to Ash's side, _"Honchkrow is unable to battle. The win goes to Bayleef!"_

Ash jumped and pumped a fist in the air. Bayleef galloped away from Honchkrow's unconscious body, gleefully cooing as she danced towards Ash. The Leaf Pokémon bent her long neck down and rubbed her head against Ash's, drawing a collective _"Aww…"_ from much of the audience.

"Heh-heh, hiya, Bayleef…" Ash said, "Awesome job beating Honchkrow."

" _Bay!"_

Meanwhile, Marcus was in utter shock, his gaze fixed on his fainted Honchkrow. He was now down two Pokémon to none. As he returned Honchkrow to the safety of its Poké Ball, Marcus started to breathe more quickly, his nerves starting to overwhelm him. How was this happening!?

Marcus ran a hand through his spiky hair and steeled himself. He was not out of the game yet. He still had one Pokémon to spare, and it was his best Pokémon. Determined, Marcus swiped his last Poké Ball from its hook and primed it, glaring at Ash with a gaze so cold that it caught the giddy teen's attention. The two opponents stared at each other, frozen in place.

Sick of stalling, Marcus gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist, wordlessly launching the Poké Ball in a straight line at the frozen ground. The capsule erupted and unleashed a mass of light that seemed to charge out into the open with a white-hot fury. The energy stacked on top of itself and formed the body of Marcus' final Pokémon.

Rampardos emerged from the blinding glow and stamped its feet on the ice, tilting back and releasing a guttural roar that seemed to shake the very stadium. The Head Butt Pokémon exhaled as it zeroed its gaze on Bayleef, expelling steam from its nostrils.

"Okay, Bayleef, let's take a rest…" Ash said, grabbing the grass-type's Poké Ball. Upon seeing the capsule, Bayleef jerked forward, trying to snatch it playfully from Ash's grasp. The teen saw the move coming from a mile away and shifted his hand away from Bayleef, causing her to miss.

"C'mon, Bayleef, I want to return you." Ash insisted.

" _Leef!"_ the grass-type refused, turning back to look at Rampardos. She gestured to the rock-type, scraping her foot across the ice.

Ash looked to Rampardos, then to Bayleef, and nodded. "All right, Bayleef, you're on. Let's start with Razor Leaf."

With a simple flick of her neck, Bayleef dispatched a volley of sharp leaves at Rampardos. Calmly, Marcus barked a counter.

"Rampardos, use Zen Headbutt."

Rampardos snarled and the blue dome atop its head began to glow with multicolored energy. Lowering its head and charging, Rampardos attacked the approaching Razor Leaves and effortlessly destroyed them, continuing forward to ram Bayleef.

"Bayleef, dodge!" Ash shouted. The Leaf Pokémon scrambled out of the way just in time, bounding off to the side. As a result, Rampardos missed, but the rock-type quickly skidded to a stop and threw a piercing glare at Bayleef.

Marcus moved on without an inch of irritation, "Flamethrower."

Rampardos straightened its body and parted its jaws, spewing red-hot flames from its throat. Bayleef instinctively scrambled out of the way again, feeling the heat of the punishing blaze as it harmlessly passed her by.

"Do it again." Marcus ordered.

"Bayleef, use Ancient Power to defend!" Ash yelled. Bayleef obeyed, creating a ring of spheres around her body and clustering them together to block the approaching Flamethrower. The fire met the rocks and was held off for a few seconds, but after a slight push, it broke through the barrier, tearing through and crashing into Bayleef. The flames licked at Bayleef's body as they circled around her, dealing harsh damage.

"Bayleef!" Ash shouted, concerned. The flames quickly died down, leaving Bayleef in a heap. The grass-type held on, fighting the urge to faint. As she looked up at Rampardos, the Leaf Pokémon climbed back to her feet, standing on wobbly legs.

Marcus cocked an eyebrow, muttering, "Impressive."

Rampardos roared, stamping its feet. The leaf on Bayleef's head glittered, drinking in sunlight.

Eyeing the glowing leaf, Ash called to the grass-type, "Bayleef, use Solarbeam!" Bayleef began to draw from the energy in her leaf, consolidating it into a single blast.

"Rampardos, run!" Marcus yelled. Rampardos immediately obeyed, tucking and sprinting back towards midfield as Bayleef unleashed her attack. A golden beam erupted from her mouth, exploding against the ice as it made contact. Bayleef turned her head, guiding the blast after Rampardos. The Head Butt Pokémon was too slow to escape the Solarbeam, which was evidenced as Bayleef's blast caught the rock-type on the tail and destroyed all semblance of balance in Rampardos' running form. Rampardos' feet swept out from under it and the rock-type fell, slamming into the ice with a deafening crash.

Bayleef's Solarbeam weakened and eventually failed, and the grass-type sagged forward with exhaustion. She wouldn't be able to keep it up for much longer, and Ash knew it.

"Awesome job, Bayleef. Now, return!" Ash called, sapping the Leaf Pokémon back into her Poké Ball.

Rampardos crawled back to its feet, disoriented for a moment, but having only taken a small amount of damage since the Solarbeam had hit its tail rather than its body. Once its sight cleared and its balance was restored, Rampardos gave a haughty sneer, an expression that was mirrored by Marcus.

"Running already?" Marcus asked with a scowl.

Ash shrugged, "Nah. That's just not a battle we can win, between Rampardos' Flamethrower and Bayleef's exhaustion. She _did_ already take down one Pokémon with a huge advantage over her, you know."

Marcus' ears became hot as he seethed. He really was in no position to talk noise. That had always been one of his major flaws.

"'Sides, I was hoping you'd be using Rampardos…" Ash continued, "He's got a pretty great reputation from what I was able to learn, which got me excited. I've been wanting to use this Pokémon against Rampardos from the get-go." Ash wiggled his last Poké Ball, tapping the center button and priming it.

"Bring it. Rampardos will make Bayleef come back out sooner or later, and we'll finish the job." Marcus barked.

"If you say so…" Ash said, smirking as he prepared to call on his third Pokémon, _"Pidgeot, I choose you!"_

The capsule soared high into the air and burst open, releasing Ash's Pidgeot into the sky for all to see. The Bird Pokémon crowed and circled around the field, chirping happily as the wind sliced through its plumage and its long crest flapped in the breeze. After its short flight, Pidgeot descended back towards Ash, locking its gaze on Rampardos and hovering about ten feet off the ground.

Marcus was very much unable to contain his laughter.

" _Ba-ha-ha!_ Seriously? You've been wanting to use a _Pidgeot_ against my _Rampardos?"_ Marcus asked, "You're even dumber than you look!"

"Says the guy who's down two-to-zip." Ash countered. Marcus silenced instantly at his retort, glaring furiously at Ash. His ridiculing tone changed so that his response dripped with malice.

"Fine, then…we'll show you your mistake firsthand." Marcus drawled. He then raised his voice, snapping a command to Rampardos, _"Use Flamethrower."_

* * *

"Okay, I get that in the last round Ash was roped into a type disadvantage and chose to stick with Bayleef," Misty said, "But now he's deliberately making it hard on himself."

"He is, but Ash wouldn't do something like this if he wasn't confident in Pidgeot. At least, not this Ash." Brock answered, "However, it's still a flying-type against a rock-type. He'll have to be extremely careful."

"I think Ash is placing his bets on Pidgeot's speed," Dawn offered, "Plus, being in the air will allow Pidgeot to dodge Rampardos' Flamethrower much more easily."

"Mmm, that's true, but Pidgeot doesn't have any special attacks that will do anything to Rampardos from a distance. He'll have to get in close to deal damage, and Pokémon like Rampardos are almost unmatched in close-quarters combat." Brock explained.

"What do you think, Riley?" Dawn asked. Brock and Misty turned to glance at the Aura Guardian, who had remained rather quiet throughout the battle.

Riley observed the field for a moment and then nodded, "Take a look at Ash."

The others did as asked, glancing at the teen from their front-row seats. Written on the Pride of Pallet's face was a cool smile, rimmed by eager brown eyes and the characteristic little Z's that served as a sort of trademark for his face. Jagged strands of his black hair emerged from underneath his navy-blue cap, framing his head strangely well. His posture was perfect, projecting his improved height and muscular tone in a way that screamed confidence.

Riley continued before anyone could comment, "I've seen that look enough times. It looks like nothing, but I can assure you that he's thinking a couple steps ahead. Contrast it with Marcus, and Ash has already won this battle. You can question his choice of Pokémon all you want, but he's going to come out on top."

Dawn, Brock, and Misty glanced back at Riley. Only Dawn really understood how Riley knew what he was talking about, and it made sense to her. She'd seen firsthand how Ash had gone from his old self to this new, dominant persona. As Brock and Misty crossed their arms to watch as Marcus' first command rang out, Dawn grinned, eager to see what Ash had planned.

* * *

Rampardos spit scorching fire from its open mouth, directing a furious red-orange blaze at Pidgeot's hovering form.

"Pidgeot, up," Ash ordered. Pidgeot rocketed straight up, causing the dead-on Flamethrower to miss as it burned through empty air and faded away. With the fire out of the way, Ash called for Pidgeot's follow-up, "Now, use Aerial Ace!"

Pidgeot flapped its powerful wings twice and pointed its body at Rampardos, speeding downward as a damaging aura came to life around its body.

"Rampardos, Head Smash."

Rampardos tucked its head as Pidgeot pulled up before hitting the ground, speeding low across the ice as it closed in on Rampardos. The opposing rock-type started to move, thundering across the frozen ground as power surged around its thick cobalt skull.

"Pidgeot, dodge and use Steel Wing."

" _Pidgoo!"_ Pidgeot chirped and tucked in its outstretched wings, expertly spinning out of the way just before Rampardos could make devastating contact. In a flash, Pidgeot stuck out its left wing, activating Steel Wing and delivering a swift slash across Rampardos' hip.

Rampardos roared and stumbled, managing to catch itself this time as Pidgeot flew well out of range. Marcus gritted his teeth, "Fine. Rampardos, use Thunderbolt." Rampardos rumbled and arched its back, tensing as it built up a blast of electricity and unleashed it on the airborne Pidgeot.

"Uh-oh!" Ash gasped, "Pidgeot, dodge!"

Pidgeot flicked its head to the side to see what the fuss was about, only to spot a golden bolt of electricity coming straight for it. Pidgeot panicked and attempted another barrel roll, but the Thunderbolt was just quick enough to make contact with its exposed wing.

" _Pidge-ot!"_ screeched the Bird Pokémon. Pidgeot fell from the sky, dazed as arcs of lightning coursed around its wing, but recovered before it could fall too close to the ground and took back to the sky.

The announcer's voice spilled from the surrounding PA systems, _"Oh, and Rampardos trades a sneaky Steel Wing for a stunning Thunderbolt, giving itself another advantage over Ash and Pidgeot! How will Ash handle this surprising change?"_

* * *

"And, that's gonna be a problem." May deadpanned.

"Nah, Ash will figure it out! He always does," Max insisted.

"Let's hope so…that one looked like it hurt…" Corey said.

* * *

"Fascinating!" Professor Oak declared, "Marcus has taught his Rampardos two moves to defend against types with an advantage over them."

"Normally, that Thunderbolt would be for a water-type…" Gary observed, "I'm afraid Ash played right into Marcus' hand on this one. Pidgeot's already at a disadvantage against a rock-type Pokémon."

"Ash will certainly need to consider rethinking his strategy," Oak agreed, "I've no doubt he wants to fully sweep Marcus' team, but his recklessness in choosing Pidgeot may well prevent that…"

"I guess some things never change." Gary smirked.

"Oh, hush, you two." Delia insisted, "Have some faith. Ash will figure this out."

* * *

Ash lifted his cap off his head and swept a hand through his thick black hair, placing the hat squarely back in place after doing so. His hand came back damp. The late spring heat was in full force, beating down on the stadium and making Ash sweat.

Pidgeot fluttered down towards the ground, landing safely on the ice and examining its wing. The plumage on its wing was matted and damaged where the Thunderbolt had struck home, and the Bird Pokémon fussed over the knotted feathers, fervently grooming them back into place.

Marcus waited, watching Pidgeot with a wicked smile. Rampardos began to grow impatient and scraped its large foot against the ice with a sneer. Pidgeot glanced up and glared, steeling itself and leaping back into the air to hover.

"Pidgeot, everything okay?" Ash called. The Bird Pokémon gave an assuring squawk in answer. "Good! We're gonna keep our distance from Rampardos and keep an eye out for that Thunderbolt."

" _Pidgoo!"_ Pidgeot screeched and flapped its wings to ascend, catching the wind after a brief climb and beginning to circle the field.

"That's all they got?" Marcus muttered, "Pathetic. Rampardos, let's give 'em hell with Thunderbolt."

Rampardos' body shimmered as it charged up another wicked Thunderbolt. The first crooked bolt erupted from the rock-type's skull, screaming through the air as it reached for Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, dodge that!" Ash called. Pidgeot expertly spun out of the Thunderbolt's way, earning another blast of electricity a few seconds later. The Bird Pokémon dodged that one, too. Rampardos heaved, sucking in air in an attempt to recharge.

Ash smirked. Rampardos didn't have the stamina to keep shooting off Thunderbolts the way that an electric-type Pokémon would, and it was already taking a toll. Seeing the opening, Ash called out for Pidgeot, "Pidgeot, use Steel Wing, quick!"

Pidgeot dove down and delivered a slicing Steel Wing behind Rampardos' head. The rock-type roared, thrashing about as the back of its skull exploded with pain.

"Rampardos, control yourself!" Marcus snapped.

"Pidgeot, let's do it again while Rampardos is distracted!"

Pidgeot curved and sped straight back at Rampardos, both of its wings filled with silver energy.

"Rampardos, get it together! Use Head Smash!"

Rampardos thrashed for another second and then looked ahead of it, spotting Pidgeot's approaching form. The Head Butt Pokémon lowered its skull and summoned as much power as it could muster.

"Oh, crap! Pidgeot, abort!" Ash yelled. But Pidgeot was moving too fast to effectively change its momentum. Resorting to pulling up, Pidgeot tried to escape by flying above Rampardos, but the rock-type saw the move coming a mile away and adjusted, raising itself back up and charging forward in the nick of time.

The crunching sound made Ash's stomach turn, and Pidgeot fell over Rampardos and crashed into the frozen ground with a pained squawk. Rampardos grumbled, stiffening and squirming as Head Smash's recoil damage sapped a chunk of its strength. Pidgeot tried to push itself up with its wings, struggling mightily.

The announcer's voice boomed from the loudspeakers, making Ash jump, _"Folks, I think we're approaching the home stretch of this standoff. I'm not sure how much more hits like that Pidgeot can take!"_

"Pidgeot! Can you hear me?" Ash yelled. Pidgeot looked up, still struggling to climb to its feet. Smiling, Ash continued, "Pidgeot, I know you've got a lot of fight left in you. You're strong, way stronger than everyone else is giving you credit for! That's why I picked you for this battle, because I know you can do it. You're as loyal as they come, and tough as nails, too."

" _Dgoo?"_ Pidgeot hummed.

"Rampardos, it's time to finish this." Marcus snapped. Rampardos recovered from its recoil damage and started to turn, zeroing its gaze on the weakened Pidgeot. Knowing he was almost out of time, Ash made it quick.

"Pidgeot, remember what we talked about earlier? Let's use this field to our advantage."

"Rampardos, use Flamethrower!"

"Pidgeot, now! Cover!"

Rampardos unleashed a searing column of flame, pointing right at Pidgeot. The Bird Pokémon braced itself and lunged, diving out of the way and scrambling for one of the large stalagmites protruding from the ground.

"Cut it off!" Marcus barked. Rampardos turned and spewed more fire to the side of the stalagmite. Pidgeot scrambled to a stop, resorting to hiding behind the stalagmite as Rampardos blocked all of its exits with a monstrous Flamethrower.

"Rampardos, choke Pidgeot out."

Rampardos thundered toward the stalagmite, spewing flame all the way. Latching its clawed hands into the ice, the Head Butt Pokémon glanced over the icy pillar, spotting Pidgeot in hiding.

"Pidgeot! Do it!" Ash shouted. Rampardos readied another fiery blast and unleashed it straight down, swallowing the stalagmite and some of the surrounding area in red-hot flame. The stalagmite vaporized in a matter of seconds under the blaze. After several seconds, Rampardos relented, allowing its fire to cease. Where the stalagmite had once been was a pile of severely melted ice, with one motionless Bird Pokémon sprawled on the ice. The only thing was, Pidgeot was surrounded by a small, glittering field of energy.

"What the…?" Marcus started, making the connection too late, "Pidgeot knows Protect!?"

"Oh, yeah! Now, Pidgeot, use Mirror Move!"

Pidgeot's eyes flicked open and the Bird Pokémon launched into the air, unharmed as it glared at Rampardos. Without wasting another second, Pidgeot activated Mirror Move. The flying-type's eyes became glassy for a split second and fire built up in its throat. Opening its curved beak, Pidgeot unleashed the blaze on Rampardos, hitting with an identical amount of power.

Rampardos thrashed, scrambling out of the fire frantically. Even if the attack wasn't especially effective, that didn't mean it didn't still hurt. Pidgeot screeched at Rampardos, a new energy in its eyes that hadn't been there before.

"Awesome job, Pidgeot!"

" _H-how!?_ How did you pull that off? How did you know that would work?" Marcus demanded.

Ash shrugged, "Easy. I knew the Ice Field would have a bunch of natural obstacles that we might be able to use as cover. But I needed a Pokémon that wasn't too big to exploit that. So Pidgeot and I planned a Protect-Mirror Move combo before the battle that involved hiding behind the stalagmites and drawing our opponent in to surprise them. We needed a way to break Rampardos' focus and get the upper hand back, so that was the perfect time to try it out. I didn't know it would work out exactly like that, but hey, I'm not complaining!"

Marcus was stunned, "…You really did think ahead for this one," he finally said.

"Eh, not too much." Ash answered plainly, "Too much planning can make it hard to adjust on the fly, so improvising's always gonna be at the heart of our strategy."

Marcus glowered, "I won't let you win. Not like this!" he insisted.

"Pidgeot, you ready to finish this?" Ash called.

" _Pidg-oo!"_ the Bird Pokémon squawked, champing at the bit.

"Rampardos, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pidgeot, dodge and use Steel Wing!" Ash countered. Rampardos released another crooked yellow bolt, but Pidgeot easily spun out of the way and charged, leaving another silver gash across the rock-type's side before flying out of the rock-type's immediate range.

" _Pidge-ot, Pid-goo!"_ the Bird Pokémon squawked, celebrating.

" _Simply amazing! Ash and Pidgeot use the Ice Field's natural features as cover to trick Rampardos into getting close and unleash a fascinating Mirror Move! Rampardos appears to be on the ropes now!"_ the announcer declared.

"Not yet," Marcus snapped, "Rampardos! Chase Pidgeot down with Thunderbolt!"

Rampardos chucked a blast of lightning after Pidgeot, aiming ahead of the Bird Pokémon to try and cut the flying-type off.

"Pidgeot, spin-dodge." Ash ordered. Pidgeot squawked and folded its wings back against its body and twirled, lofting its body perfectly over the Thunderbolt and flying free. "Now, get 'em with Aerial Ace!" Pidgeot trilled and pivoted, speeding toward Rampardos with a loud whistle.

"Rampardos, use Zen Headbutt."

Rampardos ducked its head and charged, the dome of its head glowing with energy.

"Pidgeot, hit 'em low!" Ash called. The Bird Pokémon dropped until it was just above the ice, avoiding Rampardos' Zen Headbutt and striking the rock-type's right leg, knocking Rampardos off-balance as the flying-type flew away.

"Now, Mirror Move!" Ash yelled. Pidgeot threw out its wings and rode the wind, arcing back around to fly back towards Rampardos from behind. Copying Zen Headbutt, Pidgeot's head became surrounded by multicolored energy, forming a cone of otherworldly power in front of it.

"No, no, no!" Marcus stammered. But before he could order a counter, Pidgeot connected with the back of Rampardos' neck, easily driving the Head Butt Pokémon straight into the ground. With a pitiful sort of honk, Rampardos slumped onto the ice, a cloud of dust obscuring its fallen form. Pidgeot swooped down, flapping its wings and helping to clear some of the dust. When the haze settled, Rampardos lied flat on its belly, its eyes marked with unending swirls.

The referee raised his flag, blowing his whistle before announcing the outcome, "Rampardos is unable to battle, the win goes to Pidgeot! That's 3 wins, which means the battle goes to Ash Ketchum!"

The crowd erupted and the announcer got on the horn, repeating the result for all to hear.

" _Pidge!"_ chirped Pidgeot, flapping its wings triumphantly. The Bird Pokémon lifted above the ground and fluttered over to the downed Rampardos, who had steadily regained consciousness in the following seconds. The Head Butt Pokémon laid on the ice, heaving.

" _Pidge-ot, Pidgoo!"_ chattered the flying-type. Rampardos looked up, murmuring confusedly.

" _Dos?"_

" _Pidgoo!"_ Pidgeot said again, chirping repeatedly. Rampardos curved its lips into a slight smile and responded happily. Pidgeot had congratulated it on a hard-fought battle, wishing the rock-type well, and the rock-type responded well.

Their camaraderie was short-lived, though. Rampardos' form suddenly collapsed into red energy, returning to Marcus' Poké Ball. Surprised, Pidgeot looked up at Marcus, who stood still as a statue and wore a scowl.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" Ash called, "They were talking to each other!"

Marcus didn't respond, simply turning around and briskly walking away. Pidgeot murmured disappointedly and flapped back over to Ash, who watched the Trainer disappear from sight. The Bird Pokémon chirped, turning Ash's attention away from Marcus' receding form.

"Oh, hey, Pidgeot. Great job." Ash praised, sticking out a fist toward the large bird's body. Pidgeot answered by bringing up one of its legs, clinching its talons into a similar fist and tapping them against Ash's fingers.

" _Pidgoo!"_

"Heh-heh." Ash chuckled and flashed a smile. He pulled Pidgeot's Poké Ball from his belt, returning the flying-type after a few more words of praise, and then turned to head for the tunnel.

* * *

Ash grabbed his backpack from the bench, sliding his Poké Balls inside one of the pockets and then slinging it over his shoulder. Pikachu bounded up onto the bench and then onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek.

" _Pi-ka."_

"Hey, buddy." Ash said, stroking the mouse's head, "Ready to go find a healing station so we can rest the team?"

" _Pi-Pikachu!"_

"Can't argue with that. Then we can grab a snack while we find our friends." Ash decided. He walked toward the unassuming locker room door, still grinning from the euphoria of his shutout win. Each of his Pokémon had battled spectacularly, and they all deserved a refreshing rest and a meal.

What Ash hadn't been expecting, though, was the mass of reporters crowded together on the other side of the locker room door. As soon as they saw him, the mob erupted with questions and excitement.

" _Mr. Ketchum!"_

" _What gave you the confidence to use Pidgeot against Rampardos?"_

" _How does it feel to come out of your first League match in two years with an easy win in which you didn't lose a single Pokémon?"_

As he was bombarded by more questions that he couldn't pick up on, Ash nervously brought his hands up and motioned for the reporters to give him some space. The mass of media members agreeably stepped back and Ash took in a deep breath, forcing a smile.

"I'll try to answer as well as I can…" he started, "First off, nothing about that battle was easy or given. Marcus is a talented Trainer and he's trained his Pokémon well. I just trusted in my team and made sure they had the tools to succeed, simple as that."

Another reporter quickly spoke up above the rest, silencing his competition before asking his question and thrusting the microphone in Ash's direction, _"You were able to defeat an airborne Pokémon like Honchkrow and then flip the script on your opponent, succeeding in the next round where he had failed even with faced with devastating attacks such as Thunderbolt! Such overwhelming odds would force most Trainers to change Pokémon, but not you! How can you explain those decisions?"_

Ash opened his mouth to speak but stalled for a moment as he tried to find his words. Eventually, he just shrugged. "I-I don't know, really. I guess I'd say that Pokémon battles are like swimming upstream; there's a lot pushing back against you and often times things aren't gonna go your way. But just because the current's pushing against you doesn't mean you automatically lose. If you keep pushing, and find different ways to combat the stream, no matter how unorthodox, you'll come out on top."

The mob of media personnel exploded again. Ash answered a few more questions before he was allowed out of the mob, but there was one reporter who still had something on his mind. _"Wait!"_ the reporter called after Ash, causing the teen to stop, _"You haven't been heard from in the two years since you lost to Tobias. Normally you've been known to travel to a new Region after your League run is over. Can you comment on that? Why come back to the Sinnoh League after all this time?"_

Ash turned his head so he could see the reporter out of his peripheral vision. Beaming, he answered, "I guess you could say I had unfinished business."

And then with that, Ash gave a two-finger salute to the reporter and walked away, hoping he'd given them everything they wanted.

* * *

Ash placed his hands on the painted red counter, releasing the three Poké Balls into Nurse Joy's care. The nurse smiled, taking the capsules and carrying them to the healing machine. This was just one of multiple healing stations that competitors could visit to rest up their team at what was really just a mini-Pokemon Center.

Ash sighed as he turned around, scanning the small fenced-in area for a good seat. "Alright, now we just wait for a little bit, and…" but he trailed off as his eyes fell on Marcus. The teen was slumped over at a small table with his head in his hands.

The distance between them was virtually nothing in the small seating area, but Marcus had no idea Ash was standing in front of him. Coughing to clear his throat, Ash spoke up, "Um…hey."

Marcus looked up, a blank look in his eyes. As he recognized Ash, he scowled and turned his gaze away, "Come to gloat?"

Ash gave him an incredulous look, "No? Why would I…forget it." Ash changed the subject next, "I was just dropping off my team to have them rested, and I saw you here. You okay?"

Marcus scoffed, "I don't need your pity."

"I'm not pitying you, I'm being sincere. I wanna know how you're doing. I know all about what it's like to lose."

Marcus turned his stare to Ash, and then he let a dry chuckle slip, as if he couldn't believe his own ears."How did you do it?" he drawled.

"I'm sorry?" Ash asked.

"I don't understand it…what happened out there. Everything I could find about you told me you were a big joke. I've spent three years training nonstop. I was knocked out in the Top 16 last year, and I overhauled everything to come back even better. And I'm sitting here…eliminated in the first preliminary round…by _you_ , the aforementioned big joke." Marcus said, "How? How did you do it?"

Ash thought for a moment and then shrugged, "…I dunno. I didn't think about it all that much. I just did it."

" _Tsk."_ Marcus snorted, shaking his head in disbelief, "You picked a _flying-type_ to go against a _rock-type_ …and you still won. You took down my own flying-type with a grass-type. So many things that should've handicapped you…just didn't."

Ash groaned and rubbed his temples for a moment before looking back at Marcus, "I've lost a lot in my career, you know. You wanna know why I'm nothing like all of your data? Because after my last League loss I decided to change things. I chose to work toward bringing out the best in both myself and my Pokémon!" Ash explained, "Instead of focusing on _me,_ focus on _you_ and _your team._ Bring out the best in them so that you can bring out the best in yourself."

Marcus locked eyes with Ash, studying him for a moment as his malicious glare softened. Nurse Joy abruptly called out, "Marcus, your Pokémon are ready."

Marcus stood up from his seat, stepping past Ash and approaching the counter. Nurse Joy gave him a courteous smile and set down the tray carrying Marcus' Poké Balls. The Trainer ran a hand through his burgundy hair and grabbed each capsule one by one, attaching them to the belt around his waist. When he was done, he stood still for a moment, and then huffed.

"Maybe…maybe you're right. I had you pegged wrong, Ash. You're all right." Marcus said, "Perhaps I could use a fresh start. I've always been interested in the idea of traveling, but I've never committed to it."

"Go for it," Ash answered, nodding. He stuck out his hand, "Good luck, Marcus."

Marcus glanced at Ash's hand for a second and then looked back at Ash, stunned, "How can you be so maddeningly civil? I was a total ass to you."

"Yeah, you were," Ash said, "But I stopped worrying about the past a long time ago."

Marcus finally smiled and reached out to take Ash's hand, sharing a firm handshake with him, "Thank you, Ash. Do me a favor, will you?"

"Er…sure?" Ash answered.

"Go win this whole tournament. It'll make me feel a little better knowing I lost to the champ." Marcus said.

"Only if you try to smile a little more," Ash answered with a ridiculous grin, "Scowling all the time's not a good look on anybody."

Marcus chuckled, "I'll try. Later, Ash." he said. With that, he walked away, eventually disappearing into the crowd of people filling the hallways.

" _Hmph…"_ Ash muttered, glancing at Pikachu, "I guess we've got our work cut out for us, huh?"

" _Piii-kachu…"_ the electric-type agreed.

Ash's wrist started to vibrate and his Pokétch displayed an incoming call. A name appeared on the black screen, and Ash's breath caught in his throat. He was getting a call from Jessie and James!

Sitting down in one of the chairs at a small table, Ash answered the call, leaning back as the Pokétch's videophone app booted up. A few seconds later, the blank screen displayed a live feed, revealing the people that were calling him.

"Hey, you guys!" Ash beamed.

" _Hiya, Ash!"_ James greeted. Jessie stood next to him, leaning into the frame from the side. On James' other side was Meowth. They greeted Ash eagerly, all smiles, as they piled onto a couch in what appeared to be an apartment.

"This is a surprise, I haven't heard from you since I was flying to Snowpoint City." Ash said.

"Things have been quite busy," Jessie explained.

"But we wanted ta call and say congratulations on winnin' your preliminary match in da Sinnoh League!" Meowth added.

"Normally we'd be there to support you in person, but Interpol has us very busy!" James lamented, "So we've been forced to watch what we can on TV, and we were quite lucky to find you in the middle of a battle!"

"Hey, don't sweat it. I really appreciate you guys calling." Ash said, "How are things?"

"They're swell!" James answered, "The Academy has been truly transformative! Our graduation is in just a couple of days, and we're graduating with top honors!"

"Really? That's amazing!" Ash beamed, "Jessie, James, and Meowth: global crime fighters. I like the sound of that. Do you know where you guys will work?"

"Mm, not yet, but word on the grapevine seems that we won't be staying in Kanto. It's all up to our superiors, really." James explained.

"Speaking of Kanto, can I ask you guys something?" Ash said, "When I was in Kanto over the holidays, I had a run-in with Team Rocket outside of Viridian City. Proton was leading them, but they got away."

"I think I know what you're getting at…and actually, Team Rocket's activity has been at an all-time low since the new year, and it's continuing to drop." Jessie revealed.

"Proton himself hasn't been seen in quite some time, either…" James added, "It might be wishful thinking, but it's possible that the group is collapsing altogether."

"That…would be really good." Ash answered.

"Certainly. A Kanto without Team Rocket would be a sight to see," James agreed, "Anyway, we don't want to keep you for too long, we're sure you have more pressing matters to attend to. Good luck with the rest of the League!"

"Yes, good luck!" Jessie repeated.

"Knock 'em dead, twoip! Make us proud!" Meowth added.

"Bye, you guys!" Ash called, smiling. James ended the call, returning Ash's screen to dormancy.

"Ash? Your Pokémon are ready." Nurse Joy called. Ash stood up from his seat and strolled over to the counter, claiming his three Poké Balls and putting them back where they belonged.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Ash said with a smile before turning to leave. Glancing at Pikachu, Ash beamed, "All right, buddy, let's go find our friends."


	73. Powering Through the Prelims!

**Sorry for the wait on this one, everyone. Between my day job, summer classes (I regret doing that already), and an overall lack of motivation to write, it's been tough to put this one together. I hope you guys like this update. The battle may be a little underwhelming, but that wasn't my focus for this one. A certain Pokémon from the past will be reappearing in this chapter, and so will a character of the day from the DP series, though the two aren't related. A special OC will also be making their debut appearance. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 73_

 _Powering Through the Prelims!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

" _CANNONBALLLLLLLLL!"_

Max leaped from the shore and tucked his legs in, giving himself up to gravity and plummeting into the river. As he crashed under the surface, the current tugged at the youth's body, dragging him along for a few seconds before Max forced his way back up.

Max's thick blue hair was slicked back as he resurfaced, and he sucked in a refreshing breath before flashing a big, exuberant smile. "C'mon, guys! The water's great!"

"Well, you don't need to tell me twice!" Misty beamed. She stripped down to her bathing suit and broke into a sprint across the lush green grass, diving into the water with expert technique. On the shore, the rest of the group set up camp on the riverbank, preparing their large tent and a small cooking station for Brock and Delia. Once everything was in order, many pairs of eyes turned to the enticing river.

May had found the clearing on her morning hike, having been eager to see what the island was hiding beyond the civilization near its shores. When she'd come running back into town, spouting endlessly about finding a beautiful clearing on the shores of the island's resident river near the mountains, it was a no-brainer for the group to spend their latest off day at the site. Today was the final day of the first preliminary round, which took place over four days due to the staggering amount of battles that had to be completed. Ash had admittedly grown antsy over that time; having so much time in between two matches and having zero information on his next opponent had threatened to crush him.

Luckily, this break was exactly what he and his team needed, as evidenced by his eager leap into the river to join Max and Misty. He'd called out his full team of six beforehand, and not a moment after he jumped into the river, Floatzel followed. The Sea Weasel's newfound size was great news to the other smaller Pokémon, since it meant that the evolved water-type was now capable of ferrying many more of them back and forth across the water. Floatzel took pride in this task, challenging himself to stack as many of the other Pokémon on his back as possible and swimming leisurely up and down the stream.

The gathering saw most of the group hanging out in or by the river. While May and Dawn dipped their feet in the cool river and Ash and company reveled in the water, Charizard embroiled itself in a high-stakes air race with Corey's Staraptor and Dawn's Togekiss. Pikachu led another group of small Pokémon onto Floatzel's back for their turn riding across the river, while Brock worked alongside Delia to cook a hearty meal for everyone as Riley and Professor Oak did their part while sharing an in-depth conversation about something or another underneath the tent

At one point, Ash crawled onto the opposite shore, glistening from the droplets of water surrounding his body. "Hey, everyone, watch this!" he yelled, garnering the attention of the kids as well as his older friends both in and near the water. Grinning like a madman, Ash trotted a few steps back and then raced back to the river, jumping and performing an acrobatic spin and backflip into the water. The feat earned a round of applause, and the teen quickly resurfaced to bask in the praise and flex.

"Ash can be such a showoff." Dawn commented, snickering.

Leaning against the riverbank from inside the water, Gary threw in his two cents, "Hell, if I was that jacked, I'd show off every chance I got."

"So why don't you _get_ that 'jacked'?" Misty asked.

"I'm...busy…" Gary groaned.

"Oh, I'm sure." Misty fired back. Dawn curiously cocked an eyebrow at Misty, who simply threw back an expression that seemed to say, _'what?'_

A sudden screeching from above interrupted the camaraderie, drawing all eyes to the wispy clouds and blue sky. Out from the canopy of the nearby forest ascended two bird Pokémon, grappling violently with the other for some unknown reason. Corey gasped and swam to the shore, shouting with alarm as he recognized one of the two Pokémon to be his own Staraptor.

Facing off against Corey's Staraptor was… another Staraptor, but as the two came closer to the group, it was clear that this adversary had a very different coloration around its entire body. Togekiss rushed to the scene, cooing worriedly and attempting to break up the aerial scuffle. Unfortunately, the differently-colored Staraptor lashed out in response, swinging a muscular wing at the Jubilee Pokémon. This decision allowed Corey's Staraptor to attack, resulting in a headfirst tackle that sent the two flying-types plummeting to the ground below.

The two Predator Pokémon landed with a _thud_ , kicking dust into the air as they fought. With its newfound advantage, Corey's Staraptor prevailed, pressing its right leg into the other Staraptor's chest and holding it down. Furious, Corey's Staraptor released a deafening screech right in its enemy's face, communicating all of its mysterious displeasure in one loud shriek.

"Staraptor, back off!" Corey snapped, scrambling out of the water and running toward the two birds. The flying-type glanced up, very clearly disagreeing with its Trainer before reluctantly letting go. The other, defeated Staraptor rolled away, climbing to its feet exhaustedly and throwing a distrustful glare to the mob of people and Pokémon surrounding it as it backed away. The others climbed out of the river and onto the grass, approaching the threatened Staraptor curiously.

"Check it out…" Ash said as he pointed to the Staraptor's head crest. The feathers were a distinct blue, completely different from the usual red. In addition, the flying-type's normally gray feathers carried a more gold-like tint, "This Staraptor looks different from Corey's."

"This is just like your Noctowl, Ash." Brock pointed out, "This Staraptor carries different physical traits from what we're used to seeing. Something like this is exceedingly rare."

The mysterious Staraptor continued to look distrustful, until an unfamiliar voice called out from within the trees behind it.

" _Staraptor?"_ the voice called, _"Where'd you go!?"_

The avian Pokémon looked to the trees and trilled, projecting a call, _"Starr!"_

Almost immediately, a figure ran out from the cover of the trees, illuminated by the sunlight bearing down on the clearing. It was a boy with thick, wavy white hair and a radiant smile. His eyes gleamed happily as he laid eyes on Staraptor, and he broke into a giddy run. Black sandals clapped against his feet as he reached the flying-type.

"There you are!" the boy beamed, hugging the flying-type affectionately. The Staraptor chirruped in answer, visibly relaxing in the boy's presence. After a few seconds, the white-haired boy seemed to realize that he wasn't alone, and he looked up at the large group of people before him. A sheepish look of embarrassment crossed his features, but he put on a smile and half-waved.

"Uh…hi," the boy said, "Sorry to intrude…I was just looking for my Staraptor."

" _Nolan?"_ called another voice in the forest, this one much more timid and feminine.

The white-haired boy turned his attention behind him, and he eagerly called to the trees, "I'm over here, Hannah! I found Staraptor!"

Just like that, a younger girl came running from the forest, her arms tightly wrapped around an incubator. Inside the case was a pristine Egg, its shell tinted blue with yellow, black, and cream-colored markings adorning its oval shape. The girl had curious blue eyes and light brown hair, and the bridge of her nose as well as the spaces below her eyes were decorated were youthful freckles.

The girl noticed Ash and the others much more quickly than her brother had, and her expression was mostly blank as she gestured to them, "Oh…hello. I'm Hannah."

Ash was the first to answer, "Hey there. I'm Ash."

The white-haired boy, Nolan, perked up, "Wait a minute! I recognize you… you were up against Marcus a couple of days ago. Man, you were dominant out there! A real force of nature!"

"Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far," Ash replied, though he grinned appreciatively.

"No, no, really!" Nolan insisted, "All three of your Pokémon were brilliant in that battle!" The boy suddenly flinched, frowning, "Oh, excuse me, where are my manners? I'm Nolan, and as you know, this is Hannah."

Everyone introduced themselves from there, becoming acquainted with the two newcomers one by one.

"Anyway, I'm very sorry to intrude. My Staraptor flew off into the trees and didn't come back. We heard fighting sounds, too." Nolan explained.

"We saw both Staraptor fighting in the air. They crash-landed over here, and they were really agitated!" Corey lamented, "I still don't know what the deal was."

Nolan threw a glance at his Staraptor, "Staraptor, what happened?"

The uniquely-colored Predator Pokémon glared unpleasantly at Corey's Staraptor, squawking aggressively. In response, Corey's Staraptor took on a defensive stance, shifting its wing up and opening it to reveal a fresh Oran Berry in its clutches. Feeling victorious, Corey's Staraptor puffed out its chest, irritating Nolan's Staraptor to the point where Nolan had to place a hand on the flying-type and gently pull it back.

"An Oran Berry," Brock pointed out, "I think I can guess at what happened. I'd bet that both Staraptor spotted the Oran Berry in a tree and wanted it, but they got there at the same time. Staraptor are typically aggressive Pokémon, so they fought over it. That would explain why they came from the forest."

Brock approached Corey's Staraptor endearingly, gently reaching out for the cobalt berry, "Staraptor, may I see that?"

Corey's Staraptor unsurprisingly didn't want to give up its prize, but urging from Corey prompted the Predator Pokémon to surrender the treat. Brock produced a knife and performed a perfect cut straight down the middle of the berry, chopping it into two halves and preserving the tasty juices inside.

"Here, let them split the Oran Berry. That way they both get what they want." Brock insisted. He handed a half of the berry to Corey and Nolan both, allowing them to feed their respective Staraptor. Eagerly, the two flying-types munched on the delicious treat, and then made awkward eye contact once they were done with their snack.

" _Starr."_ Corey's Staraptor croaked.

" _Rrrrap-tor!"_ answered Nolan's Staraptor happily. The two then took to the skies, flying side by side in circles around the clearing as if they'd never had a feud to begin with.

"Wow! I didn't expect Staraptor to calm down like that!" Nolan gasped, "How did you do that?"

"It was nothing, really," Brock said, "I used to be a Pokémon Breeder, so I worked with all sorts of Pokémon. Sometimes you've just gotta force a compromise."

"Cool…I guess it's water under the bridge for them now," Nolan said. He looked back at Ash and the group and shrugged, "Well, it was nice meeting all of you, but I'll call Staraptor back and we'll be out of your hair."

"Nonsense," Brock replied, "There's plenty of food to go around. Stay a while, let them have their fun."

"R-really?" Nolan asked, disbelieving.

"Yeah, of course!" May agreed, "Stay and take a load off!"

Nolan glanced to his sister, Hannah, and then relented, "Well… okay. We'd love to."

* * *

"So, after I was eliminated from the Ever Grande Conference two years back I heard about Sinnoh. After a little break, I just knew that I _had_ to check this place out!" Nolan explained, "And it's been an amazing experience!" Nolan had explained how he'd been through Kanto and Hoenn on previous journeys, being eliminated in the quarterfinal rounds of each Conference. He spooned one last bite of food into his mouth and gently pushed his empty plate away from him, patting his stomach approvingly.

"How did you come across your Staraptor?" Gary asked, "I've studied populations all over the Region for the past three years and never seen one like it!"

Nolan pondered the question for a moment, thinking back, "Well, it wasn't anything special, really. I was exploring the area around Lake Verity, curious about the stories of the Legendary Pokémon living there. And then I just—I dunno—found an oddly-colored Starly gathering a few Oran Berries. I managed to catch it and I learned pretty quickly that this Starly especially loved Oran Berries, so I made sure to always have some on hand. I guess nothing beats the real thing right off the branch, though." Nolan snickered, referencing the brawl between the two Staraptor over a simple berry.

"Hey, so what other kinds of Pokémon do ya have?" Ash asked eagerly, "I'd really love to see some of 'em!"

Nolan similarly grinned and reached for his bag, stripping a few Poké Balls from a section of the fabric that was adorned with latches holding onto the backs of the capsules. The white-haired Trainer set five Poké Balls onto the table, pointing to each one.

"This is my Flareon," Nolan said as he pointed to the first capsule, "I won an Egg at a competition in Celadon City a few years back, which turned out to be an Eevee. This guy's been with me for a long time." Nolan pointed to the next capsule, "And this one is Swampert. He was a gift from Professor Birch out in Hoenn as a Mudkip. And then here's Crobat, who I originally met in Mt. Moon, and then Walrein, Electrode, and you already know Staraptor."

The gang looked out from their tent, where Nolan's unique Staraptor was getting along swimmingly with the other Pokémon, apparently allowing bygones to be bygones.

"I have a bunch more Pokémon, but obviously I can't carry them all…" Nolan said, "My family keeps track of them back in Johto."

Dawn turned her eye to Hannah, who had been sitting quietly on the bench with her arms wrapped around her incubator. Curious to hear the young girl's story, the Coordinator engaged with her.

"So, Hannah, how did you get that Egg?"

Hannah perked up at the question and smiled sheepishly, "Oh…it was a gift from my grandpappy. He's a rancher back home and he gave me this Egg to take care of and raise."

"Awww…" May said, "Will this Egg be your first Pokémon?"

"Yep!" Hannah beamed, a twinkle in her eye, "I'm not old enough yet to train Pokémon; I turn ten years old later this summer. I'm not sure if I want to compete for Gym Badges or Ribbons or anything like that…but I do know that I want to travel and meet lots of Pokémon."

Nolan nudged his younger sister and smiled, "And that doesn't matter, so long as you're good to your Pokémon. No matter what you do, I know you'll be great, little sis."

Hannah positively glowed, and it became clear that even if Nolan could seem a little overbearing, and Hannah appeared rather timid and awkward, the two siblings truly cared for each other. "Thanks, big bro," Hannah said.

Corey seemed to come out of nowhere, eagerly stammering, "Hey, Hannah, you should come meet our Pokémon! I bet you'll love them!"

"Oh… okay." Hannah answered, clambering off the bench. She scrambled after Corey, Layla, and Max to meet the group's various Pokémon, giggling.

"Hannah's really sweet, Nolan." Dawn said with a smile.

"Thanks…it's really good to have her around for this. I hadn't seen her since I left for Sinnoh before she came to the island with my family." Nolan answered. He turned to watch her run with the younger kids, playing with a couple of Pokémon. Corey had climbed atop his Rhyhorn's back, pretending to ride into battle as he coerced Rhyhorn into chasing the others. Nolan continued, "I've been thinking that after I'm done here I'll travel through Johto with her. I never cared to do that when I first started training Pokémon because I had grown up there; I wanted to see different places instead."

The group went on and on, sharing stories about themselves with Nolan and getting to know him better. Hannah eventually returned with Max, Corey, and Layla, and she was infinitely more relaxed and comfortable by then. And before anyone seemed to know it, the afternoon was starting to wane, the sun quickly on its way down and painting the sky with strokes of evening colors.

"Our family will be wondering where we are pretty soon." Nolan said, "We should go. The food was really amazing, Brock. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Nolan. Perhaps we will see you around the island." Brock answered.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Ash agreed.

"Count on it. Maybe we'll even get the chance to battle soon, provided that we keep on winning…" Nolan suggested with a smirk, "Hannah?"

The young girl smiled sweetly and waved, holding her incubator in one hand, "Thank you for the food! This was a lot of fun. See you!"

Nolan cupped his hands around his mouth, calling, "Staraptor! It's time to go!"

Nolan's Staraptor glanced over and then turned back to the Pokémon around it, most importantly Corey's Staraptor. With a firm, respectful nod, the blue-crested Staraptor lofted into the air, gliding over to Nolan and allowing itself to be returned to its Poké Ball. After that, Nolan and Hannah waved goodbye, disappearing into the foliage as they made their way back towards town.

Brock turned back to the tent and outdoor kitchen, dragging his arm against his forehead to wipe away the sweat brought on by the day's heat. Glancing to his friends, he sighed, "Okay, guys, how's about we start cleaning everything up?"

* * *

Ash sucked in a breath as he waited in the battle box. He was calm, his breathing steady and cool, and he went over his choices and strategies again and again in his head. In just a few moments, his second preliminary match would begin, with the privilege of making the final cut for the Sinnoh League hanging in the balance.

Most of the spots had already been filled; Paul, Barry, and Corey were notably among the few dozen Trainers that had already won their two prelim matches and secured their spot in the field of sixty-four. Ash intended to be next. His opponent was a younger boy named Kyle, though Ash hadn't gotten the chance to meet him before the battle like he had with Marcus. All he really knew about this kid was his features and some of the Pokémon that he sported on his roster. The youth had a mop of short but messy blonde curls atop his head, with a blue-and-white striped shirt and khaki cargo shorts serving as his outfit.

Ash eyed the many rock formations that littered the Rock Field and then cast an eye to the referee. The plain man in the striped shirt barked out the basic rules and then looked to ensure that both Trainers were ready. Then, with a swipe of his flags, the battle was on!

Kyle jumped out first, unhitching his first of three Poké Balls from his belt. Eagerly, though with a requisite unstable voice that came with boys his age, Kyle summoned his first competitor, "Ponyta, let's go!"

The Poké Ball burst open and a small horse with a flaming mane emerged, neighing and champing at the bit. Wearing a confident smirk, Ash called on Ponyta's opponent, "Butterfree, I choose you!"

Once again, Ash was deliberately putting himself at a disadvantage. The teen grinned at this knowledge, relishing the sensation of the uphill climb in battle. Young Kyle didn't comment on his type advantage, simply moving forward to attack first.

"Ponyta, use Flame Wheel."

The fiery horse scrambled ahead, flames licking at its hooves for the first few steps before growing into a spiraling wheel of fire.

Ash was unfazed, "Butterfree, use Confusion to throw Ponyta off-balance."

Butterfree trilled and its large red eyes gleamed, spawning a psychic power that circled around the bug-type's body. In a pinch, Butterfree subjected Ponyta to the strange power, simply jerking the fire-type's leg out from under it and forcing it into the ground.

"Now, use Aerial Ace." Ash ordered. Butterfree dove forward, zooming toward Ponyta's vulnerable form.

"Ponyta, Flamethrower!" Kyle shouted. Ponyta obeyed, opening its mouth and spewing a stream of fire.

"Dodge that, Butterfree." Ash replied, not breaking a sweat. Butterfree spiraled out of the way of the blaze, spinning its way behind Ponyta.

Kyle called again to Ponyta, "Ponyta, turn around and use Bounce."

Ponyta whirled around, leering up at Butterfree before stretching its legs. In another instant, the flaming horse bounded high into the air, its deceptively strong leg muscles sending it up. After easily arcing above Butterfree, the fire-type descended rapidly, harnessing gravity to smash into Butterfree feet-first and sending them both down to the ground. Ponyta handled the drop excellently, kicking Butterfree away just before impact and using the bug-type as a small launch pad to carry itself to safety. Butterfree, unfortunately, was not as lucky, crashing into the ground.

Ash hummed, thinking out loud, "I don't like this. Butterfree, return!" he decided, calling the bug-type back to safety, "Don't worry, Butterfree, you'll get a chance to go back out there…" Ash promised, tucking the Butterfly Pokémon's capsule back to his belt. Glancing at Kyle and Ponyta, the teen continued to think out loud, "Ponyta's ability is most likely Flash Fire, so we can't use our fire-type, which leaves…" he murmured, grabbing another Poké Ball and priming it. Taking a deep breath, Ash flashed a giddy smile, rearing up and throwing the Poké Ball towards the field.

" _Kingler, I choose you!"_

The Pincer Pokémon emerged from the opening capsule, landing with a _thud._ The large crab broke an ugly, toothy grin and clicked its pincers together, making substantially more noise with the oversized one. Now Kyle and Ponyta were the ones with a disadvantage, facing off against a water-type that was surely a force to be reckoned with. Unfazed, Kyle ordered Ponyta to advance.

"Ponyta, use Bounce again."

Ponyta rocketed into the air, again descending rapidly toward Kingler's stationary body. This time, Ash was prepared, and he requested a quick counter from the Pincer Pokémon.

"Kingler, use Crabhammer."

Kingler focused on its oversized appendage, channeling power into it. Bluish-white energy quickly spread around it and Kingler looked back up, judging when Ponyta would arrive. With perfect timing, Kingler delivered a crushing blow, catching the fire-type just inches away and laying out the full force of its Crabhammer attack. Immediately laid slack by the hit, Ponyta flew away as Kingler carried through, hitting the rocky ground with a _crunch._

Weakly, Ponyta crawled to its feet, struggling to regain breath but refusing to be a sitting duck. Ash and Kingler waited patiently, the latter grinning triumphantly. Once its strength returned, Ponyta scraped its hooves across the ground, hoping to get a revenge shot.

"Ponyta, use Take Down." Kyle tried.

Ponyta quickly charged, creating a powerful aura around its body. Ash interlocked his fingers and stretched them, calling out to Kingler calmly, "Kingler, brace and use Vice Grip."

Kingler planted its feet, throwing its arms out to receive Ponyta. The fiery horse hit Kingler head-on, pushing with all of its surprising might. Kingler grimaced but held on, only allowing itself to slide a few feet as Ponyta pushed. Once the horse was distracted, Kingler dropped its larger pincer and clamped onto Ponyta's leg, stunning the fire-type and causing it to stop pushing as it looked down at its trapped leg.

" _Do it."_ Ash ordered. Kingler turned its body, effortlessly dragging Ponyta to the ground and sliding the fire-type across the dirt. Wrenching its body to complete its 360-degree turn, Kingler threw the horse with all its might, aiming for one of the rock formations in order to deal maximum damage. Once again, Ponyta flew, unable to protect itself before it slammed into the rock formation.

Beads of sweat formed along Kyle's brow, leaving the youngster at a loss for words. Nothing was working! Showing his own inexperience, Kyle soldiered on, ordering a Flamethrower from Ponyta as the fire-type recovered.

"Protect." Ash countered, grinning as Kingler formed an impenetrable wall to deflect the blast of flame. "Now, Kingler, use Crabhammer."

Kingler skittered across the rocky ground, its short but powerful legs carrying it impossibly fast. On Kyle's order, Ponyta unleashed another Flamethrower, but Kingler took the punishment and pressed forward, powering its way through the searing flame and surprising Ponyta. Effortlessly, Kingler raised its enlarged pincer, slamming it into Ponyta's side with all of its might. The fiery horse caught air again, tumbling before finally smacking into a pillar of rock and slipping away.

" _Ponyta is unable to battle. The win goes to Kingler."_

Kyle quietly returned Ponyta, a blank look of worry on his face. Kingler had come out and worked Ponyta without breaking much of a sweat, so what did that mean for the rest of Ash's team?

The youngster decided on his second Pokémon, enlarging the capsule and tossing it onto the field. The Poké Ball burst open and spawned a Kricketune.

"Kingler, great job handling Ponyta. Return!" Ash called, summoning the water-type back to its Poké Ball. He quickly switched, already knowing who he was going to use, "Okay, Butterfree, I need you again!"

The bug-type returned to the field with a happy cry, fluttering above the treacherous ground. Kyle's Kricketune zeroed in on the airborne bug-type and sang threateningly, flapping its hidden black wings on its back and lifting carefully into the air.

Up in one of the press boxes, the announcer jovially called into the microphone, _"How about that, folks? It appears Kricketune wants to prove itself as the superior bug-type on the field! Just what spectacle are we about to witness?"_

"Kricketune, use Bug Buzz." Kyle ordered. Kricketune grazed its blade-like arms against each other, gently at first, and then much harder, producing a group of literal sound waves that surged outward and attacked Butterfree. The Butterfly Pokémon was struck by a few successive waves, but resisted, standing against Kricketune's early onslaught.

"We can take that. Butterfree, use Aerial Ace." Ash said, a little pumped up. Butterfree ducked its head and beamed forward, causing the air to howl as it raced toward Kricketune's hovering form.

"Kricketune, X-Scissor." Kyle countered. Kricketune crossed its arms and rushed forward, leaping into the air and unleashing a cross of red energy just a few feet from Butterfree.

"Butterfree, dodge!"

Butterfree spiraled out of the way, expertly dodging the X-Scissor. In an instant, Butterfree was behind Kricketune, and after a call for Confusion from Ash, its beady red eyes gleamed and a psychic power gripped onto Kricketune's wings. Butterfree telekinetically jerked Kricketune's wings downward, forcing the Cricket Pokémon to plummet to the ground. Annoyed, but not terribly damaged, Kricketune regained its flight and ascended once again to match Butterfree's height.

"Kricketune, let's hit 'em with another Bug Buzz, max power."

Kricketune readied another bout of its damaging sound waves. Instead of creating the sound from its blade-like arms, though, Kricketune instead pointed its head to the sky, jettisoning a few sound waves and creating a piercing buzz. After a few seconds of that, the energy began to consolidate around Kricketune's mouth, allowing the Cricket Pokémon to unleash a powerful blast at Butterfree and score a direct hit to send it plummeting down.

"Butterfree!" Ash shouted with concern, "Recover and use Aerial Ace!"

Butterfree managed, righting itself before it could hit the ground and racing back up at Kricketune. Still holding onto some of the energy from Bug Buzz, Kricketune fired off another blast, but Butterfree dodged this one easily. As Butterfree closed in, Kyle opted to evade.

"Kricketune, dodge!"

Kricketune shifted out of the way, but Ash was ready for the move.

"Butterfree, spin and use Sleep Powder!"

Butterfree obeyed, spinning its body as it passed by Kricketune. Green powder spilled from Butterfree's pores, and the Butterfly Pokémon's rapid spinning caused a gust that sent the powder in every direction. A decent amount of that powder coated Kricketune, seeping into its nose against the Cricket Pokémon's better judgment. The powder acted fast, lulling Kricketune into an unwilling sleep and sending it plummeting to the ground with no way to prevent damage.

Kricketune smacked into the ground with a worrying _crunch,_ but Kyle didn't appear overly concerned. Butterfree drifted down to Earth now that its opponent was grounded, buzzing gleefully as it prepared for Ash's next command.

Kyle, though, had other plans, wearing a wicked grin, "Kricketune, use Sleep Talk."

Ash's breath hitched and Kricketune crawled to its feet, its eyes snapped shut as some otherworldly power guided its movements. Ash had experience with Sleep Talk—Heracross knew how to use the move—and its unpredictability was what made Sleep Talk such a threat… which worried Ash. Kricketune sleepwalked forward, preparing an X-Scissor attack and leaping into the air. Its wings flapped rapidly, propelling the sleeping bug-type straight at Butterfree.

"Uh, oh. Butterfree, dodge that!"

Butterfree scrambled out of the way, narrowly avoiding Kricketune's mid-sleep onslaught. Kyle simply called for Sleep Talk a second time, and Kricketune whirled around to face Butterfree again. The Cricket Pokémon launched forward, its blade-like arms glowing with dark energy. Kricketune executed a perfect Night Slash, tearing across Butterfree's abdomen.

" _Oh, my! Kricketune has come storming back, turning Ash and Butterfree's Sleep Powder attack against them with its mastery of Sleep Talk!"_ the announcer boomed, _"Can Ash and Butterfree recover?"_

"Yeah, we can, and we will!" Ash insisted, "Butterfree, use Confusion!" Butterfree emitted a psychic pulse, rattling Kricketune's sleepwalking form.

"Now, let's get in close, quick!" Ash ordered. Butterfree launched forward, staying close to the ground as it flew.

"Kricketune, use Sleep Talk!" Kyle yelled. Kricketune opted for Night Slash again, listening for Butterfree's location and then sending two Night Slash waves at the approaching Butterfly Pokémon. With brutal precision, Butterfree spun out of the way of the attacks, nearly reaching Kricketune.

" _Use Bug Bite."_ Ash barked. Butterfree threw its wings back, forcing itself to slow down so that it could grab onto Kricketune's frozen form. The Butterfly Pokémon's small teeth sharpened and Butterfree clamped down onto Kricketune's shoulder.

The pain was enough to jolt Kricketune from its slumber. The Cricket Pokémon howled horribly, its eyes shooting open as it looked back to its shoulder, eyeing Butterfree with a mixture of pain and hatred. Kricketune thrashed violently, eventually dispatching Butterfree into the dirt. Now with his Pokémon fully awake, Kyle called for another attack.

"Kricketune, use X-Scissor!"

"Butterfree, meet 'em head on with Aerial Ace."

The two bug-types charged straight at each other, Kricketune with its blade-like arms forming an X and Butterfree with its head tucked in. Kricketune stopped short, launching its X-Scissor attack in an attempt to hit Butterfree early, but the Butterfly Pokémon tore straight through the attack with Aerial Ace, crashing head-on into Kricketune. The Cricket Pokémon flew back, taking critical damage from the flying-type attack.

" _Oh! And a powerful Aerial Ace attack results in a massive hit on Kricketune! Kyle and Kricketune tried to disrupt that Aerial Ace with X-Scissor, but it just didn't work! Could Kricketune be on its last legs?"_

"No way! Kricketune, use Bug Buzz!" Kyle snapped.

Kricketune readied its attack, consolidating glowing red energy around its body and blasting some of it at Butterfree.

"Butterfree, make 'em earn it." Ash said. Butterfree trilled and bolted for the rock formations that littered the field. Both sides had made very little use of the terrain until now, and the move brought back memories of Butterfree's victory over Misty's Golduck in Cerulean City two years ago, in which Butterfree had used the formations created by Torterra's Rock Climb as cover.

Kricketune unleashed its Bug Buzz, striking a thick rock formation and having no effect. Butterfree appeared at the top of the formation, jeering at the Cricket Pokémon from above. Provoked, Kricketune fired another Bug Buzz blast, prompting Butterfree to glide behind another rock formation, all the while getting closer and closer to Kricketune.

Kyle didn't catch on to the game Butterfree was playing until Ash called for Aerial Ace, sending Butterfree out of hiding with a point-blank attack on Kricketune. The Cricket Pokémon staggered, dropping to one knee. Butterfree gently landed a few feet away from Kricketune, watching and waiting for the bug-type to go down.

But Kricketune refused. With a last rush of energy, Kricketune lurched forward and readied a Night Slash attack, practically begging to get a hit in.

Ash had an answer immediately, "Confusion."

Butterfree easily dodged Kricketune's disorganized attack, sidestepping the exhausted bug-type and getting behind it. Psychic energy flowed into Butterfree's eyes, invisibly striking Kricketune in the back. The Cricket Pokémon let out a pained song before finally collapsing to the ground in defeat.

" _Kricketune is unable to battle. The win goes to Butterfree!"_

"Yes! Amazing job, Butterfree!" Ash praised.

" _Free!"_ the bug-type trilled, happily fluttering in the air. Kyle quietly returned his fainted Kricketune, gulping as he cycled through his remaining Poké Balls. The youngster took another look at Butterfree and then made his choice.

"Manectric, it's all yours!" Kyle howled, slinging the Poké Ball into the air. The red-and-white capsule popped open and light jumped out, landing at the top of a medium-sized rock formation and forming the canine shape of Manectric.

" _Ma-nec-tric!"_ the electric-type growled, electricity coiling down from the pointed yellow fur on its head to its bluish body.

"Manectric, use Charge Beam." Kyle ordered, not wasting a second. Manectric obeyed, standing atop the rock formation where it had landed and building up electricity around its body. The voltage built up at a single point by Manectric's head and erupted outward, cutting through the air with staggering speed and striking Butterfree right in the chest.

" _Free!"_ the Butterfly Pokémon cried as it fell to the ground, electricity surging all around its limp body.

"Manectric, use Ice Fang." Kyle added. Manectric eagerly bounded down the rock face, racing across the field as its opened jaws began to freeze with frigid energy.

Ash reacted by grabbing Butterfree's Poké Ball, "Butterfree, return!"

A beam shot out from the Poké Ball and caught Butterfree inside it, collapsing the bug-type into bright red light and whisking it away. Manectric had continued charging and clamped its frozen fangs around thin air, stunned at first until it understood the situation. The Discharge Pokémon huffed irritably, disappointed that its Ice Fang—which was sure to deal critical damage—had failed in such a way.

Ash produced a smile, "Hey, a Manectric! That's not too shabby!"

Kyle was reasonably stumped, "Um, thanks?"

Ash didn't seem to process that Kyle was confused, and his smile only grew wider, "Sorry to disappoint you by returning Butterfree like that, but you haven't seen my third Pokémon yet! I'd be remiss if I didn't give this guy a chance to show his stuff. So, here we go!" Ash brandished his final Poké Ball, activating it and then tossing it out, "Torkoal, I choose you!"

Torkoal was released onto the field, the fire-type tortoise spewing acrid, black smoke from every visible orifice on its body. Scorching red coals burned in the cavities of its shell, offering strength to the Coal Pokémon. Manectric bristled, gnashing its teeth at the diminutive fire-type. In answer, Torkoal's shell cutouts burned brighter and the fire-type visibly steeled itself, preparing for the battle to come.

 _"It's all come to this, folks! Kyle's on his last legs, while Ash still boasts a full team! With a qualifying spot on the line, do Kyle and Manectric have it in them to stage a comeback?"_

"Manectric, use Charge Beam." Kyle ordered. The canine electric-type summoned crackling electricity from thin air, concentrating and blasting it at Torkoal.

"Torkoal, use Iron Defense." Ash ordered. Torkoal gladly obeyed, slipping inside its hard shell with little effort. A shimmering plane of energy appeared around the fire-type's shell, rejecting the vast majority of the Charge Beam and allowing Torkoal to emerge nearly unharmed. The sight only seemed to infuriate Manectric more.

"Okay, Torkoal, let's use Flamethrower!"

Torkoal breathed in and unleashed a blast of scorching fire, the openings in its shell sprouting small flames that fed the fire-type's attack. Manectric scrambled out of the way, feeling the sensation of intense heat as it escaped the blaze's radius. The feeling made Manectric's hairs stand on end.

"Manectric, use Wild Charge." Kyle ordered. Manectric bared its teeth and generated a staggering amount of electricity around its body. The electric-type broke into a run, barreling straight for Torkoal. The electricity surrounding it lashed out in erratic fashion, crackling violently and making the air hiss.

Knowing that Torkoal wasn't fast enough to dodge, Ash resorted to attempting a counter. "Torkoal, let's counter with Heat Wave," he ordered, spurring the Coal Pokémon to open its mouth and spawn a ball of burning fire. A powerful wind whipped up around Torkoal, sending the flames flying toward Manectric. The Discharge Pokémon growled and tensed, meeting the wild flames head-on and somehow charging through them before laying into Torkoal with a full-force tackle.

Torkoal slid away, losing its footing and resorting to slipping inside its shell in order to prevent further injury; a tactic that Ash had introduced recently for that very purpose. The glow of Iron Defense reappeared around Torkoal's shell, indicating that its boosted Defense had helped shoulder some of the attack. Once the shell stopped sliding, Torkoal crawled back out, standing tall.

"Great job going inside your shell, Torkoal!" Ash beamed, "That went just like we practiced!"

" _Tor-koal, Tor-koal,"_ the fire-type slurred in answer.

"'Kay, now let's use Flamethrower again!" Ash added. Torkoal caught Manectric in a powerful blaze, finally dealing some adequate damage to the quick electric-type.

"Manectric, use Thunder." Kyle followed. Manectric concentrated and unleashed a huge bolt of lightning, hitting Torkoal right on its side and dispatching it. This time, Torkoal made no such move to slip inside its shell and protect itself, too dazed by the stunning Thunder to devote energy to the tactic.

"Ha-ha, yes! It worked!" Kyle beamed, "Charge Beam's been boosting Manectric's special attack for the whole battle, meaning that Thunder was extra powerful!"

Ash flashed a smile, already having made those connections, "Oh I know, kiddo. Not bad, you're hitting hard early. Problem is, it's gonna take a lot of clean hits to take down Torkoal, and we're just getting started." Torkoal had climbed to its feet by now, seconding its Trainer's sentiments with an enthusiastic call. Nodding, Ash called for his own attack, "Torkoal, use Gyro Ball."

Energy roared to life in a sphere around Torkoal, filling in and sending Torkoal flying just above the ground in a ball of shimmering silver energy.

"Crap! Manectric, Thunder!" Kyle yelled. Manectric readied another great blast of lightning, but the electrical blast, but the spinning energy surrounding Torkoal redirected the attack with ease, leaving nothing to protect Manectric from the crushing hit.

 _"Oh! And Manectric gets crushed by Torkoal's Gyro Ball! What will this mean for Manectric?"_

"Here's a fun fact for you, too," Ash said, feeling just a little smug, "Manectric is much faster than Torkoal, and Gyro Ball harnesses that disadvantage to make it an advantage. That attack just did a heck of a lot more than you probably think it did."

Kyle could see that Ash wasn't kidding. Manectric was dazed, struggling to climb back to its feet and stumbling a little bit when it finally did. The Discharge Pokémon was in a bad way already. They were completely outmatched. Torkoal mumbled happily, spewing thick smoke from its nose and back.

Kyle gulped, trying to think of something—anything—that Manectric could do. "Manectric, use Wild Charge."

Manectric attacked, ending up ramming into Torkoal's lame shell and taking more damage in recoil than it had been able to deal.

"Torkoal, let's finish this thing. Use Heat Wave!" Ash called. Torkoal emerged from its shell and unleashed another swamping blast of fire, but Kyle ordered Manectric to dodge by climbing the nearby rocks, saving the electric-type from the fire-type attack.

"We won't go down without a fight," Kyle insisted, "Manectric, use Thunder."

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower." Ash countered. Fire and lightning collided, struggling against each other before cancelling out. Torkoal followed up with a Gyro Ball, ramming into Manectric and sending both of them hurtling to the ground. Manectric was much worse off, as Torkoal simply withdrew into its shell for the fall while the Discharge Pokémon landed with a sickening _thud._

Manectric fought to crawl to its feet as Torkoal reappeared no worse for the wear. The electric-type glanced up at its adversary, snarling, but cringed as its muscles fought against it. A few seconds later, Manectric gave up, submitting to defeat and slumping into the ground.

The referee blew into his whistle and raised one of his flags, announcing the result for all to hear, _"Manectric is unable to battle, the win goes to Torkoal! That's three wins, which means the battle goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"_

The crowd erupted in an approving cheer, applauding and chanting. Torkoal looked around the small arena, its heart leaping at the praise. The Coal Pokémon responded by spewing another gust of black smoke from its body and curling its small mouth into the best smile it could manage.

 _"And that's it! Torkoal's defense and timely hits complete the sweep for Ash, and they're headed to the field of sixty-four!"_

"Torkoal!" Ash beamed, running up to the fire-type tortoise. Ash dwarfed Torkoal, so he stooped down and wrapped his arms around the Coal Pokémon, not bothered by the semi-intense heat radiating through the thick rock of Torkoal's shell. "You were awesome, buddy! Great job!"

" _Tor-koal, Tor-koal!"_ the tortoise beamed, before releasing another puff of smoke right into Ash's face.

" _Uwaugh!"_ Ash complained as he tried unsuccessfully to fan the smoke away from him. Torkoal's body vibrated as the fire-type laughed, causing Ash to laugh similarly as he wiped black residue from his skin.

Ash glanced up, spotting Kyle kneeling down by Manectric. The electric-type had woken up now, nursing a Potion that Kyle had taken from his bag. With a smile on his face, Ash led Torkoal over toward the youngster, moving so calmly and quietly that neither Kyle nor Manectric were even alerted to his presence until his shadow cast itself over them both.

"Hey. I just wanted to thank you for the battle." Ash said, a genuine smile on his face.

Kyle frowned, "R-really? B-but I lost, big time."

Ash shook his head, twisting his expression into a more understanding one, "So? You tried your best, and your Pokémon battled their hardest, right?"

Kyle gulped and glanced at Manectric before answering, "Y-yeah. At least, I believe they did. We've worked really hard to get here, it's just really disappointing to get knocked out before the real thing, especially like that."

"Hey, don't take it personally, okay?" Ash said, "Pokémon training is all about challenges, and sometimes you're not gonna do as well as you'd like. I know all about that. Your Pokémon have lots of potential, and it's on you to bring that out. Keep working, and I know you can do it."

Kyle sniffled, "D'ya really think so?"

"Sure I do," Ash affirmed. He stuck out a hand, helping Kyle up, and then shook the youngster's hand, absolutely dwarfing him while doing so. And then Ash turned away, heading back to where he'd come from. Torkoal sent some words of encouragement towards Manectric and then shuffled off after Ash, happy as can be.

* * *

Ash tugged on his vest as he stepped out of the Trainers Only area, smoothing it out. There were only a handful of reporters waiting for him this time, something that Ash was immensely grateful for. He'd felt absurd in the last round, being mobbed by dozens of journalists like he was some kind of star. That amount of praise and attention—while he sometimes made a big, boisterous show out of it—was admittedly a little embarrassing. With a smile on his face, he answered the questions of the few lingering reporters and went on his way, heading to the spot that he and his friends had designated as their meeting place: the concession stand.

Ash was able to buy food and walk a few feet away before anyone else showed up. Spotting a TV, Ash parked himself in a metal chair in the small dining area, his eyes fixated on the screen as it played through news and recaps of the tournament. A full-body portrait of none other than himself flashed onto the screen, and words electronically scrawled themselves out in a cool, jagged font.

 _ASH SWEEPS HIS WAY TO A QUALIFYING SPOT!_

Ash smirked as his portrait disappeared and highlights from his two qualifying battles flickered across the screen, devoting about twenty seconds to that before moving on. This process repeated itself with several other Trainers, showing simple highlights from their preliminary matches and displaying the scores of each battle.

A certain portrait caught Ash's utmost attention. Paul's image appeared on the screen, showing the teen's stoic, expressionless face as his most prominent feature. Text flashed onto the interface below the image…

 _PAUL PERFECT THROUGH PRELIMS_

"So, Paul hasn't lost a single Pokémon, either." Ash wondered aloud. Pikachu murmured curiously, watching the highlights of Paul's victories. In one snippet of film, Paul's Ursaring dominated a Sneasel, and in another, Ninjask zipped across the field with bewildering speed to defeat a Grotle in a flash.

"If we get to battle Paul, we're really gonna have our work cut out for us." Ash mumbled.

"Ash!" called an enthusiastic voice. The teen turned to look behind him, spotting one Trainer with wild blonde hair bolting over to him. Behind Barry, the rest of the group was headed toward him at a much more reasonable pace, and Ash even spotted Nolan and Hannah with them.

Barry skidded to a stop beside Ash, practically shaking, "You were incredible out there!" Barry declared, rambling on without taking so much as a breath, "That kid had no answer for anything you threw at him! Man, you're even stronger than I thought! But you're still not gonna beat me when we battle!"

Ash chuckled, feeding off of Barry's limitless energy. Dawn reached him next, throwing her arms around his neck and ensnaring him in a hug. When they pulled apart, he saw that she was absolutely beaming. Before she could say anything, though, the rest of the group piled around Ash in a clamor, heaping congratulations upon him

"So, now you've officially qualified for the Sinnoh League?" Misty eventually asked.

"Yup!" Ash grinned. He turned to Corey, who had made the cut earlier in the day, "Just wait, Corey, with a little luck, we may be battling soon."

Corey met him with a fierce grin, "Bring it, Ash!"

Ash answered by rubbing Corey's hair into a mess, bothering the youth immensely.

"Well, I think this calls for celebration! After all of Ash and Corey's hard work, it would be wrong not to commemorate it all," Brock suggested.

"Hey!" Barry complained with a thrash of his arms, "Don't forget about me!"

Dawn snickered, "Why, Barry, we would never!"

The group, particularly Ash, Dawn, and Brock laughed, but Barry was none the wiser.

"I don't get it." Barry said dumbly, but the topic dropped after that.

May brightened, "I've got an idea! Let's go back to the river! It's the perfect place, and we can all celebrate over there."

"That's a great idea, May." Brock agreed, "I can buy things to cook, and we can all enjoy ourselves over there."

"Well, what're we waitin' for?" Misty clamored, her eyes practically sparking at just the mention of water, "Let's go!"

* * *

The riverbank hangout soon evolved into a party. The gang had gathered there early, joined by Nolan, Hannah, and Barry. As the sun slid down under the horizon and the sounds of celebration grew louder, unfamiliar faces started to show up. This led to more food, more Pokémon, and more fun. Brock worked with a squad of other cooks to serve up delicious sandwiches, soups, and more, while groups of Trainers who had won their way through the preliminaries interacted with each other both on the grass and in the water. Over under the tent, Delia and Professor Oak were deep in conversation with Palmer and Riley.

Ash stood idly at one point and watched, leaning against the tent and drinking from a cup as he took a break from the mass camaraderie. He spotted Pikachu playing with a score of other Pokémon, though he only recognized a few of them as ones belonging to his friends. He smiled at the sight, appreciating Pikachu's friendly nature. It was impossible to imagine a world where Ash didn't have the electric mouse as his best friend, and just remembering the rocky start they'd had all those years ago in Kanto seemed like a fever dream.

"Whoops, look out, Ash is brooding again." Misty's voice teased. Misty, Dawn, and May appeared on the opposite side of the tent, each of them more or less giggling.

Ash smirked, indulging them for a moment, and then closed his fingers around a cube of ice inside his plastic cup. He gently threw the cube at Misty, bopping her on the nose. She flinched at the contact, looking down and spotting the ice cube on the ground. May snickered at her, so Ash sent another ice cube her way, pegging May with it.

The two girls tag-teamed from there, grabbing the respective ice cubes that had been used against them and throwing them back at Ash, causing an all-out ice cube war between them that quickly resulted in the emptying of Ash's drinking cup. Once all of the ice had been discarded onto the ground, the four went back to rejoin the party, introducing themselves to passing Trainers.

That is, until Ash had an idea.

He snaked over to Dawn, surprising her when he gently grabbed her hand. The Coordinator whirled around, stifling a giggle as she registered Ash's childlike expression.

"Whaddya say we take a walk and get some air?" Ash requested, throwing in a smile.

Color rose to Dawn's cheeks, "O-okay. Sure."

They hadn't walked very far into the forest when Dawn spoke again.

"So, what's up?"

Ash shrugged, glancing down at his hand interlocked with Dawn's and then meeting her eyes, "I just figured we could spend a little one-on-one time together. We've been in a big group for a while now and I realized I haven't dedicated much time just to you."

Dawn's mouth formed a miniature 'O', and she grew flustered, "Oh, Ash, you don't have to dedicate any time to me. I asked everyone to come here and support you. Seeing you succeed as they cheer you on is more than enough for me."

Ash's lips curled into a thin smile, but he didn't back down, "Thanks, Dawn. But still."

The trees rustled as a breeze passed through the woods. Ash flinched, thinking that he'd picked up on something, and peered into the dark forest. Dawn failed to notice him, focusing her attention on the night sky. The hollers of celebration were faint in their ears by now, and every star was visible thanks to the absence of light around them. With a sort of childlike enthusiasm, Dawn started to point out constellations, drawing Ash's focus back to her.

"When I was little, Mom and I would stargaze every now and then. She had this book full of all the constellations you could see in the Region," Dawn explained, "And I had this little journal where I would write about the ones I saw on a given night. I wonder what happened to it."

Ash chuckled, "I never knew you were interested in space."

"My interest gave way to Pokémon Contests pretty quickly. But when I was that age, I fantasized about being an astronaut." Dawn admitted. She blushed, looking at her feet, "Sounds pretty dumb now, I know."

Ash shook his head, "It's not dumb. I think it's pretty cool, actually."

Dawn glanced back up and smiled, reaching up and pecking him on the cheek before turning back to the path ahead. Something ticked in Ash's head and he looked into the forest again. Again, Dawn didn't notice his distraction. But Ash was sure that something was out there. It was the all-too-familiar feeling of being watched.

"Who's there?" he said. Dawn looked up, following Ash's eyes and peering into the darkness with him. Ash growled defensively, feeling the pulse of his Aura start to strengthen inside him, "Come out!"

There was a pause, and then the bushes started to rustle violently, crunching as a shape crept out into the open. The first thing Ash and Dawn saw was a gray fog-like plume before the figure looked up, revealing one uncovered eye and a series of growths that formed a sort of oval around the being's small head. Tatters of blackness billowed around its body, bringing the very image of darkness itself to light.

Ash's defenses fell as Dawn gasped, "No way…"

 _~Ash…~_ Darkrai murmured, hovering just slightly above the dirt path.

"D-Darkrai." Ash answered disbelievingly, "W-what are you doing here?"

 _~Look...for you…~_ Darkrai grumbled. The dark-type's usually-menacing blue eye showed something else in them, a slight glint of…happiness? _~…found you.~_

Ash gulped, glancing at Dawn and then back at the reclusive dark-type, "Me? Does… does this mean you want to join me, like you said back in Alamos Town?"

Darkrai appeared to nod as it answered in a scratchy voice, _~If you will…have me…~_

It was hardly a request that Ash would turn down, but he himself had a few questions of his own, "O-of course, Darkrai. I would love to have you join me. But, I don't really understand. I remember what you said back in Alamos Town, but Team Rocket's been defeated for a couple of months now. I guess if I ever thought you'd show up it would've been earlier. So, why now?"

Darkrai floated gently toward Ash, its one visible eye shimmering with a powerful blue glow, _~Better if…I show you…~_

And then Darkrai reached out and tapped its clawed black hand to Ash's forehead.

* * *

When Ash's sight returned, he was no longer in the forest. Instead, gray buildings lined a cobblestone street, stretching further inland. The land was unnaturally devoid of color, with even the sun and sky having taken on a gray hue.

" _Hello!?"_ Ash called, his voice echoing down the empty street. A set of wind chimes dangling from a house started to sing, clinking together hauntingly as a phantom breeze blew in.

 _~Ash…~_ sounded a dark voice that Ash recognized as Darkrai's. The Dark Pokémon suddenly appeared at the teen's side, hovering above the road and matching Ash's height.

"Darkrai… where are we?" Ash asked, a little defensive, "Where did you take me?"

The space on Ash's other side suddenly started to distort, roiling for a few seconds before Dawn appeared in its place, as if she had passed through some invisible portal to this grayed realm. She landed awkwardly, managing to keep her balance and stand up straight when she noticed Ash.

"Dawn?" Ash deadpanned. He then looked to Darkrai, "Darkrai, what is this? What's going on?"

 _~I want you to see…~_ Darkrai replied, its voice finally steady, _~Both…should see.~_

"See what?" Dawn asked.

 _~Why...~_ Darkrai answered carefully.

Ash and Dawn exchanged a glance. Darkrai was being ridiculously vague. Dawn took the liberty of looking around, recognizing the style of the buildings, "Wait a minute, this is Alamos Town!"

Ash looked into the distance, finally seeing the Space-Time Tower further into the city.

 _~See…~_ Darkrai stirred, and time suddenly began to move forward. The experience brought Ash back to when Darkrai had trapped him in a nightmare during his first visit to Alamos Town, trying to communicate the truth about Palkia's appearance above the town. Withering leaves started to blow through the streets, indicating that autumn had come to Alamos Town.

 _~Go away!~_ roared a voice in the distance, echoing through the empty streets. A black figure leaped into view, vaulting over the rooftops before turning and spitting a Dark Pulse behind it. Close behind Darkrai, a small team of people raced up onto the rooftops, using a combination of grappling lines and other technology to chase after the Dark Pokémon. Time suddenly froze again, and Darkrai talked, explaining what the two teenagers were seeing.

 _~Bad men came for me…~_ Darkrai murmured _, ~Wanted me…hurt others to get me…~_

"Poachers." Ash growled, his eyes narrowing.

"These must be Darkrai's memories." Dawn realized with a gasp.

Darkrai sped up again as Ash and Dawn witnessed more chases between Darkrai and teams of poachers. Some even wore the scarlet R of Team Rocket. The seasons began to change again; autumn became winter, and winter soon became spring. And all the while, Darkrai was running from them. Even with the defeat of Team Rocket, bad people still wanted Darkrai. Word of Darkrai's heroics that night in Alamos Town had spread throughout the Region, bringing bad people of all shades to the town in search of Darkrai. Sometimes, buildings were damaged or people were hurt. Once or twice, the garden that Darkrai called home was ravaged and Pokémon living there were injured or found themselves captured by the attackers.

 _~Know…now…~_ Darkrai finally said, hovering next to the two teens, _~As long as…I stay home…friends in danger…~_

The landscape warped, bringing Ash and Dawn to the edge of the town's great garden. A past version of Darkrai hovered in front of Alice, who appeared to be in tears. She had always cared for Darkrai, even when nobody else did. But even though they couldn't hear any of the words said between Alice and Darkrai, Ash and Dawn understood what was happening. Behind her sadness, too, understanding was flickering in Alice's eyes. If Darkrai vanished, if they thought he was gone, people would stop looking for him, thereby protecting the town from further harm.

The visage of Darkrai started to disappear, and with it, so too did the memories.

* * *

Ash awoke still standing, having not moved from his place while Darkrai shared its memories with him. Dawn seemed dazed, as well, rubbing her temples to cure a headache. Ash turned his focus to Darkrai, who was hovering quietly a few paces from Ash.

"Darkrai… I understand now. If you want to travel with me, I'd be happy to capture you." Ash said, "But, you won't be able to battle. The League doesn't allow Legendary Pokémon anymore."

Darkrai shook its jet-black head, _~Don't want…to fight. Just want…to live.~_

Ash held Darkrai's gaze for a moment and then nodded, reaching for a zipper on the leg of his pants. Inside the small sleeve were a handful of unused Poké Balls, which Ash kept there in the event that he didn't have his backpack on him, such as right now. Priming the capsule for capture, Ash glanced back up at the Dark Pokémon.

He couldn't help but crack a small grin, "It's… it's hard to believe that this is happening right now…" he said. He quickly dashed his smile, taking on a more serious expression, "Okay, Darkrai. If this is what you want, we'll do it. Are you sure?"

 _~Yes.~_ Darkrai assured him.

Ash spun the Poké Ball on his finger for a split second and then lobbed it, pegging Darkrai on the shoulder. The Poké Ball bounced off and popped open, capturing Darkrai in a field of ruby energy and dragging it inside. The filled Poké Ball clattered to the ground and wiggled, its center button glowing red for a few seconds before going still to indicate a successful capture.

Ash felt a rush of jitters as he reached down to grab onto the Poké Ball, lifting it back up to his eyes. He broke a giddy smile and looked at Dawn, hardly believing it himself as he spoke, "I just caught a Darkrai."

"The others are definitely going to be surprised." Dawn commented. She approached Ash, leaning forward and pecking him on the cheek, "You're going to be great for Darkrai, Ash. I just know it."

"Thanks. That means a lot." Ash admitted. He lowered his free hand and clasped it with Dawn's, smiling at her, "I'm thinking we should head back now."

"Works for me. Don't want everyone wondering where we've gone." Dawn said. Looking back toward the direction of the waterside party, the two Trainers started to head back, carrying a new (and especially powerful) friend with them.

* * *

The stadium was busy today, packed with Trainers who had qualified for the official Sinnoh League tournament. Every qualifying Trainer had been asked to appear at the field of the main stadium, where the tournament's bracket would be revealed. The event drew a surprising number of spectators; though the stadium was nowhere near full, there were still a few thousand people clustered together in the bleachers, awaiting the same thing as the sixty-four Trainers below.

Ash roamed around the dirt field, eyeing groups of Trainers as they interacted with each other. Ash in particular was just searching for familiar faces. He got a few looks as he walked around, and he spotted a few people whispering as they gestured in his direction. It was funny to Ash; he would hope that anyone who had anything to say about him would say it _to_ him. He certainly didn't think himself worthy of being whispered about from a distance as if he were some sort of living legend.

Finally, Ash spotted Paul standing by himself. With a spring in his step, he approached his old rival, catching Paul's attention before he could reach him. Paul's face surprisingly brightened and he took a step toward Ash, meeting him in a handshake.

"It's good to see you," Paul said with a firm nod.

"Right back at ya, Paul." Ash agreed. They separated their hands and looked on at the scores of Trainers surrounding them.

"I saw your preliminary battles were both sweeps. Impressive." Paul went on, "Between you and me, I think we're the best ones here."

Ash shrugged, "I'd like to think that, too, but I don't want to get complacent."

Paul shrugged as well. "That'll only happen if you let it happen."

Ash spotted Barry in the crowd and turned to Paul, "I'm gonna go around and mingle. Wanna come?"

Paul shook his head, "Nah. Not my thing."

Ash snickered, "Some things never change."

Paul snorted, allowing himself the faintest of smiles. He gave a stern nod to Ash, "I'll expect to see you in the finals, or somewhere along the way. Don't screw up."

Ash gave him a thumbs-up, "I can promise you that I'll try my best. See ya around, Paul."

Ash slipped into the crowd with that, leaving Paul to his own devices. He quickly caught up to Barry, who had his back turned to Ash as he talked to another Trainer.

"Barry!" Ash hollered, clapping the blonde-headed Trainer on the shoulder. The Twinleaf Town native turned his head, beaming as he recognized Ash.

"Heya, Ash! Good to see you!" Barry said, "Hey, there's someone I want you to meet." Barry turned back to the Trainer he'd been speaking to; a teen with slicked-back dark blue hair and an orange jacket with a white collar and trim. At his feet was a Raichu. As Barry introduced Ash to his new friend, Ash glanced up and locked eyes with the Trainer, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"Ash, I want you to meet Sho—"

"I know you." Ash interrupted, silencing Barry.

Sho recognized Ash as well, a grin breaking across his face, "Man! Ain't you a blast from the past?"

" _Rai, Rai!"_ cried Sho's Raichu.

Barry was stunned, shouting, "Hold up a minute! Ash, you know Sho!?"

"Darn right he does," Sho said, "Me an' Ash had a run-in a couple o' years back when I stumbled on his there Pikachu. Tried to trade him for it, but he wasn't having it. Raichu and Pikachu had a battle, and we won, but man, was Ash stubborn."

"Stubborn enough to come back for a second battle with Raichu." Ash added with a smirk.

"That you did, and you evened up the score. Earned my respect, too. I even stopped trying to collect evolution lines—instead tried to train the Pokémon I had to be their best." Sho explained.

Pikachu leaped down from Ash's shoulders, eager to meet Sho's Raichu again. The larger mouse was far more cheerful this time around, happily chatting with Pikachu before touching its thunderbolt-shaped tail to Pikachu's and generating some stray electricity.

"That's great to hear. Looks like our Pokémon are getting along better." Ash pointed out, "Anyway, Sho, how'd you and Barry meet?"

Sho snickered, "About two minutes ago, actually. But hey, Barry's my kinda Trainer! I'm lovin' your energy, bro!"

Barry beamed, "Hey, thanks! You're not so bad yourself. You said you're an electric-type specialist, eh? If you have the time, I'd love to get in some training with my team against some of your electric-type Pokémon!"

Sho answered, "Sounds rad. I'll get you my Trainer Card so you can write down my contact info and we can get in touch."

The sound of microphone feedback trickled into the stadium from the speakers, closely followed by an excited announcer. _"Ladies and gentlemen, Trainers and Pokémon, we thank you for waiting so patiently! It's now time to unveil this year's official Sinnoh League tournament bracket!"_

The crowd applauded, drowning out the approval of the few-dozen Trainers on the field below. The jumbotron lit up with a host of vibrant colors, robotically drawing out the lines of a bracket along its huge screen. Sixty-four spaces for Trainer pictures appeared along the sides of the bracket, evenly divided in half.

The announcer returned to the PA, _"The bracket selection process has been completed, and we're now ready to reveal all of our upcoming first-round matchups!"_

The empty portrait cards were filled in within the next second, lining up the matchups. The large group of Trainers clamored, each Trainer desperately trying to see who they'd be matched up against. Ash found his portrait in the upper right-hand corner. Sharing his side on the bracket were Barry and Corey, the former appearing on the far end of the line and the latter more in the middle. Paul occupied a space on the lower end of the left-hand side.

After scanning the rest of the bracket, Ash took a look at his assigned opponent.

Sho cleared his throat, "Well, this is neat."

Ash and Sho's portraits were side-by-side.

* * *

 **So that's it for the preliminary battles, and the real thing kicks off in the next chapter. If you'd be so kind, please drop in with a review for this chapter! What did you think of Nolan and his introduction? How about Darkrai's return, or the reappearance of Sho? I appreciate any and all reviews, so please do consider making your voice heard! Until then, see you guys next time! Thanks for reading The Journey Continues!**


	74. Lights, Camera, Action! It's Shotime!

**We're back with another chapter, this time showcasing the first round of the Sinnoh League (post-preliminaries). 64 Trainers remain, and Ash is on a collision course with an old foe.**

 **Unrelated: I've been reading a lot of books lately. It's been a nice pastime for me, for a while there I had stopped caring to read because so many of the books I had to read in high school were dreadful. I want to challenge everyone reading this to go to a bookstore every so often and look for something new to read, no matter the genre. You might find books that you'll really come to love that you never thought existed, and never would've read had you not gone and found it. I know I have.**

 **Lance Curry: Don't sweat it, I'm glad you're back with us. Your reviews have made me smile, so I hope you stick around and that I can live up to your hopes. Happy reading.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 74_

 _Lights, Camera, Action! It's Shotime!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

A cheer went up through the crowd as Yanmega blitzed back and forth around the rock formations, speeding in and out of view while closing in on the enemy Hitmonlee. Corey grinned madly, a powerful wind blowing his hair in all sorts of directions.

"Yanmega, do it! Use Aerial Ace!" Corey hollered.

Corey's opponent quickly ordered his Hitmonlee to counter with a High Jump Kick. Yanmega zoomed in close and Hitmonlee bent its knees before leaping up and forward, readying itself to deliver a crushing kick. Instead, Yanmega adjusted its angle of attack, catching Hitmonlee off-guard and making direct contact with the fighting-type's face. Hitmonlee's upper body flattened, sending the kick-happy Pokémon plummeting to the ground with an explosive crash. Yanmega zipped back around, eyeing Hitmonlee's place on the ground as the energy surrounding it died out.

Hitmonlee cringed and crawled to its feet, feeling the pain of the flying-type attack. Yanmega flew unmolested to its side of the field, buzzing repeatedly and flashing a grin. Hitmonlee's Trainer rubbed his wrists nervously, well aware that the fighting-type didn't have much left in the tank. Another well-placed hit, and Hitmonlee would be down for the count.

" _We're still gridlocked at 2-2, but one of these outstanding Pokémon will have to go!"_ the announcer shouted, _"Who will fall, and who will be moving on?"_

"Hitmonlee, use Blaze Kick."

Hitmonlee launched itself using its powerful legs, sticking out one foot and coating it with fire as it closed in on Yanmega.

"Yanmega, dodge and use Double Team, like we practiced." Corey ordered. Yanmega swooped out of the way and immediately started making identical copies of itself, disappearing into a herd of Yanmega that moved to surround Hitmonlee. The Kicking Pokémon frantically looked around, unable to tell which Yanmega was real.

"Hitmonlee, let's blow this up. Use Mind Reader." The fighting-type's Trainer barked. Hitmonlee's eyes gleamed and it focused for a split-second before Yanmega's copies instantly collapsed, revealing the real one directly to Hitmonlee's right.

"Blaze Kick!"

Hitmonlee pivoted and rocketed straight at Yanmega, preparing to doom the Ogre Darner Pokémon with its infallible accuracy.

Corey's expression turned to panic, but he spat out a counter in the nick of time, "Yanmega, use Air Slash!"

Yanmega's wings bent back, charging up with energy as Hitmonlee collided with the bug-type. Yanmega cried, but persevered, feeding its wings with all the energy it needed before it could hit the ground and take added damage. Hitmonlee's foot held tight onto Yanmega's torso, the fighting-type driving it straight down into the ground, where it was sure to put the finishing touches on Yanmega's defeat.

Yanmega glared up at Hitmonlee and beat its wings forward, delivering the Air Slash at point-blank range. The attack struck Hitmonlee right in its flat face, exploding and sending the two Pokémon flying in opposite directions. Yanmega hit the ground on its side, skipping across the rocky earth. Hitmonlee, on the other hand, hit the ground with a _smack_ and slid, its greater weight bringing it to a stop more quickly. Yanmega grimaced and lifted its small head, fighting to get to its feet as it watched for Hitmonlee. But the Kicking Pokémon never returned to its feet, lying still with two endless swirls marking its eyes.

" _Hitmonlee is unable to battle! The winner is Yanmega, which means the victory goes to Corey from Eterna City!"_

* * *

The crowd erupted, Ash and his friends included. Layla was probably cheering the hardest, stepping up onto the short wall separating the field from the seats and positively roaring with approval. From their seats, they watched Corey run out onto the field and hug his injured Yanmega, grinning from ear to ear. The Ogre Darner Pokémon had definitely earned a long rest.

"Yanmega couldn't have executed that Air Slash any better!" Max said while tweaking his glasses. He flashed a smug grin, "I don't mean to brag, but I helped Corey train that attack."

"Ever the humble one, Max." May grumbled, lightly whacking him on the head.

"Hey!" Max complained, lightly shoving May away while protecting his head.

"Max isn't wrong, I saw them a few days ago working with Yanmega. It's hard to train that kind of quickness in a Pokémon, so what Yanmega did is really impressive! It's a real testament to how far Corey has come." Brock said.

Ash nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Corey should be really proud of himself!"

The arena jumbotron lit up with the huge bracket of Trainers from earlier in the day, zooming in on the two portraits of Corey and his opponent. The image of Corey's opponent turned into a gray silhouette, while a shimmering blue line emerged from Corey's picture and advanced down the line to the next round, waiting for the victor of another battle to be matched up against him. Zooming out, the full bracket once again became visible, littered with similar lines and greyed portraits to show the tournament's progression.

The group moved as fast as they could to the exit of the Trainers Only section, eagerly waiting for Corey to emerge. A pack of reporters hounded the entrance, camera flashes and overlapping conversation producing an incessant buzz that carried through the arena corridors.

Eventually, the horde of reporters parted and allowed Corey through. The 13-year old was visibly flustered.

"You okay there, champ?" Max teased.

Corey's face lit up as he saw his friends. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled wearily, "Yeah, I'm good. I'm just not used to reporters talking to me," Corey explained. He fist-bumped Max and accepted a hug from Layla.

"Now you know how Ash feels." Misty quipped.

"No kidding," Ash agreed, "I thought they'd never let me leave after I beat Marcus." Ash high-fived Corey and Dawn stepped up to ruffle Corey's hair with her hand, much to the youth's displeasure.

"You were great out there, Corey." Dawn said.

"Thanks…" Corey answered. His stomach grumbled audibly, causing the youth to cover his belly with his hand and grow embarrassed. _"Ugh._ I think I worked up an appetite out there."

"Well hey, we've got a couple hours 'til I've gotta be back here," Ash suggested, "Let's all go get a bite to eat! Corey's pickin'!"

Corey ended up picking a casual pizza joint. They sat at a large, round table, ordering a heap of pizzas to fill most of the space. A flat-screen TV mounted to the wall flickered with highlights from the day's battles.

"Ash, check it out," Dawn said, tapping Ash on the shoulder to get his attention and pointing at the screen, "They're talking about Paul's battle." Ash immediately focused on the screen, watching with great interest as the TV showed Paul's Aggron beating down on a Graveler.

" _It's another sweep for Paul and his team in the Round of 64,"_ one of the anchors explained, _"At this point, Paul is looking like the class of this year's Trainers."_

Another anchor chimed in, _"His performance has certainly been impressive, but let's not forget about some of the other Trainers who have torn through the league in similar fashion so far."_

" _Yes, most prominently, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."_

The group heard Ash's name on the TV and immediately gave a brief, collective cheer, bringing a smile to Ash's face as the anchors continued.

" _Speaking of Ash, his battle is a headliner tonight, kicking off at prime time under the lights."_

" _That's right, he's facing off against Sho, a known electric-type specialist homegrown here in Sinnoh."_

" _Think we'll get to see Ash bring out his Pikachu for a battle of electric-types?"_

" _It's possible, but no one can say for sure. What we are sure of, though, is that this battle is sure to excite. Don't forget to tune in tonight, and with that, we go to break."_

The program turned to commercials and the group took their attention away from the screen. May piped up, "So, Ash, who _are_ you going to use tonight against Sho? Did they guess right about Pikachu?"

Ash swallowed his latest bite of pizza, smirked, and wagged his finger, "Sorry, not telling. But I'm still thinking about it. I want everyone on the team to get a chance to battle while we're here, so Pikachu might be sitting this one out to prepare for a bigger battle."

" _Pika!"_ the mouse beamed. He'd support whatever decision Ash made, he knew that his friends were more than capable of holding their own.

"One thing's for sure, though: we're ready to go toe-to-toe with Sho," Ash said, "And we're gonna win!"

* * *

The roar of the crowd was somehow leaking through the layers of concrete dividing the underground Trainers' Area and the stadium above. It was almost prime time, and the upcoming battle between Ash and Sho had become all the rage in the last few hours.

Ash sat down on a bench in the empty locker room, spinning three minimized Poké Balls in his open hand as Pikachu sat on his shoulder and watched. A flat-screen TV showed a live broadcast from somewhere in the stadium, focused on a reporter speaking into a microphone. It all fell on Ash's deaf ears; he was too locked in to pay any attention. The ceiling rumbled again with the sounds of the crowd's excitement, an ever-present, constant buzz.

The door to the warmup area opened and a woman poked her head in. "Mr. Ketchum? It's time."

Ash wordlessly stood up from his seat, pocketing the three Poké Balls and following the woman into the warmup area. His feet sank into the padded tile floor, each step he took making a slight squeaking sound. They headed for a tunnel, where a long, red sign hung from the ceiling with directions. If they just went straight ahead, the tunnel would spit Ash out onto the field.

They nearly reached the tunnel's end when the woman finally left Ash's side, glancing at him as he slowed. She pointed to a man wearing a League uniform near the end of the tunnel, "He'll let you know when you can go. Good luck."

"Thank you." Ash answered. The woman trotted away and Ash advanced toward the man in uniform. They exchanged silent nods, an uncomfortable silence holding between them as the echoes of the announcer's voice poured through every opening in the stadium.

"Uh… Hey. How's it going?" Ash asked the quiet man in uniform. The man blinked and glanced at Ash. For the first time, Ash saw that his nametag read _Quincy._ His skin was moderately dark, his black hair so short that it practically hugged his scalp.

"I can't complain." Quincy said. "You? Sorry, most of you kids never bother to notice people like me. We're all kind of invisible."

"Well, I'm not like most kids," Ash said with a smile, though he didn't particularly enjoy referring to himself as a kid. He'd been through a lot, and nowadays he'd prefer to be referred to as a grown-up. But he continued, "I'm doing pretty well myself. Hoping I'm ready for this battle. This guy's an old acquaintance."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. I've actually been able to watch both of your battles so far. You're really good. And I remember you from your match with Paul two years ago." Quincy said, "Both of you are on hot streaks."

"Yeah, my team has performed even better than I'd hoped." Ash replied, "I'm excited for this, honestly, even if I'm a little nervous. This is my first Conference since I lost to Tobias. It's… odd, being back here again."

"I can see how you might feel that way." Quincy admitted.

" _Let's give a warm welcome to Ash Ketchum!"_

"That's your cue," Quincy said, "Good luck."

Ash wanted to say something cool like _I make my own luck_ or _I don't need luck,_ but instead, he simply nodded at Quincy, his mind a blur, and thanked the man, fairly certain that he'd never see him again. Turning his focus to the field ahead, he started into a jog, increasing his pace to a consistent trot as he slipped into the view of everyone in the stadium. The bleachers were completely packed, filled in with thousands of roaring fans. Countless camera flashes peppered the crowds as people applauded and jumped in the air. The heavy-duty lights positioned above the stadium flooded the ground with their glow, the night sky above making their use a necessity.

As Ash calmly approached his battle box, the announcer welcomed Sho to the field. The crowd reacted similarly, hoping for a memorable spectacle. Sho trotted out onto the field with all the bravado in the world, repeatedly waving his arms up and down to pump up the crowd.

"Hello, Lily of the Valley Island! Yeah! It's your boy, the one and only Sho!" the slang-talking Trainer boasted, grinning uncontrollably. Once he stepped into his box, Sho gave a two-finger salute to Ash, who simply nodded in answer.

Ash examined the field before him: nothing but lush, green grass. Just as he'd been told earlier, the battle was set to be on the Grass Field. Perfect. There would be no gimmicks on this field, just two teams of Pokémon duking it out with each other.

The referee stepped into his place, getting into the rules for the battle, "The first-round match between Ash and Sho is about to begin. In this battle, each Trainer will use three Pokémon apiece, and the battle will be over when all three of one Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. In addition, both Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon at any time. Are both competitors ready to begin?"

"Yep!" Ash answered.

"You know it, dawg!" Sho chimed in.

"Very well." the referee said, "Battle, begin!"

Sho twirled a prepared Poké Ball on the tip of his finger, catching his hand around it and beaming it out onto the field, "Medicham, you're up!"

Ash mirrored Sho with his own first choice, rearing up and sending his chosen Pokémon out, "Snorlax, I choose you!"

The two Pokémon spawned opposite from each other, Medicham absolutely dwarfed by Ash's Snorlax. The fighting/psychic-type balanced on one leg with expert precision, its impressive strength hidden within. Snorlax appeared much the opposite, sitting dumbly on the ground with its massive weight apparent to all. If Snorlax hadn't raised a blue hand to its mouth and yawned, one might've thought the normal-type was in the middle of a nap.

"A Medicham." Ash observed, the gears in his head turning with intuition.

Sho smirked, "You didn't expect me to only bring my electric-types to the Conference, did you, Ash?"

"I had hoped not." Ash fired back, "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

"With pleasure! Medicham, let's start 'er up with Ice Punch!"

Medicham launched itself forward with its powerful legs, breaking into a run upon landing and pulling back its fist as it became coated with frost. Ash waited patiently and Medicham leaped forward upon reaching striking distance, delivering a frigid punch right to Snorlax's massive gut.

Everyone but Ash seemed to gasp as Medicham's fist sank into Snorlax's absurd girth, not affecting the Sleeping Pokémon in the slightest. Sho flinched, surprised, and Ash put on a wicked smile.

"Snorlax, you awake yet?" Ash inquired sarcastically, "Let's give 'em a taste of their own medicine. Ice Punch!"

Snorlax puffed in answer, indicating that it was very much ready to battle. With a fist that was at least the size of Medicham's head, Snorlax copied the Meditate Pokémon, retaliating with an identical Ice Punch straight into Medicham's chest. The wind left Medicham's lungs and it flew backwards, holding air for several seconds before landing awkwardly in the dirt and sliding back towards Sho.

Sho wiped the surprise from his face, his demeanor changing entirely as Medicham slowly got back to its feet, a shiver running down its spine. "So, that's how it's going to be…" Sho muttered, "Alright, Medicham, get 'em with Confusion."

Medicham focused, emitting an invisible pulse that attacked Snorlax's head. The Sleeping Pokémon complained, shaking its head and stumbling for a moment until the attack wore off. The attack was hardly a bother, however.

"That'll do for now, but we've gotta hit harder, yo. Use High Jump Kick." Medicham hummed and rocketed forward, launching itself into the air with practiced expertise and soaring towards Snorlax.

"Snorlax, use Protect." Snorlax murmured and threw up a wall of unbreakable energy. Medicham met the barrier feet-first, burying all of the force of its kick into the wall. Once the energy ran out, Medicham fell back to the ground, defenseless as it stood beneath Snorlax.

"Body Slam." Ash ordered. Snorlax threw out its arms, leaning forward just enough to tip its entire weight. Medicham paled, frozen by its own fear.

"Medicham!" Sho screamed, "Get outta there, dawg!"

Medicham regained its reason for a split-second, and just in the nick of time, too. The Meditate Pokémon vaulted backward out of Snorlax's range as the massive normal-type crashed to Earth, flattening the grass beneath its huge body.

"Here's our shot!" Sho declared, "Medicham, use High Jump Kick!"

" _Mediii…"_ the Meditate Pokémon stirred, leaping upward into a sharp arc and descending with exceptional speed.

"Snorlax, use Protect." Ash ordered. Despite still lying face down, a glowing dome formed around Snorlax, protecting it from any attack Medicham could throw at it. Medicham landed with a thunderous kick, but every ounce of its force was once again easily absorbed and returned by Snorlax's Protect, slightly bouncing Medicham back with a blunt blow.

"Snorlax, let's _rock and roll!"_ Ash grinned. Snorlax groaned, almost menacingly, and pushed on the ground with its arms, thrusting its body forward and rolling. Medicham remained strewn across the ground, glancing up and managing a weak _"Cham…?"_ before Snorlax literally rolled over the fighting-type with all of its unchecked weight, uniquely crushing the Meditate Pokémon underneath a completely unexpected form of Body Slam.

" _Incredible!"_ the announcer boomed as Snorlax rolled away from Medicham to safety, _"Body Slam missed, so Snorlax rolled its own body forward in order to strike Medicham! What an exciting show of initiative!"_

The crowd went wild as Snorlax stood back up on its feet, glancing down on Medicham from a safe distance as the Meditate Pokémon struggled to its feet. Sho glanced at the stands with a troubled look on his face, but he remained confident.

"Naw, we won't lose the crowd yet! Medicham, get 'em with Confusion!"

Medicham released another psychic pulse, this time putting more energy behind it to create a more powerful attack. Snorlax reached for its head as the unseen pulse distorted its senses, distracting the normal-type for just a bit longer than it had last time.

"Now, High Jump Kick, again!"

This time, Medicham was too fast, laying into Snorlax with a brutal kick to the gut. Snorlax was thrown back, managing to break its fall with its hands, but it left itself open for another attack from Medicham. Sho called for Ice Punch, and Medicham was on Snorlax all too quickly, angrily whaling on Snorlax with furious fists of ice.

"Snorlax, get away from Medicham, quick!" Ash yelled. Snorlax obeyed, using its great strength to push itself back and then turning to flee. Medicham visibly snickered, as did Sho.

"Running already?" Sho taunted.

Ash waited until Snorlax had a decent amount of space between itself and Medicham. He needed the distance, because Snorlax wouldn't be able to prepare its next attack in close-quarters combat with Medicham. Now, Ash flashed a grin, firing back at Sho with the smoothest of tones, "Nah. Just getting a little space." His smile disappeared and he barked an order at Snorlax, his own voice sounding threatening, "Snorlax, use Hyper Beam! _Bring it!"_

The orange ball that formed at the entrance to Snorlax's mouth sent Sho into a slight panic, which he voiced in his frantic call to Medicham. _"Medicham, go!"_

Medicham opted to rocket into the air, climbing several dozen feet as if it were using High Jump Kick. Regardless, Snorlax unleashed its Hyper Beam, eyes fixed on Medicham as it trailed its path. The destructive beam sliced through the night air, chasing and ultimately catching Medicham and violently exploding. Medicham fell silently from the sky, its body visibly battered, and crunched back down into the ground in a cloud of blinding dust.

Sho's mouth hung open, "The power in that Hyper Beam…incredible…" he mused. His expression morphed into a smile, ripping off his mask of surprise. He audibly chuckled, speaking confidently, "But I hate to break it to ya…you've played right into our hands. Medicham, show 'em up with a Reversal!"

The dust cloud churned and Medicham raced out of it, banishing the smokescreen around its landing spot so that everyone could see it sprinting for Snorlax. The Sleeping Pokémon remained still as a statue, the energy expenditure of a move like Hyper Beam forcing it to recharge, and Medicham's body became surrounded by small crystals of power.

Medicham laid into Snorlax with a full-body tackle, hitting with such unfathomable force that Snorlax's body left the ground. The heavy normal-type groaned with surprise before hitting the ground on its back. Ash grimaced—there was no way that Snorlax could've fought back against Medicham's Reversal, even if he'd been able to move. However, there was a small solace in how hard Medicham's attack had hit: the fighting-type was on its last legs.

Snorlax crept to its feet, dazed but alert. Medicham's Reversal attack had done major damage, but there was still plenty of fight left in the hefty normal-type.

"Now we're back in it, so let's do this! Medicham, use Confusion!" Sho yelled, renewed confidence flooding from his voice.

"Snorlax, use Protect!" Ash countered. Snorlax created a barrier from thin air, this time deflecting Medicham's Confusion attack.

Sho gritted his teeth, "High Jump Kick!"

"Snorlax, hit the deck!"

Medicham launched itself at Snorlax, but the Sleeping Pokémon immediately dropped to the ground, causing Medicham to fly overhead. The Meditate Pokémon headed straight for a very uncomfortable crash-landing, meeting the ground painfully.

"Snorlax, go! Use Ice Punch!" Ash ordered. With unexpected speed, Snorlax pushed itself off the ground and whirled around, thundering toward Medicham's exposed body with a frozen fist.

"Confusion!" Sho countered. Medicham attacked swiftly from its prone position, lashing Snorlax's mind with another painful pulse that threw the normal-type off-course and off-balance. Sho beamed and followed with another attack, "Perfect! Now, use Reversal!"

Medicham returned to its feet and readied itself, channeling all of its energy into an attack that would surely bring Snorlax down for good.

"Snorlax, focus!" Ash shouted in response, "Use Ice Punch!"

Snorlax recovered just in time to see Medicham racing at it, and the Sleeping Pokémon readied a powerful punch laced with ice. Medicham's momentum was too great, so that Meditate Pokémon ran right into Snorlax's counter, ricocheting off of Snorlax's glacial fist and hitting the ground in the huge normal-type's threatening shadow.

Ash felt a slight rush, calling out to Snorlax for a final move, "Snorlax, Body Slam." Snorlax grunted, tipping itself forward.

"No!" Sho yelled, "Medicham, use Confusion!"

Medicham tried to attack, but the move failed and left the Meditate Pokémon completely defenseless as Snorlax crashed down atop it, smothering it with all of its titanic weight. The grass around Snorlax bent backward as the air underneath it blasted outward. Snorlax's body vibrated as it rumbled and rolled off of Medicham, exposing the fainted fighting-type.

"Medicham is unable to battle! The winner is Snorlax!"

* * *

"Yes! Amazing job, Snorlax!" Dawn cheered.

"That was mind-blowing!" Barry said with a drop of his jaw, "Snorlax are known to be insanely lazy—how did Ash train that out?"

"Snorlax has always been loyal, and a real powerhouse to boot." Brock explained, "Plus, Snorlax knows what's at stake here. It's going to give its all no matter what."

"And against a Pokémon that's way more agile than it, too. Snorlax should be really proud." Max added.

"Yeah, just by looking at those two Pokémon, it would be easy to think Medicham has the edge when you're on the outside looking in." May said, "Ash must've known that would work to his advantage at least a little bit."

"He's certainly made a statement!" Oak agreed.

Brock nodded, but watched the field intently, "Let's hope he can keep the momentum going. Sho's no ordinary Trainer. I'll bet he's got a few aces up his sleeve…"

* * *

The crowd cheered, thoroughly impressed and pleased with the showdown between the two Pokémon. Sho calmly returned Medicham, glancing down at the dormant Poké Ball, "Don't sweat it, Medicham, you were sick out there. You did the best you could. Get some rest, brother."

Sho tucked away Medicham's Poké Ball, raising his chin at Ash and giving a slight nod of acknowledgement, "Not half-bad, yo! I wasn't expecting Snorlax to have so much control. Props to ya."

"Snorlax has been with me for a long time," Ash answered, "He's used to being underestimated, isn't that right, Snorlax?"

" _Snor-laaaaax!"_ the Sleeping Pokémon bellowed, beating its round chest and not caring in the least as it jiggled in response.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself… we've still got plenty of power to show off!" Sho insisted. He brandished his second Poké Ball, calling for all to hear as he arced it toward the field, _"Golem, c'mon out and use Rollout, dawg!"_

Golem broke free from the Poké Ball, angling itself down into the ground and then clutching its limbs against its body. Immediately upon making contact with the ground, the Megaton Pokémon rolled forward at high speed, locking onto Snorlax and blazing toward the normal-type. Before Ash or Snorlax could effectively react, Golem crashed head-on into Snorlax, driving all of the normal-type's incredible weight off the ground. Golem detached from Snorlax after sufficiently damaging it, rolling away to safety and finally uncurling its body.

The beastlike rock-type growled menacingly, itching to fight. Snorlax growled back, but its fierce mask was quickly undermined as a sharp pain sprouted in its belly, a marker of all the damage that the Sleeping Pokémon had taken.

"Snorlax, use Rest." Ash ordered. Snorlax seemingly glowed as it eagerly obeyed, dropping to the ground like a sack of potatoes and immediately falling asleep.

Sho wasn't fazed. In fact, the slang-talking Trainer grinned from ear to ear, "Hey, we'll take that. Now we've got a couple o' minutes to go to town! Golem, use Stone Edge!"

Golem gnashed its sharp teeth and unleashed the move, sending two-dozen sharpened stones at the immobile Snorlax. The barrage of stones exploded upon making contact, hitting with enough force to roll Snorlax a little, but the normal-type remained fast asleep, even having the audacity to snore loudly.

Ash knew this wasn't ideal, but a rested Snorlax would fare better against Golem. He would just have to bite the bullet for a little while.

"Golem, knock Snorlax around with Rollout!" Sho said with a grin. Golem eagerly obeyed, tucking itself in across its body and rushing forward. Golem knocked into Snorlax's exposed belly first, shoving the obese Sleeping Pokémon before speeding away. Not a moment later, Golem turned back around, racing at Snorlax's prone form for another hit. This next collision hit with greater force, surely dealing some unwanted damage.

"Snorlax, you've gotta wake up!" Ash finally yelled, becoming worried about the damage Snorlax was taking. _"Snorlax!"_ Ash shouted again, begging to get through to the dozing Pokémon.

"Get 'em again, Golem! Rollout, max power!" Sho ordered. Golem chortled darkly and closed in on Snorlax, rolling expertly across the grassy ground.

" _Snorlax!"_ Ash howled, and the normal-type was suddenly startled awake. Hope rushed through Ash's veins, "Protect!"

Snorlax spotted Goelm heading straight for it and effortlessly surrounded itself in a glowing greenish barrier, sparing barely a second before Golem crashed into it. Golem's charge was halted, leaving the Megaton Pokémon pushing violently against the unbreakable barrier with no success

Ash breathed again, relieved, "Now, use Ice Punch!"

Snorlax clenched a fist, surrounding it with ice-cold energy. Driving its fist forward, Snorlax collapsed the barrier, almost immediately decking Golem with all of its might. The rock-type flew away like a golf ball, hitting the ground with a crash and tearing up the grass around it.

"Oh yeah, It's on now!" Sho declared, grinning excitedly, "Golem, use Rollout and Stone Edge together, like we practiced!"

Golem crashed its clawed hands together and rolled forward, almost immediately creating a ring of stones that launched away from it like tiny missiles. Snorlax staggered back with surprise and was struck by the stones, exposing it to Golem's Rollout as an immediate follow-up. Snorlax tried to fight off the head-on attack, but Golem managed to throw its foe to the ground and speed away unharmed.

"Right on, Golem!" Sho praised.

Ash chewed the inside of his cheek for a second, nervous. He dared to think ordering Snorlax to Rest had only delayed the inevitable. Golem was proving itself superior in nearly every way, completely flipping the script they'd seen with Medicham. As strong as Snorlax was, there would always be natural limitations with him. Because of this, Snorlax's battling style was simply different from most of Ash's other Pokémon, but that didn't clear the normal-type from its weaknesses.

But he wasn't planning on giving up. Not even close.

"Golem, use Stone Edge one more time, dawg!" Sho ordered.

"Snorlax, use Protect."

The result was as expected: Golem's Stone Edge failed to do anything against Snorlax's impenetrable wall.

Sho shrugged, "Guess they want us up close and personal. Golem, let's give 'em a Rollout!" Golem charged once again, eager to deal even more damage to Snorlax.

"Snorlax, go right at 'em with Ice Punch." Ash ordered. Snorlax soldiered forward, running as fast as its fat legs could carry it…which was actually surprisingly quick. It wasn't quite Golem's speed, but for a Pokémon of Snorlax's stature, it was impressive. It didn't matter. That wasn't the point of Snorlax's head-on charge.

"Now, Snorlax, jump!" Ash called. Snorlax leaped, soaring above Golem and landing with a thunderous crash. Golem quickly uncoiled and whirled around, catching itself by digging its claws into the dirt. Snorlax turned as well, throwing a sloppy smirk at its opponent.

"Go again!" Sho snapped.

"Snorlax, use Ice Punch on the ground!"

Snorlax didn't hesitate, pounding an icy fist at an angle into the grass as Golem approached. The energy from the Ice Punch carried across the ground, freezing every immediate layer of dirt instantly to create a treacherous path of ice between Golem and Snorlax. The Megaton Pokémon lost control and slid on the ice… _just_ too close to Snorlax.

"Body Slam."

Snorlax plummeted down, meaning to smother Golem with its weight.

"Nuh-uh! Golem, stop 'em cold, yo!" Sho ordered. Golem stood, glaring at Snorlax and sticking out its hands. Snorlax landed and Golem latched on, pushing with all of its might in the opposite direction. Its feet dug through the frozen grass, tearing into the dirt below, but nevertheless halting Snorlax's doomsday attack right in its tracks.

It was truly an incredible sight, seeing Golem hold Snorlax in its leaning position. The Sleeping Pokémon was tall and impossibly heavy, but none of this seemed to faze Sho's Golem. For the moment, Snorlax wasn't going anywhere, something that had Ash and the crowd at an absolute loss for words.

* * *

" _Am…am I seeing this right?"_

Misty's jaw was hanging open, some of the color draining from her face.

"Yep, that's really happening." Gary conceded.

"I don't like where this is going…" Brock murmured, a bead of sweat on his brow.

* * *

The announcer's voice echoed in the stadium, reverberating through every corner, _"Unbelievable! Golem is holding Snorlax back, completely suspending it from falling upon it with Body Slam! Just how strong_ is _Golem?"_

Ash could feel himself losing control of the situation. "Snorlax, fight out of Golem's grip!"

Sho shook his head for only an instant, clicking his tongue against his teeth, "Played into our hands again, just like with Medicham. Only this time, I'm not letting you get away with it. Golem, use Seismic Toss!"

Golem dug in and rocketed upward, somehow dragging Snorlax with it into the sky. They climbed nearly a hundred feet before gravity took over, but this was all part of the plan for Golem. The Megaton Pokémon brought its arm up and threw them down, slinging Snorlax back to Earth. The huge normal-type wailed, its arms and legs thrashing until it hit the ground.

There was a sound of thunder, and the result was clear the instant that the dust settled.

" _Snorlax is unable to battle. The winner is Golem!"_

"Boo-yah! Give yourself a pat on the back, Golem, we got 'em!"

The rock-type roared in answer, _"Gol-emmmmm!"_

Ash took a deep breath as the crowd cheered. "Snorlax, return!" he called, summoning the battered normal-type to safety. "Hey, you were awesome out there, Snorlax, I'm really proud of you! Get some rest, you've earned it."

Ash reattached Snorlax's Poké Ball to his belt, immediately deciding on his next choice, "It hasn't failed us yet, so here goes! Noctowl, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball opened in midair, releasing the Owl Pokémon contained within. Stars glittered around Noctowl as it crooned and quickly landed on the grass, tapping its talons on the ground with anticipation. It gave Golem an appraising stare, blinking oddly and cocking its head at an angle.

"Pretty bird." Sho teased, "What's your game, yo?"

Ash flashed a smirk, "Why don't you come and find out?"

Sho snorted and mirrored Ash's smirk, "Alright then, these guys're wantin' us to go first. Golem, ready to rock their world some more?"

" _Gooollll!"_

"Sounds rad to me! Use Rock Throw, yo!"

Golem spun a rock out of thin air, grasping it with its crude hands and launching a fastball strike.

"Noctowl, up!" Ash ordered. The Owl Pokémon lifted into the air, easily avoiding the stone.

"Chase 'em down, Golem!" Sho said. Golem formed two more rocks, slinging them in quick succession ahead of Noctowl's path in the sky.

"Dodge those, Noctowl!" Ash answered, prompting the flying-type to spiral effortlessly out of the way. Next, Ash called for his own attack, "Now use Extrasensory!"

Noctowl swooped down toward Golem, unleashing a shimmering golden beam of energy. The blast slashed diagonally across Golem's round body, knocking the rock-type a few steps back.

"Shake that junk off and use Stone Edge, Golem!"

"Noctowl, block that with Air Slash!"

Golem flung a flurry of jagged stones after Noctowl, manipulating them so that they followed Noctowl in the air. The Owl Pokémon screeched and whirled around, summoning crystal blue energy around its wings as it fell backwards through the air. The Air Slash attack tore through the Stone Edge trail, saving Noctowl from any damage. Pleased, Noctowl returned to flying normally, circling the grassy field as Golem snarled at it down below.

"Say, that was pretty slick!" Sho said, "Gotta ask how your Noctowl managed that."

"Lots of practice," Ash said with a grin, "And we've had plenty of time, isn't that right, Noctowl?"

" _Noc! Noc-towl!"_ the Owl Pokémon squawked, coming down for a gentle landing. Noctowl unfurled its wings, displaying the unique golden feathers under its orange plumage, and threw a wicked stare at Golem.

"Well lucky for us, we've had plenty of time too, and we're not losin' this shindig! Golem, use Rollout!" Sho ordered. Golem snapped its jaws and clinched its extremities against its round body before rolling at high speed.

"Noctowl, dodge." Ash answered. The Owl Pokémon waited and leisurely lifted into the air to avoid Golem, very clearly taking its time. Sho smirked as he noticed this, cooking up a quick response.

"Intercept Noctowl and use Seismic Toss, dawg!"

Golem made it look easy as it halted its rolling motion, sending out one of its arms and snatching Noctowl's leg.

" _Towl?"_ the Owl Pokémon squawked in surprise and looked back at Golem. The Megaton Pokémon sneered and dragged Noctowl in a circle before slinging the flying-type up into the sky. Noctowl flailed as it flew, trying to grasp the wind in just the right way so that it could right itself and avoid any damage.

As if knowing exactly what was going through Noctowl's mind, Sho followed up with another command, "Don't let that Noctowl recover, yo! Bring the pain with Stone Edge!"

Golem let loose a squad of sharp stones after Noctowl, peppering the flailing Owl Pokémon and ruining any chance it had at a recovery. Noctowl fell to the ground from there, landing awkwardly in the grass and sliding a little bit.

"Noctowl!" Ash fretted.

" _Gooool-emmmm!"_ Golem taunted, jawing at Noctowl's small body and motioning for the battered Owl Pokémon to stand up and fight. Noctowl looked up at Golem with an unusually vicious glare, clawing its way to its feet and parting its beak for a violent squawk. This walking boulder would not have the last word!

"Your bird's got more fight than I thought," Sho jeered, "Golem, let's give Noctowl what it wants. Stone Edge!"

Golem attacked again, slinging another cluster of harsh stones at its flying-type adversary.

"Noctowl, use Psychic and stop those stones." Ash instructed. Noctowl squawked and its eyes pulsed with power, ensnaring each of Golem's stones and stopping them cold only a few mere inches from its body. Grinning, Ash followed up with another command, "Send 'em back!"

Noctowl obeyed, returning the Stone Edge projectiles with greater speed than Golem could ever hope to achieve. The damage was minimal, however, with Golem's hard rock body rebuffing the blows.

"Not bad, them psychic powers'll come in handy. You're gonna have to try harder than that, though, amigo." Sho said, "Golem, use Rock Throw!"

"Noctowl, dodge whatever Golem sends your way and use Extrasensory." Ash countered. Noctowl easily carried out its orders, dancing out of the way of the boulders Golem threw at it before unleashing a golden Extrasensory beam. The energy blast stupefied Golem, at long last creating an opening.

"Noctowl, use Steel Wing!" Ash hollered. Noctowl dove down, arcing low to the ground and coating both of its wings in shimmering silvery energy. Just as Golem recovered from its daze, Noctowl slashed both of its wings at critical points of the rock-type's body before flying away with a triumphant squawk.

Sho gritted his teeth and averted his gaze for a moment, "Golem, use Rollout."

Golem snarled and scrambled toward Noctowl, who had taken the liberty of landing once again. The Megaton Pokémon curled up and spun, desperate to get back at Noctowl.

"Dodge." Ash countered. Noctowl lifted itself onto the wind, meaning to dodge Golem's next attack.

"Seismic Toss, quick!" Sho said.

But Ash was ready this time, having anticipated that Sho would try the combination again.

"Steel Wing!"

Noctowl had moved to dodge much earlier this time, forcing Golem to uncurl itself and jump for the Owl Pokémon before it could get away. It gave Noctowl every advantage, and the clever flying-type knew it. Halting its dodge, Noctowl turned to use Steel Wing, slashing Golem right across its rocklike face. Golem yowled in pain as Noctowl's metallic wings cut it, dispatching the rock-type right back to the ground.

Noctowl swooped above Golem's defenseless form, leading Ash to follow with another command, "Now, Noctowl, use Extrasensory!"

Noctowl trilled and obeyed, bearing a damaging golden beam down on Golem. The attack made contact and Golem's pained cry rang out for only a moment until the attack subsided a few seconds later. Noctowl hovered above the grassy ground, eyeing Golem's motionless form. The referee silently watched from the sideline, squinting as he waited for any discernable movement from the rock-type. When there wasn't any, he raised the flag in his right hand.

"Golem is unable to battle! The winner is Noctowl!"

* * *

"That gives Ash a 2-1 advantage!" Corey said, practically hanging on the edge of his seat.

"Ash keeps on proving that type advantages don't dictate the outcome of a battle. It really shows how well he's trained his team." Brock added, "You have to give him a lot of credit."

"He keeps such a cool head even in the face of adversity." Misty observed, "Nothing like the old Ash I knew when we were traveling."

"I have to agree. At long last, he's really come into his own." Riley chimed in from his seat, allowing himself a small smile as he broke from his usual quiet demeanor. He knew from experience the changes that Ash had gone through, having spent more than two months on a frigid mountain with no human company but the teenager. The trials he had endured since those days only further hardened the Ketchum boy. He had transformed into a formidable young man with a determination that knew no bounds, strengthened by his genuine love for everyone—both people and Pokémon—and his uncanny ability to see light in the greatest darkness.

"Sho still has one Pokémon left." Brock said. He glanced at Dawn, who met his gaze knowingly.

The Coordinator nodded fiercely, tensing up as she turned her eyes back to the field, "Yeah. There's no doubt which one it is, too."

"I hope Ash is ready." Brock muttered.

Dawn squinted, "He is. I know it."

* * *

" _Incredible!"_ the announcer boomed, drowning out the sounds of Sho returning his fainted Golem, _"Noctowl uses a combination of evasive maneuvers and counters to outgun Golem and put Ash back in the lead!"_

The crowd signaled their approval with raucous cheering, egging on the competitors down below to thrill them even further. Sho quickly picked his third Poké Ball, spinning it on the tip of his finger.

"Is that who I think it is in that Poké Ball?" Ash asked aloud, raising a curious eyebrow.

Sho flashed a smirk, answering by rearing up to throw the Poké Ball _"My main man! Raichu, c'mon out, dude!"_ Sho hollered. The orange-furred electric-type bounded out of its Poké Ball, landing on the ground with a heavy _thud_ before flashing a scheming smile. The large Mouse Pokémon recognized Ash, and it knew the Pikachu on his shoulder.

" _Rai, rai!"_ the electric-type purred, slipping small coils of electricity around its tail that caused the lightning bolt on the end to glow. Noctowl responded with a trill and swooped through the air, challenging Raichu to bring it down.

"Alright, Raichu, give 'em a Thunder!" Sho ordered.

" _Rai!"_ Raichu hissed, speedily charging up an enormous amount of electricity around its round body. The lightning surged out in a thick, crackling bolt, expertly locking onto Noctowl and connecting.

Noctowl screeched as the electricity circled through its body, dishing out devastating damage to the Owl Pokémon. Once the lightning subsided, Noctowl took a brief fall before recovering, coming to a sloppy landing on the ground and quickly turning on its heels to face Raichu.

"Oh, man. That's no good…" Ash muttered, "Noctowl, use Extrasensory."

Noctowl shot a shimmering Extrasensory beam into Raichu's gut, but the electric-type easily tanked the blast and stepped forward, more than ready to attack again.

"Raichu, use Iron Tail, brother!"

Raichu leaped into the air, closing the distance between it and Noctowl fairly easily and somersaulting forward with the intent to smash its steely tail right into Noctowl's body. On command, Noctowl dove out of the way and swooped up, avoiding Raichu's attack.

"Now, Noctowl, use Air Slash!"

Raichu buried its tail in the unassuming ground and whirled around to face Noctowl, only to receive an Air Slash to the head. Sho gritted his teeth and called for a Thunder attack. In answer, Raichu generated another layer of punishing electricity, unleashing it with all its might and electrocuting Noctowl. The Owl Pokémon dropped to the ground unceremoniously, very clearly injuring one of its legs in the fall.

"Raichu, Hyper Beam!"

Raichu lunged forward, causing the hairs to raise on the back of Ash's neck. Noctowl had no chance at dodging, not with its hurt leg, so that left one viable option if they wanted to stay in it, "Noctowl, use Psychic!"

Noctowl exerted its psychic muscle, ensnaring Raichu in a telekinetic hold as the electric-type arrived, its bolt-shaped tail flicking eagerly through the air. Raichu struggled against the grip, but it was clear that Noctowl was struggling even more just to keep it up. Raichu's movements became more pronounced, weakening Noctowl's power with each passing second until it finally broke free and lashed out with its tail, pinning Noctowl to the ground and putting the two Pokémon face-to-face.

"No! Noctowl!" Ash yelled, knowing that anything he could try would be futile. Raichu held Noctowl down and summoned its Hyper Beam, concentrating the energy around it into a single beam and unleashing it at point-blank range. A small explosion followed, obscuring the two Pokémon from view for a few seconds. When the haze cleared, Raichu had disengaged from Noctowl, who was lying still in a small crater that Raichu's attack had torn into the field.

" _Noctowl is unable to battle! The winner is Raichu!"_ the referee announced.

* * *

"What a brute! That was cruel!" May fumed.

"Gee, I hope Noctowl's okay! Something like that could really hurt a Pokémon!" Max added, his face stricken with worry.

"It happened to Pikachu the first time Ash battled Sho." Brock said, drawing the group's attention, "That was their signature tactic: a sure knockout against nearly any opponent, probably in order to avoid taking a bunch of damage while having to recharge. It knocked Pikachu out cold, and really injured him."

Dawn added to the story, "When we rushed Pikachu to the nearest Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy wasn't even sure if he would make it. The injuries were that bad."

Misty's expression twisted angrily, "How is something like that even allowed in a League, then?"

"I wouldn't know." Brock answered. He pointed to Noctowl's place on the field, "But look, Noctowl is moving again. He's okay."

Indeed Noctowl was, though its status as an able battler had been lost. Ash was visibly smiling, relieved that the flying-type was for the most part okay. The incident with Pikachu a few years back likely wore on his mind.

"Well, I still think that's crap." Misty huffed, "I hope Ash buries this guy in the next round."

Brock chuckled lightly, affording a smile, "I wouldn't get too worked up over it. Ash has this under control, I'm sure of it."

"I wonder if he'll send Pikachu out there to battle Raichu." Dawn wondered aloud.

Gary pointed at Ash from his seat, "Looks like you're about to get your answer."

* * *

Ash slightly gulped and grabbed onto Noctowl's Poké Ball, summoning the battered flying-type back to safety. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave. "Thank you, Noctowl. Get some rest, you've earned that and a lot more…" Ash praised before tucking the Poké Ball away.

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu yowled, pointing a stubby arm at Pikachu, who rested calmly on Ash's shoulder.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_ Pikachu yapped back, a wry grin on its face.

"Say, I think I know who Raichu wants to take a shot at!" Sho hollered, smirking.

" _Rai, rai! Rai-chu!"_ Raichu snarled, motioning for Pikachu to approach.

"I'd say that's clear as day," Ash commented, "Pikachu, what're you thinking?"

Pikachu didn't spend much time thinking. Anticipation stirred in his body, filling the little mouse's cheeks with ravenous electricity. There was no doubt about it.

He was ready.

" _Pikapi! Piii-ka-chu!"_

Pikachu's voice rushed through the link with Ash, filling the teen's head with a translation. _~Let me in there, Ash!~_

Ash grinned from ear to ear, "Well, okay! I was planning on saving you for a later battle, but if this is what you want, then who am I to deny you? Pikachu, get in there!"

Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder onto the field, chattering excitedly as the thrill of the impending battle rushed through him. Raichu broke an impossibly wide grin, the same thrill circulating through the larger Mouse Pokémon.

"Now this, _this_ is what I've been waiting for!" Sho declared, stretching his back and grinning, "Round three, after so long!"

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Ash said, smiling.

Sho smirked, "I'll accept your apology if you give me a battle for the ages."

"We'll do our best." Ash assured him. "Pikachu, you ready?"

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_

"So, I think it's your turn to go first." Sho said, calling back to their previous two battles. They'd switched off on the honor of attacking first, though they'd been on very unfriendly terms at the time.

" _Pi-ka!"_ Pikachu purred, waggling his jagged tail and throwing a taunt at Raichu.

"I think Pikachu likes it better when you guys go first." Ash replied, a devilish smirk written on his face.

"Why, you little…!" Sho started. He then snorted and crossed his arms, shaking his head as Ash's smile only grew. "Well, we gotta start somewhere. Raichu, use Thunder!"

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu chattered and sent a crooked bolt straight for Pikachu. The smaller Mouse Pokémon reared up to stand on two legs and tensed, taking the electric attack with ease and rejecting it.

"Figured that was gonna happen, but it's A-OK! Raichu, use Iron Tail!" Raichu lunged for Pikachu, using its powerful legs to clear the distance as its long tail glowed silver.

"Circle around 'em, Pikachu!"

Pikachu immediately dove forward to meet Raichu and sprinted laps around the orange Mouse Pokémon, causing each of Raichu's Iron Tail attempts to fall behind and miss.

"Not this again! Raichu, reverse!" Sho ordered. Raichu instantly turned in the opposite direction and attacked, cutting off Pikachu's circular path and connecting with the smaller Mouse Pokémon's head. Pikachu ricocheted off of Raichu's tail, sliding through the dirt. They had learned from last time.

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu taunted, staring down Pikachu and swishing its tail. Pikachu quickly stood back up, returning Raichu's stare with a fierce face.

" _Chu-pi!"_ Pikachu growled back.

"Shake it off, Pikachu! Use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu lunged into a sprint, speeding low across the ground and mimicking Raichu's attack. Pikachu locked his eyes on Raichu's legs and dove into the ground, sliding across the dirt and hooking his jagged tail around one of Raichu's legs to trip the larger Mouse before sliding past and returning to his feet.

"Is that all?" Sho snorted as Raichu climbed to its feet, "Raichu, show 'em who's boss with Slam!"

Raichu charged into Pikachu with a full-body tackle, dispatching Pikachu across the field with punishing force. Pikachu quickly righted himself and landed cleanly, managing to skid to a stop without stumbling backwards on the grass.

"That's a new one. Whaddya think?" Sho grinned.

"I think we're just getting warmed up." Ash answered.

"We'll see about that! Raichu, use Volt Tackle!"

" _Rai-chu!"_ the larger Mouse Pokémon enthused and charged forward, surrounding itself in a layer of volatile electricity.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail!" Ash countered. Pikachu waited for Raichu to come close and then expertly somersaulted over the larger electric-type, hardening its tail into steel and delivering a powerful blow to Raichu's lower back before bounding clear of Raichu's immediate vicinity.

" _Grr…_ Raichu, use Slam!"

Raichu charged forward again, ducking its head.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Electro Ball."

Pikachu scrambled to the side with an acrobatic dodge, avoiding Raichu's Slam attack easily. A sphere of golden electricity grew to life on the end of Pikachu's tail, and with a simple flick, the sphere flew from Pikachu to Raichu, delivering its voltage into the orange Mouse Pokémon. Raichu convulsed, slipping to one knee as devious coils of lightning circled around its round body.

Sho staggered back, his mouth slightly open, "What kind of move _is_ that? I've never seen anything like it!"

"That would be Electro Ball, and it's the price Raichu's paying for being slower than Pikachu!" Ash beamed. The electrical charge around Raichu died down a few moments later, allowing Raichu to recover.

"We've gotta get back in it! Raichu, use Iron Tail!"

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu purred and leaped. Pikachu dove out of the way of the Iron Tail attack, but Sho wasn't done.

"Volt Tackle!"

Raichu ducked its head and charged, crashing into Pikachu before the smaller Mouse Pokémon could react and counter. The blow knocked Pikachu from its feet and into the air, but landing safely was easy enough for the electric mouse. The two rivals stared each other down, though Raichu was very clearly breathing harder than Pikachu as recoil damage took hold. The larger, heavier Mouse Pokémon had attacked more often and more quickly, nearly exhausting itself in a relatively short time.

"Raichu, you good?" Sho called.

" _Rai…rai…"_ Raichu murmured, before sucking in a breath and scowling, _"Rai-chu!"_

"Alright! Raichu, use Iron Tail!"

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu concentrated a sphere of lightning as Raichu closed in, hoping to cut off the orange Mouse's attack. Sho knew better than this, though, ordering Raichu to defend itself from the Electro Ball just before Pikachu could send the attack. Raichu pulled off the command expertly, cleaving the Electro Ball in two with its Iron Tail and advancing further on Pikachu.

"Pikachu, give 'em an Iron Tail as well." Ash ordered. Pikachu rushed up to meet Raichu, leaping higher than the larger electric-type could hope to match in order to get an advantage. Coming down towards Raichu with a tail of steel, Pikachu lashed out, only for Raichu to raise its own Iron Tail to block the attack. The two Mouse Pokémon locked their tails together, violently pushing against one another as they fell to the ground.

"Pikachu, turn 'em around and send 'em flying!" Ash ordered. Pikachu angled his body hard in midair, tugging with all of its might and momentum to turn both itself and Raichu in a spinning circle. The momentum caused Raichu to disengage, sending it tumbling to the ground while Pikachu landed much more cleanly.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Raichu, deflect with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's discharged a Thunderbolt, but Raichu rose its tail as a defense, reflecting most of the electricity with its shimmering metallic tail. Some of the voltage was able to coil around Raichu's tail, forming a sizeable charge that Raichu would be able to take advantage of.

"Raichu, use Thunder!"

Raichu charged up, adding the stolen voltage around its tail to the blast and bumping up the power of its own Thunder considerably. The shimmering bolt that followed crackled dangerously and connected with Pikachu's stomach, hitting too hard for Pikachu to easily absorb.

"Now, Raichu, Hyper Beam, go!"

Raichu bounded forward, leaping up above Pikachu and arcing down with the intent to trap the smaller Mouse Pokémon with its jagged tail. Pikachu effortlessly rolled out of the way, all too familiar with the tactic. As a result, Raichu buried its long tail into the ground, allowing itself a few moments of uncanny balance hanging in the air. Seeing that Pikachu had escaped its hold, Raichu fired its Hyper Beam at an angle, hoping to chase Pikachu down with the ultra-powerful blast.

"Pikachu, run!" Ash ordered. Pikachu did, but its escape was quickly failing. Seeking an alternative, Ash changed tactics, "Counter-Shield!"

Pikachu dove into the ground at his feet, discharging a Thunderbolt and spinning in the grass. The voltage circled up and around Pikachu, fighting off the Hyper Beam and acting as a shield once the blast arrived. Sho gritted his teeth, knowing the consequences of Hyper Beam's failure all too well.

"This is our chance, Pikachu!" Ash hollered, knowing Raichu was unable to move, "Use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu charged headfirst at Raichu, summoning a funnel of volatile lightning around his body. Raichu staggered back, otherwise frozen by Hyper Beam's after-effects, and Pikachu rammed into Raichu's belly, delivering the furious attack with all of its unexpected might. Raichu flew backwards, hitting the ground on its back and mewling in pain.

"Raichu!" Sho gasped. Raichu quickly stirred and staggered to its feet, battered and exhausted. But there was still some fight in the larger Mouse Pokémon, and Raichu was in no mood to simply give up. Not now. Raichu nodded at Sho, signaling it was well enough to keep battling, "Okay, Raichu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Pikachu, you use Volt Tackle, too!"

The two electric-types charged straight at each other and met with explosive force, cancelling each other out and merely pushing the other backwards.

"Raichu, use Iron Tail!"

"Pikachu, circle around!" Pikachu ran circles around Raichu, avoiding each Iron Tail strike.

"Reverse!" Sho snapped.

"Pikachu, up!"

Raichu whirled in the opposite direction, attempting the same counter it had the last time Pikachu had circled around it. This time, Pikachu leaped up, dodging the crushing swing of Raichu's tail. Raichu kept turning, losing its footing as it missed its intended target. Pikachu curved around in midair, watching as Raichu stumbled.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu summoned all of the speed it could muster as it landed on the ground and sprinted, ramming into Raichu with unexpected force. The blow knocked Raichu back even further, adding to its difficulties.

"Thunder!"

"Pikachu, dodge and use Volt Tackle!"

Raichu unleashed a golden bolt of lightning, but Pikachu simply sidestepped the blast and charged, each step adding to the cone of electricity forming around its small body.

"Hyper Beam!"

Raichu stood tall and readied its Hyper Beam, its long tail swishing nervously as Pikachu closed in. Raichu released the destructive blast in a single beam, connecting with Pikachu head-on. The blast nearly ruined Pikachu's charge, but the smaller Mouse Pokémon miraculously continued to press forward after the briefest slowdown, pushing back against the violent Hyper Beam with a purpose. Radiating determination, Pikachu released a primal scream as he closed in.

" _PI-KAAAAAAAA!"_

Raichu felt a chill run down its back as Pikachu pushed back against more and more of its Hyper Beam. How was this even possible!? Neither Raichu nor Sho were given much time to consider an answer, because Pikachu pushed through the rest of the attack and rammed into Raichu with every ounce of force he could muster, knocking Raichu backward through the air.

"Raichu!" Sho cried, but it was useless. Raichu hit land with a _boom,_ sliding and leaving ruined grass in its path before coming to a pitiful stop.

" _Rai…"_ the large Mouse Pokémon whimpered, otherwise completely unresponsive.

" _Raichu is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu! That's three wins, which means the battle goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

* * *

"They did it!" Corey yelled, "They won!"

"Well, of course they did!" Max said, tweaking his glasses, "Pikachu has always been something else!"

The younger kids clamored amongst themselves while the older teenagers held their own conversation. "Pikachu proves himself against Raichu once again." Brock noted.

"That first battle was so long ago…" Dawn reminisced. They'd all come so far since then; the things they'd seen and the people and Pokémon they'd met. And no one's progress was clearer than Ash's.

"Ooh, that was so _thrilling!"_ May beamed.

"Quite a show for Ash's first round match. And close, too." Gary added.

"Sho is a talented Trainer. He probably doesn't deserve to be knocked out in the first round, he just had the bad luck of drawing Ash as his opponent." Brock said.

"I don't know, he doesn't seem very disappointed." Misty interjected, gesturing toward the field. Ash and Sho had met at midfield, both of them all smiles. Pikachu and Raichu stood at their respective Trainers' feet, chattering happily. It was a good sight to see; two foes getting along so well after one of them had been handed a bitter defeat, likely coming just a couple of successful attacks from victory.

* * *

"I had a blast, Sho." Ash said, as sincere as he could be.

"You know what? Me too, dawg. Sure, it sucks to lose, but there's not many people I'd rather get beat by. I'm bettin' ol' Raichu here's feelin' the same." Sho replied.

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu asserted, smiling wide despite its defeat. The larger Mouse Pokémon offered its tail to Pikachu, who responded by turning and moving his tail to meet Raichu's. Harmonious electricity crackled off of the connected tails—a symbol of goodwill between the two electric-types.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_

"So, what'll you do now?" Ash asked.

Sho shrugged, "Meh, we're gonna take a chill pill and just hang out 'round the island for the rest of the tournament. I'm sure I'll see ya around, that Barry pal of yours has been wanting to train against me and my electric-types."

"Sounds great to me. We'll be kicking back too until the next round." Ash said, "You know, there's a clearing in the woods where the river comes through from out in the mountains. Our group likes to hang out over there, you should come by sometime. It makes for a great training spot."

Sho nodded, "Rad, I think I'll take you up on that. Ay, Raichu, say your goodbyes, aight? We'll catch these cats again later."

Raichu frowned for a second, but accepted that it was time to go. Waving goodbye to Pikachu, Raichu bounded back towards Sho. Ash thought to reach his hand out for a handshake, but then reconsidered and simply stuck out his fist. Sho reciprocated, bumping his knuckles on Ash's in a cool fist bump, and then turned around to head out, followed closely by Raichu.

"Alright, Pikachu, you ready to go, too?" Ash asked.

" _Pi-Pika-chu!"_ Pikachu answered, leaping eagerly onto Ash's shoulder. The translation rushed to Ash's head, _~Yep! I could use some food, I'm a little hungry~_

"Man, already? We just ate, like, two hours ago." Ash mumbled as he walked towards the tunnel.

 _~Seriously?~_ Pikachu asked incredulously, stunned at Ash's apparent lack of self-awareness in that moment. Ash stared at Pikachu as he walked, and the electric mouse saw the smile in his eyes before it appeared on his lips. Ash snickered relentlessly from there, drawing similar laughter out of Pikachu.

"Oh, man. Yeah, I could grab a bite to eat, too. Let's go find everyone else first, okay?" Ash suggested. Pikachu agreed, and then they were off, silently thinking about what the next round might have in store for them.

* * *

Paul was completely silent as he tipped the glass towards his mouth, downing the water calmly. He sat down in a stool at an empty sports bar, having beaten the inevitable crowd that was sure to come as the night wore on. It was pretty miraculous that the bar was completely empty, but Paul hadn't spent much time dwelling on it.

The water was a boring decision, but Paul didn't care. Even if he'd been old enough, he wouldn't have wanted alcohol. He had tasted the fire of alcohol before, and decided he didn't like it. Alcohol dulled the senses, and at this time, he needed to be as sharp as ever. His eyes were fixated on the bar's flat-screen television, a live feed of the battle playing before him. On the screen, Pikachu collided with Raichu in a mighty Volt Tackle, finally putting Raichu down for the count.

Paul had seen the bracket, and he knew well that he and Ash were on opposite sides of it. The Veilstone City native had every intention of facing Ash in battle before this tournament was over, and to do that, they would both have to make the finals. As such, Paul had made sure that he knew the battling schedule and watched each of Ash's matches, intently studying for any vulnerability that he could exploit later on. This battle had been scarily close. If a few things had gone differently, Sho might have been the one walking away with the victory.

Paul recognized that guy, too. He'd never so much as spoken to him, but he had watched Sho's Raichu dominate Ash and Pikachu in their first meeting, a truly pathetic display. Sometimes, Paul cringed at the thought of how uncompromisingly rude he had been to Ash, both in that moment and many, many others. He'd gone out of his way that day to make sure Ash knew he'd been watching, and that he knew Paul thought he was pathetic. Before he'd turned and left, he'd broached the idea of getting Pikachu to evolve, suggesting that it might actually allow the electric-type to be on the same level as Raichu. _More or less,_ he remembered adding.

Turns out, Ash had made the right decision keeping Pikachu as he was. Paul had seen that firsthand, both in Ash's second showdown with Sho and in that fateful quarterfinal battle in the Sinnoh League two years ago. The diminutive mouse was all kinds of powerful and had a determination unlike anything Paul had ever seen. It was why calling on Pikachu as his final Pokémon had been the right move by Ash. Paul admitted that he would've picked a ground-type, based on Sho's background and the fact that a ground-type would render two of Raichu's moves useless. But by picking Pikachu, Ash had put his trust in his oldest friend to win the battle, choosing instead not to rely on types. It was a classic victory, going toe-to-toe with similar Pokémon and seeing which one came out on top.

Surprisingly, Paul envied that about Ash. Paul went into every battle seeking to grab the advantage immediately. It was just his style, whether that advantage was won through type matchups or just sheer aggression and strength. Ash was different. He let the battle carry him in its current, able to snatch away the advantage in a moment's notice even when nothing appeared to be going his way. He was crafty in a way that Paul could never be. It was why battling against Ash had become so thrilling. Initially, he'd seen battling Ash as a mere chore, like he was babysitting an infant. But that Full Battle in their last Sinnoh League, as well as the surprise battle between them in Veilstone City, had ignited a drug-like flame in Paul. He hungered for the violent clash of their drastically different styles and the star power that they both carried around their belts in a couple of little capsule balls. It was… a little embarrassing, actually.

The last of the water slipped from the cup into Paul's throat, and he allowed himself a simple sigh as he placed the cup back down on the bar. The bartender flicked his head from the computer screen he was messing with to his only patron. Outside, the sounds of people leaked through the walls and windows offering a glance into the establishment. Some of those sounds would likely be coming inside now that the day's festivities were over. Paul fished a few dollars and coins from the pocket of his bag, placing them loudly on the bar as a tip for the bartender.

"That's all for me." Paul said before standing up from the stool and heading for the door. He never bothered to look back, simply throwing open the swinging door and lumbering out into the warm June night.

* * *

 **That's all for now. In the following chapters I'm hoping I can write up some perspectives from other characters in the League, like Barry and Paul and Nolan. I had this snippet of Paul at the end, so I guess it's a start, but we'll see. I'll try to get that out as soon as I can, but I've got a vacation coming up, and I'm pretty busy as it is. Either way, I'll see you guys again soon.**

 **If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider posting a review and telling me your thoughts. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks, everyone!**


	75. Love and War

**Full disclosure: I really don't like this chapter all that much. But you guys have waited long enough, and I'm tired of looking at it, so up it goes. I think the main battle is pretty boring, but as promised there are two cuts to battles of other characters: Barry and Nolan. There's also a Pearlshipping scene, take that as you will.**

 **Now for some bad news: I'm taking a break from updating. The next few chapters are important to me, and I want to write ahead to make sure they're the best they can be since there's a lot going on. I'm not sure how long this break is going to be, but I promise it won't be egregiously long, and hopefully when I return, we can have weekly updates or something to make up for the long break. Expect a few months' time. I'll respond to PMs if I get them, so feel free to send me one.**

 **guest: fair criticism, I didn't really think about that. I'll be sure to avoid doing that in the future.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 75_

 _Love and War_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

The receptionist claimed Ash's Trainer Card through the slot at the bottom of the window, promptly scanning the card and tapping rapidly on the keyboard. Ash waited patiently, leaning slightly on the desk in front of him. He noticed that the glow of the electronic screen facing the receptionist reflected gently off of her eyes.

She seemed tired. By contrast, Ash was very well-rested. He wondered just how long the girl had to work when the League came around. If her present condition was anything to go off of, the answer was likely a lot.

"Okay. You're all checked in. Your match will be in Arena 2 at 12 o'clock sharp. If you fail to appear for your match at the proper time, your place will be forfeit and you will be eliminated by default, so please try to arrive of ahead of schedule."

"Thank you, ma'am." Ash answered, "Could I ask who I'm facing?"

The receptionist glanced back down at her screen, pursing her lips as she scanned for the answer. She quickly turned back to Ash, "You'll be battling a young lady named Yvonne."

"Cool. Thanks!" Ash said with a smile before turning around and leaving the reception desk. His friends were huddled in a circle near the stadium's exit. A moderately-large sign dangled from the ceiling, painted red and decorated with white font spelling out _Arena One_. Misty spotted him first and gestured to the others, earning Ash the attention of everyone else.

"Hey, Ash! What's the word?" Dawn asked.

"Tomorrow at noon." Ash replied, "Arena two."

"Oh, cool! You're right before me!" Corey said giddily. His battle had been slotted in two matches later in the same small stadium.

"Yep, so until then, we can kick back, watch some battles, and—"

" _Out of the way, people! Trainer coming through!"_

The back of the group parted and a shape darted through the hole, ultimately running straight into Ash at full-force.

"Woah!" Ash yelped, managing to catch himself and break his fall. Whoever had run into him wasn't so lucky, having fallen to the ground very publicly and hitting his head. The Trainer's blonde hair was long, thick, and curly, leaving no doubt as to just who had come barreling into the arena.

"Man! You didn't move fast enough!" Barry complained, rubbing his head as he turned in Ash's direction, "I swear, after I win this next battle I'm gonna track you down and fine y—hey, Ash!"

"Barry! Why am I not surprised?"

"Eh-heh-heh, sorry about that…" Barry mumbled. He flinched, remembering why he'd come sprinting into the stadium, "Shoot, I've gotta go! I'm running late! Talk to you guys later!" Barry bolted off again without another word, zigzagging through the throngs of people on his way to the locker rooms.

"Hey, what if we go watch Barry's battle?" Ash suggested.

"I think that's a great idea," Brock seconded, "Barry has seemed intent on battling you at some point, so it would be wise to scout him. I don't doubt that other Trainers here are doing the same with you."

"You mean like Paul?" Ash asked. Brock simply nodded in response. "You know, you're right. Plus, it's fun to watch Barry in battle. Let's go check it out!"

* * *

Barry was battling on the Water Field. His opponent, a lively Youngster named Chris, bounded into the air and pumped his fist as his Quagsire took down Barry's Hitmonlee with a Mud Bomb, cutting Barry's lead from 2-0 to 2-1.

"Hitmonlee, return!" Barry called, pocketing the fainted fighting-type's Poké Ball. The energetic Trainer smiled, deciding on his next choice immediately. It was time to use the terrain to his advantage and call upon his primary Pokémon. _"Empoleon, you're up!"_

The Emperor Pokémon emerged from the opened Poké Ball and crashed underneath the surface of the water, its wings tucked tightly against its sides. A few seconds after submerging, Empoleon resurfaced and launched onto the nearest platform, parting its beak and releasing a battle-hardened screech. Sunlight reflected off of the golden mask on its face, projecting the slightest gleam in the confident water-type's eyes as Empoleon locked its gaze on Quagsire.

"Empoleon, use Drill Peck!"

Empoleon warbled and leaped, forcibly turning its body at a surprisingly high speed and diving straight down for Quagsire. Chris called for Quagsire to dodge, and the podgy Mud Fish Pokémon lunged out of the way to a nearby platform. Empoleon reacted impressively, adjusting its angle to land in the water before disappearing under the crystal-blue surface.

"Okay, Empoleon, come back up and use Steel Wing!" Barry called.

"Quagsire, use Safeguard." Chris countered just before the water around Quagsire erupted, sending Empoleon launching out. The Emperor Pokémon landed on Quagsire's platform and attacked, but Quagsire's Safeguard appeared and rejected the attack.

"Use Slam!" Chris barked. Quagsire charged immediately, ramming Empoleon in the gut and sending the water/steel-type tumbling back into the water below. Empoleon resurfaced and wisely swam away, climbing up onto another platform across the field where it wouldn't be disturbed. Once the Emperor Pokémon was ready, Barry called for an attack.

"Empoleon, use Brine!"

Empoleon stirred and raised its heavy flippers into the air, conjuring a dark gray cloud above Quagsire. Rainwater spilled from the cloud, dropping with explosive force onto the Mud Fish Pokémon. Quagsire squirmed at first, but its body began to glow blue and the raindrops from Brine instead began to seep into its blubbery body, dealing no damage. Quagsire growled, feeling refreshed as the Brine attack subsided.

"Yes! Water Absorb worked!" Chris beamed.

"What!? Water Absorb!?" Barry repeated, stunned.

"Quagsire, use Mud Bomb!"

"Empoleon, dodge that!" Barry answered quickly. Empoleon dove into the water as Quagsire sent a murky boulder of filth flying, painting the empty platform a gross brownish color. "Use Steel Wing when you get close!" Barry yelled. Hearing its Trainer's command from underwater, Empoleon launched out beside Quagsire, delivering a precise Steel Wing attack that sent Quagsire flying into the surf below.

"Quagsire, use Muddy Water!"

Quagsire popped its head above the water's surface, creating churning waves with its arms and infusing them with mud before launching the surf at Empoleon. The tidal wave struck Empoleon and shoved the Emperor Pokémon from the platform into the water as well, staging an aquatic standoff between the two water-types.

"Drill Peck!" Barry commanded, urging Empoleon to charge through the water with the flying-type move. The water around Empoleon's spinning form reacted violently, forming thrashing wakes in the Emperor Pokémon's path as Quagsire was speared by the Drill Peck attack.

"Use Muddy Water!"

"Empoleon, dive down and use Steel Wing!"

Quagsire dispatched a quick tidal wave, but Empoleon simply submerged and avoided the attack, resurfacing a mere second later with a brutal upward slash that launched both Pokémon out of the water.

"Mud Bomb!" Chris ordered. Quagsire spun in midair, recovering from its fall as it spat three Mud Bombs at Empoleon. The Emperor Pokémon fell victim to the projectiles, losing its control and landing haphazardly in the water before swimming to a platform. Quagsire landed cleanly on another platform across the battlefield, chattering eagerly.

"Empoleon, let's put an end to this! Use Hyper Beam!"

Empoleon steadied itself and discharged a power-packed beam of energy, threatening catastrophic damage on its foe.

"Quagsire, Safeguard!"

Quagsire surrounded its flabby body in a clear barrier, the only evidence that it ever existed being the light that refracted through it. The Hyper Beam made contact, nearly throwing Quagsire off of its platform before the Mud Fish Pokémon managed to hold its grip. The Hyper Beam bent around the Safeguard veil, pushing futilely against the barrier before finally collapsing in an explosion of intense energy.

"Empoleon won't be able to move! Quagsire, use Mud Bomb and don't let up!"

Quagsire leaped diagonally to another platform, planting its feet and blasting a murky sphere at its foe before leaping to a different platform and repeating the attack. The Mud Bombs splattered against Empoleon's heavy body, piling damage onto the Emperor Pokémon as it desperately tried to recharge.

"Quagsire, use Slam!" Quagsire bounded from platform to platform, determinedly rushing Empoleon. The Mud Fish Pokémon rammed into its enemy, shoving Empoleon back to the edge of its platform.

"Empoleon, use Drill Peck!" Barry howled. Empoleon threw a glare at Quagsire, leaning forward to regain its balance and then spinning as it jumped for Quagsire, hitting with much better ferocity and throwing Quagsire off the platform and into the water.

"Chase after 'em, Empoleon! Use Steel Wing!"

Empoleon dove into the water, searching for the hidden Quagsire. The water quickly calmed and an eerie silence held over the stadium, every spectator waiting on the edge of their seat for the action to resume.

After what felt like hours later, the pool erupted in a spray of water, revealing

Empoleon and Quagsire as the Emperor Pokémon delivered a brutal upward strike of its Steel Wing attack. Quagsire took the full brunt of the hit, going limp as it was launched in an arc across the field. The Mud Fish Pokémon flew up, fell down, and finally crashed into a floating platform with a profound _thud_ , groaning weakly as it slipped into unconsciousness.

"Quagsire is unable to battle, the winner is Empoleon! The battle goes to Barry from Twinleaf Town!"

"Yes! You did it, Empoleon!" Barry shouted, pumping his fist in the air. Empoleon placed its flippers on its wide hips, grunting proudly.

" _Em-pol! Em-pol-eon!"_

* * *

The gang had met up with Barry after the battle, congratulating him on his victory. With Barry tagging along, they all headed to lunch, settling on an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. The setup was simple, customers got in line and grabbed a tray, filling the space with as many plates as they wanted. A massive array of different foods populated the buffet, with servers helping each customer that passed by get the food they wanted.

Ash was the first one out of the line, his tray packed to the absolute max with various foods. There were multiple fruits and vegetables on the plates, as well as a bowl of stew, a few different kinds of breads, and even a slice of chocolate cake to top it all off. As his friends steadily followed one-by-one from the line, Ash headed outside and picked a long, empty wooden table for their group. The weather was perfect; the blue sky was littered with pristine white clouds and a refreshing breeze blew through town, battling back the heat of the day.

Ash's friends populated the table. The Pride of Pallet sat at the very end of the table so that he could survey all of his beloved friends. Dawn was immediately to his left, followed by May, Misty, Corey, and Layla. To his right were Brock, Gary, Barry, and Max. Some space still remained further down, and it was being saved for the imminent arrival of Delia, Professor Oak, and Riley. The three adults had gone off to do their own things as the teens and kids watched battles: Delia to shop, Oak to work, and Riley to explore.

Ash picked a small dumpling from his stew, offering it to Pikachu on his shoulder, "Hey, Pikachu, want a bite?"

Pikachu sniffed the dumpling and carefully slid the morsel off of Ash's fork before nibbling it. Deciding he liked its taste, Pikachu released a grateful _"Cha!"_ and downed the snack. Ash laughed happily at the sight.

"Hey, you're Ash Ketchum!" an unfamiliar voice cooed from across the patio. Ash followed the sound, spotting a girl padding over to him. She wore a loose-fitting top that showed off the slightest hints of her chest. Jeans and boots covered her legs, and a brown cowgirl hat sat atop her head, allowing blonde pigtails to fall down to her shoulders. As she reached Ash, her brown eyes twinkled with the slightest hint of mischief.

"Oh, yeah, last time I checked, that was me." Ash said, smiling genuinely, "Do I know you?"

"I'm Yvonne…" the girl said. Her dainty hands snaked up to his shoulder and she took another step towards him, dancing the tips of her fingers up his muscular arm, "but you can call me the girl of your dreams."

Ash's mouth ran dry, "Um…what?" He was completely oblivious to Dawn right beside him, whose face was started to become afflicted with a violent red color.

Yvonne giggled like a schoolgirl, "We're battling tomorrow."

"Oh, right!" Ash realized, starting to relax as the memory came back to him, "Yvonne! I knew I had heard that name somewhere."

"I've heard plenty about you, too." Yvonne replied, "You know, you're even more handsome in person…"

That was enough to make Dawn react. The Coordinator started to inch upward from her seat as Ash once again paled in confusion, still oblivious to the fury that was about to explode from his girlfriend's system.

"Dawn…" May warned, reaching out to grab her friend's arm before she did something irrational.

"Excuse me." Dawn said sharply, glaring daggers at Yvonne. The cowgirl paid her no heed, apparently not even hearing her.

"And look at your little Pikachu!" Yvonne cooed, "He's adorable!"

" _Piii-ka-chu…"_ the mouse purred with embarrassment.

"How precious. Well, I'm out of here, I just wanted to come say hi." Yvonne said, "I'll see you tomorrow, _cutie."_

And then Yvonne skipped off, not a care in the world. Ash watched her go, puzzled, and then turned back to his plate before pausing. "That was…weird."

Dawn stabbed her fork through her salad, silently fuming as Ash obliviously continued to eat.

* * *

The din of the roaring crowd was becoming achingly familiar by now as the gang passed through one of Arena 2's several gates, yet another battle on the agenda for Ash and Corey both. Groups of spectators flocked through the walkways, absorbed in themselves as they went. A big digital clock read _11:30_ in large red numbers, denoting that Ash had a half-hour to get down to the locker rooms and be in the proper place for his battle. Corey would be tagging along with him; his battle slated to begin mere moments after Ash's concluded.

The group said their farewells as they prepared to split, Ash and Corey to the designated Trainers Only areas and everyone else to their seats in the lower bowl. But it was Dawn who held Ash's attention as they started to split, spurring him to reach out for her.

"Hey, wait." Ash insisted. "Go ahead, Corey, I'll catch up." he added, sending the youth on his own towards their destination. Pikachu guessed what was about to go down and hopped off of Ash's shoulder, speeding after Corey. As much as he loved Ash and Dawn, the electric mouse was not going to be in the middle of whatever they were going to talk about, especially if things got mushy. Dawn took the hint and similarly shooed her friends away, securing a private moment with Ash. Well, as private as things could get in a crowded stadium.

"Is everything okay?" Ash blurted, "You seem irritated…you've been sorta distant since yesterday."

Dawn exhaled, looking at her feet. So, he had noticed. Well, at least she couldn't harbor some anger towards him about his obliviousness anymore. A creeping embarrassment started to take hold of her, and she squeaked out an answer, "Would you believe me if I told you it had to do with that girl, Yvonne?"

Ash snorted, failing to get it, "What about her?"

His response annoyed her a little bit, "You're kidding, right? How handsy she was with you! May had to hold me back from killing her right there, she was flirting so much!"

Ash wore a flustered look on his face, but he soon shifted to a shit-eating grin, "Dawn… are you jealous?"

Dawn scowled, though her stammer ruined the effect, "N-No! Of course not!"

"Dawn." Ash said simply, not believing her in the slightest.

Dawn looked at her feet, embarrassed, "…Okay… a little bit, yeah."

"Hey. There's no need to worry." Ash said, clasping her hands in his, "I only have eyes for you."

Dawn went weak in the knees. Why did he have this kind of effect on her?

"Y-yeah…yeah." Dawn said, "I just… I hate that I let her get to me like that. It makes me feel so childish. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize to me for anything," Ash insisted, "Just… try to communicate with me a little better if something's bothering you, okay? You know how dense I can be." He pulled her into a hug, and Dawn started to laugh, finally feeling some positivity.

"Well, at least you acknowledge it."

Ash let a chuckle slip out and pulled back from the hug, rejoining his hands with Dawn's. "Don't you worry about a thing. You're the only one I want."

"In that case, do me a favor?" Dawn requested, "Go kick Yvonne's tail for me."

Ash chuckled again and smiled warmly, "For you, my dear… anything. Are we good?"

Dawn slinked into his arms again and kissed him on the cheek before answering, "Yeah. No need to worry, Ash." and then she bolted off after the others. Ash watched her go and then turned on his heels, jogging after Corey and Pikachu with a spring in his step.

* * *

" _Tauros, I choose you!"_

" _Miltank, come on out!"_

It was an unusual moment, seeing two normal-types called out against each other. Yvonne's Miltank landed with a thud and slumped down on its rear end with a hearty _moo._ Tauros, on the other hand, raced out of its Poké Ball, braying toughly as it focused on Miltank and scraping its hoof across the tough earth below. The Rock Field surrounded the two normal-types, offering its advantages (or disadvantages) to both Trainers.

"Tauros, use Flamethrower." Tauros brayed in answer and spewed red-hot flames from its throat.

"Miltank, use Rollout, hee-hee!" Yvonne countered. Miltank tucked in its head and rolled forward at high speed, meeting the scorching Flamethrower head-on. Miltank's momentum pushed the fires in every other direction, rendering the Milk Cow Pokémon unharmed as it charged on to Tauros.

"Dodge." Ash ordered, and Tauros bounded out of the way. Miltank circled back around, allowing Tauros its small victory before unrolling itself and mooing coolly. "Use Take Down."

Tauros sprinted, ducking its horned head and ramming Miltank into the ground.

"Miltank, use Attract!"

Miltank locked eyes with Tauros and its eyes began to glow, producing an identical glow in Tauros' furious eyes. The Wild Bull Pokémon relaxed and a few hearts formed in its eyelids, and just like that, Tauros was helplessly in love with Yvonne's Miltank.

"Now, use Double-Edge!"

Violent energy crackled to life around Miltank's body and the Milk Cow Pokémon lurched up, crushing Tauros at point-blank range and dispatching the Wild Bull Pokémon across the field. Miltank returned to its feet, suffering a small amount of recoil damage as Tauros hit the ground and skidded through the dirt, carefully standing back up.

"Tauros, use Flamethrower."

Tauros prepared the fiery blast and then looked at Miltank, causing an overwhelming feeling to take hold. The Wild Bull Pokémon flatly refused to attack, staring at Miltank with sheer infatuation.

"Tauros!" Ash yelled, hoping to snap the normal-type out of its daze.

"Aw, how sweet! He's in love with my Miltank… can't say that I blame him, though. Miltank's just that beautiful!" Yvonne jeered, "Miltank, dear, let's use Rollout! Hee-hee!"

Miltank curled itself up and charged, knocking over the immobilized Tauros with ridiculous ease before turning back around to strike a second time. Tauros mooed painfully, but when it stood back up, it was simply incapable of attacking, immobilized by its sudden adoration for its foe.

"Tauros, you have to snap out of it!" Ash cried. He wondered how much Yvonne had used this tactic, and if it had won any battles for her so far. The scouting he was able to do with his League Pass could only go so far.

"I'm afraid he can't!" Yvonne cooed, a smug smile on her face, "Miltank, use Stomp!"

Tauros' heart swelled as Miltank approached it, the Milk Cow Pokémon going to great lengths to keep Tauros ensnared in its spell as it swayed closer. Suddenly, Miltank swept Tauros' legs out from under it, raising one of its hooves once Tauros was down and burying it painfully in the Wild Bull Pokémon's muscular body, prompting a pitiful braying from it. Ash bit his lip; they wouldn't be able to go on like this for much longer. Miltank was absolutely having its way.

Miltank sauntered away and Tauros staggered to its feet, heaving wearily. Yvonne smirked, "Say, maybe after this is over, you can take me to dinner!" she flirted, "No hard feelings, right?"

Tauros blinked especially hard, Miltank's influence suddenly vanishing. The Wild Bull Pokémon cringed from the pain that suddenly appeared all around its body, recognizing that it had allowed itself to take multiple hits while it was entranced. Tauros looked back at Ash, braying calmly.

Ash beamed. Tauros was back! Looking back up at Yvonne, he fired back, "Sorry, but I have the sneaking suspicion that my girlfriend wouldn't approve. Tauros, use Earthquake!"

Tauros mooed loudly and stamped its hooves into the ground, sending violent shock waves through the ground. Miltank stumbled as the earth below her hooves bucked and thrashed, eventually falling and having her back ravaged by the roiling ground.

"What!? How did Tauros break out of that Attract so soon!?" Yvonne yelped in disbelief.

Ash ignored her. They had to play catch-up. "Tauros, use Zen Headbutt."

Tauros charged, the dome of its thick head glowing. Yvonne tried to counter, "Miltank, use Attract!"

"Tauros, don't look at Miltank!" Ash barked. Tauros obeyed, pointing its eyes straight at the ground as it ran. Miltank's Attract attempt failed and Tauros struck home, burying its skull into Miltank's torso and sending the Milk Cow Pokémon flying.

"Miltank, use Rollout!"

"Tauros, Flamethrower!"

Miltank's charge again deflected Tauros' powerful Flamethrower and Miltank kept coming.

"Jump!" Ash ordered, spurring Tauros to leap over Miltank and dodge its Rollout. Miltank whirled around and unrolled itself, sneering. "Flamethrower, one more time!"

This time, Tauros' fiery attack connected, circling Miltank in a cone of scorching flames that ate away its strength. The fire spiraled into the air and away from Miltank, but the Milk Cow Pokémon slumped over and submitted to defeat.

"Miltank is unable to battle! The winner is Tauros!"

* * *

"Yes! One down!" Dawn whooped.

"Tauros was really in a bind there. There's something to be said about escaping an Attract attack so easily." Brock observed.

"And once Tauros was out, it was a piece of cake!" Max added.

* * *

Yvonne quietly returned Miltank, "Get some rest, girl. You did your best…" she muttered before switching to her next Pokémon, "Okay, Croagunk, you're up!"

Croagunk spawned from the Poké Ball, standing as tall as its short body would allow it. Croagunk visibly shuddered, but flashed a big, almost haunting grin.

"Okay… nothing we can't handle." Ash said confidently, "Tauros, use Zen Headbutt." Tauros sneered loudly and sprinted straight at Croagunk, coating its head in a wave of multicolored energies.

"Dodge, Croagunk." Yvonne ordered. Croagunk sniggered and zipped to the side with exceptional speed. Tauros reacted with similar speed, skidding into a turn in order to continue chasing Croagunk down. Croagunk stood still as Tauros lurched forward to attack, sidestepping the headbutt. _"Poison Jab,"_ Yvonne commanded, prompting Croagunk to dive straight for Tauros' neck. The poison-type's tight fingers jabbed into the side of the Wild Bull's neck, instantly injecting poison.

Tauros thrashed, managing to glance Croagunk's side with its head as it backed away, but Croagunk easily recovered and sniggered at its foe, taking a fighting stance. Tauros blew hot air from its nostrils and readied itself, awaiting Ash's next command.

Until a toxic shock erupted from Tauros' wound, forcing Tauros to slump downward as poison laced through its veins.

"Tauros!" Ash called with worry.

"Perfect." Yvonne said with a grin, "Brick Break!"

Croagunk sucked in a deep breath, the toxin-filled sacs on either side of its mouth inflating ominously as white energy coated its hand. Croagunk lunged, hoping to bury its attack into the back of Tauros' neck and make things quick.

"Tauros, return!" Ash called, summoning Tauros back to its Poké Ball. Croagunk landed and slammed its hand into the empty ground, actually hitting with enough force to crack the rocks before throwing an irritated glance at Ash, unhappy that its victory had been stolen from it. Ash tucked away the Poké Ball, quickly replacing it with another.

"Swellow, I choose you!"

The capsule burst open in midair and Swellow launched out, crowing as it climbed further and further up into the sky. The slim bird swooped back around, stretching eagerly in midair before glancing down at the field. Croagunk croaked repeatedly, inflating the sacs by its mouth as it stared down Swellow with an unnerving glare. Swellow screeched in reply, descending and landing a safe distance from the small poison-type before puffing its cherry-colored chest.

"Croagunk, sweetie, use Sludge Bomb!" Yvonne sang. Croagunk parted its mouth and globs of grime erupted from its insides, spraying at erratic angles in an attempt to limit Swellow's ability to dodge. On command, Swellow moved to evade, managing to escape all but a few of the Sludge Bomb blasts. The Swallow Pokémon scowled as the sludge muddied its fine navy-blue plumage.

"Swellow, use Aerial Ace."

Swellow dove back down to the ground, pulling up before it could hit the earth and speeding low across it like a missile. Glowing white streaks of energy formed a protective cone around its body, filling with power and starting to sing in the wind as the bird Pokémon zoomed toward its target.

"Croagunk, grab onto Swellow!"

Croagunk steeled itself and readied its hands. With perfect timing, Croagunk surged above Swellow's body, latching onto a handful of its feathers and tightening its grip as the Swallow Pokémon swiftly ascended. Swellow realized the problem quickly and immediately started trying to buck Croagunk off, but the Toxic Mouth Pokémon was stubborn as a Tauros, refusing to let go.

"Croagunk, Poison Jab!"

" _Crooooa-gunk!"_ the poison-type yowled, knocking back one of its arms and punching intermittently into Swellow's back. Swellow screeched painfully as toxins seeped into its body.

An idea came to Ash and he shouted into the sky for all to hear, "Swellow, use Aerial Ace on the ground and spin as fast as you can!"

Swellow cringed as the words spilled into its ears, woozy from Croagunk's poison. Obeying, Swellow pointed its body down to Earth, speeding down as fast as it could and whirling repeatedly. Croagunk's grip clearly weakened, and streaks of energy from Aerial Ace began to pester its lithe body. Finally, Croagunk let go of its own accord, but the speed of the descent threw off any chance of the poison-type making a safe landing. Croagunk spiraled and slammed into the ground, skidding across the unforgiving earth as Swellow aborted its attack, finally free of its assailant.

"Swellow, get in close and use Double Team." Ash ordered. Swellow swooped closer to Croagunk, copying itself over and over until the Toxic Mouth Pokémon was completely surrounded. Swellow hid alongside its many decoys, each of them crowing relentlessly at Croagunk. The poison-type shivered, bothered by the relentless screeching noise.

"Okay, use Wing Attack!" Ash barked once he was satisfied. The dozens of Swellow rushed in, each one preparing to attack Croagunk. Yvonne called for a Sludge Bomb attack, causing the poison-type to destroy multiple copies with no luck. Some of the decoys reached Croagunk and attacked, but their false wings simply passed through the Toxic Mouth Pokémon and did no harm. A rush of relief ran through Croagunk until the real Swellow apparently made contact, slashing across the poison-type's back.

The Double Team decoys vanished after that and Swellow swooped out of Croagunk's range, satisfied with its success.

Yvonne's face twisted angrily and she snapped an order, "Brick Break!"

Croagunk sprinted after Swellow and leaped, bringing back a punishing arm. Ash alerted Swellow, who whirled around to face its attacker as Ash ordered a Wing Attack counter. Croagunk arrived as Swellow shielded itself with two glowing wings, taking the Brick Break attack and rejecting it before delivering two brutally precise counterstrikes and sending Croagunk plummeting back to the ground.

Croagunk's damages were as clear as day as it scrabbled back to its feet. Only two hits, and Swellow had already pushed it close to the brink. There was no doubt, the Swallow Pokémon was very well-trained. Yvonne tensed up, scrambling her brain for something she could do.

"Swellow, use Sky Attack!" Ash called out. Swellow climbed through the air, its nimble body becoming surrounded by a burning glow as it peaked and started to descend.

"Croagunk, use Sludge Bomb!"

Croagunk spewed bullets of grime up at the approaching Swellow, peppering the flying-type with the blasts before nimbly leaping out of the way. Swellow pulled up, speeding past where Croagunk had been and curving back around to chase the poison-type.

Yvonne demanded another Sludge Bomb. In response, Ash called out to Swellow for Double Team.

Swellow instantly copied itself countless times over as another blast of filth came flying at it. A few copies fell victim to the toxic attack and winked out of existence, but Swellow was elsewhere as the remaining copies all dove in with an identical Sky Attack. The real Swellow blindsided Croagunk from the left, throwing the poison-type sideways and into a waiting rock formation.

" _Gunk!"_ the poison-type croaked weakly, slumping from its place on the rock formation and sliding down. Croagunk staggered, trying desperately to climb to its feet and continue fighting.

"Swellow, let's put an end to this. Aerial Ace." Ash ordered calmly. Swellow rushed forward instantly, closing in on Croagunk with blinding speed.

"Croagunk, dodge that!" Yvonne cried. Croagunk made to jump over Swellow, but the flying-type was too quick and too aware, adjusting its angle at the mere instant that it saw Croagunk's muscles move. The poison-type started to surge upward, and Swellow rose to meet it, slamming beak-first into Croagunk. The Toxic Mouth Pokémon once again slammed back into the rock formation behind it, any remaining strength leaving it at that instant before it slid limply down to the ground.

" _Croagunk is unable to battle. The winner is Swellow!"_

" _Low! Swell-low!"_

"Oh, Croagunk. Return!" Yvonne said sadly. The fainted poison-type collapsed into ruby-colored energy, beaming back to its Poké Ball without so much as a twitch. Yvonne glanced down at the capsule, "Thanks for your help, Croagunk. We tried our best…"

Yvonne tucked Croagunk's Poké Ball away and threw a scowl at Ash, not at all pleased with how this battle was going. She flicked her head, whipping one of her blonde pigtails in the breeze, "Humph! Alright then, it's time to fight fire with fire." Yvonne brandished her third and final Poké Ball, rearing up and hurling the red-and-white sphere, _"Kadabra, give it to 'em!"_

The psychic-type emerged with the opening of the Poké Ball, landing cleanly on its pronged feet. A single, pristine spoon dangled between the clawed fingers of Kadabra's right hand, a slight, perfect curve in the end of the spoon's shaft. The Psi Pokémon carefully appraised Swellow, hissing coldly and taking a battle stance.

"Kadabra, use Psybeam."

Kadabra shifted its feet and stirred, a beam of mysterious energy erupting from the center of its head. Ash flinched, but quickly ordered Swellow to dodge. The flying-type obeyed and took to the air, evading Kadabra's Psybeam as it exploded against the ground.

"Again."

Kadabra unleashed another bizarre blast, this time aiming ahead of Swellow and successfully hitting the airborne Swallow Pokémon. Swellow trilled painfully and quickly started plummeting to the ground.

"Use Psycho Cut."

"Swellow, look out! Use Aerial Ace!" Ash yelled. Swellow craned its neck weakly, spotting Kadabra as it sent a magenta gash flying at it. Swellow threw out its wings and pulled up, pulling off an acrobatic dodge before speeding straight at Kadabra for a revenge hit.

"Kadabra, Teleport and then use Psycho Cut again."

Kadabra effortlessly winked out of reality, reappearing behind Swellow and delivering a swift downward strike, enhancing the attack with its psychic powers. Swellow wailed as it was taken by surprise, instantly crumpling down to the ground.

"Kadabra, finish it with Psybeam!"

Kadabra readied itself as Ash called to Swellow, "Double Team!"

Swellow's body blurred and clones of itself surrounded Kadabra in a circle, each of them clawing to their feet in perfect unison. Kadabra unleashed its attack, decimating the false Swellow directly in front of it.

"Wing Attack!"

The real Swellow dove in with as much speed as it could muster, dragging its copies with it. Yvonne called for Kadabra to use Psychic, and the Psi Pokémon whirled around with gleaming eyes. Kadabra threw out its clawed left hand, finding which Swellow was the real thing and stopping it in its tracks. The dozens of copies didn't register this development, continuing to dive in and winking out of existence once they made contact with Kadabra.

"Uh-oh." Ash gulped. No sooner than that, Kadabra lashed out, manipulating Swellow's body with cruel precision. Ensnaring the Swallow Pokémon in its telekinetic grasp, Kadabra slammed Swellow into the dirt and then threw the flying-type into a nearby rock formation, knocking the wind out of the bird.

Kadabra hissed as Swellow croaked, groggily getting to its feet. Ash winced. Kadabra's awareness was staggering, considering it was able to pick out Swellow from a group of Double Team copies and execute its attack. The Psi Pokémon also was no slouch when it came to power; almost none of its kind were.

Yvonne, meanwhile, was grinning at this turn of events. Kadabra was her best Pokémon; she'd spent countless painstaking hours honing the psychic-type's attacking capabilities. Her other Pokémon weren't necessarily weak, Ash just had superior Pokémon, probably a result of his experience. She wasn't sure that Kadabra could weather a storm of three Pokémon (after all, Ash still hadn't revealed the third member of his team), but they sure as hell weren't going down without an honest fight.

"Swellow, can you keep going?" Ash called. Swellow crooned uncertainly at first, but after another glance at Kadabra, the flying-type crowed with much more confidence. He wasn't giving up, not a chance! Ash beamed; Swellow was a proud Pokémon.

"Kadabra, let's get ready to finish this!" Yvonne said. Kadabra chanted and raised its arms, dangling the spoon in its right hand.

"Swellow, use Sky Attack!"

Swellow launched forward, its slim body shimmering with raw power.

"Kadabra, use Psycho Cut." Kadabra reared up and slashed with its spoon hand, dispatching a sharp, fuchsia arch. Swellow tensed up and rammed through the attack, protecting itself with Sky Attack's energy and continuing forward. "Try Psychic!" Yvonne responded, and this time it worked. Kadabra snatched Swellow in its telekinetic hold, halting the flying-type's progress and violently throwing Swellow away. Swellow landed awkwardly and slid, the uneven ground adding a little extra damage.

"Kadabra, use Psycho Cut, as wide as you can make it!" Yvonne ordered. Kadabra obeyed, turning its body in a 360 and using the momentum to strengthen its Psycho Cut. The Psi Pokémon unleashed the attack in a great, wide slash. The energy even cut through one of the rock formations that got in the way, severing the top of the peak from the rest before continuing forward.

"Swellow, dodge!" Ash ordered. Swellow panicked and launched up once it had its footing, just barely having its foot clipped by the psychic-type attack. It was enough to throw Swellow off-balance, leaving a perfect opening for Kadabra. Yvonne's call for Psybeam echoed in Ash's ears and the strange attack connected an instant later, earning a pained squawk from its target. Swellow fell from a cloud of smoke, smacking into the dirt with a _crunch_ and going limp.

" _Swellow is unable to battle! The winner is Kadabra!"_

"Swellow, return!" Ash called. The fainted Swallow Pokémon collapsed into red energy and beamed back inside the safety of its Poké Ball. "Thanks for giving it your all, Swellow. Get some rest…" Ash glanced back up at Kadabra. Tauros wasn't in the best condition to fight, likely still suffering from poison, so he deferred to his last fresh Pokémon. Rearing his leg up, Ash sent the Poké Ball flying, calling on his third choice, "Donphan, I choose you!"

Donphan tore its way out of its Poké Ball, landing with a loud _thud_ and raising its armored trunk to trumpet loudly, _"Don-phaaaan!"_

"Kadabra, are you ready?" Yvonne asked.

" _Ka-dab-ra!"_ the Psi Pokémon answered.

"Okay, use Psybeam!"

"Donphan, dodge and use Rock Blast."

Donphan curled up and rolled out of the way of the damaging blast, feeling only the force of the explosion as the Psybeam hit the empty ground. Trumpeting, Donphan formed a jagged rock from thin air and fired it at Kadabra, scoring a direct hit. Kadabra stumbled back from the blow, the wind knocked out of its lungs, and Donphan continued firing small stones at the psychic-type. Kadabra allowed itself to take only two more hits before evading the final two blasts, and its eyes darkened with fury.

"Use Rollout, Donphan!" Ash called, ushering the ground-type forward. Donphan curled its body into a ball and rolled at high speed, tearing up the ground as it moved. Yvonne called for Teleport, and Kadabra easily dodged the attack.

"Kadabra, Psycho Cut!"

"Protect!" Ash countered.

Kadabra lashed out, sending a pink-colored slash at its foe. Donphan trumpeted and formed a perfect Protect barrier around itself, rejecting the attack. Ash called for another Rollout and Donphan rammed into Kadabra, catching the psychic-type off-guard with its speed. Donphan shoved Kadabra continually, fighting against the Psi Pokémon's powerful grip before finally overpowering Kadabra. The psychic-type dove out of the way and released its hold on Donphan, avoiding taking even more damage.

"Bring it back around, Donphan!"

"Psychic!"

Kadabra halted Donphan's second charge, dispatching the ground-type fairly easily. The psychic shove was noticeably weaker this time, however. Ash smiled, confident that he had the upper hand. Most Kadabra were exceptionally strong in the attacking department, but this meant lower defense and vitality. Taking down Swellow had compromised a decent chunk of that strength. If Donphan could just keep wearing Kadabra down, they'd have this in the bag.

"Rock Blast!" Ash ordered, and Kadabra was peppered by three more rock projectiles. A follow-up Rollout sent Kadabra and Yvonne into a panic, resulting in an off-kilter Psybeam that Donphan easily avoided before turning back around to strike Kadabra from the side.

The Psi Pokémon sputtered as it crawled to its feet, wobbling a little before correcting itself. Kadabra wasn't too far off from fainting.

"Kadabra, get them with Psycho Cut, don't hold back!" Yvonne barked. Kadabra hissed and leaped forward, seemingly galloping across the ground as it summoned an unexpected burst of speed and attacked Donphan head-on. Donphan took a pair of psychic slashes and staggered back, briefly stunned.

"Again!" Yvonne howled.

"Donphan, Earthquake!" Ash countered.

Kadabra lurched forward to attack again, its yellow arms bathed in magenta energy before Donphan reared up and stomped on the ground, unleashing brutal shock waves across the ground.

" _Don-phuuuuuun!"_ the ground-type howled, repeatedly stamping its feet and tearing up the ground. Kadabra thrashed, barely managing to keep its footing as it was repeatedly thrown backwards.

"Rollout, go!"

Donphan howled again and charged, its round body spinning violently as it crashed into Kadabra. The Earthquake subsided and Kadabra landed on its back, heaving pitifully, _"Ka…"_

"Kadabra, we can't give up yet!" Yvonne cried, "Use Psychic."

" _Ka-dab-ra!"_ the Psi Pokémon snarled and ensnared Donphan in a telekinetic hold, pushing the ground-type down into the dirt with all of its remaining might. Donphan complained, but remained steadfast. Kadabra weakened, its grip quickly faltering as it expended what little energy it had built up and unwillingly let Donphan go.

With Donphan free, Ash barked an order, "Donphan, Kadabra's all but down! Use Rock Blast, max power!"

" _Doooon…"_ the ground-type stirred, summoning a cluster of four heavy rocks around its body. Kadabra glanced up and staggered back, and Donphan unleashed its attack, _"Phan!"_

The stones flew out one by one, the first striking Kadabra in the region between its hip and stomach. The second stone was just as precise, striking Kadabra's opposite shoulder. Yvonne yelled for Psycho Cut and Kadabra stirred up the counterattack, leaning forward and slashing through the third projectile. Unfortunately, there was another one coming, and Kadabra didn't have the time or energy to muster up a counter. The final rock made direct contact with Kadabra's head, bowling the Psi Pokémon over to the ground.

Kadabra hit with a thud and went limp, and after a few seconds of silence, the referee threw up his hand and blew into a whistle, "Kadabra is unable to battle, the winner is Donphan! That's three wins, which means the victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"

* * *

" _Hippowdon, use Earthquake!"_

The ground roiled and writhed as the massive Heavyweight Pokémon stamped its huge feet. The Pokémon on the receiving end, a Walrein, took a punishing blow to its grounded belly, shaking violently with the earth below it. The shock waves soon subsided, and the worn-out Walrein tried to regain its composure. It had the advantage over a ground-type like Hippowdon, sure, but moves like Earthquake more than leveled the playing field.

Nolan nervously bit his lip and ran a nervous hand through his white locks. He allowed a glance at the jumbotron mounted at the far wall of the stadium, eyeing its huge screen and the details it displayed. The score was gridlocked at 2-2; Nolan had lost his Crobat and Electrode, while his opponent had spent his Vespiquen and Haunter.

"Walrein, use Ice Beam!"

Walrein growled and opened its maw, generating a concentrated frost in between its large tusks. A jagged beam erupted from its throat, chilling the hot air around it easily before striking Hippowdon's leg. The ground-type complained and shuffled away, crystals of ice biting into its skin already.

"Hippowdon, use Thunder Fang," the ground-type's Trainer ordered. Hippowdon glared at Walrein and raced forward, its huge, powerful jaws crackling with yellow electricity.

"Walrein, dodge and use Hail!" Nolan countered. Walrein bounded out of the way, skidding to the side before pointing its head to the sky and shooting a single ball of energy into the air. The energy expanded into hazy clouds and round hailstones started pelting the field. Nolan grinned; the hailstorm would take advantage of Ice Body, Walrein's special ability, and boost its energy for as long as the inclement weather lasted. In addition, Hippowdon would suffer the ill effects of the weather thanks to its ground-typing.

"Now, Walrein, use Ice Beam again!"

Walrein spat another forked beam of frost, delivering an immense chill to Hippowdon's exposed side. The Heavyweight Pokémon wailed and cowered away, shivering from the cold. Hailstones continued to shower the ground-type, adding even more damage. While Hippowdon suffered, Walrein roared powerfully, refreshed by the awful weather.

"Hippowdon, use Dig!"

Hippowdon gleefully responded to the command, tearing its way to the relative safety of the underground. Walrein looked back and forth frantically, incapable of knowing where the Heavyweight Pokémon would strike from. A few moments later, the ground at Walrein's back erupted and Hippowdon charged upward, sending Walrein airborne with a full-body tackle.

"Walrein, use Ice Beam!"

"Dig, again!"

Hippowdon disappeared where it had come up and Walrein's attack struck the empty ground, leaving the Ice Break Pokémon eerily alone until Hippowdon attacked a second time, once again dispatching the ice-type with a powerful strike.

"Now, use Thunder Fang!" Hippowdon obeyed and charged, closing in on Walrein before Nolan could devise a useful counter. As a result, he had to improvise.

"Walrein, use your tusks to protect yourself!"

Walrein lashed out as Hippowdon tried to attack, fighting off the full brunt of Thunder Fang and settling for some of the attack's overall damage. Voltage crawled down Walrein's blubbery body, crackling and popping as it went.

"Use Crunch!" Nolan yelled. Walrein's tusks glowed white and the Ice Break Pokémon lunged, burying its jaws into Hippowdon's neck. The Heavyweight Pokémon roared in pain, swinging its head and body so violently that Walrein had to let go in order to protect itself. Hail clattered on the rocky ground, gifting a boost of energy to the ice-type while damaging Hippowdon further.

"Hippowdon, use Dig!"

Hippowdon disappeared underground again and the situation started to turn desperate. Apparently, the stadium's announcer seemed to understand that as well, and voiced his opinion to the crowd.

" _It's all coming to a head here, folks! Walrein and Hippowdon have landed some devastating blows so far, but which one will fall first?"_

Nolan scanned the field for some kind of counter to Hippowdon's Dig, having no way of knowing where the huge ground-type would strike from. He laid eyes on one of the huge holes that Hippowdon had left behind, and the idea came to him.

"I've got it! We don't have to know where Hippowdon's going to attack from! Walrein, use Surf on the ground!"

Walrein didn't question its Trainer's command, materializing an excessive amount of water and sending every ounce of it straight underneath it. The water ricocheted up, sending Walrein to the peak of the tidal wave as it spread out in all directions. The rushing water spilled across the field, finding the holes that Hippowdon had left behind and quickly filling them in with water.

As expected, the ground exploded in a random place and Hippowdon thrashed its way above ground, water dripping from its hide. The Heavyweight Pokémon gave a furious roar, the tunnels it had created underground now useless.

"Hippowdon, use Earthquake!"

Hippowdon stamped its feet relentlessly into the ground, sending shock wave after shock wave rippling through the Rock Field. Walrein complained as it was bounced around like a ball from the shaking. Up above, the hailstorm subsided.

"Walrein, use Surf!" Nolan barked. This time, Walrein allowed the tidal wave to carry it across the field, burying Hippowdon in a thousand pounds of rushing water. "Crunch!" Nolan added, and Walrein leaped from its place atop the collapsing wave to bear down on Hippowdon from above, sinking its teeth into the ground-type once again.

Hippowdon's whole body shook as it roared, weak from the bombardment of ice, water, and teeth. It stumbled as Walrein let go, throwing an angry look back at the Ice Break Pokémon and infusing its jaws with lightning for a Thunder Fang. Hippowdon scrambled forward for a few steps and then its feet slipped out from under it, sending the ground-type stumbling into the ground with a heavy crash. Hippowdon stilled, earning the watchful gaze of the referee for a few long seconds before the outcome was decided.

" _Hippowdon is unable to battle, the winner is Walrein! That's three wins, which means the victory goes to Nolan from Goldenrod City!"_

* * *

Raichu buried its head into Empoleon's metallic belly, transferring every ounce of the crackling voltage it had mustered up in the Volt Tackle. Empoleon thrashed and twisted, resisting the attack and throwing Raichu away from it.

" _Em-pol!"_ Empoleon shouted, the electricity around its body quickly falling away. The Emperor Pokémon had taken the attack extremely well, rebuffing most of the voltage.

"Rad! Empoleon tanked that Volt Tackle, yo!" Sho praised, "Raichu, dude, I think our friends here are improving against your head-on attacks. Whaddya say we try something from a distance?"

" _Rai, rai!"_ Raichu chattered in answer, grinning and swishing its tail.

"Right on, use Thunder!"

" _Raiiii-chu!"_ the Mouse Pokémon howled, sending a wicked bolt of lightning straight for Empoleon. This time, Empoleon staggered away from the blast as it made contact with explosive force, sending tons of unwelcome voltage running through Empoleon's body. The water-type dropped to one knee, recovering from Raichu's exceptionally-strong Thunder before standing back up.

"Empoleon, are you alright?" Barry yelled.

" _Em-pol… Em-pol-eon…"_

"It looks like we'll need to work on our special defense…" Barry mused, "Not many electric-types are going to use physical attacks like Volt Tackle, so we need to be ready."

"Don't sweat it, dawg, Empoleon's makin' great progress." Sho insisted, "There aren't many Pokémon that can tank our Volt Tackle, apart from our mutual friend's Pikachu over here."

Sho gestured to Ash, who stood a few feet away watching the training session. Ash grinned at the mention and laughed while Pikachu rubbed his head. Nearby, the river vibrated with a resounding hum as it traced its age-old path through the clearing, disappearing into the forest to feed into the ocean several miles away.

"'Ay, Barry, what's say we take a break before we get to speed training?" Sho suggested.

"You got it, Sho. Empoleon, return!" Barry answered, sapping Empoleon back to its Poké Ball and tucking the capsule away before following Sho and Ash towards the tent. The gang was all present underneath it, eagerly awaiting the latest of Brock's fantastic cooking. At the large table, their friends were huddled together, eyes fixed on Dawn's PokéPad. The portable screen flashed with light as it displayed a live feed of the tournament broadcast.

"Say, what's cooking?" Sho asked, eyeing Brock and Delia as they worked together on the food.

"You guys are just in time, it's almost ready." Brock answered, "We've got a big pot of vegetable stew and some rolls I bought from the bakery. It'll all be ready any minute now."

Sho nodded and silence fell over the group, allowing the PokéPad's speakers to fill the void with its noise.

" _And now, it's time to take a look at the updated tournament bracket. Sixteen Trainers remain, and the stakes are only getting higher with each round. Now, let's get a look at our Round of 16 matchups!"_

The announcement drew everyone in, creating a close cluster as everyone (save Riley, Professor Oak, Delia, and Brock) present strained to see the screen on the table. The screen displayed a new graphic of the bracket, where sixteen empty slots stacked up, connected by lines denoting the battles to come.

" _And now, for the first battle of the Round of 16, we have…"_ the commentator started, trailing off as the first two boxes on the graphic's left side lit up, blurring as it shuffled through Trainers before coming up with a matchup between two strangers. _"That gives us Tyler from Oreburgh City against Nadine from Sandgem Town."_

The next two boxes lit up in the same manner as the first two, filling in with two portraits. _"The second battle will be between Paul from Veilstone City and Isabella from Olivine City."_

"Check it out, there's Paul." Ash said, his arm draped steadfastly around Dawn.

The remaining boxes on the bracket's left side soon filled in, leaving only eight slots for Ash, Corey (who had won his battle earlier in the day), Barry, and Nolan. The four Trainers exchanged glances, the odds were ever-growing that they would face off against each other.

The bracket's right side lit up with its first two boxes, deciding on a matchup a few seconds later. Ash's portrait came up in the first one and was paired with Nolan.

"That's us!" Ash beamed and looked to Nolan. The white-haired boy simply nodded, smiling to indicate his excitement.

The next matchup paired Corey with another familiar face: that of Conway. Corey visibly stiffened, remembering Conway from the Pastoria Tag Battle Competition.

"Wait a minute, Conway's here?" Dawn said, "We never even noticed!"

"Yeah, that's strange… I would think if he was here, he would've found us on his own." Ash answered, "Although he did say back in Pastoria City that he'd try to participate." Ash turned to Corey, "What do you think, Corey?" he asked, referring to his upcoming battle with the familiar foe.

"I remember him. He and his brother crushed me and Layla in the Tag Battle tournament." Corey said, "But I've learned a lot since then, so I'm gonna be ready for him!"

Barry's name finally appeared in the final slot, matched up against a Trainer named Kevin for a quarterfinal bid on the line. The program moved on to begin analyzing the upcoming matchups, but it was of little interest to the group and the PokéPad was shut off.

"Okay, everyone, line up! Food's ready!" Brock announced. Ash rocketed out of his seat first and one by one everyone grabbed a bowl and served themselves, piling in at the table before diving into a mob of conversation.

"I'm really excited about our battle, Ash." Nolan said, "Don't take it easy on us, though, 'cause we're coming at you with everything we've got!"

"Me, take it easy? Never." Ash assured him, offering a fist-bump to the teen.

Further down the table, May hunkered down with Dawn, the brunette whispering eagerly about something or another. Misty conversed back and forth with Gary, Brock, and Delia, while Professor Oak and Riley shared yet another talk with each other about a great many things ranging from Pokémon research to stories of Riley's travels.

What silenced them all, though, was the rustling in the trees as rain started to fall. In the distance, there was a dull sound of foreboding as the rain came closer and closer to the group's tent, unleashing its wrath on the clearing only a few seconds later. The air seemed to roar as the land received its much-needed downpour, and the river sang as the rain merged with its rushing current.

"Heh. Good thing we have the tent." Gary remarked.

"I think that speed training's gonna have to wait, dawg." Sho said with a glance at Barry.

A thunderclap cracked the calm droning of the rain, reverberating across the island as it shattered the very air. Huddled under the meager protection of the tent, the meals were steadily finished, the ever-present roar of the thunderstorm filling the clearing with unending noise. And yet, they all found that there was nowhere that they'd rather be, crammed in together with their closest friends.

* * *

 **If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review in the box below. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far in general. If you have a question that you'd like answered or you'd like to discuss the story in greater detail, shoot me a PM (that being said, please don't ask me how long it will be until I update again. I don't know, but we will get there eventually).**

 **That's all from me. Thanks for reading The Journey Continues, and I'll see you all next time.**


	76. The Quarterfinal Qualifying Quest!

**Hey everybody, I'm dropping in for a quick update. It's been about two months and I want to make sure I'm not losing any of you guys during the wait.**

 **I want to recommend once again that my guest readers make an account on the site, because that way you can follow this story and get alerts when there's a new chapter.**

 **Now, this chapter is extra long for all your reading pleasures, hope you enjoy. I squeezed in two battles, one of which I've been wanting to do for a long time. If you have the time, please, please, please consider sending me a review. I really want to hear what you guys think, now more than ever since I realize things may feel a little monotonous right now.**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 76_

 _The Quarterfinal Qualifying Quest!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Lily of the Valley Stadium was absolutely packed.

With only 16 Trainers remaining in the Sinnoh League field, all battles were to take place inside the large central stadium. The facility was larger than its three sister stadiums combined; its enormous dimensions allowed it to seat tens of thousands of spectators across two huge seating decks that circled the dirt field in the center. Corridors crisscrossed through the stadium underneath the seating areas, lined with restrooms, concession booths, and common areas of all shapes and sizes.

Dawn wiped a few beads of sweat from her brow, thankful that she had worn her mini skirt and sleeveless top. She applied another batch of sunscreen to her skin; they'd been sitting here all day, and the sun was brutal. The thunderstorm from last night had been much-needed, but it had also caused the humidity to spike, resulting in sweltering temperatures across the island. Once she was done, she passed off the sunscreen to Misty and turned her attention back to the field.

Ash's battle was coming up. His match was fifth in the order, right at the hottest time of the day. The fourth battle, a scrum between two nameless strangers, had just concluded, and the field was being cleaned and prepared for the next match. In addition to all future battles being held in the central stadium, the Grass Field was to be used as the default terrain for each match. No special terrain meant no gimmicks, which meant raw, all-out action for the right to move on to the next round.

"I wonder which Pokémon Ash will use today." Max wondered aloud.

"He's keeping it secret, like usual." Gary said, crossing his arms.

The groundskeepers on the field hustled to the sidelines, satisfied with their work. Word was passed on and the battlefield was officially cleared for the next match. Right on cue, the stadium's PA system crackled to life.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we're all clear for our next showdown! Find your seats and get ready, because this one's sure to be exciting!"_

* * *

Ash was flanked by Corey as the two Trainers headed into the Trainers Only area, galloping down a concrete staircase into a corridor that ran underneath the huge stadium. A set of double doors walled off a stately locker room connected to a huge practice area. Staff ran back and forth through the facility, conversing with colleagues over headsets and managing everything. At this hour, they were the only Trainers in the room, but the dull sounds of the PA system could be faintly heard if one was quiet enough.

"Well, well, Ash Ketchum."

Ash and Corey flicked their attention to the corner of the room, where a familiar face waited in the alcove between two lockers. The young man pushed his glasses up on his nose, catching a shaft of light with the glass lenses and causing them to glow eerily. Midnight green hair framed his face, hanging down in long bangs all the way down to his neck.

"I was wondering when you'd show." Conway added as he stepped closer, flashing a crooked smirk.

"Morning, Conway. Uh… how long have you been there?" Ash asked.

"Long enough. I pride myself on punctuality." Conway answered quickly. His gaze turned to Corey and he took on a smug expression, "And look at you, Corey. A little taller than when we last met, if I'm not mistaken, and carrying eight Gym Badges of your own."

Corey tried his best to sound cordial, "Hi, Conway."

Conway flicked his attention back to Ash, "So, Ash, all geared up for your next match? Your opponent's already in the training area. Mighty fine Staraptor he's got there with him."

"Nolan's here?" Ash said, leaning forward and glancing through the row of glass windows allowing a glimpse into the practice area. Nolan's white hair gave him away, and he was grooming his blue-crested Staraptor while speaking to the flying-type.

"I'd prefer that you emerge victorious, I'm sure you can imagine that the prospect of a Full Battle with you in the quarterfinals piques my interest." Conway said.

Corey bristled at that, "Oh, really? You've already written me off, then?"

Conway turned on the youth, frowning smugly, "I wouldn't say written off, I'm simply expecting to win."

"Well maybe you should wait on that. I've learned a lot since that battle in Pastoria City, I'm not gonna let you manhandle me and my team again."

Conway studied Corey's face and then chuckled, "Well, alright then. We'll have it your way, kid. I'll bring my A-game if you bring yours, deal?"

"That's always been the plan." Corey sneered.

Conway snickered again and started to walk away, "So spirited. I like that in a challenger. Maybe this won't be boring after all. I'm going to go warm up, I'd suggest you both do the same. See you up there, _Corey."_

The strategist sauntered away, swinging open the door to the training area and quietly proceeding to one of the boxes for warmups. Corey watched him go with a scowl, which Ash quickly caught.

"Don't let Conway bend you out of shape. He's a lot of talk." Ash warned.

Ash set down his backpack on a bench, claiming a locker and dropping the bag inside. Three Poké Balls dangled in his hand and he clipped them to his belt, throwing the locker door shut and producing a padlock to secure it. Corey mimicked Ash, sidling up near the older teen and keeping quiet, a pensive glare glued to his face.

"Something on your mind, Corey?"

Corey scowled and grumbled in answer, "I just really don't like that guy. He crushed me and Layla back in Pastoria City, so I really want to prove myself against him. I'm just not sure if I can do it."

Ash stayed quiet for a few moments, thinking up an answer, "Sure you can. Conway's strategic, he likes to use a lot of special moves to give his Pokémon unexpected advantages. But he's not as sharp in the improvising department. If you can get around his strategies, you've got the upper hand on him. Don't overthink it, 'kay?"

Corey mused over the advice for a while. "Okay. I'll try, Ash. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Ash said, ruffling the youth's hair with his hand. Corey half-complained and scooted out of Ash's reach, drawing a laugh from the older teen. Ash stood up, scratched the top of Pikachu's head, and trotted over to the practice area.

Nolan looked up as the glass door swung open, half-smiling as he recognized Ash.

"Hiya, Ash."

"Hey, Nolan. Hi, Staraptor." Ash greeted. The alternately-colored Predator Pokémon squawked back a greeting, humming appreciatively as Nolan dug his fingers soothingly into its neck, "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Nolan replied, "I'm just giving Staraptor here a massage and some Oran Berries. He battled really well yesterday to get us here, so he's earned it."

" _Starr!"_ the flying-type trilled.

The glass doors swung open again and a staff member strolled in, his eyes fixed on a clipboard and a headset fastened to his head. "Ash and Nolan? They're almost ready for you."

Ash and Nolan followed the attendant through another set of double doors leading out of the practice room, walking quietly until the corridor they were led through split into two paths. A detailed sign decorated with arrows pointed towards the two corridors, but the attendant turned to face the two teens and explained things anyway.

"Nolan, you're on the red end, so you'll head down this tunnel to the left. Just follow the tunnel until you reach the steps, and there will be someone waiting for you at the top," the attendant explained, "Ash, same for you, head down the path on the right so that you can battle out of the blue end. Good luck, you two."

The attendant trotted back the way he'd come, the only sound coming from his shoes as they clicked against the floor.

"I guess this is where we split." Ash said.

"Sounds like it…" Nolan mused. He turned to Ash and stuck his hand out, "To an amazing battle," he offered.

Ash quickly took the teen's hand, shaking it agreeably, "And may the best Trainer win," he repeated. With that, they turned and went in opposite directions, knowing that they'd see each other again in a few minutes from opposite sides of a battlefield.

* * *

" _Find your seats, because this one's sure to be exciting!"_

A brief shudder trailed down Ash's spine, which he suspected was a sense of déjà vu. He could clearly remember his last time inside this very stadium two years ago. He took great pride, though, in the fact that he was a far better Trainer now than he had been back then, and he replaced his uneasiness with confidence as the announcer quickly got back on the loudspeaker.

" _In this upcoming match, we have two journeyman Trainers with some impressive résumés. First up, battling from the red end and hailing from Johto's Goldenrod City, let's give a warm welcome to Nolan!"_

The crowd applauded and Ash imagined Nolan jogging out of the tunnel, waving to the crowd with a big smile on his face as his thick white hair blew in the warm wind. Another half-minute passed and the loudspeaker came back to life. The League attendant standing with Ash in the tunnel nodded to him, silently signaling that it was time for Ash to head out of the tunnel.

" _And competing against him, battling out of the blue end, hailing from Pallet Town in South Kanto…"_

"Here we go, buddy!" Ash said to Pikachu.

" _Put your hands together for Ash!"_

Sunlight fell on Ash as he exited the tunnel with perfect timing, closely followed by a roar from the crowd. Ash beamed, pumping his fist into the air. Pikachu purred happily, adding his two cents in response to the raucous applause. Ash covered the ground to his battle box fairly quickly, taking his place and throwing a glance at Nolan. The two friends exchanged acknowledging nods.

A referee approached the sideline, wearing a whistle around his neck and holstering two colored flags to his waist as always. Summoning a commanding voice, the referee began to list the rules.

"The battle between Ash from Pallet Town and Nolan from Goldenrod City is about to begin! Each Trainer will use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three of one Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. In addition, both Trainers will be allowed to substitute Pokémon. Are both Trainers ready?"

"I'm ready!" Nolan assured the ref, brandishing his first Poké Ball in anticipation.

"Same here." Ash echoed.

"Very well. Battle, begin!"

" _Flareon, show 'em what you've got!"_

" _Primeape, I choose you!"_

Flareon landed gracefully, its thick mane of tan fur blowing in the breeze. Primeape emerged much more loudly, leaning into the ground and rolling forward before standing tall and beating its chest with a sneer.

"Flareon, heat things up with Flamethrower!"

Flareon purred and leaped into action, bounding forward and spitting a stream of searing flames. Primeape gave a shriek and rolled out of the way, awaiting Ash's command.

"Primeape, use Mega Punch."

Primeape screeched and rocketed off the ground, clearing the distance between it and Flareon easily. A cone of violent energy formed around Primeape's clenched fist, exploding as the fighting-type dealt a punch against Flareon's side. The fire-type landed on its opposite side and swiftly dashed back to its feet, snarling.

"I think he wants some more!" Ash quipped, "Primeape, use Bulk Up!"

Primeape sneered and raised its arms, flexing determinedly as energy crackled to life around it. In a show of strength, the Pig Monkey Pokémon blew hot air from its nose and screeched. Flareon simply scraped one of its paws against the ground, daring the fighting-type to approach it.

"Flareon, use Double Team." Nolan ordered. Flareon silently obeyed, generating a few dozen copies of itself and hiding in the group of mirages. Nolan quickly followed up on the command, "Now use Shadow Ball."

The horde of Flareon mirages shuffled back and forth, switching places with each other as they fired off false Shadow Balls. Primeape tensed, recognizing the tactic and flinching each time a ghostly sphere made contact and vaporized harmlessly. Finally, one Shadow Ball actually delivered damage, knocking Primeape back a few steps. The Pig Monkey Pokémon screeched irritably and quickly looked back up.

Through the horde of Flareons, there was one that moved just a little too eagerly.

"Thought we'd take a page out of your book and use a few of your tactics against you. Whatcha think?" Nolan asked, proud of himself.

"Primeape, d'you see it?" Ash called. The fighting-type sneered audibly, ready to pounce. Ash flicked his glance back up to Nolan, raising his voice, "It's not bad, Nolan. But you really can't master a technique in just one morning. It takes a while longer to work out the kinks and patch up the holes. _Primeape, use Close Combat!"_

Primeape quite literally leaped into action, diving headfirst towards the cluster of Flareon copies. The Pig Monkey's eyes never left the real Flareon as it grabbed onto the fire-type's furry tail and dragged it closer, delivering an absolute beating of punches and kicks upon its foe.

When the barrage was over, Flareon was roughly discarded across the field, its duplicates disintegrated as if they'd never been there to begin with. Flareon sputtered and carefully crawled to its feet, crippling pain nearly overwhelming it. Primeape trilled at the sight, pleased with its power.

The announcer appeared on the horn, narrating the battle so far _ **, "Outstanding! These two haven't wasted any time getting started, and Primeape sees through Flareon's tricky Double Team to deal a devastating series of hits!"**_

"Uh oh…" Nolan mumbled. Flareon was already severely hurt and the battle had only just begun. He gulped. They had to get back in it. "Flareon, use Flare Blitz."

Flareon steeled itself and galloped forward, breaking into a head-on charge. Scorching flames circled around Flareon's body, searing the very air around it. Flareon ducked its head and collided with Primeape, sending the two Pokémon ricocheting off of each other.

"Primeape, you okay?" Ash called. Primeape returned to its feet and trilled affirmatively, raising its fists in challenge. It would take more than that to bring it down! Flareon bristled, a flash of recoil damage circling around its body.

"Flareon, use Flamethrower!" Flareon purred and quickly spewed a shower of fire.

"Primeape, use Focus Punch!" Ash ordered. Primeape squatted and then leaped, soaring over the Flamethrower attack. Primeape's right fist glowed with searing white energy and the fighting-type landed on the ground mere inches from Flareon's face. The fire-type visibly flinched, staggering back a single step, and Primeape used the opportunity to strike.

The punch was so powerful that it produced an audible _boom_. Flareon flew away from the fist like a bullet, slapping onto the ground a few dozen feet away and sliding towards Nolan limply. The fire-type failed to get back up.

"Flareon is unable to battle. The winner is Primeape!"

 _ **"A powerful Focus Punch ends the day for Flareon! Just look at that power!"**_ the announcer raved as the crowd roared.

Nolan gulped, glancing back up at Primeape. The Pig Monkey Pokémon screeched approvingly and punched one of its fists into its opposite open palm.

"Yes! Awesome job, Primeape, you did it!" Ash praised. He grabbed onto the fighting-type's Poké Ball from his belt, "Now, return!"

Primeape muttered sadly, apparently unhappy that its moment in the sun was up. "Don't worry, Primeape, you'll get another shot. But we've gotta give the others a fair chance to battle, don't ya think?"

Primeape submitted and allowed itself to be returned, leaving the battlefield empty as Nolan returned his fainted Flareon. The white-haired Trainer brushed another Poké Ball with his fingers, before quickly changing his mind and moving to a different one. He'd be saving that last one for later. Feeling confident about his choice, he primed the second Poké Ball.

"Crobat, it's your turn!"

The poison-type bat tore its way to the field from the opening Poké Ball, spreading its quartet of slim, streamlined wings and zipping upward into the sky. A gust of wind blew from behind the Bat Pokémon and increased the speed of its flight, spurring a gratified chatter from the poison-type.

Ash selected his second Pokémon easily, "Crawdaunt, I choose you!"

Crobat's attention turned to the field below it as Crawdaunt emerged, slapping its powerful pincers on the ground. Intrigued, Crobat swooped down, passing by Crawdaunt with an interested stare and circling the water-type before flapping away to a safer distance.

"Crobat, are you ready to go?" Nolan called. Crobat stirred affirmatively. "Okay, use Acrobatics!"

Crobat silently jerked in an upward motion, swinging through the air acrobatically. The Bat Pokémon moved with otherworldly speed, seemingly teleporting as it zipped closer and closer to Crawdaunt in the space of a second. Once it was close, Crobat struck with a precise slash that sent Crawdaunt staggering backwards, cringing from the attack's unexpected strength.

"Woah!" Ash exclaimed. Crobat materialized back on its side of the field, grinning and revealing the sharp fangs in its mouth.

 _ **"What impressive speed! How will Crawdaunt respond?"**_

" _Craw-daunt!"_ the water-type bellowed. The region of its body where it had been attacked stung painfully.

"Okay, Crawdaunt, let's use Bubblebeam." Crawdaunt took a deep breath and spewed a lengthy cluster of explosive bubbles, glaring at Crobat from behind the barrage.

"Crobat, dodge." Nolan answered. Crobat swung out of the way, flapping its four wings rapidly. The Bubblebeam passed by harmlessly, and Nolan dished out another command, "Use Air Slash."

Crobat brought up the two wings on its left side and slashed them through the empty air, generating a blade of wind that zoomed toward Crawdaunt.

"Crawdaunt, block that attack with Slash!" Ash countered. Crawdaunt scampered forward and raised a powerful pincer, filling it with power and then slashing at the exact moment in order to counter the Air Slash coming straight for it.

"Now use Bubblebeam, one more time!" Crawdaunt spewed another stream of bubbles, striking home this time and pelting Crobat with a barrage of exploding bubbles. The Bat Pokémon screeched irritably and briefly hit the ground, quickly rising back into the sky and beating its thin wings.

"Crobat, use Poison Fang."

Crobat zoomed forward, tucking its wings behind it in order to dive through the wind at a faster pace.

"Crawdaunt, knock 'em dead with Crabhammer!" Ash yelled. Crawdaunt snorted and raised one of its pincers, swinging it in a deadly arc and crushing the side of Crobat's small body. Crobat flew sideways, eating dirt and leaving itself exposed.

"Vice Grip!" Ash ordered, and Crawdaunt leaped after its foe, landing with a crash and grabbing Crobat with both pincers. Crawdaunt clenched its pincers as tight as it could, their jagged teeth biting deep into the poison-type's purple hide. Crobat croaked out a pained cry, its thrashing quickly becoming more futile.

"Crobat, quick! Use Dark Pulse!"

Crobat's eyes flashed open with resolve and it attacked with blinding speed, sending a beam of writhing dark energy straight into Crawdaunt's face at point-blank range. The Rogue Pokémon launched backwards, propelled by the punishing blast of darkness, and Crobat took to the skies again.

 _ **"Crawdaunt nearly had total control of this battle, but Crobat's refusing to give in, and a timely Dark Pulse staves off Crawdaunt's Vice Grip!"**_

"Poison Fang!" Nolan ordered, ushering Crobat onward.

Crobat zoomed through the air and sank its fangs into Crawdaunt's hide, injecting foul poison with practiced efficiency.

"Crawdaunt, use Crabhammer!"

Crawdaunt ceased its pained screeching and lashed out, clobbering Crobat with a heavy pincer and dispatching the Bat Pokémon away. Crawdaunt squirmed uncomfortably and crawled to its feet, stiffening as a violet aura circled its body and indicated poison.

" _Craw!"_ the Rogue Pokémon winced, sagging forward.

"Crawdaunt!" Ash gasped. "Hey, ret—"

" _Craw!"_ the water-type protested, craning its neck to look at Ash, _"Craw-Craw-daunt!"_ the Rogue Pokémon continued. There was no way that Crawdaunt was submitting early to a simple status problem. It would fight until the poison sapped the last ounce of its strength if it had to.

"Okay, Crawdaunt, you got it." Ash relented, adding a command, "Use Bubblebeam!"

"Dodge that, Crobat." Nolan countered as the bubbles closed in. Crobat spiraled out of the way, heeding Nolan's next call for Acrobatics.

"Crawdaunt, here it comes!" Ash warned, "Use Slash when the time is right!"

Crobat flipped and spun through the air, acrobatically closing the distance between it and its foe with blinding speed. Crawdaunt focused, training its eyes on its approaching adversary and readying its Slash attack. Crawdaunt attacked just as Crobat flew within striking distance, raking its open pincer swiftly across Crobat's body.

"Now use Crabhammer!" Ash ordered. Crawdaunt clenched its stronger pincer tight and prepared to pile even more damage onto its smaller foe. Unfortunately, the poison lacing through the water-type's veins chose that moment to sting, interrupting Crawdaunt's attack and sapping some of its strength.

"Use Poison Fang, Crobat!" Nolan yelled, and Crobat quickly latched on and sank more poison into Crawdaunt's body, holding on tight and digging its fangs deeper and deeper as the poison-type bit down exceptionally hard.

"Crawdaunt!" Ash yelled, at a loss for words. The water-type thrashed, trying to shake Crobat off. Finally, he had an idea, "Crawdaunt, roll over!"

Crawdaunt grunted, puzzled, but didn't question its Trainer and quickly fell sideways. Crobat, still latched onto Crawdaunt's side, fell underneath Crawdaunt's weight and it let go in the process, leaving it exposed.

"Crabhammer!" Ash shouted, not one to waste an opportunity. Crawdaunt raised a heavy pincer and struck a downward blow, smothering its foe. The earth erupted around the point of impact, shoving Crobat a few inches into the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. The haze quickly cleared, leaving one Pokémon still standing.

" _Crobat is unable to battle! The winner is Crawdaunt!"_

" _Craw-daauuuuunt!"_ the Rogue Pokémon thundered, its throaty voice reverberating through the air as it flexed the muscles in and around its large pincers.

 _ **"Isn't that impressive? Despite being weighed down by poison, Crawdaunt struck hard and true and put Crobat out of the game for good. Ash now holds a commanding 2-0 lead!"**_

Nolan gulped, finding himself down 2-0 in quite unexpected fashion. He'd known this was possible from watching Ash's previous battles, but actually battling Ash for real proved tenfold that the Pallet native was _strong._ The white-haired teen took a deep breath, hoping to calm his nerves.

"Crobat, return!" he called, activating the capsule ball and returning Crobat's fainted form to the safety of its Poké Ball.

Crawdaunt flinched, tensing as a flash of poison raked across its body before pushing through the pain. Allowing himself a slight smile, Nolan clutched his next Poké Ball and primed it. As tough as his Flareon and Crobat could be, they were nothing compared to his last choice—his first-ever Pokémon.

" _Swampert, use Hammer Arm!"_

The Poké Ball flew from Nolan's hand at an upward angle, cutting through the air as it burst open. Shimmering light spouted from the open capsule, forming into a massive shape before finally revealing the Pokémon's features. The enormous Swampert dropped, raising a glowing, muscular arm.

Crawdaunt almost went pale.

" _Daunt?"_

The earth nearly cracked upon Swampert's landing, absorbing all of the force of its attack. Crawdaunt was squashed underneath the blow, painfully flattened by the powerful fighting-type move as the earth around it caved, forming a small crater for the water-type to faint in.

" _Crawdaunt is unable to battle, the winner is Swampert!"_

* * *

"Woah!" Max gasped.

"That Hammer Arm was something fierce!" Misty said.

"Crawdaunt didn't stand a chance." May lamented.

"Ash still has the lead, and a fresh Pokémon to boot." Dawn insisted, "He'll be fine."

"Probably." Brock half-agreed, "But there's something to be said about that kind of power. Already Swampert has done more than Flareon or Crobat could manage."

"Ash should've returned Crawdaunt after they took down Crobat." Gary said, "He knew they'd be at a disadvantage."

"That was Crawdaunt's call. You saw how it responded to Ash trying to recall it when the poison first took hold." Brock refuted, "Unfortunately, Swampert knows Hammer Arm. Even if Crawdaunt was in good shape, I doubt it would've been able to shrug off an attack like that, considering it's part dark-type."

"But who is he going to call on now? Will he go back to Primeape, or will we be seeing his third Pokémon?"

* * *

 _ **"Wow! Nolan reveals his third Pokémon to be Swampert, and he makes sure to have a memorable entrance with a one-hit K.O. to cut Ash's lead in half!"**_

" _Swammmmp!"_ Swampert roared, blood pumping wildly in satisfaction.

"Boom!" Nolan whooped, pumping a fist in the air, "Awesome job, Swampert! That'll show 'em!"

Genuine surprise crossed Ash's features. He'd engaged in a few practice battles with Nolan in the days since they first met, but the Goldenrod native had never revealed his Swampert. Whereas Ash had an idea how to fight Flareon and Crobat, he had never so much as seen Nolan's starter Pokémon from the Hoenn Region, resulting in his 2-0 advantage getting cut in two in a single breath.

"Crawdaunt, return!" Ash called. "You were excellent, Crawdaunt, amazing job fighting through Crobat's poison for so long. Now, rest as long as you want, you've earned it." Ash tucked the dormant Poké Ball away, cycling subconsciously through his remaining two Pokémon. One had already seen the field, while the other remained a mystery. Ash glanced at Swampert, who was watching with silent, calculating eyes. His only impression of Swampert so far had been one of impressive strength, so Ash decided on his next battler with that in mind.

" _Primeape, I need you again!"_ the teenager shouted, calling upon the Pig Monkey Pokémon again as promised. Primeape emerged from the Poké Ball and threw a few practice punches into the air, examining its opponent in Swampert and jumping up and down to get blood flowing in its legs again.

"Swampert, be ready, Primeape packs one hell of a punch!" Nolan warned.

" _Swaaaamp!"_

 _ **"Ash responds by calling upon Primeape once again. Can they claim victory?"**_

"Primeape, use Bulk Up. We wanna match them for everything they've got." Ash ordered. Primeape trilled and quickly began bulking, strengthening its attack power. "Now, use Mega Punch."

Primeape charged, leaping into the air and bringing back a fist.

"Swampert, use Ice Beam."

" _Swamp!"_ the Mud Fish Pokémon answered, spitting a perfect beam of frigid energy. The attack struck Primeape mid-leap, knocking the fighting-type from the air like a downed fly.

* * *

"And that's why he shouldn't have called Primeape back out." Gary insisted.

Dawn glanced at the jumbotron mounted on the lip of the stadium's bowl. Of the three Poké Ball graphics attached to Ash's portrait on the enormous screen, one was still present, waiting patiently under the two portraits of Primeape and Crawdaunt, indicating that Ash's third Pokémon hadn't seen the field yet.

"I hate to admit it, but this is a legitimate mistake on Ash's part. Swampert are exceptionally diverse attackers. The only serious drawback that Swampert has is going to be its speed." Brock observed.

"I think Ash wants to match Swampert punch for punch, something he knows Primeape can do." Misty guessed.

"That's the problem. Nolan more or less fooled Ash by using Hammer Arm first, and knocking out Crawdaunt in one blow helped him even more than we think." Brock said, "Ash saw the physical power Swampert was packing and called on Primeape, who—for better or for worse—is only really skilled at close-up combat."

"Or maybe he wants to hold onto his last Pokémon until he doesn't have another option." Max wondered, glancing at the jumbotron and the remaining Poké Ball graphic on Ash's portrait.

"I doubt we're going to figure Ash out by sitting here talking about it." Gary chimed in, silencing the surrounding discussion. "Honestly, when did we start thinking we had him all figured out? We saw what happened to that Marcus punk who thought he had him pegged."

A murmur of agreement passed through the group, quiet glances and affirmative muttering shifting amongst them. Turning their attentions back to the field, they all went silent, hoping that Ash had his head on straight.

* * *

Ash nearly cursed under his breath. Damn it! He'd slipped up, and although he'd promised Primeape another shot later in the battle, he hadn't quite expected things to go like this.

Primeape hit the ground again, downed by another Ice Beam attack. Swampert taunted the Pig Monkey Pokémon, still unscathed. Primeape definitely couldn't say the same. An uncomfortable cold made the fighting-type teeth chatter, but the sensation was not a welcome one.

Primeape's eyes flared, a sudden warmth banishing the cold. Fury pumped through its veins, and the Pig Monkey Pokémon gave a violent screech.

"Is that…?" Ash muttered to himself, making the connection and bursting with pride, "Yes! It's Anger Point!" Primeape let loose another screech, a vein threatening to pop in its forehead.

"Primeape, use Close Combat!"

Primeape dashed at its foe, sprinting with a new resolve.

"Swampert, use Muddy Water." Nolan countered. Swampert generated a wave of water, mixing it with the dirt and grass around its body and sending the wave out to meet its charging foe. Primeape expertly jumped as the tidal wave approached, somehow clearing its height and continuing its charge, sliding underneath Swampert's large body and first delivering a pair of kicks to the water-type's belly.

Swampert thrashed and staggered away, glaring at Primeape as the fighting-type jumped to its feet and charged again, throwing a half-dozen punches at critical areas before leaping up toward Swampert's head and delivering a stunning roundhouse kick before landing and backing off.

The Mud Fish Pokémon growled, wounded and angered by Primeape's physical outburst.

"Swampert, strike back with Hammer Arm!" Nolan ordered.

"Dodge, Primeape!"

Swampert roared, crushing a collection of grass beneath its angry fist. Primeape leaped back just in time, feeling only the whoosh of air flying out from Swampert's attack.

"Focus Punch!" Ash ordered. Primeape lunged, narrowing its eyes in focus as power began to surge into its fist.

"No." Nolan snapped, "Swampert, Ice Beam!"

Swampert parted its mouth and spat a blast of ice at point-blank range, ruining Primeape's attempted attack and dropping the furious fighting-type yet again. Primeape struggled as it stood back up, flinching once it was on its feet and slipping back to one knee. A slab of solid ice locked the fighting-type's foot to the ground, rendering Primeape virtually immobile.

"Uh-oh." Ash gulped, his mouth running dry as Nolan called out to Swampert again.

"Now's our chance! Swampert, use Earthquake!"

Swampert released a guttural roar and stamped its feet on the ground, spawning violent shock waves that rippled across the field. A particularly violent tremor rocked Primeape to the core, followed by incessant rumbling raining damage upon the Pig Monkey Pokémon.

"We're sitting ducks! Primeape, we've gotta break out of that ice, use Close Combat on your foot!"

Primeape sneered, following the order without hesitation and beating the hunk of ice locking down its foot. After a few powerful punches, the ice cracked across the middle.

"Swampert, don't let him out! Use Hammer Arm!"

Swampert advanced, lumbering toward its prey and raising a damning fist. Primeape dealt a final punch to the ice holding its foot, shattering the stubborn frost and freeing its leg.

"Primeape, look out!" Ash yelled, prompting the fighting-type to look up as Swampert's shadow fell upon it. The Mud Fish Pokémon dropped its hulking fist, falling upon Primeape before the faster fighting-type could jump out of the way. "No!" Ash managed, for lack of a better reaction.

Swampert pulled away its fist, padding backwards and admiring its handiwork. Primeape was strewn across the grass, battered and unresponsive.

" _Primeape is unable to battle, the winner is Swampert!"_

* * *

"Just like that, it's 2-2." May murmured. A cloud of disbelief held over the group.

"Swampert is something else." Gary added with surprise, "It barely looks fazed!"

"This is a huge test for Ash." Brock muttered, "I'm afraid he went into this battle with a little too much confidence for his own good."

Dawn shook her head, a firm expression scrawled on her face, "There's no need to worry, everyone. Ash won't let Nolan and Swampert get any closer, just watch. He's already determined the outcome of this battle."

* * *

Ash returned Primeape, grabbing onto his last Poké Ball determinedly. He had a feeling that it might come to this; Nolan wasn't a pushover. Luckily, neither was he—not anymore. In fact, there was a small part of him that had almost _hoped_ Primeape would fail to bring down Swampert. The Pokémon he had so far refrained from using was one of his oldest, and he'd been relishing the chance for the hidden Pokémon to show its stuff.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

 _ **"With the battle suddenly tied, Ash calls upon his final Pokémon: Bulbasaur! We're approaching the home stretch, but who will be the one to cross the finish line?"**_

The Poké Ball spun through the air and burst open, releasing the small dinosaurian grass-type. Bulbasaur landed effortlessly and looked up, dwarfed by Swampert. The huge Mud Fish Pokémon snarled, baring its teeth at the diminutive Pokémon, but Bulbasaur was unfazed, simply mirroring Swampert's expression.

"Swampert, don't be fooled by Bulbasaur's size." Nolan warned, "This won't be easy."

Ash smirked silently before focusing on Bulbasaur, "Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed."

Bulbasaur crouched, aiming and firing three small seeds from the bud on its back. The small pellets arced, almost unseen as they landed on Swampert and buried themselves in the water-type's skin, unable to be removed.

Nolan gritted his teeth, knowing what the move would lead to, "Swampert, use Ice Beam."

"Bulbasaur, dodge that ice and use Razor Leaf."

Swampert fired off a wicked, freezing beam, but Bulbasaur easily scampered out of range before rearing up and launching a volley of deathly-sharp leaves. The Razor Leaves sliced through the very air and raked along Swampert's body in various places, leaving the Mud Fish Pokémon with a persistent stinging pain.

" _Swaaamp!"_

"Time to hit them with something they can't dodge. Use Muddy Water!" Nolan decided. Swampert recovered and readied its attack, generating a stream of filthy liquid and throwing it at the ground. The water erupted and spread out to cover the entire field, rushing quickly across the grass and overtaking Bulbasaur. The grass-type flailed as it briefly slipped under the surf, reemerging and spitting gulps of water from its mouth.

" _Bul-ba!"_ the grass-type fumed.

"Bulbasaur, keep your cool." Ash warned. Swampert flinched and strands of energy transferred from the larger water-type to Bulbasaur, offering a slight recharge to the Seed Pokémon. Bulbasaur wiggled appreciatively as it felt some of its strength return, earning an irritated snort from Swampert.

 _ **"Swampert lands a hit with Muddy Water, but Leech Seed is steadily sapping its strength!"**_

"Let's take that back from 'em. Use Hammer Arm, Swampert!" Nolan ordered. Swampert thundered forward, its right front leg beginning to glow as it closed in on Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, dodge Swampert's strike and use Vine Whip." Ash countered coolly. Bulbasaur braced and Swampert arrived, throwing down a brutal fist. Bulbasaur jumped back, feeling only the slight vibration of the ground as two twin vines snaked out from its bud. With expert precision, Bulbasaur reached out and slapped Swampert across the face with one of the vines.

Swampert flinched, sneering at its smaller foe before Bulbasaur simply smacked it again, adding to the water-type's fury. Bulbasaur had the audacity to laugh, stifling a smug giggle.

"Ice Beam!" Nolan shouted. Swampert worked fast this time, spitting icy energy right at Bulbasaur and striking home. Bulbasaur wailed and flew back, dispatched by the frigid beam. The grass-type quickly stood, a brief shiver passing through it.

"That's better." Nolan said, "Swampert, do it again!"

"Dodge!" Ash ordered, smiling as Bulbasaur succeeded this time. "Now use Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur jettisoned a platoon of Razor Leaves, cutting against Swampert's skin once again. Another burst of energy seeped from the water-type and transferred to Bulbasaur, offering extra strength to the small grass-type.

"Swampert, use Earthquake!"

Swampert made the ground thrash, dealing out damage in a series of violent shock waves through the ground. The quaking tore Bulbasaur's feet out from under it, putting the grass-type at its mercy.

"Now use Hammer Arm!" Nolan ordered, confidence leaking into his tone.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to shut down that Hammer Arm!" Ash countered. Bulbasaur jumped back to its feet as Swampert charged, slipping a pair of vines from its body and dispatching them to wrap around Swampert's left front leg, jerking the appendage out from under the heavy Mud Fish Pokémon. Swampert tumbled to the ground embarrassingly, throwing a hateful glare at its foe as it struggled to its feet. The onslaught of grass-type moves—Swampert's only natural weakness—were starting to take a toll.

 _ **"Swampert's starting to look weary! Bulbasaur's using some effective attacks in the best ways, interrupting Swampert's moves and dealing precise hits! Could this be the beginning of the end?"**_

"Not like this…" Nolan insisted, "Swampert, use Ice Beam!"

* * *

The locker room was deathly quiet, only the faintest of noises coming from the small speaker on the TV mounted on the wall. A live feed of the action from up above colored the screen, watched by two pairs of eyes.

Conway was taking copious notes in his head, watching the scrum with calculating eyes.

"Very impressive," he noted, "Bulbasaur's power and speed certainly exceed its evolutionary level… an interesting specimen indeed."

Corey sat on the bench behind Conway, carefully stroking his Espeon's soft purplish pelt. He squinted at Conway with a mix of emotions. As much as he disliked the older Trainer, he begrudgingly respected his skills, having been on the receiving end of an analytical beating in Pastoria City nearly a year ago.

"After the way Swampert handled the last two Pokémon, I was beginning to doubt that Ash would come out of this one. That luck was bound to run out for Swampert, I suppose." Conway said aloud, willfully oblivious to Corey.

"You're pretty interested in Ash." Corey remarked.

Conway snorted, "He's my greatest rival."

"Funny, he's never mentioned you." Corey shot back, feeling enormously smug. Conway whirled around, leering at him and sending a cold feeling down the youth's spine. Conway shrugged off Corey's comment, moving on.

"Ash sent me packing the last time we were on this island. He also beat me in the Tag Battle Competition last year. If I'm going to defeat him, I have to study harder than in the past. Ash is a remarkable improviser." Conway said.

"To get a shot at beating him, don't you have to beat me first?" Corey asked sharply.

Conway actually laughed. "I suppose you think yourself a challenge?"

"I wouldn't have gotten this far if I wasn't." Corey snapped.

"That's true, you've done well. But I know everything I need to know about you already, Corey. I defeated you in Pastoria City, and hardly broke a sweat doing so. As much as it pains me to say it…" Conway explained. Corey got the feeling that Conway had no actual problem with what he was about to say, "You won't trouble me any more than you did that day."

"I've gotten stronger since that tournament." Corey insisted.

"Oh, I've no doubt." Conway snickered. He started to step away, apparently having lost his interest in the battle on the screen. "But unfortunately for you, that won't help you out there."

Conway disappeared through the doorway into the practice area, headed in the direction of the bathroom across the way. Corey glared after him, watching the smug teenager until he was out of sight.

Espeon purred with concern, butting Corey's hand with its fuzzy head.

"Don't you worry, Espeon. We're gonna make him eat his words."

* * *

Swampert heaved, tired and beaten up. Bulbasaur was in remarkably better shape, but wounds mostly dealt by Ice Beam patterned its mottled green body. Leech Seed had since worn off, leaving Bulbasaur with no way to sap extra energy from its foe. They'd tried to plant another volley of seeds in Swampert's skin, but so far, those attempts had failed.

"Swampert, use Ice Beam again."

"Bulbasaur, get out of the way and use Razor Leaf."

Bulbasaur obeyed, avoiding the Ice Beam but failing to land its counterattack as Swampert lumbered out of the way. A cloud hampering the sun's rays finally slipped away, dropping a shaft of light on Bulbasaur's small body.

"Bulbasaur, start soaking up the sun!" Ash ordered, hoping it would work. The bud on Bulbasaur's back glittered in response to the sun, building up power.

Nolan knew exactly what it meant. "Swampert, they're going to use Solarbeam on us, we've gotta get 'em first! Use Ice Beam!"

"Dodge that!" Ash countered. Swampert sent another icy blast screaming for the grass-type, missing again as Bulbasaur bounded to the left. More and more sunlight spilled onto Bulbasaur's bud, nearly filling it to the brim with its energy. "Almost there!" Ash said with a grimace.

"Use Muddy Water!" Nolan ordered. If Bulbasaur was able to fire off that Solarbeam, Swampert would never hold out. The Mud Fish Pokémon just didn't have enough energy left. Swampert threw a tidal wave of polluted water, hoping to use it as both a wall and a method of attack.

Bulbasaur's bud pulsed, ready to burst with the energy trapped inside it.

"This is it! Bulbasaur, use Solarbeam!" Ash yelled. Bulbasaur crouched, leaning forward and aiming the burgeoning flower on its back perfectly straight. Bulbasaur tensed and the energy erupted in a huge golden beam, screaming outward to meet the oncoming wave of Muddy Water. The Solarbeam tore right through the water, slashing a wide hole through its middle and striking Swampert head-on. The energy wrapped around the Mud Fish Pokémon, ravaging its body and surrounding it entirely so that it couldn't be seen.

The Muddy Water wave collapsed as Solarbeam tore it open, simply spilling out onto the ground and eventually pooling harmlessly around Bulbasaur's feet as the last of the Solarbeam died out. Despite Nolan's frantic hopes, Swampert's state was all but an afterthought. An attack that strong along with Swampert's natural disadvantage against grass-types spelled doom for the powerful water-type.

Sure enough, the Solarbeam faded away and Swampert was heaped upon the ground, locked in an unresponsive daze.

" _Swampert is unable to battle! The winner is Bulbasaur, which means the victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

 ** _"You heard it, folks, that's it! Bulbasaur finally takes down Nolan's vicious Swampert with a stunning Solarbeam, and it punches Ash's ticket to the quarterfinal round!"_**

"Yes! Bulbasaur, you did it!" Ash cheered.

" _Bul! Bul-ba-saur!"_ the grass-type chattered, bolting towards Ash as the teen knelt and outstretched his arms. The small Seed Pokémon burrowed into Ash's grasp, chanting happily. Pikachu hopped down to the ground and patted the grass-type on the back, purring congratulations.

Nolan carefully stepped out to the field, where Swampert was regaining consciousness. The Mud Fish Pokémon snapped its head around as it felt its Trainer's approach, immediately turning gloomy and fixing its eyes on the ground.

" _Swaaaamp…"_

"Hey, Swampert. You were amazing out there, you hear me?" Nolan asked, "You took out 2 of Ash's Pokémon all by yourself; that's more than I could ever ask from you. I'm so proud that you gave it your all."

" _Swamp?"_

"Don't beat yourself up, I'm the one who failed today. Ash was and is a better Trainer than me." Nolan insisted, "If anything, you were the most impressive Pokémon out there."

"He's right." Ash said, making Nolan and Swampert both flinch. The Pallet native had snuck up on them, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Ash grinned, not an ounce of deceit in his being. "It's definitely not every day that I face such a challenge from one Pokémon. You should be proud of how well you've trained Swampert, Nolan. I can tell that he's something else."

" _Swamp…"_ the Mud Fish Pokémon crooned, a tad embarrassed by the praise.

"Thank you, Ash. I had fun today, even though we lost." Nolan answered, "It may be back to the drawing board for us, but we learned a lot. I'm really glad that we met."

"Me too, Nolan." Ash admitted.

"Excuse me," a voice said. A groundskeeper had approached the pair of Trainers, a piece of equipment held tight in his hands, "I hate to do this, but we're going to have to ask you both to clear the field so that we can prepare it for the next match."

"Oh, we're sorry." Ash answered sheepishly. Nolan returned Swampert and began walking with Ash back towards the tunnels. Ash apologized again as they walked away and the groundskeeper shrugged, insisting that it wasn't a big deal before turning to his work.

* * *

The stadium's corridors were remarkably empty as Ash and Nolan headed toward their friends and seats. Together, they'd returned to the locker room underneath the stadium, wishing Corey well before heading up. The battle had begun on their way, causing both Trainers to move in a hurry to circle the stadium and find the correct section.

"So, what will you do now, Nolan?" Ash asked.

The white-haired teen shrugged, "I'm not sure, really. I guess since I lost, Hannah and I will be taking a ship off the island tonight. There's a lot going on back home right now, so it's best for us to go back sooner rather than later now that I'm out of the running here."

"Oh, so you're leaving? I hadn't realized." Ash said, "I'll be sad to see you go."

"Me too, really. I've had a lot of fun in the last couple of days, more than I expected to when we got here." Nolan replied, "And I really have learned a lot from you, Ash. I appreciate it more than I can say."

"Ah, don't mention it." Ash insisted. "Up here. Section 96."

The pair galloped up the steps and Ash easily spotted May in the crowd in the lower bowl, picking out her red bandana before recognizing Dawn and the others. From there, they assimilated into the crowd, hustling towards their seats. Max spotted them first before Ash slid into a seat beside Dawn, gently tugging her close and kissing her on the cheek.

"Hey, everyone. What'd we miss?" Ash asked.

"Tyrogue just went down. Conway's using Heracross." Dawn explained, smiling a little bit at Ash's show of affection. She was starting to grow more comfortable with his little public displays, washing away the natural awkwardness of their relationship around their friends with every little hand-holding or peck on the cheek.

Somewhere behind them, Ash thought he heard some spectators murmur things along the lines of _Aren't those the kids that just battled? How cool is that!?_

"Hmm, that's no good." Ash muttered, turning his attention to the field. Nolan sat down besides Hannah, bumping his elbow against hers and grinning. Hannah flashed a toothy smile, holding her incubator tightly in her grasp. Nolan had been suggesting that the Egg inside would hatch any day now, ramping up the young girl's excitement to meet her new friend.

On the battlefield, Corey returned Tyrogue, looking flustered as Conway said something to him. A determined look crossed the youth's face as he clutched another Poké Ball.

"Corey can do this." Ash insisted, "I know he can."

* * *

Tyrogue's form collapsed into a pool of red energy and returned to Corey's Poké Ball. On the jumbotron, the image of Corey's Tyrogue was greyed out, indicating that the fighting-type had been rendered unable to battle.

"Splendid work, Heracross. That's one down, two to go."

Conway grabbed his second Poké Ball. "Don't count us out yet…" he growled, "Espeon, you're up!"

The psychic-type feline emerged, landing gracefully and purring. Its twin tails swished almost curiously as it examined Heracross. Conway leered, unimpressed by the choice.

"This won't be much trouble." Conway assured himself, "Heracross, use Megahorn."

Heracross ducked its head and charged.

"Espeon, use Signal Beam." Corey countered. The psychic-type purred and its gem-like eyes glittered before a multicolored beam erupted from its head, striking Heracross head-on and interrupting its attack. The heavy fighting-type tripped up and crashed into the ground, grunting irritably and standing back up.

" _Tch._ Not bad. Heracross, use Night Slash." Conway ordered. Heracross blazed across the field on its hind legs, wrapping its claws in dark energy and drawing three jet-black slashes across Espeon's small chest. The Sun Pokémon flew backwards from the contact, mewling painfully as the attack inflicted significant damage.

"You're outmatched!" Conway declared, "Heracross knows more than one move to counter a psychic-type like Espeon."

Corey gritted his teeth, ignoring Conway's comments and focusing on his partner, "Espeon, are you alright?"

" _Esp…Esp-ee!"_

"Okay, let's get 'em back! Use Signal Beam!" Corey commanded. Espeon dropped down to its haunches and rocketed in the air, soaring high over Heracross and unleashing its Signal Beam attack. The blast exploded against Heracross' hip, knocking the fighting-type off-balance.

"Now use Shadow Ball!" Corey added. Espeon purred and formed a trio of dark spheres around its lithe body and fired them in quick succession, striking home on all three. Heracross sneered as it recovered from the volley, scraping its foot across the ground as it awaited Conway's command.

"Bah, do you have any effective moves to use? Heracross can easily reject both of those attacks thanks to its type." Conway responded, "Heracross, show them what an effective attack looks like. Use Megahorn!"

Heracross dropped to all fours and charged, powerful energy pouring into its heavy horn.

"Espeon, use Calm Mind." Espeon purred and gently closed its eyes, going still as it took in a deep breath and focused its mind. An unseen wind ruffled the Sun Pokémon's fine fur and Heracross closed in, the ground thumping with its every step.

"Hold, Espeon." Corey warned, waiting until Heracross was just barely too far away. "Now! Use that horn against 'em!"

Espeon's eyes flashed open, roiling with psychic power as the feline sprinted straight for its much larger adversary. Heracross narrowed its eyes, snorting at the psychic-type's laughable charge until Espeon jumped, angling itself perfectly to land right on the end of Heracross' horn. Heracross flinched and overreacted, lurching upward in an attempt to throw Espeon over its body. Instead, Espeon launched upward with perfect timing, soaring high above Heracross as the fighting/bug-type lost sight of its foe.

"Psychic!" Corey yelled, and Espeon unleashed a devastating telekinetic beating that reached out and ravaged Heracross' muscular body, lifting the heavy bug-type into the air and slinging it away to end the assault. After a few seconds of floating through the air, Heracross landed, tearing up the grass below as it slid limply towards Conway.

"Grr! Heracross, get up and use Night Slash!" Conway growled. The bug-type failed to respond, lying still in the grass as Espeon landed gracefully on its feet. "Heracross?" Conway repeated, getting no answer.

The referee squinted, watching Heracross for a few more seconds before raising one of his flags and calling out, "Heracross is unable to battle! The winner is Espeon!"

* * *

"They did it!" Ash declared, surging to his foot and hollering with approving applause.

"Did you see Espeon use Heracross' horn as a launch pad!?" Max shouted, a huge grin on his face, "That was ingenious!"

"You've got to hand it to Corey. He's looking so confident out there." Dawn professed, "You didn't see it, Ash, but he looked on edge when Tyrogue was out there. Now he's in a whole different mood."

"Maybe he knows I'm watching." Ash quipped, earning an eye roll from Dawn. He continued, more serious this time, "But yeah, having battled Conway's Heracross once before looks like it's helped a lot. I hope he can keep it up against whatever Conway has planned next."

Layla nodded excitedly, chiming in, "I know that he can. Just you wait and see, guys. He was up all night, working out how to beat Conway, and he's gonna do it."

"That sounds like something Ash would do." Misty said, smirking at Ash.

Ash shrugged, a big grin on his face, "What can I say, I've rubbed off on the kid!"

"Let's hope." Brock said, eyes fixed calculatingly on Conway, "Because he's going to need it to win this thing. Conway isn't going to let one setback derail him."

* * *

"Yes! Espeon, that was perfect!" Corey cheered.

Conway nearly went limp, stunned by the result. "How? How did you take down Heracross so easily?"

Corey grinned. "I told you we'd gotten better. When I found out I was battling you, I studied as much as I possibly could in what little time I had. You used Heracross against me and Layla last time, and I learned that the species is a great physical attacker, but significantly weaker on the defensive side. What's more, Heracross doesn't attack very easily from a distance, and Espeon excels at that."

Conway's eyes narrowed as if he'd understood, "You sacrificed Tyrogue to do some damage and get a measure of us."

Corey frowned, "I wouldn't say sacrificed. Tyrogue gave his all, and in the end, it helped me figure out how to use your Heracross' tendencies against you."

" _Esp-e-on!"_ Espeon purred affirmatively.

Conway was still for a moment, and then he chuckled; a genuine, honest chuckle that Corey couldn't quite place in terms of meaning. _"Perhaps_ I was wrong about you." Conway admitted as he recalled Heracross, quickly switching to his second Poké Ball.

Corey readied himself, wearing a confident smirk and goading the older Trainer, "Hit us with your best shot."

Conway snorted, "Don't take that as a concession. This match is far from over. Slowking, prepare for battle!"

Slowking materialized from the Poké Ball, an eternally emotionless gaze on its face. Its blank eyes fixed on Espeon, causing an uncomfortable shiver to pass down the Sun Pokémon's spine.

"That's creepy." Corey commented.

Conway visibly rolled his eyes and called for Slowking to attack, "Slowking, use Water Pulse."

" _Slowwww…"_ the Royal Pokémon stirred, forming a sphere of water between its hands and rearing up to sling it, _"King!"_

"Espeon, dodge and use Signal Beam!"

" _Esp-ee!"_ the feline Pokémon purred, leaping high into the air and firing off an energy beam.

"Use Safeguard, Slowking." Conway countered, prompting the lumbering psychic-type to surround itself in a protective veil. The Signal Beam collided with the barrier and exploded harmlessly, allowing Slowking to drop its protection unharmed.

Conway beamed, "Excellent job, Slowking. Use Psychic."

Slowking flexed its mental muscle, emitting a damaging telekinetic pulse that knocked Espeon several feet across the field. For once, the catlike psychic-type failed to land on its feet, smacking into the grass and digging uncomfortably into the ground.

 _ **"Slowking shows off its strength with a mighty Psychic!"**_

"Espeon!" Corey cried. Conway laughed audaciously, egging Slowking on.

"Use Water Pulse, Slowking."

Slowking generated another pulsating orb of water, droning dumbly as it launched the projectile.

"Espeon, deflect that Water Pulse with Shadow Ball!" Corey ordered. Espeon quickly jumped to its feet, conjuring a shadowy sphere and deflecting the Water Pulse attack with remarkable precision. "Again!" Corey urged, spurring Espeon to fire another ghostly orb at Slowking. The dark energy locked onto its target and struck Slowking straight in the chest, exploding violently and greatly damaging Slowking.

" _Slow!"_ the Royal Pokémon whined, staggering back from the blow and barely holding its footing.

"Grr, I know we're stronger than they are! Slowking, use Psychic!"

"Espeon, you too!"

The two psychic-types breathed in and focused all of their strength on their psychic powers, emitting identical pulses of unseen energy. The two Psychics crashed against each other, pushing back and forth in a brief but violent struggle for dominance before cancelling each other out and merely pushing both psychic-types away from each other.

 _ **"Amazing! Espeon matched Slowking with a Psychic of its own, taking no damage in the process!"**_

"What!?" Conway gasped, disbelieving, "That's not possible!"

"Wrong again." Corey chided him, feeling practically on top of the world, "Espeon, use Signal Beam!"

Espeon purred and sent another energy beam screaming for its foe, though Slowking successfully blocked the blast with Safeguard.

"Use Zen Headbutt!" Conway ordered. Slowking charged, lumbering with a ridiculous control and ducking its head. A multicolored glow began to bathe the Shellder crowning Slowking's head.

"Espeon, jump!" Corey ordered.

"Not this time!" Conway fired back, "Slowking, don't let it get away!"

Slowking's unassuming eyes flicked up, catching sight of Espeon as it leaped up to hurdle the Royal Pokémon. Responding with unexpected speed, Slowking made a calculated correction and surged up, bounding at an angle and crushing Espeon with its Zen Headbutt. Espeon cried in pain as it ricocheted from Slowking's horned head towards the ground.

 _ **"Slowking connects a brutal Zen Headbutt and sends Espeon reeling! Just how much more can Espeon take?"**_

"Fantastic work, Slowking!" Conway praised, "Now, let's finish this. Use Water Pulse!"

"Espeon, counter with Signal Beam!" Corey yelled. Slowking fired off its Water Pulse quickly, only for Espeon to stand and fire a precise Signal Beam that slashed clean through the Water Pulse sphere and struck Slowking's head, knocking the Royal Pokémon over.

"Shadow Ball Ring!" Corey called, getting Espeon to conjure a group of Shadow Balls that circled eerily around the Sun Pokémon's lithe torso. Espeon waited patiently, knowing it could rely on the orbiting Shadow Balls for defense.

"Slowking! Psychic!" Conway barked.

"Match 'em!" Corey countered. Espeon dispatched a telekinetic assault in tandem with Slowking, bringing the two foes back to a stalemate. Corey eyed the Shadow Balls revolving around Espeon's body, a lightbulb flicking on in his brain. "Espeon, send out those Shadow Balls!"

Espeon didn't hesitate, dispatching a pair of the ghostly spheres to different points on Slowking's body. The dark orbs exploded against Slowking's body, ruining its focus and opening the Royal Pokémon up to the full might of Espeon's Psychic.

"Slowking!" Conway roared, about to call for Safeguard before Corey interrupted him with a shrill, excited whoop.

"Give 'em everything!"

Espeon purred and the half-dozen remaining Shadow Balls went flying from the psychic-type's side to besiege Slowking, exploding with identically severe power as they met the Royal Pokémon's body, taking full advantage of Slowking's psychic typing. Slowking roared painfully, wobbling as the last of the Shadow Balls made contact. Combined with the assault of Espeon's Psychic, and it was unsurprisingly too much for the Royal Pokémon to handle. Slowking slipped to its knees when the chaos ended, holding there for a few pained seconds before slumping into the ground.

" _Slowking is unable to battle! The winner is Espeon!"_

* * *

"That's two!" Layla beamed, "Conway only has one more Pokémon to use!"

"Corey looked a little lost when Tyrogue went down, but he's taken control of this battle with Espeon!" Brock said, surprise striking across his face, "I have to admit, I wasn't placing my bets on Espeon overcoming Slowking."

"Yeah, Corey!" Ash hollered supportively, his voice drowned out by the excited crowd.

* * *

 _ **"Wow! A cluster of powerful Shadow Balls spells Slowking's doom, and Espeon has taken down two of Conway's three Pokémon all by itself!"**_

"Slowking, return." Conway called. The fainted Royal Pokémon broke down into a red glow as it was recalled into its Poké Ball. Raising his chin, Conway dared to compliment Corey, "Alright, alright, I admit it. I'm impressed."

"You're not just saying that because your back's against the wall?" Corey taunted, a scowl scrawled on his face.

Conway's head lowered and he snickered, shaking his head, "Not at all. Your fight has me genuinely impressed. You've got spunk, and it's carried you far. But, sad to say, that's all over now."

Conway's hand flicked to his belt, replacing Slowking's Poké Ball with another that held Conway's final choice. "Part of me doesn't want to do this." Conway admitted, "But, here we are anyway. _Dusknoir, it's your turn!"_

Conway's final Poké Ball opened and a white glare leaped out, coming to a stop above the ground and shaping itself into the form of Dusknoir. The Gripper Pokémon released a chilling groan, standing at its full seven-foot height and gaining a few more inches by hovering above the ground.

" _Dusk-noooooir!"_

Espeon crouched on its haunches, glaring determinedly at its much larger foe. Dusknoir's single red eye pulsed as it took in the image of its foe, and the mouth on the ghost-type's stomach opened threateningly.

"Espeon, get ready!" Corey warned.

Conway didn't hesitate, "Dusknoir, use Trick Room!"

* * *

Ash, Dawn, and Brock went noticeably pale, each of their breaths hitching in their throats.

"Oh. Crap."

* * *

Conway laughed almost maniacally as Corey examined the energy that grew from the ground to build a box around the field, his young eyes wary and distrusting.

"Oh, you know, normally I plot out strategies long before I start a battle to ensure that I'll have the upper hand." Conway explained, "But I've neglected that tactic for this battle, because I so sorely underestimated you. Well, no longer…" he pushed his glasses up, catching the sunlight with their lenses, "Dusknoir, use Shadow Punch."

Dusknoir growled, swathing a large fist in ghoulish shadows and racing forward with wild speed and delivering a brutal sucker punch. Espeon reeled from the punch, a creeping weakness trailing along its body.

Corey grabbed onto Espeon's Poké Ball, knowing he was at a grave disadvantage. "Espeon, ret—"

"Mean Look!" Conway ordered, eyes fixed eerily on Corey. Dusknoir glared at Espeon, frightening the small psychic-type in place. Corey attempted to recall Espeon, gaping with concern as the energy from the Poké Ball was reflected uselessly from Espeon's body.

"There's no escape now." Conway declared, "Dusknoir, use Shadow Ball."

Dusknoir brought its hands together, drawing energy from them and consolidating it into a dark sphere before slinging the energy, striking Espeon cleanly on its side and dropping the Sun Pokémon into the dirt.

" _Esp-ee…"_ the psychic-type whimpered, slipping into unconsciousness.

" _Espeon is unable to battle! The winner is Dusknoir!"_

* * *

"I know that Trick Room tactic all too well. Conway's fond of it." Ash commented, a snarl half-formed on his face.

"For good reason. Dusknoir's speed is incredible when it's under Trick Room." Brock observed.

"And just like that, Corey's advantage is as good as gone!" Max exclaimed worriedly.

* * *

 _ **"Dusknoir goes for a strategic combo of Trick Room and Mean Look, leaving Espeon with nowhere to go, and now both Trainers' backs are against the wall!"**_

"Espeon, return!" Corey roused, summoning Espeon back to its Poké Ball with the push of a button. With a proud smile on his face, the youngster turned the capsule over in his hand, "Espeon, you were really incredible out there! You came from behind and got us a lead, and I'm really proud of you. Now, get some rest. It's time for us to finish this."

Corey tucked away the Poké Ball, eyeing Dusknoir curiously. The Gripper Pokémon was at full strength, and thanks to Trick Room, would be faster than anything Corey could throw at it.

"We don't need speed so bad, as long as we can dish out damage and take it, too." Corey muttered to himself and latched a hand around his final Poké Ball, tapping the central button and priming it for use. "Okay, Luxray, we need you!"

Corey lobbed the Poké Ball above the field and it burst open, releasing the electric-type hidden inside. Luxray's unruly hair shifted in the wind, standing tall and baring its teeth. Its eyes glinted with a gold hue for a moment, and powerful electricity began to surge around the electric-type's thick fur.

" _Lux-ray!"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon roared, boosting the strength of the charges circling its body as fury coursed through its veins.

* * *

"Why's Luxray so angry?" Dawn asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe it's just hot-tempered?" Brock suggested, though he was very clearly at a loss for words.

Riley suddenly spoke up, recognition flashing across his face. "That's not it. That looks like Rivalry, Luxray's special ability."

"Rivalry? I've never heard of that before." Ash inquired confusedly.

"It's a rather rare one, actually." Riley explained, "A Pokémon with Rivalry can sometimes boost its Attack if it does battle with a Pokémon of the same gender. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it tends to make a difference."

"Rivalry, huh? That sounds like a really useful ability!" Ash concluded.

"I've got to ask, Riley, how did you learn about Rivalry? I've never even so much as heard about it." Brock asked.

"I've only seen it a few times, back in my hometown when I was a boy. We lived in an area where Shinx and its evolutionary forms were quite common, and considerably comfortable around humans. You could often find the younger ones squabbling with each other, and it was always between two males or two females that Rivalry would activate." Riley explained.

"Hmm, Corey's Luxray is male, so Conway's Dusknoir must also be male." May reasoned.

"Precisely. Our young friend has just gained an unexpected advantage." Riley said, a slight smile on his face.

"But you said it only works sometimes." Dawn wondered, "We traveled for a few months with Corey, but we never saw anything like Rivalry—or any special ability for that matter—when it came to Corey's Luxray."

Riley shrugged, "Who can say? It's possible that you did witness it without knowing that Rivalry was a special ability. Or, perhaps, Luxray understands the stakes of this battle, and it's showing."

"Hey, that's awesome!" Max buzzed, shooting to his feet and shouting supportively, "Let's go, Corey and Luxray! You've got this!"

* * *

"Dusknoir, use Shadow Ball." Conway ordered coolly. Dusknoir mimicked its earlier movements, conjuring a shadowy sphere between its large hands.

"Luxray, dodge and use Crunch." Corey countered. Dusknoir fired the Shadow Ball and Luxray leaped high over the blast, landing cleanly on all fours and rushing forward with its jaw hanging open, poised to clamp onto whatever part of Dusknoir it could reach first.

"Dusknoir, punish them with Shadow Punch." Conway ordered. Dusknoir raced to meet Luxray head-on, using its enhanced speed and bringing back a powerful fist. In a single, fluid thrust, Dusknoir batted Luxray away with a sucker punch.

"Luxray!" Corey cried.

" _Lux…"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon winced, before a rush of fury coursed through its system again, _"Lux-ray!"_

"Okay, use Discharge!" Luxray growled and unleashed a storm of voltage from its body, arcing more than a dozen bolts of crackling lightning straight toward Dusknoir's large body and electrifying the ghost-type. The electricity died down with a violent explosion, leaving Dusknoir doubled over as it hovered gently above the ground, smoke curling off of its body.

Conway gritted his teeth, "Use Shadow Punch."

Dusknoir blazed forward with a vengeful growl, appearing in a cluster of shadows in front of Luxray and delivering another brutal punch. Luxray noticeably struggled to climb to its feet this time around, a brief shiver trickling down its spine.

Dusknoir rumbled haughtily, taunting Luxray as the electric-type struggled. Hearing the Gripper Pokémon's taunts, Luxray bristled, rage twinkling in its eyes.

"Luxray, use Swagger."

" _Ray!"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon growled, locking eyes with Dusknoir and swishing its tail. A red glow appeared in Luxray's irises, giving rise to an identical glow in Dusknoir's singular eye. The Gripper Pokémon somehow stumbled through the air, moving in a discombobulated manner.

"No! Dusknoir, snap out of it!" Conway ordered, but the command fell on deaf ears and Dusknoir meandered back and forth across the field.

"Yes, he's confused! Luxray, use Crunch!" Corey called. With renewed strength, Luxray dove into action, a dark strength pouring into its jaws as it bared its teeth.

Conway paled, actually _stammering_ as he tried to figure out how to respond, _"Erm—ah—Dusknoir, use Shadow Ball!"_

Dusknoir heard the command and began preparing a ghostly sphere. Luxray continued to approach, slowed only by the influence of Trick Room. However, rather than counter Luxray's impending attack, Dusknoir promptly detonated the Shadow Ball on _itself,_ flailing backwards from the explosion's concussive force. Luxray skidded to a stop, puzzled by Dusknoir's antics. The Gripper Pokémon seemed none the wiser, its single eye glowing a painful red color to denote its confusion.

"I think I'm okay with that," Corey drawled haughtily, "Luxray, let's rock their world with Wild Charge!"

Luxray purred, the vocalization increasing violently in volume as a shield of wicked lightning surged into being around its thick fur. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon scrambled into a charge, thundering across the ground at Dusknoir's motionless hovering form and crashing. The electricity circling Luxray erupted in a violent blast and sent both Pokémon skidding away from each other.

Dusknoir fell from its midair perch and rolled, its heavy body bringing it to a stop fairly quickly. The piercing red glow in the ghost-type's eyes faltered and dimmed, freeing the Gripper Pokémon from confusion.

" _Noir?"_

" _Lux-ray!"_ Luxray taunted as the recoil damage from Wild Charge went away. Dusknoir scowled, surging back up into the air and awaiting Conway's command.

"Good work, Dusknoir," Conway praised, though he knew full well how much damage Dusknoir had sustained in its brief bout with confusion, "Use Shadow Ball, and keep the pressure."

Dusknoir conjured three Shadow Balls and fired them off in quick succession. Luxray dodged the first and second before being hit by the third, giving Dusknoir a window to attack again.

"Shadow Punch!" Conway snapped.

Corey flinched, focusing on Dusknoir's readied hand, "I've got it! Luxray, use Crunch on Dusknoir's hand!"

Luxray looked up, bracing itself as Dusknoir arrived right in front of it. The Gripper Pokémon reared up to throw the punch and Luxray lurched forward, clamping its jaws around Dusknoir's large hand. Dusknoir flinched and the pain hit, stabbing into every inch of the ghost-type's hand as Luxray dug its teeth as deep as they could go.

"Yes!" Corey whooped, "Luxray, Discharge!"

Luxray tensed and a fountain of electricity spilled from its body, passing instantly to Dusknoir thanks to Luxray's fixed jaws around the ghost-type's hand. Dusknoir thrashed, ripping its hand free from the grip of Luxray's teeth, but Luxray continued to pump the ghost-type's body full of voltage.

Dusknoir doubled over as the Discharge calmed down, weakness terribly apparent in its body language.

"Wild Charge!"

"Use Shadow Punch to counter!"

Both Pokémon sprinted at each other, one surrounded by a vortex of lightning and the other bathed in shadows. Luxray's footfalls pounded on the ground, the _pop_ and _crack_ of the surrounding voltage drowning them out. Dusknoir slid along the air, bringing back its fist in preparation. Luxray's eyes gleamed gold for a split-second, and the electric-type leaped upward. Dusknoir delivered its punch, missing as Luxray bounded over the angle of the punch. The Gripper Pokémon stiffened, only managing momentary eye contact with its foe before its vision turned a blinding yellow. Electricity exploded all around Dusknoir, zapping every inch of its body.

Dusknoir landed on the ground with an audible _thump,_ going limp as tendrils of lightning continued to coil around its body. Luxray landed awkwardly on its feet, besieged by the incurred recoil damage and only barely managing to keep its footing. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon whirled around once it was steady, eyes falling on Dusknoir.

The referee waited for a few tense seconds and then raised his voice, _"Dusknoir is unable to battle!"_ he raised the flag pointing to Corey's side, _"The winner is Luxray! That's three wins, which means the battle goes to Corey from Eterna City!"_

Luxray collapsed, catching itself on its knees and breathing a heavy sigh of relief. A light pattering of feet signaled Corey's approach, and the youth nearly slid into Luxray before wrapping his skinny arms around the furry electric-type.

"You did it, Luxray! We beat Conway!"

Luxray genuinely smiled, happy as can be, _"Lux-ray, Lux!"_

* * *

One invasive, uncomfortable media session later, Corey and Luxray were padding down the corridor, the latter's wide body allowing them to shoulder past pedestrians. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon had been allowed to remain out of its Poké Ball for the time being, stretching its legs on the way to a rest station. The telltale red markers of the station soon appeared to Corey's eyes, but before they could make any progress towards it, someone barreled into Corey.

"The man himself!" Ash declared, wrapping a burly arm around Corey's stomach and digging his other fist into the youth's head. Corey yelled, trying to squirm away from the noogie. Ash had a funny way of showing love for his younger friends, more or less literally throwing his weight around. Max and Layla leaped onto Ash's back together, clawing at him in an attempt to get Ash off of their friend. Max grabbed onto a lock of Ash's raven hair and tugged, eliciting a pained shout from the muscular teen that saw him let go of Corey.

"You're next!" Ash warned as Max descended from his back. He would get the younger Trainer later, most definitely. Layla scrambled over to Corey and hugged him fiercely before stooping down to Luxray and rubbing the electric-type's head.

"You two were amazing out there!" Layla declared, "That last Wild Charge was perfect!"

"That was all Luxray." Corey insisted, "He made the move to jump over Dusknoir's Shadow Punch."

" _Lux-ray, Lux!"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon boasted, pleased with the praise.

"Espeon battled really well, too." Max added, "It's not easy to take out two Pokémon in a row this far into the League."

"They just did what I asked them to." Corey insisted again, a slight blush rising to his cheeks from the praise.

"But you've trained them well." Dawn said, "Luxray's ingenuity right at the end, and Espeon using multiple Shadow Balls as both an offensive and potentially defensive tactic would score big points in a Contest, and they worked just as well in battle."

"At the end of the day, it was just as much you as it was your team that won the day. You should be proud of yourself, Corey." Ash added.

"Well, okay." Corey conceded, "Thanks, guys." He glanced past the group at the rest station, spotting Conway's telling midnight green hair. "Hey, look, Conway's over there."

His friends also looked to the rest station. The strategy-loving Trainer was conversing with the attending Nurse Joy, likely waiting on his Pokémon to be rested.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Corey decided, hurrying off with Luxray before anyone could respond. The youth padded up beside Conway, standing a few paces away. "Conway?"

Conway jumped, looking to the side and giving a sigh of relief, "Oh, it's just you. Congratulations on your win."

"Um, thanks. I… I saw you over here and wanted to come say hello. You battled really well today. I had a lot of fun." Corey replied.

Conway looked down, a glum look on his face, "I suppose it was enjoyable."

"I didn't see you on the way in." Corey remarked.

"I wasn't interested in sticking around. I needed to get my Pokémon to be rested." Conway explained quickly.

"No reporters wanted to talk to you?"

" _Hmph._ They only want to speak to the winners."

"Oh." Corey mumbled.

"Listen, kid." Conway started, "I owe you an apology. F-For the way I've treated you."

"I think I owe you one as well. I wasn't exactly respectful myself." Corey responded.

"Only because of my rudeness. I failed to respect your skills as a Trainer. I belittled you at every turn and was, frankly, disgustingly arrogant." Conway insisted, "Your team certainly proved me wrong."

" _Lux."_ Luxray huffed, apparently agreeing.

"Your Luxray is something special." Conway remarked, "Its behavior when it was called upon seemed to indicate a special ability called Rivalry."

"Rivalry?" Corey asked, puzzled.

Conway was dumbstruck, "You—you didn't know?"

"I guess I just assumed Luxray didn't have a special ability." Corey admitted, embarrassed.

"In actuality, it's relatively rare and not very pronounced like other abilities." Conway explained, "Rivalry works to raise a Pokémon's Attack when it faces a Pokémon of the same gender, but it doesn't always activate."

"Oh. That's pretty interesting!" Corey said with a smile.

Nurse Joy strutted over, carrying a tray with three Poké Balls laid on them. She passed the tray to Conway, who grabbed each sphere and attached them to his belt before turning back to Corey. "I would suggest that you begin working towards understanding how Rivalry works and using it to your advantage. It can be quite a boon in battle, as you probably saw with Dusknoir."

"I'll keep that in mind…" Corey said. After a moment of awkward silence, he stuck out his hand, "Thank you, Conway. For everything."

Conway glanced at Corey's outstretched hand as if it were some foreign gesture before relaxing and taking it with a firm shake. "Good luck against Ash." Conway warned. He stepped back and nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose, catching the encroaching sunlight one last time, "You're going to need it."

* * *

"Are you sure you guys can't stay?"

Ash walked in tandem with Nolan and Hannah down the sandy path towards the docks, having offered to see them off after their farewell to the group. Up ahead, a lone ferry floated in the harbor, offering passage off of the island. The sun dangled slightly over the horizon, painting the seawater an orange-juice color.

"I wish we could. But we need to head back to Johto." Nolan replied sadly, "It's planting time on grandpappy's farm. We help out every year with the crops."

"That stinks. But I understand." Ash said. They came to a stop near the docks, waiting at the crossroads of their separate paths. A gentle coo drifted from Hannah's feet, drawing three pairs of eyes to the ground. Hannah's Egg had hatched a few hours ago, right there in the stadium, into a healthy Mareep. Hannah had immediately fallen in love, forging an instant bond with the infant Wool Pokémon. Mareep had quickly learned to walk in the course of the afternoon, and was quite taken with the act, baaing and cooing with adorable curiosity.

"And there's little Mareep now." Nolan added, a smile tugging at his lips. "I've been thinking that I'll stay at home for a while, maybe challenge the Gyms around Johto when I feel like it; come to and from Goldenrod City, y'know?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm still trying to decide what will happen when it's time to go back to Kanto." Ash said.

The ferry's horn sounded, echoing across the empty sea and the island behind it.

"Sounds like we're about out of time." Nolan lamented. He turned to Ash, "Thank you for the battle today, Ash, and for everything before that. I can't begin to describe my gratitude."

"Hey, don't mention it. I'm glad we met you both." Ash affirmed. He glanced to Hannah, dropping down to one knee and silently noting that he still had a few inches on the younger girl even when kneeled down. "And you, Hannah… you take good care of Mareep here."

"I will. I promise." Hannah replied as she looked down at Mareep. The Wool Pokémon bleated sweetly. "One day, we're going to travel and be just like you and Nolan!" she promised.

"I don't doubt it." Ash said with a smile as he ruffled the girl's curly hair. Pikachu leaped from the teenager's shoulder and onto Hannah's, chattering affectionately. "Pikachu's going to miss you." Ash remarked.

"I'll miss him, too." Hannah said, patting the electric mouse's head. Pikachu purred and nuzzled his cheek against Hannah's transmitting the slightest of static shocks and making Hannah giggle. Beaming, Pikachu hopped down to the ground and approached Mareep. The Wool Pokémon looked at Pikachu reverently, as if sensing Pikachu's innate strength and respecting it.

" _Pi-Pi-Pi! Pi-ka-chu!"_ the mouse cooed, gently extending his bolt-shaped tail towards Mareep. The electric sheep understood and turned as well, touching its tail to Pikachu's and generating a happy burst of electricity from the contact.

"We'll be rooting for you from Johto." Nolan promised.

"I appreciate that. You guys should come visit Pallet Town sometime. You'll always be welcome." Ash suggested.

"We just might take you up on that." Nolan answered with a smile. The white-haired Trainer extended his hand and Ash eagerly took it, sharing a firm handshake.

"You two be safe." Ash said. Nolan and Hannah both nodded in affirmation and turned, eyes fixed on the ferry that awaited them. The two siblings shared a glance and then took off, racing towards the harbor. Little Mareep kept pace with them, not entirely sure why they were suddenly running but apparently thrilled by the speedy activity.

Once they reached the docks, Nolan looked back, finding that Ash was still standing on the edge of the hill and watching them go. A gust of wind blew Nolan's thick white hair backwards and he waved in farewell, which Ash quickly reciprocated. With that, the two siblings (and Mareep) bounded aboard the ferry, disappearing from Ash's sight. A few moments later, the ferry detached from the dock and began to sail into the sunset, slowly but surely shrinking until it was barely a dot on the horizon.

Ash sighed and finally turned, trotting back towards town as his mind wandered towards the future. Tomorrow was to be an off-day, twenty-four hours intended for rest and recovery in preparation for the start of Full Battles. The home stretch was within reach.

Unfortunately, Ash would now have to go through Corey to advance, since the youth had miraculously taken down Conway. As proud as he was of the youngster, there was a certain torture in Ash's labored steps as he headed back into town. Corey's painful defeat at Conway's hands in the Pastoria City Tag Battle Competition had sparked a thirst for victory in the youth that Ash often saw in himself when it was time to battle. The youngster's dedication and perseverance had admittedly been inspiring.

Ash continued lumbering towards the Pokémon Center, alone with only Pikachu and his thoughts as he understood that in order to achieve his lifelong dream, he'd have to tear Corey's apart.

* * *

 **That's it for Chapter 76. I'm going to be taking more time off between now and the next update, but it shouldn't be as long as the wait for this chapter. I merely want to stay ahead of the game and write ahead of where I'm posting.**

 **I'd really, really appreciate any and all reviews, folks. Reviews seriously encourage me like no other and it's a boon for my writing. If you can send in a review, thank you so, so much.**

 **Also, one more time: Guest readers and reviewers, you can stay on top of this story by making an account and following this story. You can also communicate with me via PM. Thanks again, and I'll see you all soon.**


	77. The Student and the Master

**The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 77_

 _The Student and the Master_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Ash stepped into the locker room, immediately alert at the sounds of conversation reverberating off of the concrete walls. Five other Trainers occupied the underground complex, all chatting amongst themselves. The sound of Ash's footsteps captured the attention of the Trainers, and the noise of simple conversation quickly transformed into excited chatter.

"It's Ash Ketchum!" he heard one of them whisper.

"Um… hey, everyone." Ash greeted with a nervous wave, putting on his best smile, "You must be some of the other quarterfinalists."

Ash saw Corey watching him from the group, looking positive. They hadn't talked much since the end of the Round of 16, staying apart in order to train and prepare for the battle they knew was coming.

Ash carefully approached an empty locker, producing a padlock as he opened the unlocked door and began placing his belongings inside.

"Excuse us."

Ash turned, his eyes focusing on two boys: a dark-skinned one with black dreadlocks and a fair-skinned one with a clean blonde crew cut. The boy with dreadlocks spoke first.

"We just wanted to come say hey. We're big fans. I'm Dre."

"And I'm Marco. Your battle with Paul two years ago was legendary!"

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you guys." Ash said, "Who are you facing in this round?"

"Each other, actually." Dre answered.

Marco added to that, "We're good friends, traveled all of Sinnoh together. Go figure that this would happen, huh?"

"I know what you mean. I'm battling Corey, the kid over there." Ash said, pointing out the youngster as he talked out of earshot with a few other Trainers, "He spent some time traveling with me and my girlfriend. Good kid."

"Yeah…well, we know you're up first, so we'll leave you alone, brother," Dre said, "Good luck to ya."

"Thanks, you guys. Good luck." Ash said, turning back to his locker. His shoulder was conspicuously empty; Pikachu had to be left with the others now that all battles from this point on were six-on-six. If he took Pikachu out with him, it would violate the rules since he would have seven Pokémon on his person that could be technically be used for battle. It made planning more difficult, since he would have to have his entire team picked out ahead of time and couldn't switch out beyond that six-Pokémon parameter.

It felt like only a few minutes when the attendant strolled into the locker room, calling for Ash and Corey to follow her above ground for their battle.

"Are you ready?" Ash asked Corey as they walked behind the attendant.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Corey murmured.

An awkward silence fell over them for a moment, until Corey finally broke the tension. "Ash, no matter what happens, I want to thank you. I wouldn't be here without you. You gave me the strength to beat anyone in front of me and get this far."

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Corey, but you did all of that yourself. You've become a great Trainer, and I know you'll get even better no matter what happens up there. I'm glad that we got the chance to become friends."

Corey beamed, "Me too, Ash."

The attendant stopped and showed the two Trainers where to go, pointing to where they'd split up down the hall before disappearing without a word. Ash and Corey stepped up to where the hallway split into two, leading to the opposite entrances of the huge stadium.

"I guess I'll see you on the other side." Ash said.

Corey nodded and reached out to Ash's hand, "May the best Trainer win."

* * *

The late morning sun coated the battlefield in its light, a handful of wispy white clouds decorating the blue sky. It was another warm day, but a lucky breeze kept the temperature from climbing too high. Hopefully, the hotter days of the Conference were behind them, now that the humidity was lowering with each passing day and no rain was present in the forecast for a while.

Even so, the whole weather situation made Dawn grimace. Sinnoh's climate was supposed to be _cooler._ Most summers in her life had been bearable, even as far south as she was in Twinleaf Town. If it was this hot here, she couldn't imagine what it was like in Kanto, where it was warmer; or Arceus forbid, Hoenn, where intense humidity was king.

Their group of friends had been split into two, grouped by the teenagers down on the front row and the adults in another section higher up than them. May and Misty sat on either side of Dawn, while Brock and Gary sat further down on Misty's side. Max and Layla sat on May's side, sharing a hushed conversation that was apparently the stuff of legends.

Three Pokémon sat on the wall in front of Dawn, two of them clad in supportive cheering gear. Piplup and Buneary flanked Pikachu on either side, the three of them chattering eagerly. Pikachu had been admittedly bummed that he had to be left on the sidelines; he liked getting to see his Trainer's battles up close and personal. Buneary wore a cute cheerleading outfit, pretty ribbons tied up in the tufts of hair on her ears and pom-poms clasped in her furry little hands. Piplup was dressed more simply, clothed in a sharp crimson coat and black pants.

" _ **Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?"**_ the PA system erupted.

The crowd cheered in answer.

" _ **That's what we like to hear! It's been an exciting, action-packed Conference, and at long last we're down to the final eight Trainers!"**_ the announcer said, _**"And since everything seems to be in order, we're ready to begin with the first Full Battle!"**_

The crowd buzzed again, chanting excitedly.

"Here we go, you three!" Dawn beamed, "Are you ready?"

Pikachu, Buneary, and Piplup stood up as one, cheering happily. Their voices were lost in the din of the crowd, but the sentiment was clear.

" _Pi-Pi-ka-chu!"_

" _Pip-lup, Pip-lup!"_

" _Buuuuuuun-eary!"_

"You've really got 'em dolled up, Dawn. So adorable!" May gushed.

"Oh, it's the least we can do. It would be even better if Pikachu had let me put that suit on him!" Dawn answered, throwing a jokingly cross glare at the electric mouse. Pikachu looked back and sucked in a tense breath. That had been quite the ordeal, but he'd managed to complain his way out of being dressed up. He much preferred the freedoms of no clothing.

Embarrassed, Pikachu rubbed the back of his head, _"Piiii-kachu…"_

Buneary cooed back at him, bopping the mouse on the arm with a furry ear and batting her eyes to let the mouse know that he was quite _handsome_ with or without a suit. Pikachu's cheeks flushed and he quickly looked down, fixing his eyes on the concrete he was seated on. Piplup laughed teasingly, furthering Pikachu's embarrassment.

"It's okay, Pikachu, I'm not mad. But you'd better cheer for Ash twice as hard!" Dawn challenged. Pikachu perked up and stood on his feet, hollering to the winds again. He could do that!

" _ **Our official is in place on the field, so that means it's time to introduce our competitors! First, on the red end of the field, a veteran competing in this Conference not for the first time. He's looking to return to the semifinals once more; hailing from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, let's hear it for Ash!"**_

The crowd let loose a thunderous roar, hands and feet and mouths working together to make all manner of cheers and hollers. A tall, handsome figure strolled out from a tunnel marked with minimalist red paint, waving to the crowd with a big smile on his face.

"There's our guy! Let 'em hear you, you three!" Dawn urged. Pikachu, Piplup, and Buneary cheered as loud as they could, the latter two performing dance moves to go with their cheers.

Once Ash was in place, the announcer returned to the horn, _**"And facing off against him from the blue end, a young rookie who's taken part in some exciting battles… the upstart tyro from Eterna City, the surprise of the tournament, let's give a warm welcome to Corey!"**_

Dawn and the others cheered once again, though this round of cheering was noticeably dominated by Max and Layla. They both shared a strong connection with the novice Trainer. And although Max couldn't say that he wanted Corey to _win,_ he did hope for his friend to give it his all against the young man who had been a mentor to both of them.

Corey reached his battle box, standing as tall as he could manage. He interlocked his hands nervously for a moment and then pulled them apart, taking a deep breath.

It was time.

* * *

" _Quilava, I choose you!"_

" _Grotle, you're up first!"_

Corey grumbled as he immediately recognized the disadvantage he was at. Grotle and Quilava stared each other down threateningly, waiting for a command from their Trainers.

"Quilava, use Flamethrower."

Quilava purred and spewed a fountain of flames.

"Grotle, use Withdraw."

Grotle curled up, a bluish barrier of energy appearing over its body since it couldn't physically retract into the shell on its back. Quilava's hungry Flamethrower crashed into the barrier was deflected, dealing no damage.

"Now, use Razor Leaf."

Grotle acted fast, dispatching a cluster of razor-sharp leaves as soon as the Withdraw barrier collapsed. The leaves sliced through the air, slashing across Quilava's body and leaving some uncomfortable scratches.

"We can handle that. Quilava, use Flame Wheel." Ash ordered. Quilava charged and a wheel of violent fire coalesced around it, providing a dangerous shield as it closed in on Grotle. Quilava moved too quickly for Grotle to defend, crashing head-on and spreading damaging flames all across Grotle's hard body.

"Grotle, take that back with Mega Drain!" Corey yelled. Grotle locked in on the fleeing Quilava, sending a pair of vines that dove through the fire and grabbed onto the Volcano Pokémon's unseen legs. Quilava's Flame Wheel collapsed and energy was immediately sucked out of it, traveling over to Grotle and restoring some of the grass-type's lost strength.

Quilava's flames spiked as the fire-type growled. "Quilava, use Flame Wheel again!"

Quilava charged, crackling sparks again rising to form a circular veil of fire.

"Grotle, use Leaf Storm!"

Grotle's eyes glowed and the bushes on its back rustled, releasing a cluster of leaves that circled around the grass-type's body in a vortex.

"Quilava, jump up and use Flamethrower!" Ash ordered. Quilava leaped, still surrounded by Flame Wheel, and began breathing more fire, generating whips of scorching fire that swung around erratically. Grotle unleashed its Leaf Storm attack, only to have the Flamethrower whips deflect or destroy most of the blast.

"No!" Corey cried. That was Quilava's Counter-Shield technique! Quilava fell through the air, plummeting towards Grotle to crash down in a fiery explosion. Grotle suffered the blast and tumbled away, tearing up the grass as it rolled aimlessly. When Grotle stood, grievous burn marks covered its body and a flash of red flame streaked across it, denoting a severe burn.

"Quilava, use Aerial Ace!" Ash called. Quilava channeled all of its might and a gust of wind picked up underneath it, allowing the Volcano Pokémon to lift off of the ground and speed towards Grotle.

"Use Bite!" Corey countered. Grotle readied itself and lunged as Quilava came close, reaching out and clamping its jaws down on Quilava's foot as the fire-type tried to escape. Grotle dragged Quilava to the ground and let go, quickly clamping down again and biting down as hard as it possibly could. Quilava screeched with pain, scrabbling at the grass in a futile attempt to get away.

"Quilava!" Ash yelled with a flinch. He breathed, refocusing and knowing exactly how to get out of the bind, "Use Eruption!"

Fire danced in Quilava's eyes and the Volcano Pokémon arced its neck to glare at its foe, summoning all of the power in its body. Grotle murmured with concern and Quilava erupted, spewing white-hot fire from both openings in its back. The blazing plumes vibrated with raw, unbelievable power, striking Grotle both in the head and the belly and rocketing the Grove Pokémon off of the ground.

Grotle was unconscious before it even hit the ground.

" _Grotle is unable to battle! The winner is Quilava!"_

" _ **And that's all she wrote for Corey's Grotle! Ash and Quilava wasted no time at all, and it's 1-0 early on!"**_

Corey gulped. "Grotle, return." Corey called, summoning the fainted grass-type away. The youth quickly cycled through to the next Poké Ball on his belt. "Staraptor, you're up! Use Aerial Ace!"

Corey sent the Poké Ball high into the air, releasing the Predator Pokémon with style. Corey's Staraptor screamed through the air, cutting the wind with sharp precision and releasing an aggressive screech before diving downward with stunning speed. Arcs of energy trailed along the muscular flying-type as it dove, leaving Quilava with only a mere second before the attack struck home.

Quilava cried and bounced backwards, rolling painfully away. With a huff of irritation, Quilava jumped back to its feet, flaring the flames on its back indignantly.

"Quilava, we're going to have trouble with this one. Return!" Ash called. Quilava's form broke down into glowing red energy, leaving Staraptor with no opponent. Ash latched Quilava's Poké Ball back to his belt, pondering his next choice for a brief moment before deciding, "Okay. They want to come at us from the air, we'll do the same thing! Staraptor, I choose you!"

Ash's Staraptor emerged from the airborne Poké Ball, identical in every noticeable way to Corey's. The youngster's flying-type droned a challenge, flying in a great circle along with its foe so that they stayed on opposite ends above the field.

" _ **Well, this is exciting! We've got Staraptor versus Staraptor for our second matchup!"**_ the announcer declared. Up on the huge jumbotron, the second Poké Ball graphic beside Ash's portrait filled in with Staraptor's image, lighting up with various colors to indicate that Ash was currently using the Predator Pokémon. The image of Corey's Grotle was silhouetted now, denoting that the grass-type was unable to battle.

Corey made the first move, "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace again!"

Corey's Staraptor charged headlong at its identical foe, squawking proudly.

"Staraptor, show 'em what you've got. Use Aerial Ace, too!" Ash ordered. Ash's Staraptor sped head-on to meet Corey's Staraptor, identical streaks of light surrounding both Pokémon as they flew dangerously close. Once it was within striking distance, Ash's Staraptor shifted, flicking its eyes to the left and adjusting so that it flew into the other Staraptor's shoulder. Corey's Predator Pokémon shrieked and nosedived towards the ground, pain erupting from its shoulder as its foe flew triumphantly overhead.

"Staraptor, no! Right yourself and get back up!" Corey hollered. Staraptor listened, overcoming its injury enough to pull up and avoid crashing into the ground. Staraptor hooked around, ascending to match its identical foe's height once more and screeching. It would take more than that to defeat it!

"Staraptor, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled from the ground. His Staraptor crowed and flew full speed ahead, giving Corey no more than a few seconds to devise a response.

"Use Double Team, Staraptor!" Corey countered. His Staraptor cawed and its form flickered, splitting into a dozen decoys. Ash's Staraptor squinted and picked one of the Staraptors to attack, speeding clean through it and revealing it to be a decoy. The copies collapsed after that and Corey shouted to the sky again, "Now use Steel Wing!"

Corey's Staraptor chased after its identical foe, its right wing burning with cold, metallic energy. Ash's Staraptor slowed and turned around only to be accosted by Corey's, taking a diagonal swipe to the chest and ricocheting away. Ash's Staraptor threw out its wings, stopping itself and regaining control.

"Not bad." Ash praised, "Not bad at all. Staraptor, use Brave Bird!"

Staraptor gave a violent screech and lurched forward, energy burning to life around its muscular body and turning blue. Staraptor tucked in its head, crashing straight into its rival. A vicious explosion followed and Corey's Staraptor plummeted, suffering grievous damage. Ash's Staraptor rolled away through the air, spinning rapidly and using that momentum to back away from Corey's Staraptor as it recovered and took to the skies.

* * *

"Hey, that's Gliscor's Air Battle move!" Brock said with surprise.

"Air Battle?" May inquired.

"Yeah, In Ash's last Sinnoh circuit, we met McCann, an older man that the locals knew as the 'Air Battle Master'. He used his Scizor to battle when the wind was strong, using the environment to his advantage. You can imagine that when Ash saw it for himself, he was eager to get a shot at McCann and Scizor." Brock explained.

"Of course." Misty snorted.

Dawn cut in, "Ash used Gliscor, who uses the wind to glide and stay airborne. Scizor won both of their battles, but Gliscor came so close that McCann offered to train Gliscor temporarily to become a better Air Battler."

"That's right. One of McCann's biggest tactics that he passed onto Gliscor was to quickly roll away after landing a hit in an Air Battle, spinning to take control of the winds and get out of range of any sort of counterattack. It seems Ash has passed that on to Staraptor, and perhaps his other flying-type Pokémon." Brock added.

"Oh, I get it!" Max gasped, "It also helps Staraptor from taking extra damage. Brave Bird has an intense recoil effect, so Ash doesn't want him taking more damage than he has to."

"Exactly." Brock agreed.

* * *

Corey grimaced. His Staraptor wasn't holding up all that well. The Predator Pokémon was tired, remaining locked to the ground and heaving, one eye trained on its identical foe as it circled the field, silently taunting the grounded flying-type.

"Staraptor, can you keep going?" Corey asked, "It's fine if you can't. I can return you, save your energy for later."

" _Starr!"_ the Predator Pokémon crowed, throwing a cross glare at its Trainer. Corey knew the glare held no ill will. Staraptor was proud to the end, even when it was outmatched. It would not withdraw.

"Okay. I'm gonna let you decide. When you're ready, let's get back up there!" Corey said. His Staraptor took a few more deep breaths and then spread its wings, lifting into the air and falling behind its opponent. Ash's Staraptor glanced back, squawking approvingly at the challenge.

" _ **It appears we're back in action! How will this battle end?"**_

Corey yelled out a command, "Staraptor, chase 'em down with Aerial Ace!"

Corey's Staraptor sped up, channeling the wind to catch up to its foe. Ash's Staraptor defiantly whirled around, spreading its wings out and allowing Corey's Staraptor to strike home. Without any sort of command from Ash, the older teen's Staraptor began unleashing a flurry of melee attacks to knock its foe back. Corey's Staraptor cowered away, cringing from the pain brought on by the up-close strikes.

"Great job, Staraptor!" Ash praised, "Use Brave Bird!"

"Staraptor, dodge that!" Corey hollered. Ash's Staraptor charged from within a layer of violent blue flame, but Corey's Predator Pokémon barrel rolled out of the way and caused Brave Bird to fail. "Now, get 'em again!"

Corey's Staraptor charged in with another Aerial Ace.

"Staraptor, use Quick Attack to keep away from them!" Ash countered. His Staraptor trilled and sped up, its body trailed by a beam of light. Corey's Staraptor tried desperately to keep up, but unsurprisingly failed. Once it was worn out, the Predator Pokémon slowed. "Now's our chance! Staraptor, use Close Combat!"

Ash's Staraptor turned as sharp as it could, speeding back towards its stationary foe. Corey yelled in panic and his Staraptor looked up, flinching as its opponent closed what was left of the gap. Ash's Staraptor led with a brutal kick, latching onto its foe and striking multiple times while plummeting to the ground. Letting go at just the right moment, Ash's Staraptor took to the air, leaving its foe to crash to earth.

Dust erupted from the ground in Staraptor's wake, diffusing in every direction before settling and blending back into the grassy field. The Predator Pokémon lied splayed out across the ground, unmoving.

" _Staraptor is unable to battle!"_

* * *

" _ **Ash's Staraptor comes out on top and puts its team up two to zero!"**_

"Ash is making it look easy. Just a couple of minutes and he's up two to nothing." Max said.

"Yep, I think Ashy-boy's got this one in the bag." Gary added, leaning back and kicking his feet up against the wall separating the gang's front row seats from the field. He failed to notice the venomous look the Layla gave him. Poor girl. She was probably the only one that was _actually_ pulling for Corey, and it wasn't even that the others didn't like the youngster. There was simply a more vested interest in Ash's victory.

The timid girl fell silent as she looked back out at the battlefield. She hoped that Corey wouldn't get discouraged.

* * *

"Luxray, you're up!"

The Gleam Eyes Pokémon emerged in a cloak of lightning and thick, black fur. Luxray yowled into the air, finding its aerial opponent and snarling.

" _ **Already down to his third Pokémon, Corey calls upon an electric-type next! Could this be the spark that swings the battle back in his favor?"**_ the announcer wondered out loud, stirring up the crowd and getting them to buzz excitedly again.

Luxray's anger boiled to the surface, tendrils of static electricity curling through its jet-black fur.

"That's it, that's what we're looking for." Corey said with a proud grin. Since discovering Luxray's hidden special ability Rivalry, Corey had studied and trained and prepared to find the best situations for Luxray to take advantage of the ability. With the stakes higher than ever, they needed it.

"Hmm, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that that's Rivalry giving Luxray a boost." Ash observed, "Staraptor, be careful! Luxray's going to hit extra hard, okay?"

" _Starr!"_ Staraptor crowed proudly, eyes narrowed as it glared from above.

"Luxray, use Discharge!"

Wicked bolts of golden lightning erupted from every corner of Luxray's body, tearing through the air seemingly in an instant and electrocuting Staraptor to the bone. The Predator Pokémon screeched and plummeted to earth, landing with a _crunch_ and immediately feeling weak.

"Crunch!" Corey added, spurring Luxray to charge on its downed foe, its sharp teeth glinting ominously.

"Staraptor, get up and use Close Combat!" Ash countered. Staraptor fought its way to its feet, but Luxray reached it quickly and bit down into its body. Staraptor gave another pained screech and retaliated, delivering a swift but powerful punch with its opposite wing. Luxray held on, growling and swishing its tail. Staraptor brought a leg up and kicked repeatedly, but the Gleam Eyes Pokémon stubbornly held on. Finally, Staraptor lurched forward and bit down, clamping its surprisingly sharp-edged beak right on the bridge of Luxray's nose. The electric-type winced and yowled, finally letting go.

Staraptor staggered backwards, relieved to be free and doing its best to ignore the violent, stinging pain in its side. Luxray crawled to its feet, irritated but still vicious and more than ready to dive back into battle. Its Crunch attack had been devastating, even more so than the Discharge that had brought Staraptor tumbling from the sky.

"Staraptor, use Quick Attack." Ash grunted. Staraptor obeyed and dived forward with lightning speed, catching Luxray off-guard and landing a glancing strike before flying away. "Come back around, use Brave Bird!"

Staraptor pulled up and around, flying upside-down for a moment before whirling back upright and surrounding itself in a sheet of destruction.

"Luxray, Discharge!" Corey ordered. Luxray unleashed a cluster of electricity, but the violent blaze surrounding Staraptor utterly rejected it. Corey paled and gave a panicked yell, "Dodge!" and Luxray scrambled out of the way, avoiding the ruinous attack. Brave Bird receded and Staraptor circled around, flying back in Luxray's direction.

"Okay, let's get 'em with Aerial Ace!" Ash called.

"Luxray, use Crunch!"

The two Pokémon raced at each other, Staraptor diving in at full speed and Luxray prowling forward to meet its foe. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon opened its jaws, ensuring that Staraptor saw its sharp, hungry teeth.

Corey waited until just the right moment, when Staraptor was too close to escape, "Now, switch to Wild Charge!"

Luxray let the electricity stored up in it loose, surrounding itself in a crackling sphere of voracious lightning.

"No! Staraptor, get away!" Ash yelled. But it was too late. Luxray had already been leaping to meet its foe, and Staraptor was too focused and too close to abort. Luxray and Staraptor collided and an explosion of lightning produced a blinding light. Even Ash looked away, sticking an arm out to shield his eyes from the glare. An instant later, Staraptor came crashing out, speeding limply towards Ash and hitting the ground with a crack. The Predator Pokémon slid, the drag from the grassy ground quickly bringing it to a stop.

Staraptor cringed, extending its wings and trying hard to push itself to its feet and face down its enemy. Luxray emerged from the ball of lightning as it receded into nothing but tendrils of static, glaring. Staraptor looked up, the feathery crest crowning its head matted and ruined. Its very muscles shook as the flying-type tried desperately to stand, but ultimately the strain was too much. Staraptor collapsed with a pitiful squawk, slipping out of consciousness.

" _Staraptor is unable to battle! The winner is Luxray!"_

" _ **And Corey's Luxray cuts the lead in half with an impressive trick play!"**_

"Staraptor, return!" Ash called. "You were great out there, Staraptor. Get some rest." Ash looked back up at Corey, flashing a proud smile, "Nice job, Corey. Switching to Wild Charge so quickly was really impressive, and having access to an ability like Rivalry is a huge advantage. I can tell that you're going to give me an honest fight."

"That's the goal, Ash!" Corey called back.

"Let's see how well you do with this one." Ash warned as he brandished another Poké Ball. He reared his leg up, pitching the red-and-white sphere with an enthused yell, "Hippopotas, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball popped open and Hippopotas emerged, chattering with a happy grin, _"Hip! Po-tas!"_

A powerful wind whipped through the stadium and the air grew hazy. Dust seemed to whip up from nothing and circle around the field, creating a damaging stream to plague the field of battle.

"A ground-type." Corey observed, " _And_ in a sandstorm. Luxray, this'll be a challenge, but I wanna see how we stack up, 'kay?"

" _Lux! Lux-ray!"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon roared.

"Alright, start off with Crunch!" Corey ordered. Luxray bounded forward, swiftly lunging in a zigzag pattern in an attempt to confuse Hippopotas.

"Hippopotas, use Dig!" Ash ordered. The ground-type babbled and dug underground, inadvertently avoiding Luxray's charge. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon skidded to a halt and growled.

"Luxray, you know what to do!" Corey said. Luxray growled again and its eyes gleamed gold. The electric-type whirled around and Hippopotas tore its way out of the earth, only for Luxray to step back and then lunge to clamp its jaws around the ground-type's head.

Hippopotas wailed and Ash flinched, his mouth dropping open. "Wait, what!?"

Luxray released its grip and Hippopotas scrambled away, shivering from the stinging pain. Corey grinned, "Luxray has another special skill that no other Pokémon has. When its eyes glow, Luxray can see through objects. Hippopotas' Dig attack isn't going to work against us."

Ash nodded in understanding, "So he can see through the ground, huh? That's a pretty awesome tactic, I had no idea. I guess we'll just have to use our other moves. Hippopotas, use Earthquake!"

Hippopotas huffed and stomped on the ground to send violent shockwaves through the field. Luxray's body rocked with the vibration, stumbling into the ground and falling at the mercy of the quaking. The tremors soon stopped and Luxray leaped back to its feet with a snarl, only to have the sandstorm batter its body and add to the damage.

Corey pursed his lips, thinking hard before deciding his next move, "Luxray, you're doing fine, but I don't like this. I'm going to need you later, so for now, return!"

Just like that, Luxray was summoned back to its Poké Ball. Ash smiled, pleased that he'd warded off the powerful electric-type. Now was his chance to add to his lead.

"Floatzel, come on out!" Corey called.

The Sea Weasel Pokémon materialized on the grass, opening its jaws and gnashing its powerful teeth. Ash bit back a curse; they were back on the disadvantage. Against his better judgment, he stuck with Hippopotas.

"Hippopotas, we're gonna try and tough it out. Think you can handle it?"

" _Po-tas!"_ the ground-type chattered, welcoming the challenge.

"Okay, let's start off with Take Down." Ash ordered. Hippopotas galloped forward, building up speed and power with each step.

"Floatzel, use Razor Wind." Corey countered. Floatzel's twin tails spun like a propeller and Floatzel lifted up off the ground by about a foot, whipping its tails to jettison sharp blades of wind. Hippopotas ducked its head and continued to charge, tanking the twin blades and continuing forward to pound Floatzel in the stomach.

The Sea Weasel Pokémon cried out and stumbled backwards, catching itself before it could fall. Corey gritted his teeth, "Okay, that didn't work. Let's try Water Pulse."

Floatzel screeched and vaulted forward, channeling a sphere of pulsing water and launching it with uncanny precision. The Water Pulse flew and crashed against Hippopotas, soaking the ground-type and knocking it back.

"Hippopotas!"

"Now, Floatzel, use Ice Beam!" Corey ordered.

"Hippopotas, use Dig!"

Hippopotas buried itself underground as a freezing beam passed over the fresh hole in the ground. Another moment later, Hippopotas attacked from Floatzel's feet, ramming as hard as it could. Floatzel yowled and staggered back, glaring down at its opponent with a fury.

"Water Pulse."

Hippopotas was bounced back by a concentrated explosion of water, once again soaked to the skin. The Hippo Pokémon squirmed and fretted—its sandlike skin did not appreciate the sudden dampness.

"We've got 'em where we want' em! Floatzel, use Ice Beam!"

Floatzel charged up another Ice Beam, nearly ready to discharge it before the sandstorm suddenly pounded its body and interrupted the attack. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Finally!

"Well, that took its sweet time! Hippopotas, use Take Down!"

"Floatzel, use Ice Beam on the ground!" Corey countered. Floatzel spat a jagged blast of ice onto the path in front of Hippopotas, freezing the grass and the ground below it in a sheet of thick frost. Hippopotas promptly slipped on the slick surface, smacking into the ice with a jarring _thunk._

"Perfect, now let's use Crunch!" Corey called. Floatzel dropped to all fours and sprinted, its canines gleaming even in the hazy sandstorm.

"Hippopotas, use Earthquake!" Ash yelled. Hippopotas glanced up from the ground and channeled seismic power through its small body, tapping the icy ground with its foot and setting off a jolting vibration that cracked the ice around it. Floatzel wavered on its footing, skidding to a stop just before another tremor could rock the field.

"Floatzel, you've gotta find some stable footing!" Corey hollered. Floatzel staggered away from the center of the shaking, wavering as it tried to find a solid place to stand. After what felt like an eternity, the quaking stopped and all was back to normal. "Use Ice Beam!"

Floatzel attacked and Hippopotas leaped out of the way, moving as quickly as its little legs could carry it. "Hippopotas, use Take Down!"

Hippopotas charged. "Floatzel, Ice Beam!" Corey countered, and Floatzel spat yet another freezing beam. Hippopotas didn't have the time or the reflexes to dodge and was struck right on the head, falling victim to the attack's wicked freezing effects.

"Hippopotas!" Ash cried. The Hippo Pokémon shivered, its sand-colored body marred by veins of solid ice. Floatzel's Ice Beam had found the vestiges of water still soaking the ground-type's damp skin and frozen them solid, delivering a lasting, biting pain onto its foe.

"Okay, Floatzel, finish this! Use Water Pulse!"

Floatzel growled and spun acrobatically, generating a concentrated blast of water in one palm and launching the attack as it whirled around. The blast built up power from the spin move, rocketing towards Hippopotas and striking home with explosive force. Hippopotas rocked backwards, stumbling as its mind became hazy. The Hippo Pokémon let out a pitiful groan and collapsed, going still.

The referee promptly raised the flag in his right hand and announced the result, _"Hippopotas is unable to battle! The winner is Floatzel!"_

* * *

" _ **Incredible! After an early 2-0 deficit, Corey has battled his way back, and it's all tied up at two apiece!"**_ the announcer boomed.

"You've gotta hand it to Corey. It's easy to fall apart after being down so early like he was." May said.

Gary shrugged, skeptical, "Eh, I don't know. Corey had a type advantage in both of those rounds. Lucky for him, Ashy-boy is irritatingly stubborn. He likes to prove that he can overcome the odds and shock people. I bet he'll start playing it safe now."

* * *

"Hippopotas, return!"

Hippopotas' fainted form retreated back into its Poké Ball. Ash patted the capsule ball, "Thank you for your help, Hippopotas. You tried your best, so try to get some rest, and we'll get to a Center soon." Ash tucked the Poké Ball away and quickly replaced it, priming the Ball and calling upon his next Pokémon, _"Heracross, I choose you!"_

The Single Horn Pokémon burst free from its Poké Ball, crashing into the ground and standing on its powerful hind legs. Its beady eyes bulged as it screeched, _"Hera-cross!"_

Floatzel braced, taking a battle stance amidst the still-raging sandstorm. Debris from the storm struck both Pokémon, dealing negligible damage in the process. Evidently, the sandstorm was beginning to weaken. Good.

"Heracross, use Horn Attack."

Heracross dropped to all fours and charged, its huge horn glowing white.

"Floatzel, use your flotation sac to protect yourself!" Corey ordered. Floatzel snarled and the huge yellow sac wrapping around its body suddenly inflated, covering its vulnerable torso. Heracross arrived and buried its horn into Floatzel's center, pushing Floatzel back but dealing no damage.

"Great job, Floatzel! Use Razor Wind!" Corey howled. Floatzel deflated, jumped back from Heracross, and spun its tails over and over, quickly generating harsh blades of wind and slashing Heracross with them.

"Use Focus Punch!" Ash called. Heracross bounced back, channeling all of its strength into a readied fist. Floatzel flinched as Heracross landed and the Single Horn Pokémon delivered an earth-shattering punch right into Floatzel's unprotected gut. The Sea Weasel Pokémon sputtered and flew back, smacking awkwardly into the ground and tumbling away.

"Floatzel, get up and use Water Pulse!" Corey hollered. Floatzel crawled up and charged a sphere of water, leering as it locked onto its foe.

"Heracross, use Megahorn." Ash countered. Heracross dropped down to all fours again and charged, its massive horn glowing this time with a different color as far more power was concentrated into it. Heracross charged as Floatzel launched its attack, but the bug-type lurched up with perfect timing and slashed the Water Pulse in half before continuing its headlong charge.

"Crunch!" Corey cried, and Floatzel charged to meet its approaching foe. Heracross glanced up, glaring at Floatzel as the water-type sprinted and prepared to bite down with all the force it could muster. Heracross reared up again with perfect timing, catching Floatzel by the neck.

"Yes!" Ash whooped, "Heracross, do it!"

Floatzel gagged as air was crushed out of its windpipe by Heracross' powerful horn, and the bug-type pushed with all of its might, overpowering Floatzel and turning them over. Heracross caught air and pushed Floatzel straight into the ground, flattening the water-type's throat and then tumbling up and over the downed Pokémon.

Floatzel whined and staggered to its feet while Heracross rolled over to its feet with much more energy. Floatzel heaved multiple times and then finally collapsed, relaxing as it succumbed to unconsciousness.

The referee lifted a flag in his right hand and called out, _"Floatzel is unable to battle! The winner is Heracross!"_

" _ **Heracross uses some brute force to Floatzel out of commission quick, and that puts Ash back in the lead!"**_

"Floatzel, return!" Corey said, "Thanks for your help, Floatzel, you did everything that you could." Corey tucked away Floatzel's Poké Ball, thrumming his hand against the remaining three and deciding, "Espeon, I need you!"

Corey's fourth Pokémon emerged from the opened Poké Ball, slinking out into the open with a swish of its tail and an adorable mewl.

" _ **In what appears to be an effort to regain a type advantage, Corey has chosen Espeon as his fifth Pokémon! Will he be able to stay in it?"**_

The jumbotron reflected the change, filling in Corey's fifth allotted Poké Ball with a portrait of the feline psychic-type. Corey called out to Espeon for the first move, "Espeon, Shadow Ball."

Espeon purred and concentrated, generating a dark sphere of energy and launching it at Heracross.

"Heracross, dodge that and use Megahorn." Ash countered. Heracross jumped sideways to avoid the oncoming Shadow Ball and dropped to all fours, charging as its huge horn started to glow.

"Espeon, use Calm Mind." Corey ordered. The psychic-type sat, parking itself in the grass and shutting its eyes. Gentle lights twinkled around its head as Heracross closed in. "Now, you know what to do! Use Psychic!"

Espeon reopened its eyes and sprinted, its lithe body barely even moving in the charge, and leaped onto Heracross' huge horn. The Sun Pokémon used the horn as a springboard just as Heracross realized it was there, allowing Espeon to leap high out of reach before Heracross could swing its horn upward. Coiling around with stunning skill, Espeon unleashed a psychic assault that ravaged Heracross' plated body, dropping the bug-type to the ground in a heap.

Espeon landed perfectly on its feet, purring approvingly. Heracross clawed its way back to its feet, heaving tiredly from the assault. Nevertheless, the Single Horn Pokémon took a battle stance, ready to leap back into action.

"Espeon, use Shadow Ball."

"Heracross, break that up with Focus Punch!" Ash hollered. Espeon launched another shadowy sphere and Heracross steadied, focusing all of its might into a single punch. The Shadow Ball zoomed across the field and Heracross countered with perfect timing, shattering the attack in one punch. "Now, do it again on Espeon!" Ash added, and Heracross leaped high into the air with its powerful legs, bringing back a fist and focusing on its feline adversary.

"Espeon, use Psychic." Corey countered. Espeon's eyes twinkled and another invisible assault tormented Heracross, dropping the bug-type from midair and shutting down its Focus Punch attack.

Heracross crawled to its feet, its knees wobbling this time.

"Heracross, you need a break. Return!" Ash called, clicking the bug-type's Poké Ball and bringing Heracross back to safety. The jumbotron pinged and Heracross' portrait was sapped of its color, leaving a black-and-white portrait that indicated Heracross was still able to battle but not currently active. Now, Ash had two unrevealed Pokémon, plus his resting Quilava that could replace Heracross.

" _ **In the face of some daunting odds, Ash recalls Heracross in order to combat Corey's overwhelming type advantage! Who will Ash call upon next?"**_

Ash clicked his tongue as he pondered his options. Quilava was still fresh, having dealt with Grotle in record time and been recalled in favor of a better option to face Corey's Staraptor. On the other hand, he had two undisclosed Pokémon still on his belt.

After a few more seconds of deliberation, he chose the latter. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

Ash threw the Poké Ball with a perfect spin and it popped open, releasing the Turtle Pokémon held inside. Wartortle landed gracefully and its furred ears wiggled slightly in anticipation. Its brown eyes gleamed and the water-type tensed, preparing for battle.

"Espeon, use Signal Beam." Corey ordered. The gem on Espeon's head glowed with power and a multicolored beam erupted from it, painting the grass below in a sea of colors with its glare.

"Wartortle, use Rapid Spin!"

" _Wartortle-War!"_ the water-type snapped and charged at the oncoming attack, leaping and withdrawing into its shell. With Wartortle inside, the sturdy shell spun at high speed, connecting head-on with the Signal Beam and deflecting it. The energy from the blast merely curved around Wartortle's spinning shell, failing to do any damage.

Once the Signal Beam was out of the way, Ash added to his counter, "Now, Wartortle, use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle emerged from its shell, still flying on a collision course with Espeon. The Turtle Pokémon's pale blue tail started to glow and a vicious torrent of water began circling the fur, growing with each revolution until it whorled with the force of a tornado.

"Ack! Espeon, get out of there!" Corey cried. Espeon scrambled, narrowly dodging the full brunt of the attack. Wartortle slammed its tail down on the grass where Espeon had been a split second before, creating an explosion of water that managed to douse Espeon with a spray of water but nothing more.

" _ **Impressive! Wartortle demonstrates some amazing skill and control with Rapid Spin and Aqua Tail, only missing thanks to a last-second dodge by Espeon!"**_

Corey grumbled, "Espeon, use Psychic!"

Espeon ensnared Wartortle in a telekinetic grip, throwing the Turtle Pokémon backwards. Wartortle quickly recovered, flipping so that it was upright and landing on its feet to merely skid backwards.

Wartortle smirked and withdrew one of its arms into its shell, momentarily fishing around for something before revealing a pair of distinctive sunglasses and donning them. Wartortle's smirk only grew and the Turtle Pokémon flashed a smug smile, _"War-tor-tle!"_

Ash grinned like mad, "Here we go. Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!"

Wartortle sucked in a deep breath, generating a churning, power-packed blast of water deep inside itself. The pumping water exploded from its mouth with resolute force, roaring against the air and crashing into Espeon with a brutal _smack_ that sent Espeon flying.

"Espeon!" Corey cried. The psychic-type landed on its side, driven into the ground by the Hydro Pump.

" _ **Oh, and a powerful, well-placed Hydro Pump gets Espeon good!"**_

Espeon hissed as it crawled to its feet, irritated that its fine coat was now matted thanks to the onslaught of water as well as the fact that it had been hit. Corey called to the Sun Pokémon, "Espeon, Shadow Ball Ring."

Espeon purred and a half-dozen deep purple spheres were conjured from thin air and began circling Espeon's body. The Shadow Balls could serve two purposes, one being a quick method of attack and the other a useful line of defense against future attacks.

"Okay, now use Signal Beam!" Corey ordered. Espeon emitted a multicolored beam, making sure to aim the blast straight through one of the Shadow Balls passing by its head. The beam merged with the shadowy sphere, turning its bright, multicolored appearance to a blackened replica. The Shadow Beam attack sliced through the air, and Wartortle flinched for just long enough to take the attack right in the chest.

"Hey, not bad! I like that combination, Corey." Ash praised. Then, he smirked, "But this isn't a Contest Battle, and it's going to take more than a few crafty combinations to beat us. Wartortle, get 'em with Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle charged and then leaped into the air, demonstrating excellent control as Aqua Tail came to life and churned violently.

"Espeon, dodge!"

"Wartortle, don't let 'em get away!" Ash yelled. Wartortle landed on its feet and chased after its fleeing foe, bounding after Espeon and bringing its tail down with thunderous force. Espeon scampered out of the way just in time.

"Signal Beam!"

Espeon whirled around and glanced Wartortle with its counterattack, serving only to annoy the Turtle Pokémon.

"Rapid Spin!"

Wartortle zipped forward, withdrawing into its shell and delivering a light blow that served to stun Espeon. Wartortle's spinning shell bounced off of Espeon as the psychic-type flinched, drifting upward to place Wartortle in the perfect position to attack again.

"Now, Wartortle, use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle's body slipped out of its shell and its fluffy tail became wrapped in a churning vortex of water. Wartortle descended and swung, its tail connecting with Espeon to slam the psychic-type into the ground. Wartortle's tail then erupted with a pounding explosion of water, shoving Espeon and Wartortle in opposite directions.

"Espeon, Psychic!"

Espeon's eyes glowed menacingly and Wartortle lost control of its body, lifting up into the air by some unseen force and getting thrown _hard_ into the ground.

"Okay, Espeon, let's try this out." Corey warned, his tone belying the confident smiling façade he was putting on. "Use Last Resort!"

Espeon's body immediately glowed gold, first outlining it and then filling in the fine purplish fur with a blinding gold hue. A circle of pulsing stars suddenly erupted from Espeon's shimmering form.

"Okay, Wartortle, Counter-Shield!" Ash yelled. Wartortle dropped into the ground and unleashed a Hydro Pump, using his shell to spin effortlessly on his back. The Hydro Pump shot upward in a wide vortex, spinning rapidly as the Last Resort stars came in erratically.

Espeon mewled painfully, stiffening and going weak from the strain of its attack. The gold light died out and the Sun Pokémon staggered.

"Now's our chance!" Ash gasped, "Wartortle, use Skull Bash!"

Wartortle jumped up from the ground with a final spray of water, charging across the ground and ducking its head. Espeon stood on wobbly legs, some of its strength coming back. The Sun Pokémon glanced up and stiffened, and Wartortle closed the rest of the distance with a crushing headbutt.

There was a _crack_ and Espeon ricocheted away. The grass acted as drag, bringing Espeon to a complete stop. The psychic-type went still, its soaked purplish fur making it seem even more helpless. A weak mewl escaped Espeon's throat and it went still.

The referee called out, eyes fixed on Espeon's motionless body. _"Espeon is unable to battle! The winner is Wartortle!"_

" _War-tortle-War!"_ the Turtle Pokémon boasted, puffing out its chest and grinning. Sunlight reflected off of the water-type's special sunglasses.

"Amazing job, Wartortle!" Ash praised. He grabbed Wartortle's Poké Ball, a wide smile on his face, "Okay, let's give someone else a turn. Return!"

Wartortle was sapped back into the Poké Ball, leaving the field empty as Corey likewise recalled Espeon. The jumbotron silhouetted Espeon's picture, but merely drained Wartortle's profile of color. Corey reached for his belt, frowning as he palmed his two remaining Poké Balls. The boy latched onto his choice, quickly priming the capsule ball and lobbing it onto the field.

" _Go, Duskull!"_

The small-ghost type emerged from the opening capsule, cackling and releasing faint, shadowy energy from its body. Ash smiled and grabbed onto his sixth and final unrevealed Pokémon.

" _Okay, Gengar, I choose you!"_

The Shadow Pokémon burst free onto the scene, quite a bit larger and bulkier than Duskull. Gengar's long tongue emerged from its open mouth and it laughed, _"Gen!"_

" _ **It seems we have a battle of ghost-types on our hands, folks! But which one will prevail?"**_

"Duskull, use Will-O-Wisp."

Duskull cackled and small spheres of unnatural fire circled around its small body before spiraling out in a wave towards Gengar.

"Gengar, dodge and use Shadow Punch." Ash countered. The Shadow Pokémon grinned and its large form sank into the ground, vanishing from sight. The Will-O-Wisp spheres passed harmlessly over the ground and dissipated, leaving Duskull alone for all of a few moments. A dark shadow then cast itself over Duskull's diminutive body and Gengar reappeared out of the ground, landing a sucker punch that sent Duskull reeling.

"Awesome job, Gengar! Don't let up, use Poison Jab!" Ash urged. Gengar's tongue lashed out of its mouth and the ghost-type lunged, both fists swamped with toxic energy. Gengar zoomed across the field with the speed of a fleeting shadow, appearing and whaling on Duskull with nearly a dozen punches.

"Duskull!" Corey cried as the small ghost-type reeled away from its larger foe, already wincing in pain. Gengar practically galloped away from the battered Duskull and its tongue lolled out of its mouth, a shit-eating grin plastered on its face.

" _Gen! Gen-Gen-gar!"_

Corey's face scrunched up in irritation, "Duskull, use Payback!"

Duskull's singular eye locked in place perfectly between the two sockets of its skull, its color changing from red to purple. Energy coalesced around the small ghost-type and Duskull rushed Gengar with otherworldly speed, surrounded by a fireball of crackling spectral energy.

Gengar stalled and Duskull connected in a full-body tackle, hitting with far more strength than it probably should've and slinging Gengar away.

" _ **Oh! A crushing Payback attack lets Duskull strike back! My, Ash and Gengar will have to be careful of that!"**_

"Gengar, use Hypnosis!" Ash ordered. Gengar growled and strange sound waves started emitting from its purple body, sailing towards Duskull ominously.

"Duskull, dodge those Hypnosis rays and use Future Sight!" Corey countered. Duskull zoomed sideways, avoiding Gengar's Hypnosis attacks, and strange energy circled its body as the small ghost-type's eyes glowed eerily. The flashes of energy quickly vanished and nothing happened.

"Okay, Duskull, now use Shadow Sneak!"

Duskull's small body merged with the ground, leaving a jet-black shadow in the grass. The shadow suddenly rushed Gengar.

"Gengar, dodge that!" Ash warned. Gengar leaped away from the shadow, watching as it passed underneath it, "Now use Shadow Punch!"

Gengar stopped its leap, using its Levitate ability for all of a split-second to change course and rush downward. Duskull emerged from its Shadow Sneak, unable to find Gengar until the Shadow Pokémon dropped down on it and delivered a sucker punch from behind. Duskull screeched in pain and Gengar reached out to grab the small ghost-type by its flimsy, cloak-like back and whirled around slinging Duskull back to its side of the field.

Hungry for more, Gengar leaped after its careening foe, its fist churning with another Shadow Punch.

"Duskull, use Will-O-Wisp!" Corey yelled. Duskull responded just in time, jettisoning ghostly fire instants before Gengar could land another successive punch.

" _Gen!"_ the Shadow Pokémon screeched, backing off and stumbling away. A pale bluish blaze burned across Gengar's side, indicating Will-O-Wisp's burn effect.

" _ **Ouch, that can't feel good! A timely defense by Duskull leaves Gengar with a painful burn. How will Ash respond?"**_

Gengar scowled, glaring menacingly at Duskull as the Requiem Pokémon regained its composure. The burn on its side continued to sting, duller for now but certain to strike in a few moments with a stab of pain.

"Gengar, we've got to work quick. Use Shadow Punch!" Ash ordered. Gengar phased in and out of reality, reducing itself to a hint of a shadow as it sped towards Duskull with unnatural speed. Gengar lunged, materializing into its natural form and tackling Duskull. The small Requiem Pokémon cried out as it was pressed into the grass, and Gengar grinned cruelly before raising a damning purple fist.

Duskull's eyes suddenly gleamed and white light erupted from its small form, exploding outward in a simple bright sphere. The light instantly damaged Gengar and sent the large Shadow Pokémon flying backward through the air.

"The Future Sight attack!" Corey realized. He beamed, "Amazing job, Duskull!"

Duskull's sphere of white light receded, revealing the Requiem Pokémon hovering above the ground. Duskull chattered approvingly, a short cackle aimed at Gengar's prone form. The Shadow Pokémon snarled and stood back up, only for a flash of flame to impair it again.

Duskull gave another short cackle, and its small form glowed with a piercing white light.

Corey flinched, "Wait, can it be?" and then the boy broke an ecstatic grin, "Yes! Duskull's evolving!"

" _Gen?"_ Gengar croaked in confusion.

Duskull's small body instantly more than doubled in size, suddenly taller than Gengar. Powerful hands and feet grew from the ghost-type's sides, and its skull morphed into a singular red eye as wisps of fog-like trails extended from the evolving ghost-type's head and back.

When the light receded, Duskull had become an entirely different foe. The new ghost-type roared, _"Dus-cloooooops!"_

* * *

"Wow, Duskull evolved into Dusclops!" Max gasped.

Layla beamed, cheeks coloring themselves with pride, "Duskull's been ready to evolve recently. I think Gengar gave him just the right push that he needed."

"That's so great for Corey! Let's see what he's working with now…" Dawn suggested. She whipped out her Pokédex, directing the machine to immediately scan the new ghost-type.

The Pokédex sang as it completed the task, its electronic voice humming as it spilled information, _"Dusclops, the Beckon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Duskull. Its body is completely hollow, and it can absorb anything into itself."_

"Future Sight certainly struck at the right moment. If that attack doesn't come through, we might not be looking at Dusclops right now." Brock said, "The question is if it will be enough. Dusclops may be freshly evolved, but it's still taken a lot of damage battling Gengar. Corey can't afford to get cocky."

* * *

"Amazing job, Dusclops! Welcome to the team!" Corey hollered.

" _Dus-clops!"_

"Alright, let's go finish what we started! Use Shadow Sneak!"

Dusclops sank into the ground, a black trail speeding towards Gengar.

"Oh, no you don't! Gengar, counter that with Shadow Punch!" Ash ordered. Gengar stepped back, waiting until Dusclops emerged from the ground to attack. The Shadow Pokémon threw a powerful punch, connecting with Dusclops' huge fist. The two ghost-types ricocheted off of each other, and both sneered irritably as they regained their balance. Duskull's evolution into Dusclops had ignited an apparent rivalry between the two ghost-types, and neither wanted to lose to the other.

"Gengar, use Hypnosis!"

"Fight that off with Will-O-Wisp, Dusclops!"

The two status attacks exploded upon contact with each other, cancelling themselves out.

"Shadow Sneak!" Dusclops fused into the ground again and raced towards Gengar.

"Poison Jab!" Ash countered. Dusclops surged to attack and Gengar feinted to one side, prompting Dusclops to lean that way and causing an opening. Gengar pounced on the new vulnerability, pounding Dusclops with a flurry of toxic punches. Dusclops thrashed as the blows rained down, finally lurching forward to bat Gengar away. The damage was done, however: Dusclops was poisoned.

" _Clops!"_ the Beckon Pokémon whined.

" _ **The stakes just keep getting higher! Dusclops evolved in spectacular fashion, but now both of our ghost-types are suffering from serious status conditions! Just how will this end?"**_

"Future Sight!" Corey hollered. Dusclops quickly foresaw an attack.

"Gengar, we're running out of time! Use Shadow Punch, quick!" Ash ordered. Gengar sprinted, phasing in and out of reality and leaping at its foe.

"Dusclops, keep Gengar busy!"

Dusclops obeyed by using Shadow Sneak, instead using the move to slip away from Genger and get behind it. Gengar would not be fooled, whirling around and charging again. This time, Dusclops met Gengar, raising a giant hand to catch the Shadow Punch and stop it cold.

"Payback!"

Dusclops' red eye glowed purple, threatening to strike Gengar with more power than it could ever muster up.

Instead, a flash of poison raked up Dusclops' body, siphoning a fraction of its strength and prompting the Beckon Pokémon to back away. Gengar's tongue lolled out of its mouth and the ghost-type cackled, only to be suddenly victimized by the burn nagging its side.

"Gengar, use Shadow Punch one more time!" Ash ordered.

Gengar charged again. Dusclops warbled deeply and readied a defense, bringing up its hands to counter the punch. Gengar raised its fist, threatening to attack, and then phased into the ground and passed underneath Dusclops. Reappearing as fast as it had vanished, Gengar again prepared to attack.

Dusclops whirled around as fast as its bulky body would allow it.

" _Clops?"_ it murmured, its singular eye fixing on Gengar's approaching punch only inches away.

Gengar delivered the punch right into Dusclops' hollow face, causing Dusclops to spin even further than it had intended. Dusclops lost its footing and stumbled backwards, turning again mid-fall to stare emotionlessly at Gengar as it fell to the ground.

The Future Sight attack erupted from Dusclops' falling body, offering Gengar no relief for its success. Light stormed outward and overwhelmed Gengar and Dusclops alike, obscuring them from view for all of three seconds.

When the light vanished, the two ghost-types were sprawled out opposite of each other. Gengar tensed and tried to move—tried to claw its way to its feet, but failed, going motionless just like its foe.

The referee raised both hands, red and blue flags flapping in the wind, _"Gengar and Dusclops are both unable to battle!"_

The crowd erupted, followed closely by the announcer on the PA system, _**"What a tremendous battle! Neither Pokémon wanted to go down alone, so instead both Gengar and Dusclops fight to a tie!"**_

Ash and Corey glanced at their battered Pokémon, and then to each other. With a grin, Ash tipped his hat to the youngster, and then brandished Gengar's Poké Ball to return the fainted Shadow Pokémon. Corey did the same, sporting a wistful smile.

" _ **That brings our score to 5-3 in Ash's favor! Corey's left with one Pokémon… can he pull a comeback together?"**_

Corey took a deep breath. He knew the answer, and it wasn't one that worked out for him. But he would always go down swinging.

"Luxray, it's time! Come on out!"

Luxray emerged onto the field for the second time, its small portrait on the jumbotron coloring itself in as Corey's only usable Pokémon. Ash, meanwhile, still had three Pokémon to choose from, and it would be hard to go wrong with any of them.

The choice was easy enough for Ash. Wartortle was probably his strongest and most talented remaining Pokémon, but the type disadvantage was daunting. Luxray was similarly strong in its own right, and he'd played around with type disadvantages already today and been bitten by them. Heracross was tough, but he had no advantage in speed. That meant the task fell to one Pokémon.

" _Quilava, I need you again!"_

The Poké Ball burst open Quilava pounced out onto the field, purring happily at the chance to return to battle. Flames burned from the openings on its back, searing the air around it. Luxray locked eyes with Quilava and snarled, ready for action.

"Luxray, use Discharge." Luxray purred and jettisoned a dozen bolts of crackling lightning into the air, arcing the electricity down towards Quilava.

"Quilava, Counter-Shield!" Ash answered. Quilava's mouth filled with fire and the Volcano Pokémon dove into the ground to spin on its back, spewing the flames in a huge, wild vortex and deflecting the lightning. Once the Discharge was countered, Ash quickly followed through with another command, "Now, Quilava, Flame Wheel!"

Quilava effortlessly transitioned, whirling up to its feet and charging forward in a wheel of fire. Luxray flinched and Quilava cleared the distance, ramming into the Gleam Eyes Pokémon and driving it backwards. Luxray fought back, gnashing its teeth and pushing back as much as it could until the Flame Wheel around Quilava started to die out.

"Crunch!" Corey yelled, and Luxray lurched down to sink its teeth into Quilava's back, braving the last of the flames to do so. The fire-type cried out and Luxray took control, dragging Quilava a few steps and then spinning to launch the Volcano Pokémon away. Quilava flew and hit the grass with a _thump,_ sliding until the grass brought it to a complete stop.

"Quilava!" Ash shouted.

"Luxray, use Wild Charge!"

Luxray stormed across the grass, violent sparks of lightning crackling all around it.

"Quilava, use Flamethrower!" Ash ordered. Quilava obeyed, launching a stream of fire, but Luxray endured the blaze and continued its charge, using the extreme electricity around its body as a protective layer. Luxray collided with Quilava in an explosion of lightning, electrifying the very air surrounding them as Quilava was again discarded across the field. The Volcano Pokémon landed close to Ash, whining pitifully.

Ash gulped. Maybe it was time to switch out. "Quilava, return—"

" _Lav!"_ the fire-type refused, throwing a declining glare to its Trainer. Determination rushed through Quilava's veins and the fire-type stood up again. A strange energy stirred within its lithe body, and Quilava howled into the air.

And then its body glowed.

The crowd murmured with surprise, stirring up an excited frenzy. The announcer bellowed into the PA system, narrating the scene on the field, _**"There's no shortage of new developments in this battle! First Corey's Duskull evolved, and now Ash's Quilava! Astounding!"**_

Ash beamed, "Yes! Finally!"

Quilava's small, lithe body became tall, and the evolving fire-type stood up on its hind legs to accommodate the sudden change. Its body continued to glow and widened, and the two pockets of flame on its back merged into one behind its enlarged neck to become a single, intense blaze. The white light receded, piece by piece revealing the new fire-type.

" _Ty-phlo-sion!"_

Ash booted up his Pokédex, quickly scanning his new Pokémon.

" _Typhlosion, the Volcano Pokémon, and the final form of Cyndaquil. Typhlosion produces explosive blasts of fire that burn its surroundings to cinders, and creates heat shimmers to hide itself from attack."_ The Pokédex reported. The small machine did another scan and reported another bit of information, _"New move learned."_

Typhlosion roared as if on cue, raising one of its small hind feet and stamping into the ground. A slight tremor trailed through the ground and across the field to surround Luxray. The seismic shock erupted through the ground and huge rocks speared upward to close Luxray in a trap made entirely of rock.

"That was Rock Tomb!" Ash realized, "Great job, Typhlosion! You ready to win this battle?"

" _Ty-phlo!"_ the Volcano Pokémon roared.

Corey recovered from his surprise as Luxray's irritated yowl echoed from inside the Rock Tomb. "Luxray, break yourself out with Wild Charge!"

The gaps in Luxray's stone cell filled with golden light, and a moment later the rocks exploded as Luxray rammed into them, freeing itself from its prison and charging furiously at Typhlosion.

"Typhlosion, meet 'em head-on with Flame Wheel!"

Typhlosion dropped to all fours and sprinted, running effortlessly despite its large form. Sparks flickered around its body and grew into fully-fledged flames, roaring and scorching as Typhlosion ran. Typhlosion and Luxray met with an explosive crash, ricocheting off of the other and both taking damage.

"Typhlosion, Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion breathed a horizontal column of fire, catching Luxray off-guard. The flames wrapped around Luxray's unruly black coat and the electric-type yowled, scrambling out of the blaze and limping once it was safe. A bright burn mark colored its side where its light blue fur peeked out, sure to hamper the Gleam Eyes Pokémon in the near future.

"No!" Corey cried, "Luxray, let's even the field. Use Swagger!"

Luxray's eyes glinted and a low growl rumbled out of Luxray's throat.

Of its own accord, Typhlosion roared, avoiding eye contact and powering up the flames on its back. Intense heat rolled out around its body, distorting the surrounding air. The invisible heat flickered and blurred Typhlosion's form, effectively blocking Luxray's Swagger. Luxray snarled as its move failed, and the heat shimmers faded away.

"What was that?" Ash wondered aloud. Then, he remembered what the Pokédex had told him, "Wait, that was one of Typhlosion's heat shimmers that it can use to protect itself from attacks! Amazing job, Typhlosion!"

" _Ty-phlo!"_ the Volcano Pokémon roared appreciatively.

" _ **How intuitive! Typhlosion uses an instinctual tactic to protect itself from Swagger!"**_

"Now, let's finish this! Use Flame Wheel!"

"Luxray, use Discharge!"

Luxray jettisoned a huge burst of lightning as Typhlosion approached in a wheel of fire. The electricity struck and Typhlosion complained from inside its Flame Wheel, but it pushed on and barreled into Luxray, interrupting the blast. Luxray skidded back, catching itself and snarling.

"Wild Charge!" Corey ordered. Luxray lurched forward quickly, surrounding itself in a shield of lightning and crashing into Typhlosion before the fire-type could produce a counter.

"Typhlosion!" Ash shouted, watching as the Volcano Pokémon flew towards him and hit the ground with a thunderous crash. Typhlosion eventually stopped skidding and warily stood up, feeling a surge of lightning as a sort of aftershock.

"Luxray, do it again!" Corey barked. Luxray broke into another electrified charge, snarling the whole way.

"Typhlosion, we need to buy some time." Ash warned, "I've got it! Use Rock Tomb on the ground to protect yourself!"

Typhlosion rumbled, perplexed, but decided against questioning its Trainer and proceeded. The earth around Typhlosion rumbled and huge jagged rock formations shot out in order, crisscrossing each other and effectively hiding Typhlosion under an intricate cage of thick rock.

* * *

"What's Ash doing? He's not even trying to get Typhlosion out of the way." Misty questioned.

"No, he isn't." Gary answered, suddenly leaning forward in his seat, "He's setting Corey up."

* * *

Luxray reached Typhlosion's rocky crypt and leaped, landing on one of the huge rock formations and running up to the apex of the Rock Tomb. A handful of gaps littered the formation, and Luxray peered inside one with glowing eyes. Its x-ray vision activated and it easily found Typhlosion huddled on the ground, waiting like a sitting duck.

" _Lux-ray-Lux!"_ the Gleam Eyes Pokémon yowled.

"Luxray, use Discharge!"

Golden lightning flickered within Luxray's thick black locks, surging electricity collecting to be unleashed inside Typhlosion's self-made prison.

" _Typhlosion, use Eruption!"_

The gaps in the Rock Tomb immediately glowed orange, sudden heat venting from the openings. Luxray's premature Discharge quickly died out and the Gleam Eyes Pokémon paled with realization, immediately turning tail to run.

Luxray was far too late, and the Rock Tomb exploded in a massive blast of fire and molten rock. The Eruption rose in a pillar, taking Luxray with it and discarding the electric-type somewhere along the way. Searing heat reverberated from the column of flame, sending a wave of intense warmth throughout the entire stadium with a deafening roar of raw power.

The Eruption attack calmed, leaving Typhlosion's former hiding place in a veil of smoke and dust. Luxray landed with a final _crack_ some yards away, leaving no doubt of its state. Still, the referee stared at the smoke, waiting before he could make a final decision. A bulky shadow appeared in the haze and Typhlosion stepped out, the flames on its back weaker as they had burned harder than ever before and needed time to recover. Ruined shards of rock littered the grassy field.

" _Phlo!"_ the fire-type sneered, and the smoke behind it cleared. Ash beamed as he took in the scene, and the referee nodded, blew the final whistle, and raised the flag pointing to Ash's side of the field.

"Luxray is unable to battle! Corey from Eterna City is now out of usable Pokémon, which means the victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"

" _ **Holy smokes, folks! Have you seen an Eruption quite like that before? I know I haven't, and it results in a total victory for Ash Ketchum!"**_

"Excellent job, Typhlosion!" Ash praised. The Volcano Pokémon whirled around and beamed, suddenly charging Ash and knocking the teen down like it was nothing before licking his face affectionately.

" _Ty-phlo! Ty-Ty-phlosion!"_

Ash laughed at the sensation, slightly embarrassed as he noticed the crowd was laughing as well. "Yeah, I'm so proud of you for evolving, Typhlosion! All that hard work has finally paid off!"

" _Ty-phlo!"_

"Typhlosion, I kinda need to get up now." Ash complained, running short of breath thanks to the huge Pokémon lying on his chest. He managed to fish Typhlosion's Poké Ball into his hand and returned the hulking fire-type, finally freeing himself and getting to his feet.

Corey was smiling wistfully across the battlefield, having returned Luxray. The boy nodded at Ash and turned to leave. They'd catch up soon.

" _ **And with his 6-3 victory over Corey, Ash secures a spot in the next round! Let's have a round of applause for our first semifinalist, Ash Ketchum!"**_

* * *

"There you are."

Corey cocked his head, peripheral vision catching the forms of Ash, Dawn, Layla, and Max. The boy nodded and turned back. He was standing by a railing at the port, eyes fixed on the sunset and the ocean expanding out before him. Seawater pushed back and forth, gently crashing against the concrete walls of the port and kicking its salty scent into the surrounding air.

"Corey? Is everything okay?" Ash asked. His earlier concern bubbled back up to the surface; the youngster hadn't shown any bad signs after his defeat earlier today.

"Yeah. Just thinking." Corey said.

Layla stepped forward, frowning, "Corey, you don't have to hide it from us if you're upset. You worked really hard, and it stinks to get knocked out—"

"No, that's not why. I appreciate the concern, but I'm not upset that I lost." Corey explained. "I expected to lose. It's… everything else that I'm thinking of."

"When I left Eterna City with nothing but my Eevee, I didn't really have a plan. I was so excited to finally get to go on a journey and be a Pokémon Trainer that I didn't care to have one. I knew that I wanted to collect Gym Badges and challenge the Sinnoh League, but I didn't care how long it took. I never expected to meet Ash and Dawn, or you, Layla. We never could keep in touch after you and your mom moved away from Eterna City. I've been so happy to have you as my friend again."

"I saw a lot of cool things, and learned more than I'd ever imagined. But I got to be where I am now because of my Pokémon—all of them. Without all of their hard work, I wouldn't get to say that I made it to the quarterfinals in my first Conference ever. It took the greatest Trainer in the world to knock us out. I'd say we should be pretty proud of that. I know I am." Corey said, grinning at Ash. Ash smiled sheepishly in response and scratched the back of his head.

Corey looked down and grabbed the six miniaturized Poké Balls dangling from his belt, priming them and opening them. Six pods of light leaped out, each taking the shape of one of Corey's Pokémon from the battle. Espeon, Luxray, Floatzel, Grotle, Staraptor, and Dusclops chattered evenly, giving all of their attention to Corey when the youngster kneeled down in front of all of them.

"Everyone… thank you _so much_ for everything; for all of your hard work, your constant friendship, and the trust you put in me as your Trainer. And that goes to all of our friends, including the ones that Mom's looking after back home. I'm the luckiest Trainer in the world." Corey gushed, a constant smile stuck to his face, "I don't know what's next for us, whether it's another run at the Sinnoh League, or a new journey someplace different. But I know I can do anything, because I have you all with me. Once again, _thank you."_

The Pokémon cheered in unison, and after trying to get rid of a grin that just would not go away, Corey returned everyone but Espeon. The boy tapped his shoulder excitedly and Espeon scrambled up, clambering up the boy's pant leg and walking acrobatically between Corey's shoulders.

" _Esp-ee!"_ the Sun Pokémon mewled, nuzzling up against the boy's cheek. Corey giggled and looked lovingly at the feline.

"Okay, I'm ready to head back. Coming?"

"Right behind you guys." Dawn agreed. Corey, Max, and Layla ran ahead towards the town, leaving Ash and Dawn to walk after them alone.

"I never would've guessed that when we met that scared kid in Solaceon Town that he'd grow like he has." Ash said. His hand found Dawn's and he interlocked their fingers, smiling warmly at her.

"Me neither. I'll never forget that little trip to the Solaceon Ruins, either." Dawn agreed.

"You mean the one where I used my…" Ash tried to find a word he liked, " _awesome_ Aura powers to keep the place from blowing up?" Ash asked, raising a cocky eyebrow at her.

Dawn laughed briefly and slapped his arm, "Yes, you big, heroic oaf. That's the one… things were so different then. Do… do you still think about it? All the things that Team Rocket did? Or is it behind you?"

Ash's radiant mood declined.

"Oh, Ash, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"No, no, it's okay." Ash insisted, "I don't think it'll ever be behind me. I think about it fairly often, but I don't have the nightmares like I used to. Every now and then, I'll get one and I'll feel real low for a bit, but I'm able to move past it. We made it through, and it's in the past. Giovanni is gone."

"I doubt I'll ever forget it, too." Dawn admitted, "They did such terrible things to us. I got used to Team Rocket being this incompetent trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth. I never wondered about the big bosses of the whole thing, never thought that there could be this group of pure evil people that wanted to rule the world and would go to such lengths to do just that. I mean, there was Team Galactic, and they were crazy, but…"

"Team Rocket was different." Ash finished, understanding, "But we made it through. We defeated them." Ash smiled giddily, tightening his grip on Dawn's hand, _"And…_ you could say that they brought us together for real."

"I guess they did, didn't they?" Dawn snickered, "We should send them a thank-you letter."

They both laughed and they started down the final stretch into town, content with how everything had played out. Of course, they both still had goals to attain, but there was no doubt that they'd do everything that they could to achieve them.

* * *

The machine under the videophone flashed for the final time, materializing the final Poké Ball that Ash had requested for his upcoming battle.

"Thanks again, Tracey." Ash said.

" _No problem, Ash. Good luck, we're all rooting for you here at the lab."_ Tracey Sketchit replied. The line went dead and Ash attached the sixth Poké Ball to his belt. He was running late. With not a moment to waste, Ash whirled around and ran, expertly avoiding anyone that threatened to cross his path until he reached the Trainers' Only area. He reached the guard posted at the entrance and showed his identification before barreling down the tunnel as the crowd erupted and the man on the PA system said something or another.

He was in the locker room within another minute. Only one other soul was there, orange eyes fixed on the resident TV screen and blonde hair wildly out of control. It was his semifinal opponent: none other than Barry.

The blonde boy noticed him quickly, nearly tripping over his own overactive feet.

"Ash! Boy, am I glad to see you!" Barry declared, "I was afraid you wouldn't make it and I'd advance to the finals by default! I would've fined you for everything you've got!"

Ash snorted, "Nah, Barry, just running a little late. Had to get my team perfect, y'know?"

"Yeah, I get it. I'm just excited to get to have this battle! I kept telling you that it'd happen, but I always figured something would happen to keep it from us!" Barry buzzed, "I tell you, I'm going to show you how much better we've gotten!"

"I can't wait." Ash beamed.

The TV rumbled with noise, an anchor appearing on the screen to discuss the latest news on the Conference, _"And you just saw Paul from Veilstone City complete a dominant victory over Dre from Canalave City to secure his spot in the Finals. One more semifinal match remains: that of Ash versus Barry. Both Trainers are familiar faces, veterans of the Lily of the Valley Conference that was held two years ago. In that tournament, Barry was eliminated by Paul in the Round of 16, while Ash defeated Paul before falling to Tobias in the semifinals, losing 6-2 against Tobias' controversial duo of Darkrai and Latios. Either way, this battle will set up a rematch of some sort for the Conference Championship in two days."_

"So, Paul won."

"Oh, yeah!" Barry said, "He crushed that guy, Dre. I can't believe you missed it."

"I actually caught most of the battle in the stands, I figured Paul would close it out since he was pulling away big time by the time I left."

The glass door to the training area swung open, commanding Ash and Barry's attention alike. The floor squeaked with the scraping of tennis shoes and the person walking through stopped, eyes fixed on the two Trainers seated on the bench.

Paul was silent, brushing the front of his jacket with one of his hands. He turned his focus to Ash and gave a curt nod, turning and walking out of the locker room to head back up to the stadium above.

Once Paul was gone, Barry stood up, "I guess it won't be long now until they call us up. I'm going to go cycle through my team and warm them up. No peeking!"

Ash chuckled, "No need to worry, Barry, I won't look. I want to be surprised."

Barry nodded and turned to bounce over to his locker, before suddenly whirling around and sticking out his hand, "May the best Trainer win?"

Ash didn't hesitate to take it, "May the best Trainer win."


	78. The Barry Exciting Semifinals!

**Hey, everyone. Welcome to the next installment of The Journey Continues. The semifinal round begins with this chapter. I'm a few chapters ahead in writing, and my ideal schedule for the foreseeable future is going to be updates every two weeks. That will give me time to finish future chapters while still updating this story with old material.**

 **TheJoker2.0: no spoilers, but that particular tidbit is in my plans for the story eventually. Thanks for the praise on the story, I seriously appreciate it.**

 **Thanks also to everyone who's read and reviewed and stuck with this story. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you. Without further ado, on with the story!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 78_

 _The Barry Exciting Semifinals_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Ash stood in front of the full-length mirror leaning against the wall, examining his figure. Pikachu sat on the bed beside him, stretching and walking around on his hind legs impatiently, ready to get out of the house.

" _Pi-ka."_

"I know, buddy." Ash sighed, "I'm just thinking. I can't stop remembering the last time we were in the semifinals. It was so long ago, and it feels like yesterday."

He didn't even know where to start on how much had changed since then. He was taller, stronger, smarter, flat-out _better_ than he was two years ago. The lessons he'd learned and the experiences he'd had since his defeat at the hands of Tobias had shaped him into the sixteen-year-old almost-man that he now was.

There was no need to be so nervous, and yet he was.

He didn't have all day to stare at himself in the mirror, so he forced himself out of the room. He padded through the miniature kitchen and lounge in his small Trainers' Village home, Pikachu perched on his shoulder, and then out the front door, breathing in the salty summer air. Trainers' Village sprawled out before him, a collection of several now-empty homes as losing Trainers had moved out little by little. Only four remained occupied now.

It was an easy hike to the neighborhood's sprawling Pokémon Center, where some of Ash's friends had been staying over the course of the Conference. Dawn, Brock, May, Max, Layla, and (recently) Corey had taken up room and board there, while Misty, Gary, and the adults had selected a hotel in the town.

Brock, Max, Corey and Layla were already standing outside of the Center when Ash walked up, leaving the two older girls of the group still absent.

"Morning, Ash. Ready for your match?" Brock greeted.

"You know it." Ash confirmed, grinning.

The doors to the Pokémon Center slid open and May walked out beside Dawn, the two girls talking at a hushed whisper. Together, they looked up and spotted Ash with the others. Dawn brightened and approached her boyfriend to share a brief hug.

"So, we're all here. Off to the stadium?" Brock asked. Everyone else nodded in agreement and they headed off, rendezvousing with Misty, Gary, and the adults on the way through town.

Lily of the Valley Stadium was somehow even more lively than it had been yesterday. The announcer's voice echoed from the PA systems inside the bowl, instructing spectators on various different things. Getting in was a breeze, and the group claimed their seats with time to spare before the first semifinal match.

The battle soon began in earnest, with Paul facing off against Dre, one of the boys that Ash had met in the locker room yesterday.

Paul had first called upon Torterra to battle Dre's Houndoom. Torterra had prevailed with ease, defeating its fire-type foe with a crushing Frenzy Plant. The battle continued to progress largely in Paul's favor, as the Veilstone native cycled through his team and systematically dismantled Dre's squad piece by piece.

"Sheesh. Paul is looking great." Ash remarked as Paul orchestrated a 4-1 lead.

" _Pikapi…"_ Pikachu marveled.

Ash took another look at the scoreboard and started to stand up from his seat. "Welp, I need to get my team squared away and head downstairs." Pikachu nodded understandingly and hopped down into Dawn's lap, sitting obediently on one of her legs. The Coordinator smiled and rubbed a hand through the hair on his round head and the mouse purred.

"Good luck, Ash. We'll be cheering you on the whole way!" Misty assured him.

Ash nodded and bolted away, trotting to the nearest rest center inside the stadium so that he could call up Tracey. Tracy was running Professor Oak's lab almost single-handedly while the Professor supported Ash, and by all accounts he was doing a great job.

The videophone rang for several seconds before Tracey Sketchit picked up, and the Aide's mood brightened considerably as he recognized Ash.

" _Hey, Ash! Congratulations on making the semifinals!"_

Ash beamed and nodded, "Thanks, Tracey. If you've got a few minutes, I need these six Pokémon…"

* * *

" _Roserade, you're first!"_

Barry's grass-type Pokémon emerged gracefully, performing a brief twirl and covering the lower half of its face with one of its floral hands. _"Rade!"_

Ash smiled, selecting his next Pokémon immediately. "Okay, Glalie, I choose you!"

Ash put a perfect spin on the Poké Ball, grinning as it burst open to release the powerful ice-type Pokémon inside. Glalie hovered expertly over the ground and bellowed an ear-pounding roar, _"Glllllla-lie!"_

Barry groaned and smothered his face with his hand, aware of his immediate type disadvantage. Huffing, the hyperactive boy steeled himself and put on a determined face, "No worries, Roserade, we've trained for disadvantages like this. Start off with Leech Seed!"

Roserade twirled and aimed its flowery hands at Glalie's spherical form. _"Rose-rade!"_ it snarled before blasting a volley of small seeds at its foe. The seeds cleared the gap between the two Pokémon with stunning speed and accurately pelted Glalie's large body. Glalie grumbled irritably and the seeds buried themselves in the ice-type.

"That could cause us problems… Glalie, let's do this quick, use Ice Beam!"

" _Glay!"_ the Face Pokémon rumbled as it spat a jagged, freezing beam. The blast cut through the air quickly and struck Roserade's midsection, throwing the Bouquet Pokémon backwards in a blast of frigid air.

" _ **Direct hit! How will Barry and Roserade respond?"**_

"Roserade, use Petal Blizzard!"

Roserade leaped back to its feet, huffing irritably and sprinting before launching into the air. Clusters of glowing petals came to life around its body, forming a spherical barrier as they stirred around and built up power. Roserade then unleashed the petals in every direction, leaving no possible escape for Glalie as the damaging petals ravaged its round body.

Roserade landed gracefully on its feet, bending down only to catch itself with one hand and look up at Glalie with a smirk. The ice-type roared angrily as the petals and leaves scratched its body, dealing solid damage despite its natural resistance to grass-type moves.

"Great work, Roserade! Now, use Poison Jab!"

Roserade launched forward, soaring towards Glalie as its arms became swamped with a toxic violet hue.

"Glalie, look out!" Ash shouted. Glalie glanced up from the receding barrage of petals, setting its huge eyes on Roserade's approaching form. The grass-type reached it speedily and landed two quick punches before Glalie shifted out of the way, causing Roserade to miss its third stroke.

"Crunch!" Ash howled. Glalie lurched towards its foe, jaws opened wide, and clamped them down on Roserade's arm. The Bouquet Pokémon wailed in pain and Glalie began to drag it, swinging its bulky round body and sending Roserade flying away.

" _ **Glalie pulls off an impressive counterattack and spares itself from the full power of Poison Jab! Impressive speed for a Pokémon so large!"**_

Glalie flinched and energy was suddenly sapped from its body, retreating to Roserade so that it could be absorbed. Roserade grimaced and some of its strength returned. The Bouquet Pokémon threw a wry grin at its foe, silently taunting Glalie.

"Glalie, use Giga Impact!"

The Face Pokémon drove forward, a layer of powerful energy crackling to life around its spherical body. Glalie roared as it closed in like a meteor, its blood rushing excitedly.

"Roserade, counter with Leaf Storm!"

Roserade shifted its stance and pointed one of its flowered arms at Glalie's approaching form, unleashing a vortex of power-packed leaves. The huge blast enveloped Glalie, slashing across its icy body while absorbing much of the Giga Impact's power. Glalie still ended up colliding with Roserade, but it was significantly worse off as its body went still from the need to recharge.

"Here's our shot! Roserade, use Poison Jab!"

Roserade launched at Glalie's motionless body, hardly worse for the wear as its arms pulsed with purple power. Once it was upon Glalie, Roserade unleashed a flurry of toxic punches, battering Glalie's hard body. The Face Pokémon complained and, once it was able to move again, bucked Roserade off of it and hovered away.

Ash grimaced. He had played into Barry's hand using Giga Impact, hoping that the move would put Roserade out for good.

"Okay, Glalie, let's turn down the temperature! Use Blizzard!"

Glalie's eyes gleamed sinisterly and the Face Pokémon opened its large mouth. Bright blue energy circled around its body and the grass started to freeze as a howling tailwind appeared out of nowhere behind Glalie. A frigid storm erupted from there, sending rocks and ice and cold toward Roserade all at once. The cold nearly froze Roserade's legs to their spot and a rock surrounded in ice clobbered the Bouquet Pokémon out of nowhere, dropping it to the ground. The storm continued to ravage the field, wearing off only when Roserade had been significantly damaged.

Glalie lost another fraction of its energy to Roserade's Leech Seed, and Barry called out to Roserade, "Roserade, are you all right? Can you keep battling?"

" _Rose…"_ the grass-type mewled, panting for a moment before defiantly standing. Solid veins of ice colored its legs. _"R-Rade…"_

"Glalie, quick! Use Ice Beam!" Ash shouted, eager to put Roserade out of contention. Glalie roared and spat a clean beam of ice at its foe, striking home before Barry could react and call Roserade back. Roserade's chest erupted in pain as the icy blast made contact, knocking the wind out of it and throwing the Bouquet Pokémon to the ground.

Roserade laid still in the grass for several seconds and the referee raised his flag to call out the result, "Roserade is unable to battle! The win goes to Glalie!"

" _ **And Barry's fallen behind early thanks to some mighty powerful attacks from Ash's Glalie!"**_ the announcer boomed. The jumbotron pinged and the portrait of Roserade darkened.

"Roserade, return!" Barry called. The blonde boy heaved and picked his next Poké Ball with no hesitation, _"Staraptor, show them what you're made of!"_

Barry's Staraptor emerged from the subsequent white light and swooped into the sky, squawking proudly. Barry's second Poké Ball graphic on the jumbotron filled in with Staraptor's image, and the crowd murmured with intrigue.

" _ **Interesting, Barry calls upon Staraptor as his second Pokémon, but he's still facing a type disadvantage! Just what is he thinking?"**_

"We'll show you!" Barry boasted, "Staraptor, use Quick Attack!"

Staraptor trilled and dove down through the air, zooming with bewildering speed. The Predator Pokémon crashed into Glalie at high speed, driving the ice-type back a bit and pulling up for all of an instant before Barry called to it again.

"Now, use Close Combat!"

Staraptor lurched forward again and landed a quick punch with its wing, following instantly with a kick to Glalie's massive chin. Glalie snarled as it was thrown back, but Staraptor's onslaught continued for several more seconds before the flying-type kicked Glalie away and quickly backed up.

"Not bad. But you're dropping your defense and your special defense by using that move so soon." Ash warned, "Glalie, use Crunch!"

Glalie charged, opening its wide mouth and preparing to chomp down on Staraptor.

"Staraptor, dodge Glalie!" Barry shouted. Staraptor rolled out of the way and Glalie thundered past, skidding and whirling around, "Now use Steel Wing!"

"Glalie, Ice Beam!"

Staraptor lunged, two wings wrapped in stunning silver energy, and Glalie spat a forked beam of freezing cold. Staraptor squawked and stopped its attack, bringing up its wings to deflect the blast. The Ice Beam erupted against Staraptor's metallic wings, doing almost nothing and halting the flying-type's impending attack.

"Glalie, use Giga Impact!" Ash shouted. Glalie rocketed forward, its round body masked in a violent purplish blaze.

"Staraptor, use Brave Bird!" Barry countered. Staraptor warbled and charged to meet its foe, surrounding itself in a destructive blaze. The two powerful Pokémon collided in a great explosion, each skidding away from the other. They both suffered the aftereffects of their respective moves, Staraptor bracing for imminent recoil damage as Glalie went still and started to recharge.

Ash quickly grabbed Glalie's Poké Ball, _"Glalie, return!"_

The Face Pokémon quickly retreated into the Poké Ball's grasp, safely shut inside the capsule ball for later use. Ash cycled through his remaining options, eyeing Staraptor and deciding to fight fire with fire.

" _Gliscor, I choose you!"_

Ash's second Poké Ball burst open and the Fang Scorpion Pokémon rushed out, spreading out its jet-black wings and climbing on a gust of wind. Gliscor's pincers opened and closed, clicking ominously as it locked its eyes on Staraptor.

" _ **Ash replaces a struggling Glalie with Gliscor to shut down Staraptor's advantage from the air. Can Barry and Staraptor hold their own?"**_

"Gliscor, ready to show off your Air Battle skills?" Ash called.

" _Gli-scor!"_ the Fang Scorpion Pokémon drawled in answer, clicking its pincers again.

"'Kay, get up and use X-Scissor!"

Gliscor swooped into the air, calling upon a gust of wind to carry its ascent. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon crossed its arms and energy poured into the bulky pincers. _"Gli-scor!"_ Gliscor chanted, throwing the X-Scissor attack down towards Staraptor's grounded form.

"Staraptor, dodge that and use Quick Attack!" Barry countered. Staraptor vaulted out of the way and rocketed into the air, zooming towards Gliscor. Before Ash could mount a counter, Staraptor glanced Gliscor and knocked it slightly backwards.

"Quick, Gliscor, get revenge with Stone Edge!"

" _Gliiiiii…"_ Gliscor stirred, conjuring two rings of sharpened stones around its body, _"Scor!"_ the stones exploded outward on a homing path towards Staraptor, catching up easily and riddling the Predator Pokémon's body.

"Staraptor!" Barry cried. The Predator Pokémon emerged from the ensuing cloud of smoke, wounded but still strong. "Use Steel Wing!"

"Gliscor, use Giga Impact!"

Both Pokémon charged at each other, airborne and flying at high speed. A cone of energy formed around Gliscor, crackling violently and assuredly stronger than Staraptor's Steel Wing attack. Gliscor rammed into its foe and an explosion sent both Pokémon back. As Staraptor plummeted to the ground, Gliscor spun in rapid, continuous backflips, getting away from Staraptor while also recharging as its momentum carried it away.

"Great work, Gliscor! Get ready!" Ash praised as Gliscor came out of its somersaulting to hover against the wind. Staraptor had pulled up and avoided crash-landing.

"Staraptor, use Fly!"

Staraptor soared into the air, wings spread wide, far higher than Gliscor. The harsh sunlight seemed to blur the Predator Pokémon's form, and Gliscor's vision weakened as it tried to follow the flying-type's ascent. With perfect timing, Staraptor curved and sped downward, reappearing in Gliscor's field of vision for all of two seconds before crashing headfirst into the confused Fang Scorpion Pokémon.

" _ **Oh, and Staraptor gets Gliscor back for that devastating Giga Impact with a powerful Fly attack!"**_

"We can handle that! Gliscor, use Stone Edge!"

Gliscor sent another chain of jagged stones at Staraptor.

"Staraptor, dodge as many as you can and use Quick Attack!"

Staraptor shimmied past most of the Stone Edge projectiles, falling victim to a handful but shrugging off the damage and zooming forward for another glancing attack. Staraptor slammed into Gliscor and immediately swooped up as Barry called for another attack.

"Brave Bird!"

Staraptor curved all the way around, summoning the powerful energy of its Brave Bird attack on the descent and zooming straight at Gliscor again, crashing head-on into the Fang Scorpion Pokémon and driving them both toward the ground.

Ash shouted into the wind, "Gliscor, use Fire Fang, quick!"

Gliscor growled in pain as it fought back against Staraptor's push, igniting its teeth in a flash of fire and suddenly lurching up to crunch its jaws around Staraptor's shoulder. Staraptor shrieked and went slack, allowing Gliscor to flip them over and drive the Predator Pokémon downwards, scorching the flying-type's skin with its fiery teeth. Just before they could both hit the ground, Gliscor flicked its tail and grabbed onto Staraptor's belly, using the appendage to shove Staraptor into the ground while Gliscor itself lifted into the air again.

Staraptor crash-landed and the ground erupted in a cloud of dust, shrouding the bird Pokémon's body as Gliscor floated on the wind. Staraptor made no move to return to battle, and the dust quickly settled to reveal its unconscious form.

"Staraptor is unable to battle! The winner is Gliscor!"

* * *

"Ash is on a roll!" Max gushed, "He's up 2-0!"

"Don't go counting Barry out yet. We haven't seen his main battling Pokémon yet, and his Empoleon is on another level." Dawn warned.

* * *

" _Empoleon, you're up!"_ Barry called, summoning the water/steel-type with a perfect throw of the Poké Ball. The capsule ball burst open and Empoleon charged out, its heavy metallic body crushing the grass beneath its feet.

" _Em-pol!"_ the Emperor Pokémon chattered, raising its heavy wings. Sunlight caught the golden spikes on the insides, giving them an eerie glow.

"Okay, Gliscor, think you can handle Empoleon?" Ash asked.

" _Gli-scor!"_

"Empoleon, use Steel Wing!" Barry ordered. Empoleon raised its armored wings and charged. Gliscor braced, using its tail to launch itself over its foe. Empoleon reacted with wild speed, turning around and swiping its metallic wings in an upward arc to glance Gliscor's underbelly.

" _Scor!"_ Gliscor gasped, collapsing from the air and thumping on the ground.

"Use Ice Beam!" Barry ordered quickly.

"Gliscor, dodge that!" Ash countered. Gliscor rolled along the ground and Empoleon's Ice Beam struck empty grass, freezing the lush spot in tendrils of ice. "Now use X-Scissor!"

Gliscor quickly crossed its arms and released a blast of energy, glancing Empoleon's metallic body. The Emperor Pokémon shrugged off the damage with ease.

"Empoleon, use Drill Peck!" Empoleon grunted and lunged, spinning at high speed to attack Gliscor with a piercing peck of its beak, knocking the Fang Scorpion Pokémon down. Empoleon stood above the ground-type menacingly, threatening to strike it down with a final attack.

"Gliscor, use Stone Edge!" Ash yelled. Gliscor's body suddenly became surrounded by two rings of sharp stones that launched forward to besiege Empoleon's body at point blank. The stones exploded with each hit, creating a thick cloud of smoke that blinded Empoleon and allowed Gliscor to escape, taking to the air and putting distance between it and the water-type.

"Dang it!" Barry complained, "Empoleon, catch them up with Hydro Cannon!"

Empoleon planted its feet and summoned an enormous reserve of power from deep within. A blast similar to Hydro Pump burgeoned in its opened mouth, packing far more power than that familiar water-type move. With a loud _boom,_ the Hydro Cannon burst erupted outward, slicing the air apart.

"Gliscor, dodge!" Ash roared. Gliscor heard the call and doubled back, avoiding crossing into Hydro Cannon's path. Empoleon went deathly still, unable to move as it recovered from the strain of the attack. "Now's our chance! Gliscor, use Fire Fang!"

Gliscor dove downward, manipulating the winds around it to zoom toward Empoleon. Violent flames lit in its mouth and Gliscor latched on behind Empoleon's neck. The Emperor Pokémon whined in fear, unable to do anything to buck Gliscor off, and the Fang Scorpion Pokémon clamped down with its fiery jaws. Empoleon grimaced as the flames bit into its metallic body, dealing more damage than normal thanks to its partial steel-type.

"Empoleon! Throw Gliscor off with Drill Peck!" Barry cried. Empoleon regained its ability to move and spun briefly at high speed, disorientating Gliscor and throwing the ground-type off its back.

"Now use Ice Beam!"

"Gliscor, up!"

Gliscor shot into the sky, barely avoiding Empoleon's Ice Beam attack. Barry didn't let up, "Keep doing it, Empoleon!"

Empoleon fired another forked beam into the sky, missing Gliscor a second time as it glided on the winds.

"Gliscor, use Stone Edge!"

Gliscor whirled around and fired a volley of stones, stopping in its tracks to do so. Empoleon's next Ice Beam struck home, electrocuting Gliscor with a backbreaking chill. Gliscor's stones riddled Empoleon's body, but the damage was done. Gliscor plummeted, virtually unconscious already before it crashed into the ground. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon didn't move, and the referee called out the result.

"Gliscor is unable to battle! The winner is Empoleon!"

" _ **Gliscor fought admirably, but in the end Empoleon's moveset is just too much, and Barry cuts the deficit in half!"**_

* * *

"See? Barry's back in it, just like that." Dawn said.

"Okay. I jinxed it." Max lamented.

Brock chuckled, "Don't worry, Max. There's a reason rounds this late are Full Battles."

"Yeah, Ash is prepared for this. He knew Barry wouldn't be a pushover, and he definitely has a plan for it."

* * *

"Gliscor, return!" Ash called. "You were amazing, buddy, thanks for giving it your all. I'll get you to a Center soon, but for now, get some rest."

Barry mirrored Ash, deciding to rest Empoleon and save his main battler for the long run, "Empoleon, you return, too!" he chanted, pocketing the Poké Ball and leaving both Trainers on a now-neutral playing field. The jumbotron pinged, turning Gliscor's portrait to a silhouette and darkening Empoleon's to indicate it was resting. Barry had revealed half of his team, limiting his element of surprise.

Ash picked his next Pokémon with cool confidence, _"Torterra, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball opened in midair, the ground rumbled, and the Continent Pokémon emerged with a deep, threatening roar.

Barry smirked, his decision made, "Okay, they want to hit heavy? We'll do that, too! Snorlax, get ready to battle!"

Barry's similarly titanic Pokémon spilled onto the field, though with significantly less fanfare. The Sleeping Pokémon murmured, apparently waking up. Torterra sneered, eager for action.

"Torterra, start off with Crunch!" Torterra sneered again and charged, opening its mouth and preparing to clamp down on whatever part of Snorlax it reached first.

"Snorlax, use Strength!"

Snorlax carefully stood up on its legs, as if testing that they could still hold it up, and braced. Torterra arrived and Snorlax lurched forward, grabbing Torterra's opened jaws and holding them there. With a deceptively fast move, Snorlax lifted Torterra and shifted its hands to the grass-type's belly. Torterra thrashed in Snorlax's grip, but the normal-type held tight and tossed its foe away. Torterra landed on its side with a bang, tearing up the grass as it slid a few feet, and slowly returned to its feet, disorientated.

"Uh, oh. Looks like we'll have to play the defensive." Ash muttered.

" _ **Wow! Snorlax is quite strong, using Strength to fend off Torterra's opening attack!"**_

Urged on by Snorlax's success, Barry followed up with another attack, "Snorlax, use Hidden Power!"

Snorlax braced and balls of energy formed around its body, glowing mysteriously and arcing outward on Snorlax's command.

"Torterra, use Rock Climb to protect yourself!" Ash ordered. They'd worked on this tactic a lot recently. Torterra stomped on the ground and pillars of rock erupted from below, reaching up more than a dozen feet all around the grass-type to provide a shield. The Hidden Power energy struck the rock and glanced off, and Torterra immediately lowered the pillars back into the ground.

"Now, use Rock Climb again to attack!" Torterra stomped again and more pillars emerged, now creating a clear path of steps for Torterra to ascend. Another pillar shot up from underneath Snorlax, sending it screaming towards the sky. Torterra moved viciously fast, charging across the bridge of rocks and tackling Snorlax with all of its might. Snorlax went flying off of its personal pillar and Torterra stalled, allowing the pillars to descend and carry it safely down. Snorlax had no such fortune.

"Snorlax!" Barry yelled, willing the Sleeping Pokémon to get up. Snorlax did, sneering as it shrugged off the damage it had taken. "Okay, use Focus Punch!"

Snorlax readied a burly fist, filling it with extreme power and charging towards Torterra.

"Torterra, let's shut that down with Earthquake!" Ash countered. Torterra stomped on the ground and shock waves rippled outward, rocking Snorlax's footing and interrupting its attack. "Now, use Leaf Storm!" Torterra didn't hesitate, summoning a tornado of leaves from the tree on its back and dispatching them with all the power it could muster, battering Snorlax's prone body.

"Snorlax, use Rest!" Barry ordered. The overweight normal-type purred and probably went to sleep, healing its wounds in a pinch but succumbing to sleep.

"Alright, Snorlax is asleep. Torterra, use Crunch!"

Torterra thundered across the grassy ground, opening wide to attack its exposed foe.

"Snorlax, use Sleep Talk!"

Ash's breath hitched in his throat, "Torterra, get back! Stop!"

But it was too late. Snorlax's body moved of its own accord, deciding to use Hidden Power while the normal-type slept soundly. Orbs of raw power formed around Snorlax's body and exploded outward, hitting Torterra from all angles this time.

"Great job, Snorlax! Use Sleep Talk again!"

Snorlax stood up and a white aura surrounded its body: Strength. The slumbering Pokémon charged, locked onto Torterra.

"Torterra, use Rock Climb!"

Torterra stamped its feet on the ground and pillars of rock erupted from the ground, elevating Snorlax's sleeping form. The move served as the perfect counter; Snorlax was fast asleep, guided only by its Sleep Talk attack, and promptly stumbled as it continued to try and advance, falling unceremoniously down the steps that Torterra had created.

"Perfect! Now, Torterra, use Earthquake!"

Torterra jettisoned a series of shock waves through the ground, rocking Snorlax every which way. The normal-type groaned and its blank eyes tightened for a minute before it stood up, indicating that Snorlax was now wide awake, and probably no better off for it.

" _ **I'd say Ash and Torterra handled Snorlax's resting period as well as anyone! Now that we're back in the action, who will prevail?"**_

"No time like the present!" Barry declared, "Snorlax, use Strength!"

"Torterra, use Rock Climb to keep Snorlax busy, like we practiced!"

Torterra barked gruffly. This move was always quite a strain on its body—it took a great deal of energy and focus to pull off. Torterra stomped on the ground, directing its focus to the sides of the field and generating pillars of thick rock. Then, with a roar, Torterra shifted its feet back and forth, manipulating the pillars and making them sweep side to side. Snorlax, stunned, was caught in the middle, smacked across the face and body multiple times by moving pillars of rock.

"Amazing job, Torterra!" Ash praised, spurring the Continent Pokémon to continue.

" _ **Wow! Torterra is using Rock Climb, but it's moving the ensuing rock pillars to sideswipe Snorlax and keep it from attacking! How innovative!"**_

"Snorlax, use Focus Punch to get out of there!" Barry ordered. Snorlax raised a fist, pointing to the ground and unleashing the devastating punch into the dirt. The ensuing shockwave rippled outward, shaking the ground with enough force to break down the Rock Climb pillars that surrounded it.

"Now, use Hidden Power!"

Snorlax stirred, summoning all the strength it had, _"Snorrrrrrr…"_

"Torterra, give them everything! Leaf Storm!" Ash yelled. Torterra growled as it readied its counterattack, unleashing a cluster of leaves so great and so powerful that Ash wasn't entirely certain that Torterra would still be able to battle when it was over.

" _Tor-terra!"_

" _Lax!"_ Snorlax huffed, unleashing its Hidden Power. Torterra's Leaf Storm collided with the Hidden Power spheres and obliterated them, moving on and crashing into the normal-type with brute force. The vortex threw the obese Pokémon backwards, cutting and slashing at Snorlax's blubbery body.

The Leaf Storm abated and Snorlax fell. Torterra nearly keeled over, legs shaking as it breathed in and out slowly. Snorlax remained still, but the referee kept his eyes on Torterra. The Continent Pokémon heaved a few more times and then stood tall, snapping gruffly.

" _Terra!"_

It was good enough for the referee. "Snorlax is unable to battle! The winner is Torterra!"

* * *

"Yes! Amazing job, Torterra!" Dawn cheered. On the ledge in front of her, Piplup and Buneary danced and sang encouragingly, chanting words of praise to the victorious Continent Pokémon.

"It's a great win, but Torterra's looking a little tired. There's no doubt that that special Rock Climb move drained a lot of Torterra's energy." Brock observed.

"It was really impressive to watch. I didn't even know Ash was working on something like that." Dawn said, "What do you think, Pikachu?"

Pikachu buzzed on the ledge, standing on his feet and raising his small arms into the air, _"Pi-Pi-Pi! Pi-Pi-ka-chu!"_

"I'd say that's an undeniable approval!" May giggled.

* * *

Barry returned Snorlax, beaming down at the Poké Ball, "Thanks for your hard work, Snorlax, those guys were just better than us. Take a nice, long rest."

As Barry tucked away the Poké Ball, the announcer bellowed over the PA system to broadcast the changes on the jumbotron. _ **"Ash has come out strong, burning through half of Barry's team with little difficulty while only losing one of his Pokémon! Barry still has two unrevealed Pokémon in addition to his powerful Empoleon; can Barry stage a comeback?"**_

Barry ignored the announcer, cycling through his remaining three Poké Balls and thinking hard. Empoleon could stage an easy advantage over Torterra with its Ice Beam attack, but Torterra's big hit potential could put a dent in Empoleon's stamina. As such, it was probably better to keep Empoleon back and try to dent Ash's team with another Pokémon.

"Okay, Rapidash, I'm picking you! Come on out!" Barry called, lobbing his chosen Poké Ball in an upward arc. The sphere burst open and a flaming horse charged out, neighing and flaring its flaming mane.

"Torterra, Rapidash is a fire-type, but we can take it! Use Earthquake!" Ash ordered. Torterra quickly stomped on the ground, hoping to deal extra damage to its fire-type foe.

"Rapidash, use Bounce!" Barry countered. Rapidash bent its legs and rocketed off the ground, easily avoiding the shock waves rippling through the ground below. The Fire Horse Pokémon soared, allowing gravity to take control of its body and push it rapidly toward the ground.

"Rapidash, switch to Flame Wheel!" Barry ordered. Screaming through the air, Rapidash's body became wrapped in spiraling flame, spewing sparks and radiating heat before crashing down onto Torterra's body in a fiery explosion. Torterra skidded back from the impact, its body littered with embers as it glared up at Rapidash.

"Torterra, use Synthesis!"

Torterra grunted and the sunlight became impossibly harsh, casting a shaft of light down onto the large grass-type. The great tree on Torterra's back soaked up the solar energy, restoring a portion of Torterra's strength.

"That'll make it a little tougher, but it's no trouble!" Barry insisted, "Rapidash, use Fire Blast!"

Rapidash reared back its head, summoning a scorching fire from its throat. Lashing out, Rapidash unleashed the fiery discharge, neighing as the blast expanded and formed a star-shaped pattern. The destructive star zoomed across the field and struck home, exploding against Torterra's shell and throwing the heavy grass-type back.

Ash grimaced and bit his lip nervously, caught off-guard by the power of Rapidash's Fire Blast. "Torterra, we're gonna have to use Synthesis again!"

Torterra went to work soaking up the sun, exposing itself once again. "Rapidash, shut them down with Megahorn!"

Rapidash charged, lowering its singular horn and sprinting. Ash quickly called to Torterra, "Torterra, use Rock Climb!"

Torterra created a path of rocky pillars, each taller than the last, and successfully threw off Rapidash's charge. Executing a charge of its own, Torterra sprinted across its own creation, closing in on Rapidash and crashing in with the full force of its weight. The Continent Pokémon's claws glowed white and latched onto the rock, allowing Torterra to stop itself from falling, and the grass-type quickly began scaling the side of the rock pillars to chase after Rapidash's falling form.

"Torterra, use Leaf Storm!" Ash ordered. The Continent Pokémon unleashed a churning vortex of razor-sharp leaves, catching Rapidash's free-falling body and slashing it repeatedly. Rapidash landed awkwardly, but quickly jumped back up, glaring as Torterra stood along the side of the tall pillar, watching from an unnatural angle with its glowing claws fixed into the face of the rock.

"Rapidash, use Flame Wheel!"

Rapidash sprinted to the base of the pillar, its body curling into a sphere of violent flame, and scaled up the side to charge at Torterra.

"Torterra, go!" Ash spurred. Torterra charged, thrusting itself forward along the side of the rock face with practiced ease to meet Rapidash. The two Pokémon collided with violent force, creating an explosion that damaged the pillar the two had met on. The pillars receded into the ground and the two Pokémon fell, each landing less ceremoniously than either would have liked.

Ash noticed as Torterra got to its feet with significantly more difficulty than Rapidash. The Fire Horse Pokémon was still going strong, its fiery mane burning bright and powerful. Its fire-type attacks had done numbers on Torterra, while the Continent Pokémon's returned moves were significantly less effective.

"Rapidash, Fire Blast!"

"Torterra, Leaf Storm!"

Neither Pokémon wasted any time conjuring up their attacks, but there was little doubt as to what the result would be. Torterra's Leaf Storm had grown weaker with each additional use, and fire had a habit of burning through grass. Rapidash's Fire Blast unsurprisingly tore through Torterra's Leaf Storm, scorching the grass-type's armored body.

Torterra's thick knees nearly wobbled as it staggered away from the flames. The Continent Pokémon was on its last legs.

"Torterra, use Synthesis!" Ash ordered, hoping they could restore enough energy to stay in the fight.

"Rapidash, Flame Wheel!"

Rapidash sprinted in a wheel of fire at the instant that Torterra started to soak up the sun. The grass-type grunted as it tried to sap the sun's energy in time, but Rapidash's speed was much too great. The fire-type collided into Torterra with a blinding flash of flame, curving and striking along the side so as to deal more damage. Torterra rocked backwards, stumbling and falling to the ground shortly after before going still.

" _Torterra is unable to battle! The winner is Rapidash!"_

The crowd thundered as the announcer's voice spilled from the PA speakers, _**"Outstanding! Rapidash uses every advantage it has to bring down Torterra and keep Barry in the battle!"**_

Barry beamed, though his eyes betrayed the rest of his face. "Awesome work, Rapidash! We took a lot of hits there, so for now, return!"

" _ **Barry's defeat of Torterra makes the tally 3-2 in Ash's favor. We've got a tight one here for now, folks. Will it continue?"**_

* * *

"There's Ash's hubris again. He should've recalled Torterra to even the playing field. It's good that he trusts his Pokémon, but it's better to get out of a type disadvantage when you can." Brock weighed in.

"You ask me, he's letting Barry hang around. Ash could have this battle won by now, but he doesn't want to reveal his whole team so soon." Gary suggested.

"We've already seen five of Barry's six, while Ash is still hiding half of his team." Max added, "That ought to change now. I think Ash knows that it's time to break open the book."

* * *

" _Hitmonlee, come on out!"_

" _Gabite, I choose you!"_

Barry and Ash's respective Pokémon emerged, thudding down on the blank grass battlefield and leering at each other. The jumbotron pinged and filled in the next Poké Ball graphics with portraits of the two Pokémon, filling Barry's team of six and marking Pokémon #4 on Ash's team.

"Hitmonlee, use Mega Kick!" Barry howled. Hitmonlee stirred and squatted, its right foot lighting up with white energy. Himonlee launched into the air like a rocket, pulling an acrobatic somersault on its way down towards Gabite.

"Gabite, dodge and use Dragon Claw!" Ash countered. Gabite steadied itself and waited until just the right moment before shifting away. The wind whistled as its fins cut the air, and Hitmonlee buried its foot into the lush, empty grass. Gabite lurched back towards the Kicking Pokémon, gnashing its teeth as it raised one of its arms in a vortex of draconic energy and raked newfound claws across Hitmonlee's body.

Hitmonlee recoiled from Gabite's sharp claws and righted itself, catching its feet and waiting for Barry's next command.

"Gabite, use Rock Smash." Ash ordered. Gabite ducked its head and charged, a powerful aura forming a shell around its front.

"Hitmonlee, counter with Blaze Kick!"

Hitmonlee launched forward to meet Gabite, surrounding its foot in searing flame. Hitmonlee stabbed its foot out in front, tearing clean through Gabite's Rock Smash attack and striking home.

" _Lee! Hit-mon-lee!"_ the Kicking Pokémon jeered as Gabite hit the dirt. The dragon-type snarled as Hitmonlee's taunts reached its ears, clawing to its feet and gnashing its sharp teeth at the fighting-type. Hitmonlee stood in a battle stance, jerking its skinny arms up and using its clawed fingers to provoke Gabite.

"Gabite, don't let 'em get to you! Let's use Dig!" Ash called. Gabite chanted and dug underground, disappearing from sight.

Barry wasn't fazed in the least, "Hitmonlee, stay alert! Gabite can come from anywhere!"

Hitmonlee squinted and scanned its surroundings, watching carefully for any sign of Gabite's approach. Once the Kicking Pokémon turned its back, Gabite's telltale fin poked up above the ground, sliding silently towards its target.

"Hitmonlee, behind you! Use Mega Kick!"

Hitmonlee whirled around, spotting the dark blue fin and instantly charging up a Mega Kick. Gabite picked up the pace, but Hitmonlee was faster and crashed its foot into the ground. The kick shattered the ground and Gabite emerged early, rocked by the unexpected counterattack.

"Great job, Hitmonlee! Now, use Close Combat!"

Hitmonlee bounded into the air, clearing the distance between it and Gabite quickly and lashing out with a series of punches and kicks. Gabite staggered back after each hit, bringing up its bony arms in a futile attempt to protect itself, since Hitmonlee simply aimed for more vulnerable spots in response.

Gabite hit the dirt with a _thud,_ breathing hard as it reopened its eyes and glared at Hitmonlee. A stinging pain lingered on its body and Gabite feebly scrabbled away with one of its arms.

" _ **Hitmonlee is having its way with Gabite early on, and it's not even close!"**_ the announcer declared over the PA system.

"Gabite, come on! I know you can handle this! You can handle anything!" Ash urged, "Use Dragon Claw!"

Gabite snarled and rushed to its feet, scrambling toward Hitmonlee in a flash of greenish energy.

"Hitmonlee, don't let 'em hit you!" Barry commanded. Hitmonlee nimbly lifted one of its legs, kicking at the perfect angle and causing Gabite's attack to glance off of its foot and do no harm. Working with stunning skill, Hitmonlee continued, pulling off light, acrobatic kicks meant to deflect Gabite's attacks. The dragon-type started to grow noticeably frustrated as its attacks repeatedly failed.

"Get an opening, and use Mega Kick!" Barry ordered. Hitmonlee countered two more of Gabite's Dragon Claw attacks, kicking with just enough force to stun Gabite and create an opening. Hitmonlee recognized the opportunity and acrobatically flipped forward, bringing its leg all the way around and delivering a kick to the apex of Gabite's head.

Gabite's entire body was thrown into the ground, its scarlet-scaled chin hitting the earth the hardest. Gabite actually whimpered, a numbing pain trailing down and making its entire body tingle.

"That's it, Hitmonlee, let's finish this with High Jump Kick!"

Hitmonlee bounded backwards, squatting for a few seconds and then launching again to a greater height than it had achieved throughout the rest of the battle, jutting out one foot and summoning all of the power it could muster.

"Gabite!" Ash cried. There was more fight in the dragon-type, he knew it!

" _Bite…?"_ the Cave Pokémon stirred, eyes looking up and fixing on Hitmonlee's descending form. Gabite blinked and it scowled, something clicking in its brain. Swiftly, Gabite stood up, not even waiting a split-second before allowing a sudden rush of phantom energy to burn around it. Bright blue energy coalesced around its body, forming a protective, flaming shell.

"What the!?" Barry gasped.

Gabite rocketed off of the ground to meet Hitmonlee, and the Kicking Pokémon's eyes widened in confused shock. Gabite closed the gap and collided with Hitmonlee, and a bluish explosion rattled the stadium. Hitmonlee tumbled to the ground from a cloud of smoke and Gabite swooped down, still surrounded by the stray energy flames and landing safely near Ash.

" _ **Wow! What just happened? I'm guessing that Gabite spontaneously learned a new move, because it sure wasn't asked to do that!"**_

"Gabite, that was amazing!" Ash beamed, "What did you just do?"

" _Gya-bite!"_ the Cave Pokémon rasped in response. Hitmonlee shrilled in askance.

And then Gabite's form flushed with white.

* * *

 **So, I'm cutting the battle here, roughly halfway through. I'll update with Part 2 of the semifinals soon. If you liked this chapter, I would _really, really_ love it if you sent in a review and tell me what you think. If you didn't like this chapter, send me a review anyway and tell me why. I welcome any and all feedback.**

 **Stay tuned, and I'll see you all again in a few weeks! Thanks for reading!**


	79. A Mega-Sized Surprise!

**Hey, everyone! Welcome to the second chapter of the semifinal round. I'm excited to share this next installment with you all. Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed Chapter 78!**

 **A few review replies, and then I'll get out of your hair:**

 **MerlockVonBaron: Unfortunately, no, I do not currently have any sequels planned. I am considering drafting a number of epilogues that would in some way outline the future beyond this story's conclusion, but as for now, I don't plan to put together another long story arc. Sorry.**

 **DuNamarSandavar and Shinmen4: Thanks so much! Glad you like this story!**

 **Lance Curry: Thanks for your constant support! Your reviews always make me smile.**

 **Alright, that's all from me. I hope you guys enjoy, and that you'll let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 79_

 _A Mega-Sized Surprise!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Gabite grew significantly taller, its body changing from its previously stout form to a lengthier, more muscular frame. Its three fins grew longer and sharp spikes formed on its arms and legs, and a powerful snout shaped itself at the top of the dragon-type's head. When the light faded away, the newly-evolved dragon-type released a triumphant, earsplitting roar.

" _Gar!"_

Ash jumped for joy, "Oh, yeah! Garchomp, you've finally evolved! That's great!"

" _Gar-chomp!"_

Ash quickly accessed his Pokédex, scanning his new Pokémon. The small machine spit out data with a robotic voice, _"Garchomp, the Mach Pokémon, and the final form of Gible. Garchomp can fly as fast as a jet plane, and its wings create blades of wind so sharp that they can cut through fully-grown trees._ _New move data detected."_

Ash's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of the host of new moves that Garchomp was now able to use: Draco Meteor, Dragon Rush, Stone Edge, Fire Fang, and Iron Tail completed the list, replacing nearly all of its previously known moves.

"Oh, man, okay, Garchomp, use Iron Tail!" Ash suggested, a little disoriented by the new developments. Garchomp leaped at Hitmonlee, its shark-like tail glowing silver. Garchomp spun and slammed its tail, throwing Hitmonlee across the field. The Mach Pokémon landed and roared, thrilled with the rush of newfound power churning through it.

Barry frowned and drew Hitmonlee's Poké Ball from the pocket of his jacket.

" _Hitmonlee, return!"_

Hitmonlee's body broke down and safely returned to Barry's Poké Ball, and the jumbotron pinged as Hitmonlee's portrait was drained of color. Barry quickly switched, calling upon his reliever.

" _Rapidash, I need you again!"_

The flaming horse emerged once more, no less powerful than when it had left.

" _ **This is a surprise, Barry replaces Hitmonlee with his Rapidash, who has already brought down Ash's Torterra! What does Barry hope to accomplish by pitting a fire-type against Garchomp?"**_

Barry seemed unfazed by the announcer's confusion and urged Rapidash to attack. "Rapidash, use Smart Strike!"

Rapidash, horn glowed with silver light and the fire-type charged, galloping across the grass with bewildering speed.

"Garchomp, dodge that!" Ash ordered. Garchomp sidestepped Rapidash, but the fire-type instantly stopped its gallop and pivoted to stab its horn into Garchomp's torso. The dragon-type roared and staggered back.

"What the…?" Ash gasped. He shook his head, refusing to dwell on the attack. If he stalled, he'd open Garchomp up to more damage, "Garchomp, use Iron Tail!"

Garchomp snarled and spun around, swinging its muscular tail in a damning arc and sweeping Rapidash's legs. The Fire Horse Pokémon promptly fell to the ground, neighing irritably and standing up on its skinny legs.

" _ **It appears the battle is on, as both Pokémon trade some damaging steel-type moves! But who will be the one to prevail?"**_

* * *

"Smart Strike? I've never heard of that move before." Dawn asked.

"It's a special move that never misses, kind of like Shadow Punch." Brock explained, "Barry was smart to keep that move a secret until now. He had every intention of sending Rapidash back out."

"But Garchomp is still both a dragon-type and a ground-type. The odds are heavily stacked against Rapidash." Misty pointed out.

"I can't claim to know what Barry wants to do here. Ash may have an advantage, but there's more than one way for Rapidash to deal some serious damage."

* * *

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge!"

Garchomp snarled and crossed its arms, generating two rings of sharpened stones around its torso and preparing to launch them after Rapidash.

"Rapidash, Bounce!" Barry ordered, and the fire-type rocketed into the air. Garchomp released the Stone Edge projectiles and they homed in on Rapidash. Barry grumbled in annoyance, thinking up a quick counter, "Rapidash, shut that down with Fire Blast!"

Rapidash breathed a missile of fire, incinerating the Stone Edge pieces and negating the attack. The flame continued to drop to the ground, threatening to burn Garchomp, but the Mach Pokémon instinctively vaulted backwards to avoid damage. Rapidash began to descend from its Bounce next, plummeting down and aiming to land on Garchomp.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" Ash barked, and Garchomp conjured a surrounding layer of crackling energy, lifting off at high speed to meet Rapidash. The two Pokémon quickly collided and Garchomp easily prevailed, crashing into Rapidash and surging forward as Rapidash fell limply towards the ground. The Fire Horse Pokémon regained its composure and landed safely, avoiding having crippling damage added onto its fall. In the sky, Garchomp turned around, extinguishing its Dragon Rush and gliding gently downward along the winds with the use of its fins.

"Garchomp, use Fire Fang!" Garchomp surged down from the air, closing in on Rapidash quickly and filling its mouth with flame. Garchomp landed and lurched, grabbing onto Rapidash and clamping its sharp teeth into the fire-type's hide.

Rapidash didn't even flinch, absorbing the fire thanks to its Flash Fire ability.

"Oh. Right." Ash said, kicking himself, "Forgot about that one."

Barry grinned, "Rapidash, Flame Wheel!"

Rapidash rocked forward as Garchomp let go, intermittently surrounding itself in a sphere of flame and slamming into Garchomp. The dragon-type was thrown back, landing awkwardly as fire danced up its figure.

"Garchomp, use Iron Tail!"

"Rapidash, dodge and use Smart Strike!"

Garchomp swung its muscly tail, but Rapidash merely hopped over the appendage and galloped forward, spearing Garchomp with its horn. The Mach Pokémon cried out and staggered backwards, catching itself after a few steps back.

"Okay, Garchomp, it's time to bring out the big guns. Use Draco Meteor!"

Garchomp grinned with a gleam in its eye, pointing its maw to the sky and releasing a perfect orange sphere. Barry paled and yelled for his Rapidash to run, but the fire-type's legs couldn't quite carry it fast enough and dozens of Draco Meteors rained down on the field, exploding against the ground as they made contact. A handful of meteors struck Rapidash's agile body, knocking the Fire Horse to the ground.

" _ **Wow! Garchomp shows off a perfect Draco Meteor and deals some calamitous damage! Could this be the end for Rapidash?"**_

Rapidash miraculously stood, its legs wobbling just enough to be noticeable as it neighed furiously at its foe. Garchomp gnashed its sharp teeth in response, goading the fire-type to continue its fight.

"Rapidash, use Flame Wheel!"

Rapidash zoomed forward in a ball of fire and crashed into Garchomp, thrusting the dragon-type back several paces.

"Smart Strike!"

"Stone Edge!"

Rapidash sprinted, horn-first, and Garchomp generated two volleys of sharpened stones around its body. Garchomp snarled and with a commanding gesture, the stones launched away from its body in a lethal arc. The sharp projectiles riddled Rapidash like a series of bullets, interrupting the fire-type's attack and striking all of its weak points.

The Fire Horse Pokémon reeled, a misplaced step sabotaging its footing and dropping Rapidash to the ground. Scratches and marks bruised its cream-colored coat and the fire-type promptly slipped out of consciousness, going still and leaving no doubt of its status.

"Rapidash is unable to battle! The winner is Garchomp!"

" _Gar-chomp!"_ the Mach Pokémon snarled triumphantly, sunlight glinting off of its serrated teeth. The dragon-type thrust its skinny yet strong purple arms down to its sides, slicing the air with its fins.

Barry quickly returned Rapidash, thanking the fire-type and tucking the Poké Ball away. The jumbotron updated with the result, marking Barry's fourth eliminated Pokémon to Ash's two.

" _ **Barry's in a bit of a bind now, unable to knock Garchomp out of contention with his Rapidash. And with his remaining two Pokémon already having seen action, there's no one on his team that's completely fresh! Will Barry have what it takes to turn things around?"**_

"Garchomp, let's give the others a turn, okay?" Ash asked, and the dragon-type obediently conceded. "Return!" Ash called, whisking Garchomp away from the field to rest.

"We're in trouble now, sure, but we're not quitting yet! We've got plenty of fight left in us!" Barry insisted. He brandished his next Poké Ball and launched it, summoning his next Pokémon, _"Hitmonlee, you're back up!"_

The Kicking Pokémon emerged from the opened Poké Ball, landing on one leg and quickly sending its other leg up in a forceful outward kick, showing off its excellent balance as it prepared for action once more.

Ash made his choice quickly, _"'Kay, Croconaw, I choose you!"_

Ash threw the Poké Ball and it burst open, unleashing Croconaw from within. The Big Jaw Pokémon strode onto the field in a spray of water, making a big show of clamping its powerful jaws together as it landed. Hitmonlee grunted, lowering its outstretched leg bringing up its arms.

"Hitmonlee, use Mega Kick." Barry ordered. Hitmonlee launched into the air, one large foot outstretched and stirring with power.

"Croconaw, use Dragon Dance and then dodge!" Ash countered. Croconaw altered its stance and spun, summoning a crimson aura around its stout body to boost its speed and attack as it avoided Hitmonlee's move. Hitmonlee realized that it would miss and dropped its attack to land expertly on the ground before leaping to strike again.

"Ice Fang!" Ash called. Croconaw lurched forward with its jaws open wide, its many fangs instantly freezing with a biting chill. Croconaw clamped its jaws shut around Hitmonlee's approaching foot, absorbing the Kicking Pokémon's force and digging its teeth in. Hitmonlee screeched and tried to fight back, but Croconaw quickly turned and threw Hitmonlee back in the direction it came.

" _ **What a quick counter from Croconaw to neutralize Mega Kick! How will Barry and Hitmonlee respond?"**_

"Hitmonlee, use Close Combat!"

Hitmonlee zipped forward, reaching Croconaw almost instantly and delivering a few swift punches and kicks. Croconaw snarled as it fell victim to the rapid attacks, and a well-placed kick to the stomach knocked the Big Jaw Pokémon away. Croconaw flew and landed awkwardly, sliding through the grass and growling irritably.

"Croconaw, keep your cool and use Hydro Pump!" Ash commanded. Croconaw obeyed, tempering its rage and summoning a huge reserve of water to pound Hitmonlee across the grass.

"Hitmonlee, get them back with High Jump Kick!"

Hitmonlee rocketed into the air, summoning the power of gravity to bring itself down.

"Croconaw, use Superpower!"

Croconaw buried its claws in the ground, consolidating the dirt and rock to drag a boulder out of the ground. The Big Jaw Pokémon wound up and threw the boulder with pinpoint accuracy to knock Hitmonlee right out of the sky. The boulder drove Hitmonlee into the ground and Croconaw heaved, suddenly exhausted by the feat of strength.

"Superpower lowered our attack and defense, and that could come back to bite us." Ash observed, "Croconaw, use Dragon Dance!"

Croconaw perked up and a crimson aura once again flourished around its body to raise its attack and speed, and Croconaw mustered up the audacity to physically _dance_ on the field of battle. Audible laughter rumbled through the crowd at the sight.

" _ **How peculiar! Croconaw seems to be feeling groovy, and is showing it right there on the field with Dragon Dance!"**_

Ash beamed. Since his evolution, Croconaw had become noticeably haughtier, less the joyous presence he'd been as a Totodile and instead a tank of raw power intent on growing stronger. Seeing Croconaw loosen up was a joy to see.

"That's the Croconaw we know and love! Show 'em your moves, buddy!" Ash egged on the water-type, and Croconaw was in no mood to refuse.

" _Mega Kick!"_

Hitmonlee crashed into Croconaw foot-first, throwing the Big Jaw Pokémon backward and interrupting his dancing. Croconaw sputtered as it skidded to a stop, shaking its body to relieve the pain and then _glaring_ at Hitmonlee.

"Say, that wasn't very nice." Ash quipped.

"You left it open! I would've fined myself if I hadn't taken that chance." Barry defended, a late smile tugging at the corner of the blonde Trainer's mouth.

"Guess we'll have to get you back for that one. What do you think, Croconaw?"

" _Naw! Croc-o-naw!"_

"Works for me. Croconaw, use Ice Fang!"

Croconaw charged, scrambling across the grass with a readied maw of freezing fangs. Hitmonlee braced, waiting for Barry's counter.

"Hitmonlee, use Close Combat!"

Hitmonlee unleashed the counterattack, catching Croconaw before the water-type could bite down on its body. The Kicking Pokémon dealt a few swift punches before kicking Croconaw straight up and performing an expert roundhouse kick to send Croconaw flailing away.

" _ **Barry and Hitmonlee aren't giving up easy, that's for sure!"**_

"Croconaw, use Superpower!"

Croconaw dug into the ground and withdrew a heavy boulder, calling upon its full strength to throw it.

" _Croc-o…naw!"_ the water-type grunted, launching the boulder at Hitmonlee. The Kicking Pokémon flinched, staggering a step back and getting crushed by the boulder's impact. Hitmonlee flew backward and ate dirt, struggling to get back up as its lowered defense levels came back to bite it.

"Hitmonlee, you've gotta get up! I know you can do it!" Barry urged. Hitmonlee blinked and forced itself to its feet, though it couldn't conceal the weakness in its step. Grinning, Barry dished out a command, "Okay, use Blaze Kick!"

Hitmonlee readied its dominant foot, silently igniting a powerful blaze and leaping at Croconaw. The Kicking Pokémon's foot jabbed outward, burning with blazing fire.

"Croconaw, Hydro Pump, max power!" Ash called. Croconaw flashed its pristine serrated teeth and parted its jaws, summoning a great discharge of water. Hitmonlee's almond-shaped eyes widened and the powerful blast of water struck home, halting the fighting-type's charge and overwhelming it in a huge flush of water.

The Hydro Pump funnel crashed into the grass and spilled across the ground, eventually revealing Hitmonlee's crumpled form to the masses. The fighting-type was still, and its sharp eyes had reduced to dark, damning swirls.

" _Hitmonlee is unable to battle! The winner is Croconaw!"_

Ash pumped his fist in the air. "Yes!" he whooped, "Great work, Croconaw!"

The Big Jaw Pokémon crunched its jaws together and leaped into a happy dance. The sight made Ash grin. Maybe, just maybe, Croconaw was rediscovering the love for dancing that had characterized him so heartwarmingly as a Totodile.

" _ **That brings Ash's lead to 5-2, leaving Barry with just one usable Pokémon! Can Barry put together a miraculous comeback?"**_

Barry sighed, withdrawing Hitmonlee from the field and tucking the capsule away. He replaced it with his only remaining Poké Ball.

"You know, this isn't how I wanted this thing to go. Even with how hard we've worked, you've gotten even stronger, too, Ash." Barry conceded. He flashed a sudden grin, "But it ain't over 'til it's over, and as long as we still have a chance, we'll keep fighting!"

Barry primed his final Poké Ball, calling upon his most powerful Pokémon. _"Empoleon, let's do this!"_

Empoleon emerged, flaunting its powerful metallic wings. Sunlight glistened off of the golden spikes masking its face, giving the Emperor Pokémon a fittingly regal visage.

" _Em-pol-eon!"_

"Croconaw, you ready?" Ash asked. Croconaw affirmed that it was, and the Pride of Pallet called for an attack. "Okay, use Superpower!"

Croconaw snatched a boulder from the within the ground, hauling it above its stout frame and launching it with all of its might.

Barry moved to counter, "Empoleon, get them using Steel Wing!"

" _Pol!"_ the Emperor Pokémon answered, pouring shimmering energy its powerful wings. Empoleon launched straight toward the approaching Superpower boulder and jabbed its wings outward.

" _Pol-eon!"_ Empoleon screeched as it cut clean through the boulder, shattering it from the point of impact into smithereens of rock. Empoleon kept going, shining wings humming with power as it closed the remaining distance between itself and Croconaw. Empoleon slashed its shimmering wings like deadly blades, striking and throwing Croconaw far back across the field.

"Croconaw!" Ash cried, and the Big Jaw Pokémon flew several feet before crashing down on its back and sliding closer to Ash. Croconaw quickly stilled, limp and unresponsive before Ash's eyes.

The referee threw one of his flags into the air, declaring the result. _"Croconaw is unable to battle! The winner is Empoleon!"_

* * *

"Empoleon only needed one move to defeat Croconaw." Misty lamented.

"Like we said, Barry's Empoleon is exceptionally strong. It'd be foolish to count them out _completely_ just yet, even if Ash has three Pokémon to spare." Brock said.

May shook her head, "Nah, Ash has this one in the bag. Croconaw took a couple of huge hits from Hitmonlee, so it's no wonder he was on his last legs."

Dawn nodded fiercely, "Yeah, that's the spirit. Ash will handle business, no need to worry!"

* * *

Ash returned the fainted Croconaw, beaming down at the cold capsule ball, "Great work out there, Croconaw. Thanks for toughing it out and taking down Hitmonlee. You've earned a nice, long rest." Ash tucked away Croconaw's Poké Ball and eyed Empoleon. He had one trick up his sleeve… but he wasn't quite ready to reveal it, so Ash selected another Pokémon that had already seen action. _"Glalie, I choose you!"_

The Face Pokémon returned to the field with a mighty roar, bringing a biting chill with its arrival that persevered even under the hot sun. Empoleon's eyes narrowed behind its golden mask-like horns and the water-type prepared for battle, thrusting its heavy wings up as if they were clenched fists.

" _ **Glalie returns to the field after a long break! Can Ash put the battle on ice here?"**_

"Empoleon, use Steel Wing!"

Empoleon tucked and ran, both of its wings howling with energy.

"Glalie, dodge and use Ice Beam!" Ash countered. Glalie waited until Empoleon was close and quickly scrambled to the side, avoiding Empoleon's charge and whirling around to spit a forked beam of ice at its foe. Empoleon stiffened and growled at the sensation, but shook off the icy attack rather easily.

"Empoleon, get them back with Drill Peck!" Barry shouted. Empoleon quickly lunged for Glalie, spinning at high speed and digging its sharpened beak into the ice-type's thick shell. Glalie complained and backed away, shaking off the damage and growling lowly.

"Glalie, Blizzard!"

Glalie opened its mouth and unleashed a storm of frozen air, spewing ice and snow and overall cold at Empoleon.

"Empoleon, use your wings to protect yourself!" Barry called, and Empoleon lifted its heavy wings to deflect against the chill, severely weakening Glalie's icy breath.

" _ **A clean defense tactic from Empoleon looks to be staving off the majority of Blizzard's power, protecting Empoleon from severe damage! That's some quick thinking by Barry!"**_

When the blast subsided, Barry was quick to call for an attack, "Now use Hydro Cannon!"

Empoleon parted its beak and an instant later a mortar blast of water overtook Glalie, driving the Face Pokémon easily towards the boundary of the battlefield.

"Glalie!" Ash yelled. He glanced at Empoleon, recognizing that the Emperor Pokémon would need to recharge. "Use Giga Impact!"

Glalie pushed through the damage it had just taken and charged, a veil of explosive energy closing around its body. Glalie connected with titanic force, throwing Empoleon's frozen form backwards and exacting revenge.

"We can take all that and a lot more, right, Empoleon?" Barry taunted.

" _Pol-eon!"_

"Alright, use Steel Wing!" Barry ordered, and Empoleon charged back into the fray with wings spread wide.

"Glalie, use Crunch!" Ash countered, and the ice-type surged forward with its jaws open. Empoleon expertly raised one wing as Glalie moved to chomp down, causing the Face Pokémon to clamp its jaws around Empoleon's sturdy wing. Glalie flinched in surprise and Empoleon grinned before bringing down its other wing repeatedly, tearing into Glalie's rock-hard hide with each successive strike.

" _ **Ooh, another smart counter by Empoleon allows it to heap damage upon Glalie! How much more will Glalie be able to take?"**_

When Glalie finally let go, Empoleon was in prime position to pile up even more damage on its foe, and Barry knew it, "Hyper Beam!"

Orange energy came to life in Empoleon's opened mouth, building up for all of a few seconds before erupting into being.

"Glalie, use Protect!" Ash yelled. Glalie's eye gleamed and a green wall of energy formed to protect Glalie from the devastating blast. The Hyper Beam pounded against the Protect wall to no avail, dying out moments later.

" _ **Glalie narrowly avoids a surefire finishing blow with Protect, allowing it to battle another day! Can Ash and Glalie build on that to escape with a win?"**_

"We're sure going to try!" Ash insisted, "Glalie, use Blizzard!"

Glalie unleashed a freezing storm on Empoleon's frozen, recharging form, battering the Emperor Pokémon successfully this time.

"Empoleon, we can't let them get away with that! Use Steel Wing!" Barry urged. Empoleon finished recharging and thundered into battle, metal wings humming with energy.

"Glalie, keep Empoleon away and use Ice Beam!"

Glalie shifted back and forth and side to side, hovering across the ground and keeping its distance from Empoleon as the Emperor Pokémon tried to attack. Glalie fired a series of intermittent Ice Beams, keeping Empoleon on its toes but failing to deal any damage.

Eventually, Glalie fired an Ice Beam and Empoleon jabbed its wing straight out, spearing the icy blast with the point of its wings. Thanks to the point of contact, the Ice Beam deflected perfectly, spreading out in every other direction. Empoleon dug in with its back foot and launched, reaching out for Glalie and successfully slashing with Steel Wing.

Glalie cried out and staggered away, its hovering becoming more and more difficult. The ice-type was nearly done for.

"Quick, Empoleon, before they can get away! Use Hyper Beam!"

Empoleon obeyed and blasted an ultra-powerful beam, connecting this time and causing a great explosion. Glalie flew back in a cloud of black smoke, driven into the ground by the orange blast of energy. Glalie landed and the Hyper Beam calmed, but the damage was done. Glalie didn't get back up.

" _Glalie is unable to battle! The winner is Empoleon!"_

* * *

Gary leaned forward, his face hard. "Alright, Empoleon's got my attention."

"Empoleon's taken out three of Ash's Pokémon by itself." Max said, awestruck, "Surely there's no way this goes any further, right?"

* * *

"Glalie, return!" Ash ordered. The fainted Face Pokémon was summoned back to its Poké Ball. "I'm sorry, Glalie. I put you in a tough situation out there. I hope you know that I'm really proud of you, though. Get some rest, okay?"

Ash slipped the Poké Ball away and glanced at the jumbotron. Glalie's portrait darkened so that it was now a mere silhouette, marking Ash's fourth Pokémon rendered unable to battle. At the bottom of the line of Poké Ball graphics bordering Ash's image, one Poké Ball was still visible, marking an unrevealed Pokémon.

" _ **Empoleon is currently dominating this battle, cutting the overall deficit in half!"**_ the announcer declared, _**"What will Ash do next?"**_

"Good question." Ash said aloud, his decision already made. He drew his sixth Poké Ball, carrying the mystery Pokémon in his hand. "It's time to break this battle open!" Ash reared up, pitching the Poké Ball onto the field. _"Sceptile, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball burst open in midair, unleashing a white shape onto the grass. The glow grew arms and legs and shaped itself into the Forest Pokémon, revealing Sceptile to all as the light glittered out of existence. Sceptile stood tall and proud, a thin reed clenched between its hidden teeth as the grass-type briefly began to stretch.

What drew everyone's eyes, however, was the simple green bandana fastened around Sceptile's neck with a small, spherical stone attached.

Ash fished the Mega Ring out of his pocket, calmly slipping it onto his ring finger and admiring the piece of jewelry for only a second. The Key Stone embedded in the ring pulsed with power as it detected the nearby Sceptilite.

"What's going on?" Barry asked.

"What we've been waiting for." Ash replied cryptically. He raised his voice and pumped his fist in the air, the Key Stone on his finger glowing, "Sceptile, Mega Evolve!"

Sceptile grunted and the Mega Stone at its neck suddenly lit up with a powerful, multicolored glow. The light grew and wrapped around the Forest Pokémon in a brightly-colored sphere, allowing only Sceptile's shadow to pass through it as the changes began. The crests on Sceptile's head became sharper, and the leafy blades adorning its arms grew in size to become stronger. Plates of leaves formed across the grass-type's chest and its tail became more defined as a long, sharp point formed on the end.

An intricate symbol appeared above Sceptile's head as the Mega Evolved Pokémon stepped out of the dying light, barking a dangerous grunt that radiated with its newfound power.

The symbol faded as quickly as it had come, and the crowd erupted.

* * *

"Woah!" Max gasped, "Ash didn't tell me that he had a Mega Stone!"

Dawn beamed, "He's been keeping it a secret for the whole tournament, waiting until the right moment to use them. And Sceptile's isn't the only Mega Stone that he has."

"Hold on, I don't understand. What am I looking at?" May asked.

Brock leaned over and explained, "Mega Evolution is a recently-discovered skill that a handful of Pokémon are capable of. It requires a strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon, as well as a few special stones to facilitate the process, but Mega Evolving grants the Pokémon an exceptional boost in power. The Pokémon League recently approved it for use in Conferences."

"I caught wind of the rule changes when the Indigo League sent out notices to all of its Gym Leaders." Misty explained, "Haven't seen it in action, though."

May marveled, "So then Ash wants to outgun Empoleon here."

"Seems that way." Gary agreed, "Although he already has the type advantage."

"You know Ash, he's going to be all about the spectacle for now." Misty snickered.

"I wonder… if you can use Mega Evolution in battles, could it be used in Pokémon Contests?" May suggested.

Dawn shrugged, "As far as I know, there's no rule against it. Although I don't have a Mega Stone of my own."

"They're about to start up again." Brock said, getting everyone's attention. The PA system boomed above them, spouting something or another about the amazing sight before them.

Dawn squirmed from excitement in her seat, addressing Piplup, Buneary, and Pikachu. "Okay, you three! Let's show Ash and Sceptile all the support we can!"

The three Pokémon stood up, cheering excitedly from the ledge. Out on the field, Barry barked an inaudible order to his Empoleon, showing no fear in the face of their unexpected enemy. Empoleon rushed forward, and the battle began!

* * *

Barry and Empoleon stood, stunned, as their new opponent stood before them. It was unlike any Pokémon they'd ever seen, and yet still similar to the regular Sceptile that had faced them only moments before.

" _ **I can barely believe my eyes! Ash has called upon his final Pokémon, Sceptile, and promptly performed Mega Evolution! It's not the first time we've seen this happen in this year's Conference, but boy is it certainly the most exciting!"**_

"Mega Evolution!? You've gotta be kidding me!" Barry groaned.

"'Fraid not. I've had a lot of fun with this battle, Barry, but we're winning this thing. It's time to put this battle on ice!"

Barry's lip curled and he put on a confident mask. "Not if we have anything to say about it. We've got the moves to take you down! Empoleon, use Drill Peck!"

Empoleon took a few quick steps forward and launched, spinning rapidly and lengthening its beak to serve as a spear.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!"

The blades lining Mega Sceptile's arms churned with green energy, curling into scythe-like blades. Sceptile pitched forward and dodged to the side before slashing, cutting into Empoleon's spinning form. Empoleon's body was knocked to the side and the Emperor Pokémon barely managed to land safely.

"Quick Attack!" Ash ordered next. Sceptile sprinted, little more than a blur on the wind as it smacked into Empoleon. The water-type flinched, staggering back a few steps, and Sceptile materialized behind its foe, standing light on its feet and ready to pounce back into battle.

"Now, use Leaf Blade one more time!"

Sceptile charged in, blades at the ready.

"Empoleon, use Steel Wing to defend yourself!" Barry countered. Empoleon quickly channeled energy into its heavy wings, raising them to block Sceptile's attack. Sceptile's Leaf Blade became caught in between Empoleon's wings and the two Pokémon struggled against each other before Empoleon twisted and landed a hit on Sceptile's side, knocking the Forest Pokémon back.

Sceptile growled as it regained its balance, examining its side for damage and glaring back up at Empoleon. _"Tile!"_

" _ **Just when things start looking rough for Barry, Empoleon is able to fight off a devastating attack from Ash and Mega Sceptile!"**_

"Empoleon, use Steel Wing again!" Barry ordered. Empoleon charged into battle, wings glowing and hungry for battle.

"Sceptile, fight back with Night Slash." Ash ordered. Sceptile rushed to meet Empoleon and the two Pokémon clashed, each trying to strike the other but only meeting one another's attacks and getting cancelled out. Ash quickly changed tactics, "Sceptile, get back and use Leaf Storm!"

Sceptile perked up at the command and suddenly jerked backward. Empoleon immediately slashed outward, cutting through thin air and nearly stumbling as its momentum carried through. Sceptile planted its feet and a vortex of leaves formed around its body, spiraling and slashing as Sceptile commanded the maelstrom of leaves onward to wreck Empoleon's body.

Empoleon was thrown back from the storm, and the announcer gushed into the PA system. _**"A flawless Leaf Storm saddles Empoleon with serious damage! How much more can Empoleon take?"**_

Empoleon crawled to its feet, cawing irritably at Sceptile. The Forest Pokémon merely snapped back, undisturbed by Empoleon's fury.

"Empoleon, use Hyper Beam!"

Empoleon jettisoned a furious blast with record speed, catching Ash and Sceptile by surprise. The Hyper Beam struck home, launching Sceptile backward. The Forest Pokémon landed on its back with a _crunch,_ weakened considerably by the attack.

"Sceptile!" Ash called, face stricken with worry. Sceptile grunted, staggering to its feet. If not for the stumble in its step, one might've thought the Forest Pokémon was in perfect health. Sceptile snarled at Empoleon, who was frozen stiff as it endeavored to recharge.

"They're sitting ducks—Sceptile, use Night Slash!" Ash ordered. Sceptile launched forward, blades on its arms roiling with dark energy as it crossed Empoleon's side with a wicked slash.

" _Pol!"_ Empoleon cried, regaining its ability to move and stumbling from the damage. The Emperor Pokémon whirled on Sceptile, eyes narrowed and golden horns glinting in the sun.

"Sceptile, use Quick Attack, and don't let up!"

Sceptile rushed, body a mere blur as a testament to its overwhelming speed, and peppering a series of quick, glancing hits all across Empoleon's body. The water-type complained with each successive hit, unable to keep track of Sceptile's blazing fast form.

A lightbulb flicked on in Barry's head, "Empoleon, I've got it! Stay where you are and use Drill Peck!"

Empoleon grunted in confusion, but obeyed, planting its feet and spinning in place while using Drill Peck. Sceptile dove in for another hit, striking Empoleon's spinning form and immediately being rejected. Sceptile seemingly materialized again, flying back from the point of impact. Pleased, Empoleon stopped spinning.

" _ **That's some excellent quick thinking from Barry, saving Empoleon from even more damage!"**_

"Steel Wing!" Barry called. Empoleon leaped, roaring as it closed in to strike.

"Sceptile, block it!" Sceptile snarled and raised its arms, showing off its strength as it stopped Empoleon's attack with its bare arms. Empoleon gasped and Sceptile pushed the water-type back.

"No way are we gonna let that scare us! Go again!" Barry commanded. Empoleon blindly obeyed, charging once more as its wings hummed with energy.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile stepped forward at Empoleon, suddenly pulling back and turning. Using its long tail, Sceptile latched onto one of Empoleon's wings and twisted, pulling on the water-type's wings to flip it over itself and leave the Emperor Pokémon exposed on the ground.

" _ **Wow! What amazing dexterity from Sceptile, using its tail to effectively disarm Empoleon!"**_

Sceptile hopped forward, raising its arms to strike down on Empoleon's prone form with Leaf Blade. Empoleon immediately rolled out of the way and Sceptile struck the empty grass with its attack, tearing a hole in the foliage. Infuriated, Sceptile looked up as Empoleon leaped to its feet.

"Hydro Cannon!" Barry ordered. Empoleon parted its beak and a unleashed a column of water. Sceptile instinctively raised its arms, Leaf Blade still activated, and briefly cut through the column. Sceptile snarled as it struggled to hold its defense.

"Sceptile, get 'em!" Ash yelled. Sceptile braced itself and quickly ducked under the blast, narrowly avoiding a face full of Hydro Cannon's water. Crouched and with a clear shot, Sceptile rushed, keeping low to the ground and readying a Leaf Blade.

" _Empoleon!"_ Barry yelled, but it was no use with Empoleon in the middle of an attack. Sceptile sprinted, zooming across the short distance between it and its foe and slashing. A wide green slash seemed to cut through the air, digging into Empoleon's side. The Emperor Pokémon grimaced and its Hydro Cannon was instantly cut off. Sceptile came to a stop, dropped to one knee as its arm hummed with the energy of Leaf Blade.

Empoleon twitched for only a second before collapsing to the ground. The crowd bellowed as the referee raised one of his flags, barking out the battle's result.

 _"Empoleon is unable to battle, the winner is Sceptile! Barry is now out of usable Pokémon, which means the victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"_

 _" **You heard the man, folks! That's the end of the battle, and we now have our two finalists!"**_

Ash sprinted out to Sceptile, who was keeping itself up with an arm pressed into the ground. "Sceptile!" Ash called, and the Forest Pokémon snapped its head up. Ash beamed and latched his arms around Sceptile's neck, hugging the grass-type for all of a second. "You were amazing out there! We're going to the finals now!"

Sceptile produced a weak grin, exhausted from the struggle with Empoleon, _"Tile, Scep-tile!"_

"Thank you so much, Sceptile. I know you're exhausted, so I want you to get as much rest as you can. We'll all have a big dinner tonight to celebrate." Ash said before quietly returning the grass-type.

Over on the other side of the field, Barry was frozen in a squat, perched next to Empoleon as the battered Emperor Pokémon weakly sat up.

" _Pol, Em-pol-eon…"_ the water-type grimaced, eyes pointed at the ground.

"Don't get down on yourself, Empoleon. You were fantastic out there. Ash and his team were just better." Barry said, placing an affectionate hand on the water-type's shoulder. "I'm really proud of you for fighting until the end. You're a great partner Pokémon."

" _Em-pol…"_

Barry returned Empoleon and stood up, finding that Ash was watching him carefully. Barry padded over to him, extending his hand.

"That was an excellent battle, Ash. Thank you for giving me the chance." Barry said.

"I didn't give you anything, Barry. You earned your way this far. I'm happy we got to show our stuff. Empoleon is really strong, you should be proud."

The PA system thundered again and the jumbotron blazed with a series of fluorescent colors, forming the portraits of Ash and Paul on the screen. _**"With this result, our final round is set. Tomorrow will be a rest day for our competitors, and the battle for the Lily of the Valley Conference Championship will commence at noon the following day! Thank you all for attending, and we hope to see each and every one of you in two days' time!"**_

* * *

Ash stepped out of the restaurant, taking in the evening with a sigh. The orange sun was beating down on the island, but a cool, salty breeze from the ocean made the temperature tolerable.

The group had filed into a restaurant to celebrate Ash's advancement to the final round, taking up a big table in the process. Ash had stepped outside for a breath of fresh air while his friends reveled indoors, regaling tales of the past like usual. There were a lot of them, after all. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, appreciating the weather with closed eyes and a wistful expression.

Something caught Pikachu's ears and the mouse looked over, _"Pi?"_

Ash flinched. "What is it, buddy?" Pikachu gestured across the street, where a young man with steely purple locks of hair and a black-and-blue coat was walking along the sidewalk.

"It's Paul." Ash observed, raising his voice to call out, "Hey! Paul!"

Paul snapped to attention, looking over and spotting Ash. Ash quickly glanced up and down the street and, satisfied that there were no oncoming cars, quickly hopped across the road to meet his rival.

"Whatcha doing?" Ash asked.

"Just out for a walk…" Paul replied. The corner of his eye glinted mischievously, betraying his stoic face. "Thinking about the finals."

"Me too. I'm really excited that it's come to this."

"It's certainly the most favorable of outcomes." Paul said calmly, "We got our rematch."

Ash grinned, recalling their conversation outside of Victory Road. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

Paul nodded, "Nor I."

Ash chewed on his lip. "Well, I'll let you be. Gotta get back to my friends inside. I'll see you out there?"

"That's the plan." Paul answered with a nod. Ash jogged back across the street, only turning back to look at Paul as he reached for the door handle. He flinched as he realized that Paul was already gone. It was as if he'd never been there.

Ash snickered. _"Tch._ Some things never change."

* * *

 **That's it for the semifinal round. Ash and Paul have come a long way and will finally meet in the final round. The next chapter will be a fun interlude covering the off day before the finals, with a sort-of special battle to pay homage to a certain part of Pokémon Platinum. If you've played the game, you'll know it when you see it. The idea came to me and it just spiraled from there.**

 **I'd like to say thanks to each and every reader who reviewed the last chapter, I loved reading all of them! I hope that all of you will have something to say about this chapter, and that lots more of you will add to that. Please do consider posting a review, I'm very excited to hear everyone's thoughts.**

 **Otherwise, I'll see you all again in two weeks! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	80. Ash Ketchum's Day Off

**Up and at 'em, kids, we're back! We've got a nice long chapter covering the day off before Ash faces Paul, with plenty of fun planned to fill the pages. Included is a special battle that pays homage to a sequence in Pokémon Platinum. I really had a lot of fun playing with that one, so I hope you guys love it.**

 **Also, a character makes a major decision. Who will it be? Guess you'll have to read and find out!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 80_

 _Ash Ketchum's Day Off_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Dawn ran a brush through her dark blue locks, smoothing the last of them out so she could get to work. Piplup watched from the windowsill, round head cocked at a curious angle. Dawn worked with practiced precision, pulling back her hair and tying it in a tight ponytail.

"What do you think, Piplup?" Dawn asked the little Penguin Pokémon as she finished tying up her new hairdo.

" _Pip…lup?"_ Piplup replied, appraising her new ensemble. After a few seconds, Piplup decided he liked what he saw and chirped positively, _"Pip-lup, Pip-lup!"_

Dawn beamed, "Great! I thought we'd try something new and go casual today. We're looking at a full day of fun!"

Piplup chattered appreciably and hopped down from the windowsill as Dawn grabbed her things. She stuffed her trademark beanie into her bag, forgoing it in favor of truly showing off her new hairstyle. Piplup dutifully followed as Dawn swung open the door, leaving the safety of their room for the hallway.

"Dawn! I was just coming to check on you." May's voice trilled from a few doors down. The brunette Coordinator jogged over, grinning the whole way. May quickly spotted Dawn's hair, "Ooh, new 'do?"

Dawn brought a hand to her new ponytail, smoothing it nervously, "It's just something I'm playing with. Sometimes it's a lot of work and I'm just not feeling that today."

May giggled. "I understand. And I'm sure _Ash_ will love it." May smirked and Dawn's cheeks burned up as she blushed.

"Let's just go downstairs." Dawn decided, walking past May for the end of the hall. May followed and they galloped down the stairs, the lobby of the massive Pokémon Center sprawling out before them. The Center was surprisingly calm on this morning, with minimal hustle and bustle after two weeks and a few hundred eliminations.

Brock and Misty were standing with Gary near the buffet, talking in a tight huddle. Gary spotted them first and stepped aside, prompting Brock and Misty to turn and look as Dawn and May approached.

"Morning, everyone." May said, smiling.

"Good morning. All ready?" Brock greeted them both.

"Yep. What's the plan for today?" Dawn asked.

"All kinds of stuff!" Misty buzzed, "Gary was telling us about a club on the other side of town. Supposedly, it's the new hip joint for people our age."

Gary nodded, "Heard about it from a friend I made while I was out working for Professor Rowan. The place is part restaurant, part club."

"Sounds like a blast!" May beamed.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Dawn agreed, "But, um, where's Ash?"

Misty turned and gestured to the eating area, "Man of the hour's over there, fixated on whatever preview show they've got on right now."

The whole group turned to look where Misty was pointing. Sure enough, parked on a couch in front of a large TV was Ash, messy black hair and all, hunched over and watching.

"They're talking about the battle tomorrow." Gary explained.

"Well, we can't exactly go enjoy Ash's day off without Ash." Dawn said, "I'm gonna get ahold of him."

Dawn briskly walked away from the group, weaving past the tables and chairs to reach the couch by the TV. Ash didn't notice her arrive, eyes practically peeled open and fixed on the TV screen. An empty plate—probably the site of Ash's breakfast—sat in his lap. Dawn chanced a glance at the screen where two red-faced anchors argued back and forth about the upcoming final round.

" _So, who are you picking for tomorrow's battle?"_

" _Well, for me it's not much of an argument. Ash has been impressive, but Paul has been more so. I have no doubt that Paul hasn't forgotten his crushing loss two years ago. He's torn through the field with almost no difficulty, all of his Pokémon have been fantastic, I think Paul has easily his most difficult battle of the Conference tomorrow, but he still pushes through and takes the gold."_

The opposite anchor shook his head for a brief instant and responded, _"See, I think you're wrong. I don't know what it is, but Ash has been something else for the past two weeks. We hadn't seen him since he lost his semifinal bid against Tobias, which you can't really blame him for. The resilience that his Pokémon showed in the battle with Paul right before that is what sticks out to me. That kind of thing doesn't just go away. And he has this tendency to come up with amazing outs when he's in a tough situation. When Ash and Paul take the field tomorrow with the Sinnoh League crown on the line, I think Ash gets just enough outs and comes out on top."_

"Hey." Dawn said. Ash flinched and looked over at her, nodding.

"Hey." Ash replied. He quickly looked back to the TV, and his brow furrowed before he looked back to her, "You changed your hair."

Dawn brushed her new hairstyle with a few fingers, nodding, "Yeah, I thought I'd try something different today."

"I like it." Ash asserted.

"Thanks. C'mon, everyone's waiting for you." Dawn said, gesturing to the TV, "You shouldn't be watching this crap."

"Just trying to see what they're saying about tomorrow." Ash replied.

"They don't know anything about what's going to happen tomorrow. And they can't decide on the outcome, only you can." Dawn said.

Ash squared his shoulders and relented, a radiant smile crossing his face. "You know what? You're right." Ash replied, promptly standing up and following Dawn back to the main part of the lobby. He disposed of his tray and greeted his friends just as Delia, Riley, and Professor Oak emerged from the hallway.

"Morning, kiddos!" Delia beamed, "Headed out?"

"Yeah, Mom. Are you sure you'll be okay?" Ash asked. Max did something to provoke Ash, resulting in the tall teenager grabbing the smaller boy and delivering a vicious noogie. Max squirmed out of Ash's grip and ran, prompting Ash to chase after him.

"Sweetie, I've been handling my business without you around for years now. You go have fun with your friends." Delia insisted. She quickly realized that Ash wasn't listening to her particularly hard, so she hollered after him. "But be careful!"

"You got it, Mom!" Ash called as he continued to chase after Max. He hissed after the blue-haired boy, "Get back here, Max! I've got a couple of knuckles with your name on 'em!"

Max panicked and ran to the safe confines of Delia's general proximity, and a look from his mother silently told Ash to stop and behave like an adult. Ash immediately relented, standing up straight and stopping to stand within his group of friends. Corey and Layla sidled up beside Max—they were stuck spending the day with the adults along with Max.

Dawn rolled her eyes and turned to Delia, "No need to worry, Miss Ketchum, I'll keep him out of trouble."

"Trouble? When do I ever get into trouble?" Ash complained.

Misty snarked in response, "If getting into trouble was a paying job, you'd make a career out of it, Ketchum."

The group laughed and Delia sighed warmly, smiling in spite of herself. "Thank you, Dawn. Goodness knows he may need it. You kids have fun!"

* * *

With that, the group headed out, leaving the adults behind to peruse the town on their own. Together, they stepped into the summer heat and roamed down the streets, following Gary's directions until they finally reached their destination: a tall two-story building settled on the end of town. The thumping of music could be faintly heard from speakers mounted inside the building, and a large neon sign across the front bore the establishment's name.

As one, the cluster of Ash, Dawn, Brock, Misty, Gary, and May filed into the building, immediately flinching at the lack of light inside the place. Just as Gary promised, a huge dance floor took up one side of the enormous room, complete with a crowd of people and a DJ on an elevated platform. A pair of Ampharos manipulated currents of electricity from their heads and tails into colorful beams of light, projecting them onto a Porygon-Z rotating erratically above the stage so that the lights reflected and danced across the room.

"Nice beat." May remarked as a pop song spilled from the speakers. A greeter led them inside and directed them to an amply-sized booth, and within minutes a server had come through and delivered drink orders. The five younger members of the group had called for something along the spectrum from water to soda, while Brock sipped from a particular orange-ish beverage with a layer of froth on top.

"Okay, so are we getting out there and dancing, or what?" Misty asked. A silent assent passed among the five teenagers in the group and they surged out of their seats.

"Wow, I'm that repulsive, huh?" Brock called after them with a falsely offended tone.

Ash grinned, waving teasingly at the Doctor-in-training. "Sorry, Brock-o!"

The teens shuffled onto the dance floor, bobbing and weaving through the crowd until they came upon a spot with just enough space for all of them to fit. They huddled together and the three girls in the group started swaying to the music, dancing coolly and laughing.

"I'm not doin' that." Gary asserted, "No way, Jose."

"C'mon, Oak, liven up a little!" Misty jeered, "Has your gramps got you going lame already?"

"You making fun of me, Waterflower?"

Ash stepped in, grinning from ear to ear, "C'mon, Gary, it's not that hard. Watch." Ash promptly stepped towards the girls and started to dance, letting himself go loose as he spectacularly failed to match the beat of the song that was playing. The girls giggled at the sight, applauding Ash's gusto.

"See, Gary? It's easy." Ash said.

Gary rolled his eyes, "Says the guy who missed, like, every single note."

As Ash stepped back in Gary's direction, a new voice split the air.

"Check it, Pichu! Look what the Delcatty dragged in, man!"

Ash whirled around to meet a familiar foe, clad in his usual orange-and-white windbreaker, black sleeves emerging down his arms. The boy's sharp, dark blue hair was slicked back with gel.

The Pichu on his shoulder chattered, _"Pi-chu, Pi-chu!"_

"Sho!" Ash beamed.

"What up, Ash-man? Watched you battle Barry yesterday, mad respect on making the finals, brother!" Sho called, his voice twanging with that slang-heavy speech of his. "Although I sure didn't take you for the dancin' type. Woulda thought you'd be digging around in the forest, plotting out your strategy!"

"If not for my friends, that's probably where I'd be." Ash laughed, "But there's no more planning to be done. I'm just going to trust in my team from here on out."

"Glad to hear it—now why're we talkin' about Pokémon Battles on a dance floor? Back in Sunyshore, us peeps know how to raise the roof." Sho boasted.

"Oh, yeah? Does that include you?" Dawn snarked.

"'Course it does, sweetheart." Sho replied with a smirk.

The song spilling from the speakers abruptly ended and shifted to a polka.

Sho tilted his head up, "Alright, now this calls for some coupling up." The slang-talking Trainer turned his gaze on May and he sauntered up to her, "How's about a dance, good-lookin'?"

May blushed, "Well, I don't think I'm in a position to refuse. Nobody tell Drew. C'mon, bigshot." May and Sho promptly shuffled into the crowd.

"Now, this I can dance to." Gary said. He lurched closer to Misty and they started to dance. Misty cocked an eyebrow.

"I thought you said you weren't doing this."

"You twisted my arm, Waterflower."

Dawn tapped her finger on Ash's shoulder, smiling up at him. "May I have this dance?"

"I think I'd be a bad boyfriend if I said no." Ash replied. He quickly clasped his hand with hers, interlocking their fingers and taking a step alongside her towards the center of the dance floor.

Pikachu immediately squirmed on Ash's shoulder. He'd already been forced to endure Ash's ridiculous moves a moment ago, and he did not want to be in the middle of his beloved Trainer's dance with Dawn.

" _Piiii-ka!"_ the mouse complained.

"Oh, sorry, Pikachu." Ash said. He stopped and the mouse hopped to the ground, "Stay out of trouble, okay?"

Dawn brightened, "Hey, I have an idea, Pikachu. So that you won't get bored…" Dawn fished out a Poké Ball and let it open, releasing a blob of light beside Pikachu.

Buneary formed from the ball of light, hopping excitedly in the air. _"Bun-eary!"_ Buneary immediately heard the polka tune and looked to Pikachu with sparkling eyes, and the electric mouse paled, immediately realizing what he'd just gotten himself into.

"Have fun, you two!" Dawn teased, and she and Ash scrambled into the throng of people, snickering all the way.

"You are evil." Ash teased. They found an open spot and linked up, Dawn placing her hands around his neck while Ash carefully set his hands on her hips. He could practically feel Johanna's disapproving stare burning into his back, despite her being countless miles away.

"Just doing my part to make Pikachu uncomfortable." Dawn giggled. She took a slight step forward, and Ash reciprocally took a step backward. They stepped and swayed in time with the song, and Ash calmly pulled off a simple spin.

"I forgot how well you could dance." Dawn commented a few more steps in.

Ash smiled, "I guess we haven't tried since we were in Alamos Town, huh?"

Dawn snickered and nodded, "Yeah, when you were in that ridiculous outfit at Baron Alberto's ball."

"That wasn't ridiculous, it was a replica of a traditional Aura Guardian uniform! It was dashing!" Ash mock-defended, a stupid grin on his face.

"Oh, yes, forgive me." Dawn giggled, "I'll admit, you were really handsome that night."

Ash smiled, "You know, that night, I wanted to tell you that I liked you. I was so nervous, was so sure you didn't feel the same way, and I didn't want to screw everything up."

Dawn jokingly scoffed, "Gee, thanks for saving me from all the nerves. Do you have any idea how much it took for me to confess at Lake Acuity?"

"Oh, I do. I would've asked you that night, too, if not for Team Rocket breaking into the place." Ash recalled.

"Figures, we _would_ need a criminal syndicate bent on dominating the world to bring us together." Dawn chuckled lightly.

Ash snickered, "Yeah. But I'm really happy now. With you, I mean. There's no one I'd rather have at my side than you."

Dawn blushed and they kept dancing. She cast a glance across the room, where Gary and Misty were dancing together. Dawn grinned mischievously.

"They're cute together."

Ash flinched. "Who?"

"Gary and Misty. Look." Dawn clarified, pointing. Ash turned and followed her finger, spotting the two dancing together. He cocked his head and then gasped, whirling back to face Dawn.

"There's no way that's real." Ash snickered.

"Maybe, maybe not, but I'm not letting her get away with it." Dawn grinned. Again, she glanced past Ash, this time spotting two significantly smaller partners dancing together. "Check those two out," Dawn said, and Ash quickly turned them around so that he was now standing in her place.

The change gave him a clear view of Pikachu and Buneary. Pikachu looked as uncomfortable as ever, stepping carefully in tandem with Buneary as panic struck across his face, drops of sweat lining his yellow fur. Buneary didn't seem to notice, giddily stepping and hopping to the beat. The Rabbit Pokémon grabbed Pikachu's hands and spun them both, more or less forcing Pikachu to spin in a circle and lift Buneary off the ground.

" _Buuu-uuuuuuuun!"_ Buneary cooed excitedly as she spun, letting go of Pikachu's hand so that she could fly back and land gracefully on her feet.

Pikachu perked up at the sight, relieved that Buneary's little move had worked, and smiled, offering a chipper _"Pi-ka-chu!"_ Buneary buried her face in some of her fluff, totally smitten and embarrassed.

"Oh, Pikachu, you don't even know what you're doing." Ash snickered.

Dawn agreed, looking over her shoulder. "He definitely doesn't. It's pretty adorable."

The beat of the song picked up and Dawn perked up, meeting Ash's eyes. "Here we go, it's almost over! Let's make it count!"

Dawn immediately grew more aggressive in her dancing and Ash nearly backpedaled, "Woah, what are you doing?"

"Don't question it!" Dawn snapped, "Just spin me as hard as you can!"

Ash gulped and readied himself, focusing on the song's accelerating beat. He led Dawn into a quick series of steps, working up to a big spin. Hitting the song's climax perfectly, he spun Dawn as hard as he could manage. Dawn spun rapidly on her toes, and Ash immediately felt her start to shift in the wrong direction.

"Woah, there!" Ash gasped, swiftly reaching out and grabbing Dawn's hand before she could lose control. He slowed her spin and resorted to guiding her into a few more turns, allowing Dawn to regain her footing and slow down. The song quickly ended and they stopped, Dawn breathing particularly hard.

"We're gonna have to work on that." Dawn huffed, cheeks flushed as she sucked in breath after breath.

"Whenever you like." Ash promised. He suddenly pulled her in and pecked her ever-so-slightly on the lips, causing her to blush even more intensely. They stood up straight and headed away from their place on the dance floor, reaching Pikachu and Buneary right where they'd left them. Buneary was nuzzling up against Pikachu's cheek, cooing and flirting and generally making Pikachu uncomfortable.

 _~Help me…~_ Pikachu's voice winced in Ash's head.

"I'm gonna go get a drink of water. Wait right here?" Dawn asked.

"Of course." Ash assured her.

"Buneary?" Dawn called, and the Rabbit Pokémon eagerly hopped off alongside Dawn, giving Ash and Pikachu a few moments to themselves.

"You okay there, buddy?" Ash asked, looking down at his partner Pokémon. Pikachu quickly hopped up onto Ash's shoulder, sitting as well as he could and audibly groaning.

" _Pika-Pika…"_ the mouse moaned. Ash's head pulsed as Pikachu used their shared Aura link to speak. _~Fine… just a little winded. I mean, Buneary's great, and she's fun to be around and really sweet…~_

Ash cocked an eyebrow and continued their silent conversation, thoughts forming into words and instantly reaching Pikachu, _~Oh? Does someone have a crush?~_

Pikachu's back straightened and the electric mouse fixed his warm brown eyes on Ash's, irises twinging with surprise. Pikachu tried to backpedal as he answered, _~I-I-I… uh… well, um… no comment.~_

Ash smirked harder than ever before.

 _~It's just a little_ much _for me.~_ Pikachu rephrased, _~I'm not exactly experienced in the romance department…~_

Ash stifled a laugh, _~Buddy, you are talking to the king of romantic inexperience.~_

 _~It's stupid, anyway. The last thing I need to focus on is a little crush. We've got a title to win, after all!~_

This time, Ash allowed a snicker to slip through his lips, looking down at the ground and smiling. _~There's never anything stupid about your feelings, buddy. But it's all up to you. I'm glad you're confident about tomorrow.~_

 _~Are you not?~_

 _~Of course I am. But we're still battling Paul, which means everyone has to bring their A-game.~_

 _~Everyone will. You can count on that one, Ash.~_

"Ashy-boy!" Gary howled from across the floor. Ash turned and Gary waved him over. Ash held up a finger to signal for Gary to wait, just as a fast, pumped-up dance song spilled from the speakers mounted around the floor. Ash turned to look for Dawn, finding her briskly walking back toward him with a smile on her face.

"There you are. Starting to have me worried." Ash teased, reaching out to tuck a lock of her blue hair behind her ear and then whirling his arm around her.

Dawn smiled up at him, "Sorry to keep you waiting, boys."

Together, they paced over to Gary and the rest of the group, where they proceeded to dance the day away.

* * *

Ash slumped down into the booth's seat, "Man, I'm gonna need some food and a tall glass of water after that!" Ash ripped off his cap. His unruly black tresses fell down onto his face, a thin sheen of sweat leaving dark spots along his hairline. He wiped at the sweat, lips curling in a frown at the sensation, "Ugh. And maybe a shower, too."

They eagerly ordered and the food came out in just a few minutes. Ash licked his lips as a plate of hot wings was set before him, easily the most remarkable of the dishes spread across the table, and he devoured it, even fighting off the spicy sensations for the longest time before finally succumbing to a long sip from his glass of water. Soon, the plate was finished and his appetite was satiated.

When the bill was paid, the group left in the same manner that they'd come, filing out as one onto the sidewalk and leaving the club behind as they headed for the second item on the day's to-do list.

The asphalt streets soon gave way to the downtown area, where cobblestone streets made up a great walkway lined on each side by various shops. Vendor stands and carved-out sections for trees and other fauna filled in the gaps. Caravans of people flocked up and down the walkways, frequenting the shops and stands. Music filtered from various speakers hidden somewhere within the crowds.

Dawn, Misty, and May filed into one store, a jewelry shop, and left the boys outside. After several minutes of waiting, Gary amusingly tugged at his eyelids and groaned, bored beyond comprehension.

"I still don't see why _we_ had to come out here." Gary grumbled.

"Because, mostly, our lives are run by the women that are in them." Brock replied.

"C'mon, Gary, it's not so bad. It could be a lot worse." Ash offered.

"There's got to be something else going on out here." Gary said.

As if on cue, the music pouring from speakers stopped, and there was an unmistakable call for a Pokémon attack in the distance.

" _Jolteon, use Charge Beam!"_

"Did you guys hear that?" Gary said, interest immediately piqued. The girls emerged from the shop with only May carrying a small bag of goods, and Gary briskly started walking further down the walkways.

"Where's he off to?" Misty asked.

"We're about to go find out." Brock said, and the rest of the group followed close behind.

Sure enough, they came upon a massive crowd of people forming a large box, and another attack command rang out from within the crowd. A bolt of lightning exploded into sight, crackling violently in the air and making contact with whatever the bolt's target was.

The group of six gently waded through the crowd, quietly asking to be let through and shifting between clusters of people to see the commotion. Ash and Dawn got a good look between two spectators, eyes fixing on a lean man in a sharp blue jacket with dark gold fixtures sewn into the sleeves. The jacket's zipper was completely undone, revealing a simple black T-shirt underneath, and the man's spiky golden hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. Black pants and clean grey tennis shoes served as his bottoms.

His piercing blue eyes glinted as he called out for another attack. _"Jolteon, ExtremeSpeed!"_ Jolteon obeyed, zooming across the cobblestone road with otherworldly speed to attack a challenger's Medicham. The blow knocked the psychic/fighting-type Pokémon off-balance, dropping Medicham to the ground with a _crunch_.

The Meditate Pokémon's Trainer, a burly man with a clean brown crew cut and a goatee, barked out a response, "Medicham, get back up and use Force Palm!"

Medicham carefully stood up after a struggle, regaining its balance for a moment and leaping into battle, one of its hands opened and churning with power.

"Jolteon, dodge and use Double Kick." The blonde Trainer countered. Jolteon swiftly vaulted to the side, avoiding Medicham's attack and bounding behind it. Jolteon delivered two precise kicks to the backs of Medicham's knees. Medicham shrieked in pain and collapsed for the final time, thoroughly beaten.

"Damn! He really is strong!" the burly Trainer declared, face stricken with surprise. "Um, Medicham, return!"

The blonde Trainer tugged at the collar of his jacket, smiling as he called to his beaten challenger, "Thank you sincerely for the battle. I had fun."

The burly Trainer flinched, surprised by the show of sportsmanship, and nodded, "Er, much obliged…" he murmured before taking off, probably to take his fainted Medicham to a Pokémon Center.

Ash looked at Dawn, and then to Brock, each of them nodding in recognition. They knew this Trainer quite well.

"Wow, that's one fast Jolteon!" May remarked, "Who is that guy?"

"That would be Volkner." Ash replied, "He's the toughest Gym Leader in Sinnoh, and a personal friend, actually."

Volkner returned Jolteon and strolled around the open space, looking back and forth to the hordes of spectators watching. "Who's next? I'm taking any and all challenges!" the Sunyshore Gym Leader declared, a big smile on his face. "Who wants the next match?"

Ash stood up tall, grinning from ear to ear. "I do!" he shouted back. The line of people in front of him fractured, shifting out of the way as they looked at him in surprise. Volkner whirled around in the direction of Ash's voice, blue eyes settling on the Pride of Pallet. A warm smile parted Volkner's lips.

"Ash! What are the odds?" Volkner called, "No matter what, we seem to run into each other somewhere down the line."

"Hiya, Volkner. Gotta ask, what brings you to Lily of the Valley Island?" Ash greeted.

"You, actually. Couldn't pass up the chance to see the battle of the decade for myself!" Volkner replied. The crowd stirred with recognition, and whispers along the lines of _That's the kid battling in the final round tomorrow!_ circled around the cluster of spectators, "So, do you still want some of this?"

"You bet I do!" Ash assured him, stepping forward through the crowd.

" _Hold it!"_ a new voice split the air, drawing the crowd's attention elsewhere once again. A few bystanders closer to Volkner parted and another man slipped into view, a slim man with curly red hair, black wristbands and a unique red belt accenting dark pants and a yellow shirt.

"Flint." Volkner greeted the Elite with a smile.

"I set you loose to take public challenges downtown, but I didn't say you could have _all_ of the fun, Volkner." Flint said. He lifted his chin and shifted his eyes to Ash, "Hello again, Ash. Congratulations on making the finals. I'd hoped we might run into you today, actually. Enjoying your day off?"

"You bet I am, Flint! But I'm more than ready to get on with battling Paul for the championship tomorrow!"

"I'm glad to hear it. We have high expectations. I'm all for you putting on a show versus Volkner out here, but I'm afraid I have one condition." Flint said, "Volkner and I used to make a pretty good team back in the day in Sunyshore City. Sent many a punk running for the hills. You want a piece of Volkner, you're gonna have to get a piece of me, too."

Volkner nodded, "A tag battle? I'm all for it. Ash?"

Ash grinned, "Bring it on, you two."

Gary suddenly stepped forward, "Wait up! I want in, too!" he declared. Ash turned and looked at his friend and former rival, surprised, but he quickly nodded in consent.

"Yeah, that's how we'll do it." Ash stipulated, focused on Flint, "Me and Gary versus you and Volkner."

"I'm inclined to accept." Flint said, "Volkner?"

Volkner shrugged, "Already told you, Flint, I'm in. This is going to be _fun."_

Brock stepped forward, "I'll referee, if you need it."

"Of course." Volkner consented. Brock stepped past the crowd and planted his feet roughly in between the two pairs of Trainers. Ash and Gary stood side by side to his left, while Flint and Volkner took their places to Brock's right.

"These two are tough." Ash warned, "Flint's part of Sinnoh's Elite Four, and Volkner's the top Gym Leader in Sinnoh."

"I'm familiar with them both, Ashy-boy." Gary replied, lightly slapping him on the neck, "I've lived here for years, remember?"

Ash flashed a grin. "Just checking."

"If we're done chit-chatting, I believe Volkner and I have a match to win." Flint taunted, puffing out his chest mockingly. The crowd stirred excitedly, they'd all stumbled upon a Tag Battle between two prodigious Trainers and the tandem of a Gym Leader and an Elite. This was sure to excite.

"Big talk like that'll come back to bite you, Flint." Ash warned teasingly.

Flint shrugged, "Hey, I talk the talk, and I can more than walk the walk!"

Brock raised his arms into the air to call attention to himself. "Whenever you're ready, the battle will begin!"

Flint and Volkner wasted no time, selecting their lone Poké Balls.

" _Infernape, prepare for battle!"_

" _Electivire, charge up!"_

The pair of final-stage Pokémon emerged from their respective Poké Balls, sending a tense vibration through the cobblestone street as they landed. Infernape's fiery crown burned bright and hungry, lapping at the air around it, and tendrils of lightning coiled around Electivire's unruly yellow fur, circling eventually to its twin black tails.

"Shall we?" Ash asked Gary.

"Let's, Ashy-boy." Gary replied. He closed his hands around one of his Poké Balls, calling upon his chosen Pokémon. _"Blastoise, it's all you!"_

Ash flicked his eyes to his shoulder, "Pikachu, get in there!"

A Poké Ball burst open and Gary's Blastoise emerged in a flash of light as Pikachu landed lightly on the ground. The small electric mouse almost looked completely out of place, standing significantly shorter than the titans of power occupying the field of battle along with it, but everyone involved in the scrum knew that the Mouse Pokémon packed a punch so strong that he more than made up for his diminutive size.

"Infernape, use Flamethrower on Pikachu." Flint ordered. Infernape bristled and reared back its head, thrusting forward and breathing a river of flames from its mouth.

"Blastoise, jump in front of Pikachu and use Protect!" Gary countered.

" _Stoise!"_ the behemoth water-type grunted, leaping sideways to step in front of Pikachu. A shimmering barrier of energy formed around Blastoise, rejecting every ounce of Infernape's fire and leaving Pikachu unharmed.

"Excellent work, Blastoise. Use Hydro Pump on Infernape!" Blastoise obeyed and launched two powerful columns of water from the cannons on its back, threatening to douse Infernape.

"Infernape, dodge that!" Flint ordered, and Infernape leaped out of the way.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Infernape, quick!" Ash called out, and Pikachu rushed forward, bounding onto the huge shell that was Blastoise's back. Pikachu sprinted up the shell and leaped, its small yet powerful legs giving his jump a massive boost, and then discharged a wicked Thunderbolt that struck Infernape straight in the chest, knocking the Flame Pokémon to the ground in a smoking heap.

Volkner couldn't help but smile. "Now _that's_ a Thunderbolt. Electivire, let's get them back! Use Thunder!"

Electivire's body crackled with violent lightning, surging around its twin black tails and launching out in a pair of wicked bolts to lash Blastoise simultaneously.

" _Blaaaas!"_ the Shellfish Pokémon cried, staggering back away from the lightning.

"Blastoise!" Gary yelled.

"We can't let that happen again, Pikachu! Blastoise is our ally, and we'll have no chance without him!" Ash warned.

"Electivire, use Fire Punch!"

"Infernape, add to that with Mach Punch."

The two powerful Pokémon charged, Infernape taking the lead with its super-speedy punch.

"Pikachu, dodge that Mach Punch!" Ash ordered. Pikachu shifted to the side, shuddering as Infernape's fist connected with the cobblestone street and shook the very ground. Ash barked a fast response, "Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's tail instantly hummed with silver energy and Pikachu lashed out, striking Infernape in the leg with its tail. Infernape flinched and dropped to one knee, recoiling from the pain of the swift attack.

"Hydro Pump, Blastoise!" Gary ordered. Blastoise launched another pair of water blasts at Infernape, but things didn't quite go as planned.

Electivire charged in, yanking Infernape back and taking the attack. The torrents of water soaked its fur, but did little damage to the electric-type, and Electivire glared down at Pikachu for all of a split-second before launching its attack. A flaming fist suddenly struck Pikachu, flattening Pikachu into the ground and dispatching the electric mouse away.

" _Pi-ka!"_

"Blastoise, use Skull Bash on Electivire!" Gary barked. Blastoise tucked its head and ran, ramming into Electivire's burly body and succeeding in throwing the powerful electric-type back a few steps.

"Thunder Punch!" Volkner snapped.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to shut them down!" Ash countered. Pikachu launched forward, narrowly reaching Electivire before the taller electric-type could unleash a devastating punch on Blastoise. Pikachu struck with all its might, surprisingly knocking Electivire back and interrupting its Thunder Punch.

" _Grr."_ Volkner growled, "Electivire, get back!"

Electivire leaped backwards, putting some distance between itself and its foes.

"Not bad at all. You two work well together." Volkner remarked.

"We're just as surprised as you are." Ash joked, "We used to be at each other's throats all the time, right, Gary?"

Gary grinned, "That we did, Ashy-boy! Water under the bridge?"

"You know it!" Ash laughed, "Now let's buck up and beat these guys!"

"Fine by me. Blastoise, use Ice Beam on Electivire!" Blastoise channeled a frigid blast to its mouth, unleashing a forked beam at the Thunderbolt Pokémon.

"Pikachu, you use Thunderbolt on Infernape!"

"Electivire, use Fire Punch to deflect that." Volkner ordered coolly. Electivire retaliated with a fiery jab, nullifying the Ice Beam. Electivire quickly looked up and saw Pikachu's Thunderbolt making its way toward Infernape, and without so much as a command from Volkner, the burly electric-type leaped sideways.

The Thunderbolt attack made perfect contact with Electivire's body, the electricity surging in and around its fur and condensing there. A surge of lightning coiled around its tails and Electivire snarled.

Ash audibly gulped, "Uh oh."

"That isn't good." Gary finished. He knew all about what electric-type attacks did to Electivire, and it seemed that Ash did too.

"Perfect." Volkner grinned.

"It's on, now." Flint said, "Wanna start off, V?"

Volkner nodded fiercely, "Electivire, use Thunder Punch on Blastoise!"

Electivire raced across the cobblestone ground, clenching a fist and wrapping it in volatile electricity.

"Blastoise, Protect!" Gary shouted. Blastoise brought up another impenetrable wall, flinching as Electivire punched the barrier with explosive force.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Electivire!" Ash ordered. Pikachu charged, delivering a swift and surprisingly strong strike to the face with a steely tail. Electivire stumbled back, dazed by the attack and grabbing at its jaw.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Flint barked. Infernape sprinted, seemingly coming out of nowhere and retaliating with a blinding-fast punch to the gut. Pikachu flew back, colliding with Blastoise's stomach. Blastoise caught Pikachu and stumbled a few paces back.

" _Blas!"_ the Shellfish Pokémon murmured worriedly. Pikachu shook his small head, merely flustered, and chattered back.

" _Pik-Pi-ka!"_

Blastoise got the message and let go of Pikachu, the electric mouse bounding a few paces forward and yowling at its foes, _"Pika-chu!"_ Infernape and Electivire stood side by side now, all squared shoulders and menacing glares as they growled back.

"This is thrilling!" Volkner whooped, his love for battling truly showing out in the moment.

Flint paced forward and commanded his Infernape, "Infernape, use Flare Blitz!"

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle to counter!"

Both Pokémon charged, surrounded by their respective elements and colliding in a violent crash that sent them both ricocheting off of each other.

"Infernape, use Close Combat on Blastoise!"

"Electivire, use Thunder on Pikachu!"

This time, both attacks landed, sending Ash and Gary's Pokémon flying and wobbling on the edge of defeat.

"Let's put this one to bed." Flint said, "Infernape, use Flamethrower!"

Gary shook his head fiercely, "Not like this! Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise perfectly deflected Infernape's Flamethrower, even launching its attack with enough force to douse Infernape.

"Electivire, Thunder Punch!" Volkner ordered. The Thunderbolt Pokémon sprinted, practically gliding across the ground thanks to its Motor Drive ability.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Electivire!" Ash barked.

Gary flinched, whirling on Ash, "No! What are you doing!?" he yelled, but Pikachu had already attacked, sending a Thunderbolt in Electivire's direction. The bigger electric-type _grinned_ and threw a punch at the lightning, instead absorbing it and conducting the electricity around its body. Motor Drive activated once again, boosting Electivire's speed even further as Pikachu's lightning coiled frighteningly around Electivire's body.

"You'll see." Ash simply told Gary.

Volkner smirked, "Electivire, add some of your own lightning and use Thunder on Pikachu! Shock 'em to the core!"

Electivire roared, discharging a great amount of electricity around its body to add to the amount stolen from Pikachu. An excessive amount of lightning crackled and popped, and Electivire sent a long chain of brutal lightning flying straight at Pikachu.

"Now, Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash called. Pikachu turned upside down, pointing a buzzing Iron Tail into the sky. The metallic energy rolling off of the tail attracted Electivire's Thunder, catching the lightning and storing it around Pikachu's tail.

Pikachu winced at the strain. That was a _lot_ of lightning, even for him.

"That's incredible!" Flint gasped, while Volkner merely gaped. "But it won't matter! Infernape, use Flare Blitz on Pikachu!"

Infernape broke into a run, lunging and surrounding itself in a veil of scorching fire.

"Okay, Pikachu, we're ready! Use Iron Tail!" Ash ordered. Pikachu spun around so he stood back on his feet, his jagged, shining tail still holding onto the mess of electricity, and leaped, climbing just higher than Infernape so as to get a clear shot. The Iron Tail pulsed with energy and Pikachu curled, swinging in a downward arc that connected cleanly with the side of Infernape's head.

The Flare Blitz abruptly disintegrated, replacing the flames with an explosion of lightning. Infernape was hurled sideways, crunching into the floor as electricity coiled around its body. Pikachu landed and wobbled, dazed by the strain of the attack.

"You were saying?" Ash taunted, a wide grin on his face. He chanced a look at Gary, and the ex-Trainer started to laugh.

"Not bad, Ashy-boy. Not bad at all." Gary conceded, "Now, you gonna get off your high horse and help me win this battle?"

"Yep! Let's do this! Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Infernape!"

Infernape wobbled as it stood, still stars as its head pounded. Flint's call pierced its eardrums, "Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Infernape snapped its head up, spotting Pikachu sprinting for it in the nick of time, and knocked back a fist to prepare an ultra-fast punch.

Unfortunately for Infernape, its attack was thwarted when a flash of lightning crackled around its body, making the Flame Pokémon go stiff and unresponsive.

"No!" Flint roared, and Pikachu collided with Infernape's chest to knock the fire-type back down.

"Infernape's paralyzed!" Gary said, "Blastoise, let's shift our focus! Use Skull Bash on Electivire!"

Blastoise thundered across the ground, head tucked and aiming to ram Electivire into the dirt.

"We may be at a disadvantage, but we've still got our speed! Electivire, use Thunder Punch on Blastoise!" Volkner ordered. Electivire obeyed and raced across the ground, clearing much more of it than Blastoise could ever hope to. Finally, after many failed attempts, Electivire delivered an electrifying punch into Blastoise's gut, shocking the water-type and knocking Blastoise on its back.

"Again!" Volkner barked, meaning to pile on more damage.

"Blastoise, Ice Beam!" Gary countered, and Blastoise blasted the frigid beam at point-blank range, stunning Electivire and allowing Blastoise to stand and put some distance between it and the electric-type.

Meanwhile, Flint called out to his Infernape, "Infernape, focus on Pikachu! Use Flamethrower!"

Infernape spewed a stream of fire at Pikachu, who instinctively dodged as Ash called for a counterattack, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu discharged a golden bolt of lightning, again striking home and sending another surge of paralyzing electricity through Infernape's system. The Flame Pokémon dropped to one knee and a ring of electricity crackled around its body, reminding the crowd of its severe paralysis.

"Let's switch it up. Blastoise will be able to do more damage." Gary suggested, and Ash nodded in consent.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Electivire!"

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump on Infernape!"

Pikachu sprinted for Electivire and Blastoise unleashed two more powerful pumps of water at Infernape. Flint ordered Infernape to dodge and the fire-type pushed through its paralysis, avoiding the blasts of water.

"Close Combat!" Flint ordered, and the fire-type charged to attack Blastoise.

"Electivire, stop Pikachu with Thunder!" Volkner barked. Electivire churned out a speedy bolt of crackling lightning, but Pikachu merely bounded out of the way and continued its charge, leaping for Electivire's head and knocking its head sideways again.

"Blastoise, use Protect!" Gary ordered once more, and Blastoise stopped Infernape's frantic charge with an unbreakable wall.

Flint growled in frustration, and Gary ordered Blastoise to attack, "Skull Bash!" Blastoise suddenly lurched forward, collapsing its own barrier to tuck its head and crash into Infernape, sending the Flame Pokémon flying away.

"Electivire, use Fire Punch on the ground!" Volkner snapped. Electivire obeyed, swiftly burying a flaming fist in the ground. Fire spread out from the point of impact like a trap, catching Pikachu in a wave of flame that sent the electric mouse recoiling back.

"Infernape, add to it with Flare Blitz!" Infernape lunged forward, summoning another hungry blaze to coil around its body.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Blastoise, get in there! Spin and use Hydro Pump!" Gary ordered. Blastoise charged, reaching Pikachu before Infernape could and withdrawing into its huge shell. Massive torrents of water erupted from each hole in the shell and Blastoise spun rapidly, shooting the water in a constant vortex.

Ash brightened and a smile tugged at his mouth, "Hey! That's Counter-Shield!" Ash gasped, throwing a look at his former rival.

Gary merely smirked. Infernape collided with Blastoise, but quickly recoiled from the water as it was doused. Blastoise staggered up, immediately flinching away as a burn revealed itself.

"Worth it. Let's finish this, eh, Ashy-boy?" Gary suggested.

Ash nodded and Volkner called for an attack. "Electivire, use Thunder!"

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

"Blastoise, give 'em a boost!" Gary added. Blastoise reached down and grabbed Pikachu, a silent understanding passing between the two Pokémon. Blastoise reared up and threw Pikachu forward as the mouse charged up Iron Tail. Pikachu fell into a constant somersault, channeling the momentum from Blastoise's throw to spin nonstop. Energy reverberated off the mouse's shimmering tail, attesting to the power Pikachu had built up.

Electivire's Thunder made contact, catching on the energy radiating from Pikachu's Iron Tail and once again circling harmlessly around the mouse's body. Electivire stiffened and Pikachu arrived, altering his spin to strike Electivire with a brutal hook. Electivire's head snapped to the right and the Thunderbolt Pokémon promptly dropped to the ground, motionless as Pikachu landed mere inches away from the powerful Pokémon's face.

"Boom!" Ash hollered. Infernape was now all alone against Pikachu and Blastoise! Volkner's jaw dropped open in disbelief.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!" Gary ordered. Almost immediately, two twin columns of water zoomed over Pikachu's head, fixated on Infernape.

"Infernape, dodge!" Flint barked. Infernape obeyed, vaulting out of the way of the Hydro Pump, "Now, use Mach Punch on Pikachu!" Infernape zoomed forward, clearing the distance between it and Pikachu easily. With a swift punch, Infernape sent Pikachu spiraling backwards towards Blastoise.

"Now, give them everything! Close Combat!" Flint ordered. Infernape lunged at Blastoise, hurling a series of punches and kicks at Blastoise. The Shellfish Pokémon complained and staggered back, and Infernape launched off, landing cleanly on its side of the field. A wave of paralysis struck the Flame Pokémon, weakening Infernape even further.

"Pikachu, now's our chance! Use Volt Tackle!" Ash called. Pikachu charged, a flash of lightning expanding into a layer of powerful electricity.

"Blastoise, help them out and use Hydro Pump!" Gary added. Blastoise fired two powerful blasts of water that sailed over Pikachu's head. In an instant, the columns of water magnetized towards the Volt Tackle, combining into the ever-familiar Hydro Tackle combination. The streaks of gold that characterized Volt Tackle became tipped with blue, and Pikachu collided into the immobilized Infernape with a thunderous explosion.

"Infernape!" Flint shouted in a panic. Thick smoke billowed from the point of impact and Infernape sailed through the cloud, crashing to the cobblestone ground on its back with a damning _smack._ Pikachu staggered out of the smoke, tendrils of electricity biting the Mouse Pokémon with recoil damage.

The battle's result was clear. Brock raised his arms into the air, "Electivire and Infernape are unable to battle! The winners are Pikachu and Blastoise!"

"Yes! Amazing job, Pikachu! And Blastoise, you were great! You both rocked!" Ash praised. Pikachu giddily bounded over to Ash, who squatted down to grab the electric mouse and lift him up.

Blastoise lumbered over to Gary, grunting deeply, _"Blastoise-Blast."_

"You were great, Blastoise." Gary beamed. Blastoise tried to grin, but the burn darkening its side flared up and caused the water-type pain. Gary frowned, grasping Blastoise's Poké Ball. "We'll go get that checked out as soon as we can, okay? Until then, return." Blastoise consented and was quickly returned.

The crowd started to disperse, whispering in shock at what they'd seen. Two Trainers, although both quite skilled in their own right, defeating the prime Pokémon of a Gym Leader _and_ a member of the Elite Four? It was unheard of!

Meanwhile, Flint and Volkner approached Ash and Gary, their Pokémon safely returned and resting. Volkner looked to Ash, grinning, "Well, you never cease to amaze me, Ash."

"Nor I. I definitely did not go into that battle thinking we'd be beaten. Hell, the last time anyone beat me and Volkner together, well…" Flint said, trailing off with a chuckle.

"Maybe back when we were even younger than Ash?" Volkner suggested, laughing heartily with his old friend. After a good laugh, the longtime friends turned back to Ash and Gary.

"That was a lot of fun, you guys. Thank you for battling us." Ash said.

"Yeah, I'm with this knucklehead. That was a blast." Gary agreed, "Way better than what we were doing over here before."

Ash snickered, "Don't tell the girls."

"Don't tell us what?" Misty suddenly snapped, appearing with the others seemingly out of nowhere. The fiery water-type specialist glared at Ash and Gary expectantly.

"Er… nothing." Gary murmured.

Volkner quickly stepped in before anything could turn sour, flashing a smile. "So, Ash, do you mind introducing us to some of your friends? I'm afraid there are a few new faces here."

"Of course." Ash agreed. He gestured to Gary.

"Gary Oak." Gary replied, reaching out to shake Volkner and Flint's hands. "Old pal of Ash's, worked for Professor Rowan for the last few years."

"One of Rowan's aides, eh? How is the old fart?" Flint said.

"He's well, but I'm afraid my time with him is all but through. I'll be transferring back to Kanto to work alongside my gramps." Gary explained.

"Misty Waterflower, Cerulean City Gym Leader, at your service." Misty greeted them next, shaking hands with both men.

"Cerulean City? That would make you a water-type specialist, correct?" Volkner guessed.

"That's right. The best of Cerulean's Sensational Sisters!" Misty boasted with a clenched fist and a confident smirk.

"And I'm May. I'm a Top Coordinator from the Hoenn Region. Ash traveled with me and my brother for a year." May explained.

"Pleased to meet you all. Any friends of Ash are friends of ours." Volkner said. He turned back to Ash, "So, Ash, you're battling Paul for the championship tomorrow."

"That's right. We all thought we'd take a little day off while my team rests up. That way, tomorrow we can go in fresh." Ash said.

"I'm excited to watch. I'll be sitting with Flint and the rest of the Elite Four tomorrow, up in the press boxes." Volkner explained.

"Cynthia will be there, as well," Flint added, "I've never seen the media hype up a match so much. You'll have some high expectations to meet in the morning."

"I'll do my best, I can promise that much." Ash assured them.

Flint nodded, "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but we need to get our Pokémon to a Center. And then I need to prepare for the news broadcasts tonight showing off my epic loss to a couple of regular Trainers."

Ash chuckled, "News broadcasts? You're kidding."

"'Fraid not." Volkner said, pointing to something away from the group. Sure enough, there was a news van, a few crewmen loading equipment into the vehicle in preparation for driving off. Volkner groaned facetiously, gesturing at Flint, "Great, now I'm going to be associated with your ugly mug."

"Whose mug you calling ugly, hair gel?" Flint snapped back.

"Looks like you're going to be a star, Ash." Dawn teased.

Ash snorted, snaking an arm around Dawn, "Says you. I'm _already_ a star."

Misty stifled a laugh, her reply dripping with sarcasm, "And there's that trademark Ketchum humility."

The group parted ways with Flint and Volkner, heading out to complete their day off. They finished the last of their activities shortly and began to head back to Trainers' Village, carrying full bellies and tired muscles back to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Night fell, and with Pikachu all rested up, it was time for Ash and Pikachu to head to their private lodging in Trainers' Village. Dawn and Piplup walked alongside them, a comfortable silence holding over them. A streetlight near the center of the small subdivision had gone out, allowing a perfect view of the star-filled sky.

"It's pretty tonight." Dawn said.

" _Pip!"_ Piplup agreed, waddling along at the head of the group.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Dawn asked Ash.

"We're as ready as we can be. Paul's going to give us everything he has, so we're gonna do the same." Ash replied. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. But no matter what, we'll do our best until the end."

"That's the spirit. Paul's going to be tough, sure, but there's no need to worry. You guys are tougher!" Dawn assured him.

" _Pip-lup!"_

Ash grinned sheepishly, pointing his eyes at the ground. "You're the best, you know that?"

Dawn shrugged, "Yeah, but it's nice to hear you say it."

Ash cocked an eyebrow, "Oh? Are you getting cocky on me, now?"

"I learned from the best." Dawn shot back. A hearty giggle spilled from the both of them, cluttering the still night air with laughter.

Piplup watched the pair carefully, thought for all of a moment, and then stopped, whirling on the two Trainers.

" _Pip!"_ the Penguin Pokémon cried out, calling attention to himself.

Dawn looked down with a hint of worry, "What is it, Piplup?"

Piplup chirped repeatedly, waving his small fins for emphasis. _"Pip-Pip-Pip, Piplup, Pip-lup."_

Piplup kept on and on. Ash glanced to Pikachu and focused, _~Uh, Pikachu? Translation?~_

Pikachu immediately replied, _~He's saying that he's been thinking about when we nearly split up two years ago, and how scared he was. It's taken him a while, but he's realized that change can be good, and that we'll always be together one way or another. He hasn't realized it until now, but Piplup says he's been holding himself back out of fear~_

 _~Holding himself back?~_ Ash repeated, questioning Pikachu's meaning.

Piplup chattered some more, placing his fins on his hips before going silent.

 _~He says he's done holding himself back. That he's ready for whatever change is in store for him.~_ Pikachu rephrased.

Dawn placed a hand over her heart, confused by Piplup's sudden outburst. "Piplup, what are you saying?"

Piplup padded closer to Dawn, reaching into the thick blue feathers decorating its chest. Piplup slipped a small object from within the feathers, reaching up to hand it to Dawn.

In Piplup's fin was a small gray stone. An Everstone.

Dawn gingerly took the stone, head swimming with questions, and a sharp white light suddenly overtook Piplup's body, instantly washing over the Penguin Pokémon's round head and little body, immediately growing with Piplup's sudden change.

Dawn gasped, prideful tears immediately jerking themselves to her eyes. "Oh, Piplup!"

"He's evolving..." Ash marveled. He looked over to Dawn and they met eyes, and her infectious pride afflicted him as well. He hollered excitedly, "Piplup's finally evolving!"

Indeed, Piplup's form grew, its body lengthening in every possible place. His round head became more fit for his body, and two crests grew on either side of the water-type's head. The blinding light receded, and a new Pokémon stood before Ash and Dawn.

" _Prin-plup!"_

Dawn clasped her hands together, eyes quivering with a roiling mix of emotions, and she rushed forward to hug the new water-type, the Everstone clutched in one of her hands. "Oh, Piplup!—I mean, Prinplup—I'm so happy for you! I don't know what else to say!"

" _Prin-plup!"_ the evolved Penguin Pokémon chirped, doing his best to shape his new beak into a smile.

"I-I wasn't sure that we'd ever revisit the whole evolution question again. That was fine, of course, because you were happy, and I'll always love you no matter what, Prinplup." Dawn said, "But I'm so happy that you've decided to do it. I remember how afraid you were."

" _Plup…"_ Prinplup cooed, looking down as if he were ashamed.

"Is that why you evolved? Because you're not afraid of change anymore?" Dawn asked.

Prinplup smiled—this time with much more success—and raised one of his fins for emphasis. _"Prinplup!"_ The Penguin Pokémon chirped again and gestured for Dawn to back up before suddenly igniting the tips of its wings with shimmering energy. Prinplup swung its wings up and slashed, demonstrating a newly learned move.

"That was Metal Claw!" Ash gasped.

Apparently, Dawn hadn't quite reached her limit on pride, practically blubbering now as she desperately fought tears of pure joy. Her mind raced, tongue barely keeping up, "Oh, Prinplup, that's so amazing! I'm already thinking of new combinations we can work on, and sure, it might throw out some of the old favorites since you can only know so many moves, but we'll replace them with better ones!"

" _Prin!"_ Prinplup chirped. He liked that idea!

Pikachu hopped down from Ash's shoulder, beaming at the newly-evolved water-type. _"Pika-Pika! Pika-chuuuu!"_

" _Plup! Prin-plup!"_

"Looks like you're not carrying him around anymore." Ash snickered.

Dawn shook with laughter, adding her two cents, "Definitely not. And now I'll have to figure out a new outfit for him tomorrow, since he just decided to outgrow what I had planned!"

" _Plup!"_ Prinplup snapped, crossing his wings in mock irritation.

"I'm not sure that I'm getting any sleep tonight. I'll be awake 'till sunup thinking of new combinations and tactics." Dawn joked.

Ash laughed, "Don't go doing that now, I'm gonna need my number one fans rested and ready to cheer us on tomorrow."

"We'll get to it, one way or another. No need to worry." Dawn promised with a grin.

" _Prin-plup-plup!"_ Prinplup concurred.

Ash's cabin came up on the side of the road shortly after, signaling that it was almost time to part ways for the night. Ash pushed open the door and wandered over to the bed, promptly collapsing into the mattress with a grown.

"Ugh, I didn't realize how tired I was until right…" Ash said, and a great yawn suddenly interrupted his speech. He smacked his lips after the yawn, voice distorted as he continued, "now…"

" _Piiii-ka-chu…"_ Pikachu agreed, allowing an identical yawn as he leaped up onto the mattress beside Ash. The mouse waddled over to Ash's hip and curled up, jagged tail wrapping around and reaching up to his face as he prepared for bed.

"Sleep well, Ash. You've got a big day ahead." Dawn said.

"Alright, Mom." Ash teased. Dawn rolled her eyes. "Tuck me in?" Ash half-asked, cracking open an eye to stare at Dawn hopefully.

"You're kidding, right?" Dawn replied, failing to stifle a grin.

Ash allowed himself a laugh and squirmed his way into a more comfortable position. "Yeah, Dawn. I'll see you in the morning." Ash murmured, another yawn dragging him closer to the enticing confines of sleep.

"See you in the morning, Ash." Dawn responded. She quietly walked out of the house, Prinplup following her trail. Ash released a deep exhale and he quickly cozied up, hearing the soft _click_ of the door as Dawn shut it carefully. Silence overtook the small cabin and Ash dove headlong into sleep, setting an arm just close enough to Pikachu so that he could feel the electric-type's breathing.

Tomorrow, they faced their destiny.

* * *

 **That's a wrap. Now for some news: I plan to delay the release of Chapter 81. The end of the semester is here and with it comes a slew of final assignments and dreaded final exams. At most, the next update will only be delayed a week, so it's not too long, and it'll let me finish out the semester (hopefully) strong.**

 **If you enjoyed this chapter, please drop me a review down below. I'd love to hear what anyone and everyone thought of this one. If you didn't enjoy this chapter, tell me why. All reviews are welcome!**

 **I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving, and I'll see you all next time to begin the final round and the long-awaited battle: Ash versus Paul! Thanks again for reading!**


	81. The Final Frontier!

**Hello, all! You guys have been waiting a long time for this, but we're finally here: the final round of the Lily of the Valley Conference. Ash and Paul have been on another collision course for the majority of this story, and I hope I can do the two justice with both this chapter and the ones to follow.**

 **Review replies:**

 **RyoshiMorino: Thanks for your review. I've left this rated T because the language has been here and there. Certain characters who are not great people have been more extreme with that, and maybe that's not the best writing on my part. Perhaps I should at least put a notice in the first chapter. As for the romance, I know it's touch and go, unfortunately. That's my weakness when it comes to writing, I'm just not good at writing it. It's been a casualty of the story. Thanks again!**

 **Lance Curry: Thanks as always for your heart-warming reviews. You're too much :) Glad you liked the little twist (does Piplup evolving count as a twist?)**

 **And to everyone else who reviewed, thank you so much! You guys keep me going!**

 **Without further ado, happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 81_

 _The Final Frontier!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

Morning came quickly. The cabin was faintly lit by light filtering in through cracks in the blinds, the summer sun making its presence known early. A single Trainer and a lone Pokémon stood in the room. The bed that the pair had slept on was freshly made, and the only sounds were the Trainer's footsteps.

Ash Ketchum ran his hands down his vest as he tugged it on, smoothing out the navy cloth as he stared at his reflection in a body-length mirror. His thick raven hair was messy and hatless as he ran a few fingers through the tresses, grooming them lazily into their usual shape. He pulled one side of his vest open, examining the inside of the fabric to find thirty-two shiny badges pinned inside; eight from each region. He'd pinned them on shortly after waking up, feeling that they were a reminder of his progress up to this day.

The day that, at long last, he competed for the title of Conference Champion.

Sure, it had technically been more than two years since he'd earned a Gym Badge, but the decorative bits of metal each served as a milestone. Even if no one else would see them, he would wear them proudly. Next, he slipped on his belt and clicked it into place, and he tugged on his fingerless gloves by their cuffs, sighing at the feel of the navy-blue-and-red fabric against his calloused hands.

Next came his hat, which he fit squarely over his wild bangs. The hat was marred by more severe instances of wear-and-tear, tattered and scraped and burnt. He supposed it was a fitting reflection of himself, considering all of the trials he'd been through—many of which he hadn't exactly signed up for.

A dash of sunlight caught his dark eyes as Ash looked in the mirror again, decked out in his full ensemble. The light brought out the faintest shade of copper in his chocolate brown irises, and Ash puffed out his muscular chest and grinned, clenching a gloved fist.

Ash turned towards Pikachu. The electric mouse had watched patiently as Ash dressed himself for the day. Normally, Pikachu would've likely been asleep this early—waiting to be woken when it was time to go—but not today. The mutual excitement between Trainer and Pokémon was almost palpable, and sleep had been nigh impossible.

"Today's the day, buddy. Are you ready?" Ash asked.

Pikachu answered by standing on his hind legs, pumping a tiny fist in the air, _"Pika!"_

Ash couldn't help but grin. "Sounds like someone got a good night's sleep."

There was a soft knock on the front door of the private cabin, and without an answer, the door creaked open. "Ash?" Dawn's voice called gently from outside, "Are you awake?"

"In here, Dawn!" Ash called from the bedroom. He gestured to Pikachu and the mouse climbed onto his shoulder, and the pair walked out of the bedroom into the cabin's common area (which, hilariously, was never used). Dawn had slipped inside, followed by two Pokémon. Her back was turned as she shut the door, and she hadn't heard Ash enter.

When she turned back to look at the room, Dawn startled as she saw Ash, quickly recovering and flashing a smile. She was dressed in her iconic cheerleading outfit, pom-poms tied down at her hip so that she wouldn't have to constantly carry them. She ran a hand through her hair—tied in her usual Contest-slash-cheerleading ponytail style—and sighed with relief. "Oh, good, I didn't have to come wake you up."

Ash scoffed, his eyes giving away his smile, "On today of all days? No way. I could barely wait to get out of bed!" Ash said. He glanced at the two Pokémon accompanying Dawn, none other than Buneary and Prinplup, the latter freshly evolved. Buneary sported a much smaller version of Dawn's getup, miniature pom-poms clasped dutifully in her paws.

Prinplup, meanwhile, had donned a significantly more formal wardrobe, probably a result of his new, more masculine form. A tight-fitting black suit wrapped up the evolved Penguin Pokémon's body, complete with an eye-catching blue bowtie with water patterns stitched into it.

"Hey there, Prinplup! Looking sharp! What's it like to be evolved?" Ash asked, a big grin on his face.

" _Prin-plup!"_

 _~He said he's loving it, and that he should've tried it earlier.~_ Pikachu explained through their mental link.

"That's great to hear!" Ash said. Prinplup puffed out his chest and bent his wings, resting their tips on his hips and chirping, looking like a true prince of the seas. Ash stooped down to get closer to Buneary's height, beaming at the Rabbit Pokémon.

"And of course, we can't forget Buneary! Are you all dressed up to cheer us on?" Ash asked rhetorically. The normal-type answered with delight, hopping up and down and mashing her pom-poms together.

" _Bun! Bun! Bun!"_

Pikachu hopped down from Ash's low shoulder, chattering happily with Buneary. The Rabbit Pokémon's eyes practically sparkled at whatever Pikachu had said to her, and she rushed forward to lock her paws with his, saying something that must've been positive. Pikachu blushed furiously and they separated, and Ash caught the mouse's eyes for all of a second.

 _~Not a word.~_ Pikachu's voice echoed in Ash's head, and it took all the teen had not to laugh out loud.

"So, are you ready to go? I came to get you for breakfast. Everyone else is at the Center, we thought we'd all eat before heading to the stadium together." Dawn explained.

"Sounds like a great idea. We're ready if you are." Ash said. Dawn nodded and they stepped out of the cabin, greeted by the warm summer morning. Ash held the door open for the Pokémon—Buneary, then Pikachu, and then Prinplup, and then let the door slam shut behind him for the last time.

* * *

Breakfast proceeded normally. The Center was noticeably busier today, a steady flow of non-competitors busying Nurse Joy's morning. The island was buzzing with the prospect of the final battle today, though no one was more excited than Ash. Once everyone was finished with their meals, the group stood and headed out of the Center, sights set on the stadium.

Lily of the Valley Stadium was swamped, even with two hours remaining before the battle. It seemed that everyone wanted to get the best seats that they could. The League had oversold the stadium's capacity, offering standing-room-only tickets once the traditional seating was full. Indeed, they wanted every set of eyes on this match as they could get.

Finally, the trek through the gate ended after half an hour, plenty of time for Ash to head down to the locker rooms and begin warming up. He'd arranged his team with Tracey the night before, and Ash wanted to give all of them the chance to prepare downstairs.

Ash hugged each and every one of his friends, holding them close for all of a second as every sentiment he had for them all threatened to leak from his eyes. Before he could hug Dawn last, she stopped him.

"You're not gonna leave without one of these, are you?" Dawn called him out and raised her hand in the air. Ash beamed and surged forward, clapping his hand to hers and then surging forward for a hug.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Go win that cup, Ash!" Max said, his small chest puffed out.

Ash nodded and turned to weave through the crowd, ignoring the giddy looks and whispers as he passed spectator after spectator. Soon enough, the entrance to the Trainers Only area came into view, and he sidled over to the security guards. They knew who he was, but he made a point to show them his ID anyway. No point in causing a controversy today.

"Good luck, Mr. Ketchum," one of the guards said and opened the rope blocking off the tunnel. Ash nodded and stepped through, galloping down the stairs as he descended below the stadium.

* * *

Cynthia strode into the press box, totally accustomed to its luxury. She'd watched many League battles from here, from the regular Conferences to the prestigious Champion League. Today, however, was uniquely special.

"Cynthia, you made it." Flint called. The Champion strode over to the two rows of seats placed by the box's large front window, her very posture the image of strength.

The Elite Four, those highly-skilled Trainers that ranked below only her in the Pokémon League, sat in a line along the front row, in addition to two other well-known faces.

"Good to see you again, Volkner." Cynthia greeted the Sunyshore City Gym Leader. Volkner immediately stood in reverence, offering his arm for a handshake.

"The pleasure is all mine, Cynthia." Volkner assured her. Cynthia looked past Volkner, eyeing a miniature man with a long white beard.

"Mornin', Cynthia!" Charles Goodshow blustered, a hearty laugh escaping him.

"It is, Mr. Goodshow." Cynthia agreed.

"Oh, please, Mr. Goodshow is my father!" Charles said, "Call me Charles!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes at the lovable old man's antics and sat down beside Volkner and Flint, eyeing the grass field with an odd suspicion. The countdown clock on the jumbotron read thirty minutes, with massive renditions of Ash and Paul's portraits lined up side by side, six Poké Ball graphics on either side representing the Pokémon allotted to them.

"What are you thinking, Cynthia?" Flint asked.

Cynthia exhaled, her stark face never contorting even as she thought long and hard, "I'm thinking that today's battle will be among the greatest there ever were. I know these two young men well, and nothing could convince me that either are undeserving of where they stand today."

"But only one can win. Who are you riding with?" Flint clarified.

Cynthia smiled, casting a glance at the hot-headed Elite. She parted her lips and answered.

"Whoever deserves to win."

* * *

Ash never saw Paul in the locker room or the training area, blissfully alone as he warmed up with some of his Pokémon. An attendant came to find him shortly before the battle was slated to start, and Ash briefly wondered if Paul was going to be a no-show.

He quickly ruled out the possibility. Paul wouldn't miss this for the _world._ He must've been somewhere else, probably being escorted by a similar attendant through a new set of tunnels.

"Where are we going?" Ash asked, "This isn't the usual way I've gotten to the field."

The attendant was a tall, slim brunette. She walked with a purpose, and her official Pokémon League jacket carried an ID card. She glanced at Ash, succinctly explaining the reason for the change.

"This is the final round. The Pokémon League loves their spectacles. You'll be riding up an elevator that will put you right in your battle box."

Ash nodded in understanding. He remembered his last battle with Paul in this tournament. He'd rode an elevator then, too. "Why am I only going up this way now?"

The attendant shrugged. "Beats me. It used to be that way for all of the big battles in the stadium. I think the bigwigs want your entrances to be unique."

"Entrances? So Paul is already here." Ash reasoned.

"Correct. He's waiting in the chamber underneath the field. Once you're both there and we're cleared to go, you'll ride up." The attendant explained. Ash wanted to ask how he'd never seen Paul in all of the time he'd been waiting downstairs, but decided against it. That wasn't important. They reached a set of metal doors that automatically slid open, bidding them entrance into a chamber underneath the battlefield. A huge countdown clock hung from the ceiling, and a futuristic-looking elevator shaft was situated on either side of the room.

As promised, Paul was waiting patiently in the center of the room with another attendant. Ash's companion nodded and Ash briskly walked over to Paul, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hi, Paul."

"Ash." Paul replied with a curt nod.

"Worried I wouldn't show up?"

Paul shrugged, "The idea crossed my mind, but I know you better than that."

"I thought the same." Ash said, "Are you ready?"

Paul smirked, "I'll let you figure that one out for yourself."

The attendant that had collected Ash walked over, face stern. "We're almost ready. Are you all clear on the rules?"

Ash and Paul nodded.

"Good. Head to the elevators—Paul to the north one" the attendant pointed to one of the shafts, and then pointed Ash to the opposite one, "and Ash to the south."

The two Trainers did as instructed, taking their places inside the elevators. Each attendant padded over to a control panel beside the elevators, a small earpiece in their ears spitting instructions and guiding their hands.

Before long, Paul's elevator began to ascend. Ash nodded in his direction, receiving an identical acknowledging nod from Paul before the teen was lifted out of sight.

"And now, you. Good luck." The attendant beside Ash's elevator said, and then she pressed a handful of buttons on the panel. The elevator beneath Ash's feet rumbled, carefully sending them up. A rush of applause echoed down Paul's open shaft, indicating that the Veilstone native was now topside.

Ash flexed his fingers as the elevator carried them up. Ethereal blue lights colored the dark elevator shaft, passing them by as they ascended and providing just enough light for Ash to see Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Ready for this, buddy?" Ash asked.

" _Pi-Pikapi!"_ Pikachu purred. The translation came through their mental link, _~Ready as I'll ever be, Ash!~_

At the top of the elevator shaft, the roof slid open, revealing the bright blue sky. A voice spilled from the PA systems lining the complex, leaking into the shaft as a scrambled garble. A roar from the crowd slipped into the shaft, making the elevator vibrate.

Not for the first time that day, Ash grinned. "Okay! Here… we… go!"

* * *

" _ **Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! We're just a few more minutes away, which means we're almost ready for the Lily of the Valley Conference's final round!"**_

The crowd cheered as the countdown clock dropped under two minutes. Ash's friends sat in a cluster along the first two rows, fortunate enough to snag seats together in the nick of time. They'd been waiting for the better part of sixty minutes, anxiously watching as the stands steadily filled up and the countdown clock slowly dwindled down toward zero.

"Just a couple more minutes now! I'm so excited for this battle I could burst!" May buzzed.

Corey's feet pit-pattered on the concrete floor excitedly. "I remember watching Ash and Paul battle in Veilstone City. I wonder what kinds of Pokémon Paul will use today. Think he'll use any of the same ones from last time, Dawn?"

Dawn shrugged, but smiled, "Who can say? Paul's an unpredictable as they come."

"It's surreal, sitting here now hoping Ashy-boy takes the gold. Back when we were just starting out, I never would've thought he'd be the one to make it this far." Gary said next. He reached into his jacket, sliding the broken half of a Poké Ball from a hidden pocket inside. The young Researcher scrutinized the memento and snorted, "Heh. Shows you how much I know."

The piece caught Dawn's attention. "What's that, Gary?"

Gary looked up for an instant and then back down at the broken half of a Poké Ball, answering coolly. "Souvenir from my journey in Kanto. Me and Ashy-boy found this Poké Ball in a river and just couldn't allow the other to have it. We ended up breaking it in two—there wasn't even anything in the stupid thing. We decided to keep our two pieces to symbolize our rivalry. I've held onto it ever since."

"Half a Poké Ball, huh? Sounds like Ash has a way with stuff like that. I know that he keeps half of a Ribbon that he won with May in a Kanto contest." Dawn said.

"The Terracotta Medal." May clarified, "I've still got mine, too."

The announcer's voice boomed out of the PA system, startling some of the group as the powerful voice echoed from the speakers. _**"And now, ladies and gentlemen, it's finally time for the last match of our annual Conference! Let me tell you, it's been a thrilling tournament! Two hundred and fifty-six Trainers came to us nearly three weeks ago, each with their hearts set on being the last one standing. It's been a trying road with no small amount of challenges, but finally, one young Trainer will reach that goal and be the one to hoist the trophy above their heads!"**_

The jumbotron's screen winked away, appearing as a dormant box for all of a few seconds before bursting with color. A silhouette formed on the screen, backed by an alluring deep purple background. The announcer went on, introducing the competitors.

 _" **Battling from the north end** **, a face that many will remember from two years ago. Calling Veilstone City his home, he's torn through the competition with little difficulty to reach this point, and his sights are no doubt set on the gold. Let's give a warm welcome to Paul!"**_

The silhouette on the screen filled itself in, revealing a picture of Paul, and the crowd roared as a pit in the ground on one end of the field opened up. An elevator whirr and Paul slowly ascended on a platform (until now, Trainers had walked onto the field from the tunnels. For the final round, the League had opted to use the built-in elevators under the stadium to put all the focus on the Trainers).

Paul looked as stoic as ever, the summer breeze shifting his steely purple locks away from his face. He lifted his chin and surveyed the crowd, making no move to wave or showboat. He'd let his battling skills do the talking, as he usually did.

Next, the jumbotron brought up another silhouette, a dark figure with wild hair and the shape of a Pokémon on his shoulder.

" _ **And facing off against him from the south end, an old rival! He's the one who halted Paul's previous run at their last outing, and he's likewise powered his way to victory to reach this point. There have been some challenges, but he's cleared them all in remarkable fashion. Hailing from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, he's back again, and there's only one thing on his mind! Let's hear it for Ash!"**_

Dawn, Gary, Brock, Misty, _everyone_ shot up from their seats, hollering and applauding as an elevator on the opposite side of the field opened up. Ash was slowly raised out of the elevator shaft, dark hair in its usual charming mess. Pikachu was perched dutifully on his shoulder, wearing a confident smirk.

Dawn leaned to Buneary, who was standing on the edge of her feet atop the ledge, "Give them your best, Buneary!"

Buneary beamed and jumped up and down, waving her pom-poms. _"Bun! Bun! Bun-eary!"_ Prinplup joined in for good measure, squawking supportively, _"Prin-plup!"_

* * *

A referee stepped to the sideline, a flag tucked into his shorts at either hip and a whistle around his neck. He raised his arms up, commanding the attention on the field.

"The battle between Ash and Paul for the Lily of the Valley Conference Finals is about to begin. This will be a full six-on-six battle, and the match will be over when all of one Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle! In addition, both competitors will be allowed to substitute Pokémon at any time. Are there any questions?"

Ash and Paul both likewise shook their heads. The referee was satisfied and spoke into his body mic, his command booming from the stadium's PA speakers so that everyone could hear.

" _Very well. Battle, begin!"_

Ash unlatched his first Poké Ball and lightly tossed it up, catching the capsule ball on the backspin and priming it. "We've come all this way, and we're finally here! Nothing's gonna stop us from reaching our goal!" Ash declared. He wound up and tossed the Poké Ball, _"Lucario, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball burst open and energy leaped out of the open capsule, shaping into the Aura Pokémon before it ever hit the ground. The energy dissipated and Lucario landed on the ground, thumping into the ground on one knee with its eyes pointed down. The canine fighting-type snapped its head up and Lucario growled, baring its pristine white teeth.

Paul nodded, as if accepting Lucario to be a worthy challenger. The cool-headed Trainer prepared his response, activating his first Poké Ball and throwing it without an ounce of pomp. _"Weavile, standby for battle."_

Weavile materialized on the field across from Lucario. Weavile growled and crossed its forearms, the sunlight reflecting off of its small yet very sharp claws. The small feathers marking its ears twitched curiously and Lucario snarled back, a tense animosity passing between the two. The jumbotron chimed and the first Poké Ball graphics for Ash and Paul filled in with their corresponding Pokémon.

" _ **We're all ready to go, and our first matchup of the day is Lucario versus Weavile!"**_

"Weavile, use Swords Dance." Paul grunted. Weavile released a sharp cry and did a brief routine, making a point of using its arms in an aggressive manner.

"Weavile's attack just got a big boost." Ash observed, "Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Lucario charged a ball of pulsing sapphire energy between its paws, pulling back and launching the Aura Sphere with a fluid motion.

"Dodge." Paul countered, and Weavile weaved to the side, avoiding the Aura Sphere with ease, "Use Ice Shard!"

Weavile scraped its claws together and frost billowed off of its body, quickly consolidating into an icy sphere. Weavile sent the Ice Shard flying and connected thanks to the blast's absurd speed. Lucario snarled and staggered back, a bitter chill stinging across its body. The Aura Pokémon shook off the hit and growled, ready to spring back into action.

"Lucario, use Bone Rush." Ash ordered. Lucario generated a blazing rod of energy in its paws and sprinted, little more than a blue blur as it bounded across the grass. Weavile shifted a step backwards, hackles raised and teeth bared.

"Weavile, use Metal Claw." Paul commanded, and Weavile lurched forward to counter with claws of steel. Lucario perceived Weavile's movements before they actually happened and dodged, avoiding the first strike and retaliating with a swift blow to the side. Weavile staggered back and swiped again, but Lucario raised the energy rod in its paws to block the blast and counter a second time.

"Weavile, get back!" Paul snapped, and Weavile leaped backwards. Lucario moved to attack again and missed, recognizing that Weavile was out of reach and likewise creeping back with a watchful eye. Paul, expression as cool as ever, barked his next order, "Use Blizzard."

Freezing cold air erupted from Weavile's mouth, spreading and dropping the temperature instantly. The brutal cold rushed toward Lucario with a frightening howl.

"Lucario, use Detect!" Ash called. Lucario's eyes glowed and the Aura Pokémon raised the Bone Rush rod in its paws. Lucario rapidly spun the rod, deflecting the speeding cold air with impressive skill and suffering no damage.

" _ **Wow! Lucario used Detect to repel that Blizzard attack in amazing fashion!"**_

Paul cracked the faintest of smiles and a slight chuckle slipped out of him. "Impressive. Weavile, use Brick Break!"

Weavile launched its lithe body across the field, one arm glowing white. Weavile landed and immediately struck Lucario with a side-swipe hit that knocked Lucario to the ground.

"Lucario!" Ash cried.

"Get them! Metal Claw!" Paul shouted. Weavile's white-furred paws glowed silver, its small, sharp claws extending menacingly.

"Lucario, block it!"

Lucario thrusted its paws up, catching Weavile's attack in midair. The Aura Pokémon grimaced, pushing back against Weavile to keep the Sharp Claw Pokémon's attack from landing.

"Now, use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario generated a quick sphere of Aura between its paws and released it, resulting in a point-blank hit that sent Weavile rocketing away.

"Okay, Lucario, use Dark Pulse!" Ash added. Lucario's paw churned with dark, roiling energy and the Aura Pokémon thrusted its arm out, firing the energy at Weavile. The Sharp Claw Pokémon recovered quickly, and Paul dished out a counter.

"Weavile, dodge and use Ice Shard. Hit them where it'll hurt!" Weavile rolled out of the way of the Dark Pulse blast, leaping back to its feet and forming a jagged sphere of ice. Weavile threw the Ice Shard and then followed it with two more, again sending the shards so fast that Lucario could do nothing to counter or dodge. The Ice Shards bit into Lucario's legs, expanding into solid ice and anchoring the Aura Pokémon to the ground.

"Lucario!"

" _ **Oh, no! It appears that Lucario is suffering from freezing. That doesn't bode well for Ash!"**_

"Weavile, use Brick Break." Paul ordered, and Weavile raced forward.

"Lucario, we've gotta stop 'em! Use Dark Pulse!" Ash countered. Lucario sent out another blast of shadow, and Weavile easily avoided the counterattack. The Sharp Claw Pokémon appeared in front of Lucario's immobilized form and delivered a devastating strike to Lucario's torso. The thick block of ice held Lucario in place, somehow increasing the pain of the blow.

"We're sitting ducks like this. Lucario, return!" Ash called. With a quick flick of his hand, Lucario was safely recalled, spared from any additional damage. Weavile seemed to grin and backed off. Ash glanced down at the dormant Poké Ball warmly. "Thanks, Lucario. You're gonna get another shot, I promise, but first you should get some rest."

* * *

" _ **Faced with a difficult status condition, Ash chooses to recall Lucario to fight another day!"**_

"It's smart to recall Lucario. Freezing is no joke." Misty said.

"Definitely." Brock agreed, "Although it's not ideal to have that happen almost right off the bat. Luckily, the freezing should wear off while Lucario rests."

* * *

Ash adjusted the brim of his cap and selected his next Pokémon, _"Floatzel, I choose you!"_

Ash pitched the Poké Ball perfectly onto the field and it burst open, releasing the Sea Weasel Pokémon onto the grassy field. The crowd roared approvingly and the jumbotron chimed as it reflected the change.

" _ **And Ash's second Pokémon is Floatzel!"**_

Paul wasted no time diving into the battle. "Weavile, use Brick Break." Weavile screeched and broke into another sprint, wild eyes fixed on Floatzel.

"Floatzel, block that Brick Break!" Ash ordered. Floatzel simply inflated the flotation sac wrapping around its body, filling it with air so that it expanded to form a giant layer of cushion. Weavile struck at Floatzel's body, but the air pressure inside the sac immediately rejected the blow. Weavile flinched in surprise, staggering back a step.

"Ice Punch!"

Floatzel knocked back a fist, charged it up, and unleashed the counterattack in all of a second, connecting right in Weavile's slim torso. A _crack_ split the tense air and Weavile flew backward from the powerful hit, landing with a _thud_ and gasping as the wind was knocked out of its lungs.

" _ **Ouch! Even I could feel that one! What a punch by Floatzel!"**_

Paul gritted his teeth and barked back, "Weavile, use Swords Dance again." Weavile quickly performed an aggressive dance, boosting its attack even further, and Paul called for an attack, "Use Ice Shard."

Weavile discharged yet another Ice Shard, a frozen, serrated sphere that sliced through the air.

"Floatzel, use Sonicboom, go!" Ash countered, and Floatzel did an acrobatic spin, flicking its twin tails to jettison a small sonic blast that shattered the Ice Shard in midair. "Now, use Aqua Jet!"

Floatzel launched itself forward, surrounding its large body in a missile of water. The spray roared behind Floatzel, propelling the Sea Weasel Pokémon toward its target.

"Weavile, use Blizzard." Paul snapped. Weavile blew a stream of subzero air, sending a compact snowstorm at its approaching foe. Floatzel gritted its teeth inside the Aqua Jet, bracing as the Blizzard froze its liquid transport… and kept going. Frozen solid, Floatzel's Ice Aqua Jet rocketed forward and crashed into Weavile, drilling the ice-type into the ground. The frozen missile shattered and Floatzel glided away.

" _ **Floatzel continues to wow, first using its flotation sac for defense, and then allowing itself to be frozen while using Aqua Jet!"**_

Paul's eyes widened, and Ash grinned from ear to ear. "Surprised? We've perfected freezing our Aqua Jet attacks. Even Weavile's ice attacks won't shut it down." Ash boasted.

" _Float-zel!"_

Paul shoved his hands in his pockets, lifting his chin as he answered, "We'll just have to figure out other ways to stop it. Weavile, use Brick Break!"

Weavile sprinted, clearing the short distance between it and Floatzel to deliver a brutal karate chop strike that send Floatzel skidding back. Floatzel managed to stop its backward stumble and snarled, waiting only for Ash's command to strike back.

"Floatzel, use Water Pulse!" Floatzel clasped its paws together, generating a pulsing sphere of water and launching it.

"Weavile, dodge and use Metal Claw." Paul ordered, and Weavile dodged the oncoming Water Pulse expertly before charging at Floatzel, sharp metallic claws growing from its paws.

"Floatzel, use Sonicboom!" Ash countered. Floatzel spun in a circle, whipping its tails to launch a quick blast. Weavile expertly dodged and continued its charge. Floatzel bared its teeth in a snarl and leaped, prompting Weavile to jump after it.

Floatzel looked down at Weavile and spun again, whirling multiple times and launching a Sonicboom attack with each turn. Weavile paled, realizing its mistake, and the sonic waves connected in rapid succession, sending Weavile plummeting back to the ground where it crash-landed on its back. Floatzel landed gently on its feet, beady eyes fixed on Weavile's motionless form.

The referee watched for several seconds, and when Weavile didn't move, raised the deciding flag, _"Weavile is unable to battle! The winner is Floatzel!"_

* * *

"Boom! That's one down!" Dawn exclaimed.

" _Bun-eary!"_

" _Prin-plup-plup!"_

"Ash was smart to replace Lucario with Floatzel, he dominated that round." Brock pointed out, "But he can't afford to get cocky."

"I know he won't. Ash knows exactly what Paul is capable of." Dawn assured him, "The last time they met in a Conference, Paul let him beat his first two Pokémon just so he could figure him out."

"You're right. There's no doubt Ash remembers that. I agree, I think that he'll be cautious this time. Or at least as cautious as he can." Brock said.

"I for one am amazed by that special defense tactic that Floatzel uses!" Max gushed, "Inflating the flotation sac to create a cushion? Genius!"

May added, "And that perfect Ice Aqua Jet. It's nice to see that again."

Misty feverishly nodded in agreement, "I was just going to point that out! What a beautiful tactic, I never would've thought of something like that!"

Dawn beamed, "Just goes to show ya what having a Coordinator in your corner can do for you. It started out in practice when Floatzel was still Buizel and belonged to me, but Ash kept it going after we traded our Pokémon. It's great to see it work so perfectly now."

* * *

" _ **Floatzel puts Weavile out of commission quick, handing Ash a 1-0 lead!"**_

Paul quietly recalled Weavile, whispering some quiet thanks as he tucked the Poké Ball away and replaced it with another one. Paul clicked the center button, wound up, and threw the Poké Ball, calling upon his second Pokémon.

" _Drapion, standby for battle!"_

Paul's second Poké Ball popped open, releasing the long, segmented body of Drapion. The poison/dark-type snarled menacingly as it landed, multiple sets of pincers glinting in the harsh sunlight.

Floatzel bared its teeth and growled. "We remember Drapion, don't we, Floatzel?" Ash said. The Sea Weasel Pokémon snapped affirmatively.

Paul didn't comment, instead commanding Drapion forward, "Drapion, use Night Slash."

Drapion darted across the ground, pointed legs scrambling surprisingly fast to carry the large dark-type. Sinister energy coalesced around Drapion's two arms and within an instant Drapion was on Floatzel, slashing across the water-type's side.

Floatzel recoiled away from the blow, clutching its side and snarling at Drapion. Drapion growled back, clicking the tips of its pincers together.

"Floatzel, use Ice Punch!" Ash ordered. Floatzel leaped forward, channeling frigid energy into a clenched fist and moving to strike at Drapion.

Paul countered coolly, "Drapion, shut that down."

Drapion growled and used its twin arms to reach out and grab Floatzel's arm, stopping the Ice Punch inches from the Ogre Scorpion's face. Floatzel gasped as it was stopped cold, and Drapion savagely twisted its arms to throw Floatzel back. The Sea Weasel Pokémon spun erratically as it fell back.

"Floatzel! Aqua Jet, quick!"

Floatzel heard the command and immediately channeled Aqua Jet, using the move to lift itself into the air and avoid hitting the ground. Floatzel acrobatically turned around, gaining altitude and swinging back towards Drapion. Drapion froze and suffered the attack, reeling backwards as it struggled to find a foothold.

"Awesome work, Floatzel! Let's keep it up, use Water Pulse!" Floatzel launched a perfect sphere of water at Drapion.

"Drapion, use Cross Poison." Paul ordered, and Drapion obeyed. The two attacks cancelled each other out, and Paul snapped for Drapion to fire another Cross Poison. A raging purple X came flying towards Floatzel.

"Floatzel, defend!" Ash yelled. Floatzel inflated the sac around its body, but the Cross Poison strike hit with enough force to knock Floatzel over. Floatzel flew, rolling along the grass and groaning, dazed.

" _ **Uh-oh, Floatzel's inflating tactic didn't work that time!"**_

* * *

"That looked like it hurt." Corey commented.

Brock pursed his lips, worried. "Ash needs to be careful. Drapion gave him fits last time, and Cross Poison hits hard and can really cripple a Pokémon. It's more likely to land as a critical hit and could even poison Floatzel."

* * *

Paul smirked, proud, "I guess you can't defend against everything with that."

Ash nodded, "Maybe not, but Floatzel's far from done. We'll just have to beat you in other ways. Floatzel, use Aqua Jet!"

Floatzel climbed to its feet and launched forward, surrounded by rushing water. Paul moved for a counter, "Drapion, use Cross Poison."

Drapion crossed its segmented arms and fired off a raging purple X, but Floatzel merely spun out of the way and avoided the blast.

"Great job, Floatzel! Let's hit them with everything and add your Water Pulse!" Ash called. Floatzel began using Water Pulse from within the Aqua Jet, clouding the layer of water as it became overwhelmingly strong. Floatzel spun, creating a raging spray that mustered the power of two water-type attacks.

Floatzel crashed into Drapion and the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon flew back, snarling as countless gallons of water doused its body. Paul gritted his teeth, annoyed. "Drapion, use Night Slash." Drapion raced across the grass, wild eyes fixed on Floatzel as dark energy flared around both of its arms.

"Floatzel, use Ice Punch!"

The two Pokémon nearly collided, launching their respective attacks at the same time. Floatzel threw a frozen fist and rejected Drapion's first Night Slash, but found itself quickly exposed with no defense from the other arm.

"Water Pulse!" Ash suggested, and Floatzel knocked back Drapion's arm with a perfect, timely ball of water. Drapion snarled, irritated, and responded by swinging both arms at the same time from opposite sides. This time, the attack worked, two streaks of black energy slashing across Floatzel's unguarded torso. Floatzel slumped into the ground, wheezing as a sudden weakness overcame its body.

" _ **Oh, and Drapion fights past Floatzel's defenses for a critical hit!"**_

* * *

"Things aren't looking great for Floatzel right now…" Misty murmured, voice edged with worry.

"Paul has practically built Drapion to land critical hits left and right." Gary said, "Cross Poison _and_ Night Slash? I have to wonder what else he's got."

Dawn looked at Prinplup and Buneary, "Okay, you guys, give Floatzel some support!" Buneary and Prinplup jumped and danced, extending their best to the Sea Weasel Pokémon. "Let's go, Floatzel! We know you can win!"

* * *

" _ **Drapion has struck hard and often, surely taking out big chunks of Floatzel's resistance! How much longer can Floatzel continue?"**_

"Floatzel, let's level the playing field. Use Rain Dance!" Ash called. Floatzel staggered to its feet and generated a small bead of water in its paw, launching the projectile into the sky. The bead of water stopped high overhead and expanded into a blanket of dark gray clouds, blotting out the sun and dropping a sudden downpour on the battlefield.

Floatzel grinned as rainwater soaked the field, seemingly thickening the grass. Drapion scowled, shielding its eyes with one of its segmented arms.

"Floatzel, Aqua Jet!"

Floatzel rocketed towards Drapion with otherworldly speed, easily striking Drapion with an Aqua Jet attack.

" _ **Aha! Floatzel's Rain Dance move has allowed it to utilize its ability, Swift Swim, to gain an edge in speed! But we all saw the critical damage that Floatzel has already taken… can they overcome the odds?"**_

Paul barked an order to Drapion. "Drapion, use Cross Poison!" Drapion quickly stirred up the attack, generating a glowing purple X with its arms.

"Floatzel, dodge and use Sonicboom!" Ash countered. Floatzel easily avoided the Cross Poison attack, gliding across the ground and reveling in the storm above it. A flash of lightning ripped across the sky, suggesting just how strong this particular Rain Dance was. Floatzel stood tall and leaped in place, spinning rapidly and firing at least a half-dozen sonic waves with its twin tails. The Sonicboom blasts sang as they cut through the air, peppering Drapion's long body. The Ogre Scorpion Pokémon snarled violently.

"Time for another approach. Poison Fang!" Paul decided, and Drapion sprinted across the grass, toxins practically spilling from its jaws as the poison-type charged Floatzel head-on.

"Dodge and use Water Pulse!" Ash ordered, and Floatzel followed the command to a T, spinning out of the way and delivering a powered-up Water Pulse blast to Drapion's side. Drapion snarled again, growing increasingly furious as it failed to hit Floatzel again and again.

Drapion charged again, and Floatzel merely dodged. Drapion tried to follow, but slipped on the wet grass and slumped into the ground. Floatzel grinned, and Ash dished out a command, "Floatzel, Aqua Jet!"

Water coalesced around Floatzel's body and the Sea Weasel Pokémon launched, screaming towards Drapion.

"Drapion, tail!" Paul snapped, and Drapion launched its third appendage over its back to catch Floatzel perfectly in midair. The larger pincer on Drapion's tail clenched, instantly silencing Aqua Jet and holding Floatzel in an unbreakable grip by the neck.

" _ **Oh! Drapion uses its tail to capture Floatzel in midair!"**_

"Floatzel!" Ash cried. Drapion carefully stood, dangling Floatzel above the ground. Rainwater spilled along Floatzel's trapped body, but the Sea Weasel Pokémon was terribly unable to reap its rewards.

Drapion snaked its twin arms to Floatzel's body, replacing the grip of its tail with two pincers. Drapion scowled and clenched its pincers, sinking a strain of its venom into Floatzel's body. Floatzel squirmed, desperate to escape as it felt the toxins start to enter its body.

Ash looked for any possible out, finally seeing Floatzel's limp tails. "Floatzel, use Sonicboom to escape!"

Floatzel whipped its twin tails, sending a series of sonic waves from below its body to strike Drapion in the face. Drapion recoiled, its grip loosening.

"No! Drapion, endure it!" Paul snapped, and Drapion obeyed, tightening its grip to catch Floatzel before it could escape. Floatzel released a distorted cry of pain, and Drapion moved one of its arms from Floatzel's neck to its tails, clenching the pincers around the misbehaving twins and clamping them in place.

Floatzel pawed viciously at the pincers around its neck. The rain started to weaken, as if the artificial storm recognized Floatzel's dire situation and was no longer willing to offer its aid to the water-type.

"Uh-oh, not now!" Ash rambled as the rain ceased and the clouds began to break.

Paul nodded, a curt command slipping from his lips. "Drapion, use Fell Stinger."

Drapion's tail snaked above its head, glowing with greenish energy that shaped itself into a vicious stinger. Drapion struck with merciless fury, its frustrations expressed in a single thrust. Floatzel screeched, a strangled snarl splitting the air, and the Sea Weasel Pokémon quickly went limp. Drapion released its hold, allowing Floatzel to drop pitifully to the ground.

" _Floatzel is unable to battle! The winner is Drapion!"_

* * *

"Oh, no. Poor Floatzel…" May whimpered, watching the Sea Weasel Pokémon slump into the grass.

"What was that move, Brock? I've never seen anything like it!" Dawn inquired.

"That was Fell Stinger. It's a bug-type move, and if a Pokémon knocks out its opponent with the move, its attack raises exponentially." Brock explained.

"I'd wager Paul was saving that move, then!" Professor Oak suggested, "Why, there's little point in using it if it doesn't result in a knockout."

"That's some bad luck for Ash and Floatzel. They had the advantage with the rain and Swift Swim, but I think Paul just played it perfectly." Misty said, "He took Ash's advantage and made it useless."

Brock nodded, agreeing, "If Paul sticks with Drapion here, it may cause some serious trouble for Ash, even with a type advantage. He can only do so much when the opponent's attack is off the charts."

* * *

" _ **Floatzel took advantage of Rain Dance for a while there, but in the end the earlier damage it had received was too much, and Drapion brings the match to a tie!"**_

"Floatzel, return!" Ash called, summoning the battered water-type to its Poké Ball. He curled the Ball in his hand, grinning down at it, "Great work, Floatzel, thanks so much for your help. We knew this wouldn't be a pushover. Get some rest, buddy."

Ash tucked the Poké Ball away and nodded at Paul, silent respect passing between the two rivals. Drapion waited patiently, venomous eyes and menacing pincers making the poison-type seem larger than it truly was. Ash grabbed his desired Poké Ball, choosing to stick with a warmed-up Pokémon rather than introduce a new one.

"' _Kay, Lucario, I need you again!"_

A brief _pop_ and Lucario was back on the field, its leg having healed from the freezing received during its battle with Weavile. The Aura Pokémon yipped at Drapion, ready for action.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario generated a perfect ball of Aura in its paws and wound up, launching the sphere at Drapion.

"Drapion, use Cross Poison to deflect." Paul countered. Drapion obeyed, using Cross Poison to cancel out the Aura Sphere. "Now, use Toxic Spikes." Drapion snarled and small darts fired out from every part of its body, peppering the grassy field and sinking out of view.

Ash had the audacity to smile, the memory of their last League battle fresh in his mind. "This again, huh?"

Paul simply nodded, and then surprisingly revealed Drapion's Poké Ball, "Drapion, return!" Drapion's imposing form broke down and retreated to Paul's Poké Ball, where it was quickly pocketed.

"Lucario, be ready for anything." Ash warned. Paul wielded his next Poké Ball, winding up and calling upon his next battler.

" _Gallade, standby for battle!"_

* * *

"Ash just caught a break. When Paul uses Drapion again, it won't have that huge attack boost anymore." Brock sighed with relief.

Dawn pursed her lips, "But not before using Toxic Spikes. That move caused Ash a lot of trouble last time."

"Yes, he'll have his work cut out for him now. Any Pokémon he uses will become poisoned as soon as they touch the ground." Brock agreed.

May chimed in, confused, "But why recall Drapion now after getting that big boost from Fell Stinger? Wouldn't Drapion be more useful staying in the fight?"

Brock shrugged, "Probably, but I think Paul values Drapion's overall skill more than a simple boost in power. Plus, none of Drapion's moves will do much against Lucario, considering he's part steel-type."

Dawn looked back at Riley, who was leaning forward in his seat with apparent interest as he watched the battle unfolding below. "You seem excited, Riley. Would it have anything to do with Ash's Lucario?"

Riley smiled, "Quite. I do have a soft spot for the species."

Max fidgeted, excited, "It's going to be a challenge for Lucario, though. Gallade is part psychic-type, after all, and fighting-types never do well against them."

* * *

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"

"Gallade, dodge and use Psycho Cut."

Lucario rattled off a brilliant blue sphere, only for Gallade to glide sideways across the grass and return fire. Gallade sprinted, its right arm pulsing with powerful pinkish energy. Gallade leaped, quickly bearing down on Lucario and slamming the Aura Pokémon to the ground.

"Do it again!" Paul snapped, and Gallade charged up another attack as it glared down at Lucario.

"Lucario, use Dark Pulse!"

Lucario stabbed its arm upward, instantly launching a dark blast that struck Gallade right in the chest. Gallade was knocked through the air, giving Lucario plenty of space to jump back to its feet.

"Okay, Lucario, use Bone Rush!" Ash ordered. Lucario spread its arms out and a glowing rod of energy ignited between them. Lucario broke into a sprint, weapon at the ready as it closed in on Gallade.

"Protect!"

Gallade snapped up a layer of impenetrable energy, watching with satisfaction as Lucario struck uselessly at the barrier. Lucario quickly tired out just enough for Paul to dish out a real counter.

"Close Combat!"

Gallade immediately surged forward, dropping the barrier and attacking. Gallade dealt six swift punches and finished with a speedy roundhouse kick that sent Lucario flying away.

" _ **So far it's all Gallade after a crushing Close Combat combo!"**_

"Gallade, use Bulk Up." Paul ordered. Gallade channeled its internal energy, using it to boost its attack and special attack.

"Lucario, quick, use Bone Rush!" Ash barked. Lucario placed its paws together and pulled them apart, developing a rod-like bone of pure Aura energy, and then charged as Gallade bulked up.

Paul gestured at Lucario and snapped at Gallade, "Psycho Cut!" Gallade rushed to meet Lucario and the two Pokémon clashed with their respective attacks. Lucario quickly went on the defensive, using its Bone Rush rod to block Gallade's Psycho Cut attempts.

"Lucario, keep Gallade busy and find an opening!" Ash urged. Lucario continued to block Gallade's attacks, and after several deflections managed to connect in just the right spot to parry. Gallade's focus broke and the Blade Pokémon lost its footing, allowing Lucario to retaliate.

Lucario whacked Gallade multiple times and spun its weapon, heaping damage upon the psychic-type. Lucario swept Gallade's legs and raised the Bone Rush rod over its head, meaning to execute a devastating blow.

" _Gallade, Protect!"_

Gallade crossed its sword-like arms and a wall of energy formed in front of the grounded psychic-type, just barely managing to halt Lucario's attack. Lucario bared its teeth, growling viciously as it pushed uselessly against Gallade's barrier.

"Now, use Psychic!" Paul barked. Gallade instantly reached out with its mind, capturing Lucario in a chilling telekinetic hold. The Protect barrier collapsed and Gallade surged to its feet, holding Lucario in place. Once it was set, Gallade wound up and telekinetically launched Lucario, slinging the Aura Pokémon _hard_ across the field.

The crowd gasped in surprised wonder.

" _ **Lucario demonstrates some excellent martial arts skills with Bone Rush, but Gallade strikes back with a brutal Psychic attack! A move like that surely dealt calamitous damage!"**_

Gallade posed, slashing its slim arms through the air and positioning them as if they were a twin pair of swords, chanting confidently. _"Lade! Gal-lade, Gal!"_

* * *

"Woah! That Psychic was something else!" Max gasped.

The rest of the group was similarly surprised. May chimed in first, "But, how was Gallade's Psychic so strong? Isn't Gallade a physical attacker?"

"Traditionally, yeah." Max replied.

"There's no telling how much time and effort Paul has put into improving Gallade's use of Psychic." Brock added, "He makes sure to cover his disadvantages."

Misty frowned, worriedly agreeing, "That might be what spells Ash's doom, here."

* * *

"Lucario, are you okay?" Ash called, voice tinged with worry. Lucario reeled as it moved to stand up, struggling as it was rattled by the exceptional strength of Psychic. The battlefield spun as Lucario grew dizzy, an uncomfortable pit rising in its stomach.

"Lucario!" Ash called again.

A new voice called from the side of the field, that of the referee. He barked a warning to Ash, "If Lucario can't stand up, I'll have to declare Gallade the winner."

That ultimatum spurred Lucario on. The Aura Pokémon fought through the dizziness and stood tall, snorting toughly and raising its paws in a battle stance. The referee seemed satisfied and backed off, silently signaling for the battle to continue.

"Let's put them down. Gallade, use Close Combat!" Paul ordered. Gallade charged, leaping and bounding to cover more ground at a time.

"Lucario, we're not out of this yet! Use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario generated a perfect sphere of blazing cobalt energy in its paw, slinging the sphere at the approaching Gallade. The Blade Pokémon failed to stop quickly enough and took the attack straight in the chest. The blast ruined Gallade's charge and the psychic-type stumbled back a few steps.

"Use Bone Rush, keep 'em on their back foot!" Ash ordered. Lucario sprinted, spinning a rod of energy over its head and howling.

"Gallade, defend yourself with Psycho Cut!" Paul countered. Gallade charged both of its arms with surging pink energy and grappled with Lucario, trading blow for blow as the two Pokémon eventually pushed each other away.

"Use Bulk Up!" Paul commanded, aiming to overwhelm Lucario in sheer power.

" _Gallllllll-lade!"_ the Blade Pokémon rumbled, directing the energy inside its body to its extremities in order to boost its attack.

Paul snapped an order, "Psychic!"

"Detect!" Ash countered immediately. Lucario's eyes lit up as Gallade reached out with a crushing telekinetic force, but Gallade's grip merely bounced off as Lucario held firm. Ash grinned, "Perfect! Use Aura Sphere!"

Lucario discharged a pulsing ball of azure energy. Paul called to Gallade in answer, "Gallade, dodge and use Psycho Cut." Gallade shifted out of the way of the Aura Sphere and lunged, leaping to clear the distance between it and Lucario more easily. Gallade's arms became flush with psychic energy and the Blade Pokémon struck, slashing across Lucario's torso.

Lucario yelped and stumbled back, disoriented as the psychic-type attack did additional damage.

"That's our opening! Gallade, Close Combat!"

"Lucario, Detect!" Ash countered. Lucario shut its eyes tight and luckily succeeded in using the move, visualizing Gallade's impending movements through Aura. Lucario bobbed and weaved, slipping away from each of Gallade's strikes with absurd precision.

Paul gritted his teeth and yelled, "Psychic, point-blank!" Gallade squinted and thrust out an arm, directing all the psychic power it could muster into a punishing telekinetic shove. The psychic energy erupted out of Gallade's arm, rippling out and slinging Lucario away once again. The Aura Pokémon found itself on the ropes once again, clinging to consciousness through a sheer desire to defeat Gallade.

"Lucario, if you've gotta go down, it's fine. You've done a lot already." Ash said. Lucario shook its head, insistent on fighting until the end. That was what Ash did, after all. It was only right that Lucario took after him.

" _Luc! Lu-cario!"_ the Aura Pokémon snarled.

Ash grinned, proud. "Alright, Lucario, 'til there's nothing left in the tank, let's give it everything we've got! Use Iron Tail!"

Lucario focused, channeling its energy into a move that it had yet to demonstrate today. Energy poured into its bent tail, turning the deep blue hue into a shining silvery-white. Lucario rushed forward, leaping and somersaulting to aim its attack.

Lucario spun, burying its metallic tail into Gallade's side, and howled, _"Lu-cario!"_

Gallade found itself sacked sideways, sprawling onto its slim back.

"Aura Sphere!" Ash ordered, and Lucario aimed a perfect cobalt blast at Gallade's grounded form.

"Gallade, dodge!" Paul snapped. Gallade skillfully rolled out of the way, feeling only the concussive force of Lucario's Aura Sphere exploding on the ground, and jumped to its fight, resuming its battle stance.

" _Gall."_ Gallade grunted, giving the slightest of nods in Lucario's direction. It seemed that the Blade Pokémon approved.

"Gallade, use Psychic!"

"Detect!"

Gallade's psychic burst was easily deflected.

"Iron Tail!" Ash called, and Lucario charged with another humming, metallic tail. Again, the attack landed, this time connecting with Gallade's torso and sending the Blade Pokémon falling back.

"Close Combat, now!" Paul commanded. Gallade lunged, moving quickly enough to beat Lucario's defenses. The first punch hit hard, sending Lucario back a step, and the second strike was a kick that put a few paces between the two.

"Bone Rush!" Ash countered. Lucario quickly generated a bone-like energy rod, spinning it deftly and using the rod to deflect Gallade's attack. A third and fourth punch were parried, though the effect was mitigated by Gallade's speedy movements. Lucario rose the Bone Rush rod to attack, but Gallade feinted low to disrupt Lucario's attempt.

The move was Gallade's trick. Lucario instinctively shifted to deflect an attack aimed at its legs, and with otherworldly speed Gallade instead aimed high and executed an athletic roundhouse kick. The kick connected with the side of Lucario's face, knocking the Aura Pokémon's head sideways ninety degrees.

Lucario stumbled sideways and barely caught itself on the ground, heaving as the side of its face stung painfully from the hit. The Aura Pokémon looked up, teeth clenched as it tried to focus.

"Lucario!" Ash called, worried once again.

" _Luc…"_

Paul snorted, eyes narrowed. "Gallade, finish it. Use Psycho Cut."

Gallade surged forward, one arm raised and pulsing with psychic energy.

"Lucario, stop them with Aura Sphere!"

Lucario mustered all of its strength and surged to its feet, generating a quick Aura Sphere in one paw. The Aura Pokémon thrusted its arm weakly, launching the sphere at Gallade. Gallade merely spun out of the way and then took three quick steps at Lucario.

Lucario raised an arm to fight back, but Gallade was too quick, delivering a psychic slash across Lucario's body. The Aura Pokémon stiffened and stumbled back, finally tumbling to the ground to lie on its back.

"Lucario!"

Three agonizing seconds passed and the referee raised one of his flags, announcing the result. _"Lucario is unable to battle! The winner is Gallade!"_

" _ **And the round is decided! It was a truly valiant effort by Lucario to keep fighting even as the damage piled up, but ultimately it seems Gallade's psychic attacks were just effective enough to knock Lucario out of commission."**_

" _ **The win gives Paul a 2-1 advantage, and puts Ash in a tough position. Does he have the power to complete a comeback?"**_

* * *

 **That puts a bow on Part One of our final battle. Floatzel scores Ash's first point, but he and Lucario ultimately fall to Paul's tag team of powerful Pokémon. What will happen next?**

 **If you liked this chapter, please consider posting a review. This is a big one, so I'd really, really love to hear feedback from as many of you as possible. How am I doing? Let me know in the box at the bottom!**

 **With that, I'll see you all again in two weeks. Stay tuned, as the journey continues!**


	82. An A-Paul-ing Revelation!

**Hey, guys, I'm back with an early update. I'll be going out of town, so it's easier to update tonight since the chapter is finished.**

 **A guest reviewer stated their feelings that the first part of this battle (and by extension other battles) have been somewhat predictable, and that I shouldn't limit people's Pokémon to four moves. First, thanks for your review. I appreciate it.**

 **Second, I want to explain my process for determining move limits. It's not an exact science, but I've treated Pokémon movesets in a sort of tier system, if you will. Stronger Pokémon have been able to use more moves at a time than Pokémon less strong than them. Also, I've used the overall size of a species' learnset to base my move limits. Most of Ash's stronger Pokémon, such as Tyranitar, Sceptile, and Pikachu, have larger learnsets and therefore have five moves (though others have four, such as Infernape). Other Pokémon throughout the story also often have five moves. The big exception has been Charizard: the big guy has six moves on account of its very large learnset.**

 **There's another Pokémon appearing soon that will possess six moves, but I won't say which. As for the predictability thing, I won't try to defend that. I am predictable, and I'm not a great strategist. But I will try my best. I've spent a lot of time on this battle and I hope you guys thoroughly enjoy this second part.**

 **Thanks to everyone else who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope a bunch of you will review this next part of our final round. Without further ado, happy reading!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 82_

 _An A-Paul-ing Revelation!_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

"Poor Lucario." Delia lamented. The huge jumbotron overlooking the stadium stirred, darkening the portrait of Lucario next to Ash into a silhouette. He'd only revealed two Pokémon thus far: Floatzel and Lucario; and both were now out of commission, whereas Paul had lost one Pokémon and had another going strong in addition to Gallade.

"It was a really impressive effort. Lucario was at a huge disadvantage the whole time and fought until the very end." Brock assessed, cautiously positive.

"Yeah, and his Detect move came in real handy dealing with Gallade's Psychic. Ash wasn't about to let Lucario take any more of those than he had to. Thanks to that, Lucario was able to deal out a solid amount of damage." May agreed.

"It stinks that Lucario couldn't get a win to his name. He and Ash have been working really hard for this." Dawn said, "But that won't get them down! They knew there'd be bumps in the road, and there's still a whole battle left to go!"

" _Bun-eary!"_

" _Prin-plup!"_

May leaned over to Dawn, voice hushed, "Can I just say how great Prinplup looks? I don't think I mentioned it."

Dawn beamed, pleased, "Thanks. I had to throw it all together out of nowhere when Trouble over here went and evolved on me in the middle of the night. But he seems to enjoy it, so I'm happy."

"I'm loving the bowtie with the water patterns. Nice touch."

Gary was next to comment. "It's still early. Ashy-boy's got plenty of time to kick ass."

"Gary." Professor Oak cut in, throwing his grandson a disapproving look in response to his profanity.

Gary chuckled and nervously rubbed his arm, "Erm… sorry, Gramps."

Professor Oak smiled, breathing in the summer air and boisterously declaring to the group, "Though, as it so happens, I agree. It's hardly time to reach for the panic button!"

"Right. There's a lot of battling left to be done." Riley concurred.

Dawn nodded fiercely, "Mm-hmm! I guarantee Ash will keep a cool head. After all, there's no need to worry!"

* * *

Up in the private press box, Cynthia watched the battle far below with careful eyes. So far, the match had been a crash course in power, featuring devastating hits and some intriguing tactics. She'd particularly raised her eyebrows at Floatzel's frozen Aqua Jet attack.

"Cynthia, you gettin' in on this?" Flint asked.

"Hmm?" Cynthia asked, blinking her way out of her train of thought.

"We're taking bets. Lucian and Aaron think Paul's gonna pull this one out. But me, Bertha, and Volkner are Team Ash." Flint clarified.

"I made no such prediction. I believe this battle is a coin toss." Bertha corrected.

"Fine, whatever." Flint conceded, rolling his eyes and then refocusing on Cynthia.

Cynthia stifled a laugh. "I'm hardly a gambler, Flint."

"You mean you _don't_ want to stake your title as Champion on this?" Flint suggested.

This time, Cynthia laughed. Flint had always had a way at getting to her. She was normally such a reserved person, calculating and methodical, but she enjoyed working with Flint. He could be a hothead, sure, but he was as talented as they came, and he always knew how to get a few laughs out of the crowd.

"Not today, Flint."

Flint shrugged, "Bummer. Then I guess the most exciting prize in the pool is... any book from Lucian's library. Ugh, can you say _boring?"_

"And this is exactly why you're the dumbest of the Elite Four." Lucian half-taunted. Flint had no response other than to point out that he had earned his place as the best of the Elites, second only to the League Champion. That shut Lucian up quick—Flint had defeated him fair and square.

Bertha interjected next, "In all seriousness, what's the verdict so far?"

"Ash has it in the bag." Flint insisted. Aaron, the bug-type specialist, audibly snorted.

"You are aware that the score is 2-1 in Paul's favor, right?" Aaron said.

"Of course, but when has the score ever mattered until the very end?" Flint replied, "Paul's got a lot of power, but Ash hasn't shown his full hand yet."

"He's certainly come a long way from the mere boy I battled two years ago. It's hard not to respect his progress." Bertha agreed, "But he must be careful."

Cynthia chimed in, "Paul's always had a way of turning disadvantages into advantages, and vice versa for his opponents. We're going to learn a few things about these two in these next few rounds. Ash has overcome Paul's strategies once before, and he can do it again."

"And he will. You'll see." Flint insisted.

"These old bones certainly hope so." Bertha said, "And if so, I recommend taking Lucian's copy of _War and Peace_ _."_

* * *

"Lucario, return!" Ash summoned Lucario back to the Poké Ball, exhaling tensely as he spoke to the dormant vessel, "Thanks for all of your help, Lucario. You did your best, and we almost got 'em. Take a nice, long rest—you've earned it."

Ash pocketed the Poké Ball, skimming through his remaining four with his fingertips before settling on his choice. Paul remained still, indicating that he would stick with Gallade. Ash closed his hand around the Poké Ball, priming it with a click of the center button and winding up to throw.

" _Tyranitar, I choose you!"_

The Poké Ball popped open in midair, releasing the frightening form of the Armor Pokémon. Tyranitar crashed to the ground and roared, rattling the surrounding air.

" _ **And Ash's third Pokémon is Tyranitar! Our battlers are sparing no expense!"**_

The green grass suddenly turned purple and previously invisible spikes appeared, poking Tyranitar with their toxin-laced points. Tyranitar flinched and staggered back, grunting with confusion.

Ash grimaced, "That's Toxic Spikes. Tyranitar's going to be fighting off poison now, too."

"We're going to need a boost for this. Gallade, use Bulk Up." Paul ordered. Gallade focused and once again boosted its attack and special attack, gearing up for the battle ahead. Tyranitar roared a challenge at its nimble foe.

"Use Close Combat!" Paul commanded. Gallade sprinted, long, thin legs rotating across the ground to carry it.

"Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!" Ash countered. Tyranitar extended its arms and instantly generated two rings of jagged stones around its body. The stones slid obediently along Tyranitar's right arm, firing out like a series of bullets and halting Gallade's charge. Gallade fell victim to the countless sharp stones, stumbling to the ground when the barrage finally ended.

"Perfect! Now, Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse!"

Tyranitar reared back its head, generating a vile, black blast in its mouth. Once it was at full charge, the Armor Pokémon lurched forward and spit the Dark Pulse at Gallade.

"Gallade, dodge!" Paul ordered. Gallade looked up and narrowly leaped out of the way of the blast, landing clean on its feet and ready to spring back into action. "Close Combat, again!"

"Tyranitar, use Thunder Fang!"

Gallade leaped at Tyranitar, kicking its leg out for the first blow. Tyranitar stuck out its arms and caught Gallade's foot, staggering back only a step as it absorbed the kick's force, and opened its mouth. Electricity crackled and surged around Tyranitar's teeth, and the Armor Pokémon lunged forward to clamp its jaws down around Gallade's leg. Gallade cried out in pain and voltage instantly seized across its body, electrocuting every inch of the Blade Pokémon's body.

" _ **A brilliant show of strength by Tyranitar, and a certainly**_ **shocking** _ **Thunder Fang!"**_

* * *

Misty threw a look at Brock, "Did the announcer seriously just make that pun?"

Brock raised his arms defensively, "I heard everything you heard."

* * *

Tyranitar wound up and tossed Gallade back in the direction it had come, grinning as electricity continued to crackle around Gallade's slim body. The Blade Pokémon crashed into the ground, skidding through the thick grass and coming to a stop. Gallade reached out with its arms and tried to push itself up, casting a wary eye on Tyranitar as pain wracked its body.

After several seconds of struggle, Gallade slumped into the ground and went still.

" _Gallade is unable to battle! The win goes to Tyranitar!"_

Tyranitar stomped on the ground and bellowed a triumphant roar. Paul gripped Gallade's Poké Ball, calmly commanding Gallade to return and pocketing the Poké Ball thereafter.

A flash of purple flickered across Tyranitar's muscular body, and the Armor Pokémon recoiled as poison sapped a fraction of its strength. Tyranitar groaned, becoming woozy for a brief moment as the toxins ran through its system.

The jumbotron pinged and reflected the result, darkening the third graphic beside Paul's portrait until it was merely an opaque outline of Gallade. The speakers grumbled as the announcer spoke, projecting his great voice across every inch of the complex.

" _ **Tyranitar proved its worth quickly, taking out Gallade with ease after its long struggle with Lucario. With that result, the battle is now tied at two apiece. However, Tyranitar is currently suffering from poisoning, a status induced by Drapion's earlier use of Toxic Spikes! What Pokémon will Paul call upon next?"**_

* * *

"Tyranitar made it look easy. Gallade's Close Combat could've dealt massive damage, but instead Gallade was the one who got dominated." Gary observed.

"I can't help but love a little rock-type dominance out there." Brock smirked, "Tyranitar's clearly been trained very well."

Dawn nodded, a big grin on her face, "Tyranitar has been one of Ash's best Pokémon lately. He's tough as nails and covers his weaknesses well. It's no wonder Ash saved him for the final battle."

"He's probably the best Pokémon to send out there with Toxic Spikes in effect. Tyranitar'll be able to tank the poison damage for a while." Misty added.

"They're in a good position right now," Brock agreed, "Provided that Paul doesn't pull anything drastic."

* * *

" _ **Both Trainers have spent two of their Pokémon so far, and half of their teams remain hidden. Paul still has Drapion in rotation—will he go with Drapion, or dig through his remaining team?"**_

The crowd had their answer almost immediately as Paul drew his next Poké Ball. _"Torterra, standby for battle."_

The Poké Ball burst open and spawned the Continent Pokémon in all its glory. An enormous shell formed out of a blob of light, and a thick tree sprouted from the top. Muscular legs emerged on the sides, and the light faded to reveal Torterra. The large grass-type parted its jaws and roared.

" _Tor-terra!"_

" _ **Paul chooses the latter, calling upon his fourth Pokémon of the day: Torterra!"**_

Paul swiped his arm in Tyranitar's direction, giving a gruff order to Torterra, "Torterra, use Stone Edge." Torterra grunted, generating a cluster of sharp stones and sending them flying.

"Tyranitar, use Protect, then use Dark Pulse!" Ash countered. Tyranitar formed a protective veil around its huge body, effortlessly deflecting Torterra's Stone Edge and then firing off a vile blast of dark energy. The black discharge exploded against Torterra's shell, rattling the Continent Pokémon.

Paul scowled and dished out another command. "Torterra, use Giga Drain."

Torterra shook off the Dark Pulse easily and broke into a run, footfalls thundering across the ground.

"Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!" Ash called. Tyranitar prepared to counterattack, conjuring two rings of projectiles around its body.

Suddenly, Torterra launched its energy-soaking vines from its body, demonstrating an impressive reach. The glowing green vines latched onto Tyranitar's body and immediately began sucking out energy, shutting down Tyranitar's counter completely.

"No!"

"Perfect. Torterra, go!" Paul snapped, and Torterra began liberally sapping energy from Tyranitar.

Ash bristled as Tyranitar croaked in pain. Torterra finished its Giga Drain and pushed off, disorienting Tyranitar as it stepped back to put distance between it and the Armor Pokémon. A flash of poison damage afflicted Tyranitar next, only adding to the rock-type's lost strength.

" _ **Torterra's Giga Drain sucks up a sizable portion of Tyranitar's strength, and when combined with poison, deals major damage!"**_

"Thunder Fang's not going to do much, so we're a little short on moves here! Tyranitar, use Stone Edge again."

Tyranitar quickly launched a chain of sharp stones, battering Torterra with them. Paul scowled at the sight and urged Torterra forward, "Use Crunch."

Torterra sprinted now, running Tyranitar down as it parted its jaws. Torterra raised up, biting down on Tyranitar's arm. Tyranitar screeched and Torterra dug its teeth in, chomping down with increasing force every second. A sick _crunch_ split the air as Torterra bit down, making even Ash flinch.

"Tyranitar, Dark Pulse!" Ash yelled. Tyranitar steeled, forcing itself to fight through the pain and aim its glare down at the huge grass-type endeavoring to bite clean through its arm. Tyranitar opened its mouth, revealing the gleam of two rows of sharp teeth before unleashing a shadowy blast at point-blank range. The Dark Pulse connected with the side of Torterra's head and exploded, instantly knocking Torterra away.

" _ **Oh! Talk about painful! A point-blank Dark Pulse deals extra damage and rescues Tyranitar from Torterra's powerful Crunch attack!"**_

The smoke cleared and Torterra slowly stood, rising from a crumpled heap a good twenty feet away from Tyranitar. Tyranitar's arm throbbed, wounded by the grip of Torterra's formidable jaws, and both Pokémon heaved as they recovered.

After several seconds of waiting, Paul jumped back into the action, "Torterra, use Frenzy Plant."

Torterra's eyes gleamed green and the Continent Pokémon reared up, slamming its massive front feet into the ground. The earth around Torterra parted and huge, spiky roots suddenly shot out, curling and launching toward Tyranitar. The roots teamed up and latched onto Tyranitar, wrapping themselves around the Armor Pokémon's large body and effortlessly lifting the rock-type up.

"Tyranitar!" Ash cried, stunned. He stole a glance at Paul. The purple-haired teen watched the action intently, face locked in a mask of stoutness. Tyranitar cried again, and Ash saw the spikes lining the Frenzy Plant roots digging into the rock-type's body.

"Now, Torterra, use Giga Drain."

" _Terra!"_ the Continent Pokémon roared, launching two shimmering green arms. The Giga Drain arms attached to Tyranitar's trapped body and started to sap energy away.

"Tyranitar!" Ash yelled again, helpless.

And then suddenly, Tyranitar's poisoning struck home, streaking across the rock-type's body with a purple glare. The toxic energy nicked Torterra's Giga Drain arms, and in an instant the purple energy was spiraling towards Torterra.

Paul understood what was about to happen, and panicked. "Torterra, let go!"

Torterra obeyed, but it was too late. The poison rushed down Torterra's receding Giga Drain arms, offered a direct entrance into the grass-type's system. Tyranitar dropped to the ground as Frenzy Plant retreated and looked up, stunned as Torterra unwillingly accepted a strain of poison.

The toxins struck immediately, flashing a brilliant purple as they ravaged Torterra's body.

"Damn!" Paul snarled, and Torterra's knees wobbled.

" _ **Wow, folks! I don't believe it! Tyranitar's nagging poison ailment struck at just the right time, using Giga Drain as an easy route to spread to Torterra! Now, Torterra is suffering from poison damage as well!"**_

Ash beamed, "Alright, what a break! Tyranitar, ready to turn the tables on 'em?"

With a renewed strength, Tyranitar roared in answer, _"Ty-ran-itar!"_

The air suddenly grew hazy, and the thick sand surrounding the grass battlefield suddenly whipped up into a frenzy, growing into a full-on sandstorm. Tyranitar rumbled approvingly, lifting its armored chin.

" _ **And as if that wasn't enough of an advantage, Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability appears to have suddenly kicked in! The sandstorm won't deal damage to Torterra due to its ground-typing, but it will boost Tyranitar's special defense significantly, and certainly hinder visibility! This battle just grew all the more intriguing!"**_

* * *

"Wow, talk about a big break for Ash!" Misty declared.

Brock nodded in agreement, "Tyranitar needed that big time—Torterra was on a roll."

"So now Torterra has to deal with poisoning _and_ a sandstorm. Tyranitar could actually win!" Max said, jittery and excited.

Dawn drummed her fingertips on the ledge in front of her seat, stirring up Prinplup and Buneary into a frenzy. "Yeah, he will! Okay, you two, let's show our boys some love!" Dawn flaunted her pom-poms, chanting excitedly as Buneary and Prinplup danced. _"Ash! Ash! He's our guy! He's gonna cut you down a size!"_

" _Prin! Plup! Prin! Plup!"_

" _Bun! Bun! Bun-eary!"_

* * *

Paul grimaced, angered that his growing advantage had suddenly been cut off. He'd had Tyranitar at his mercy! He should've seen something like this coming. Ash never went out easy, especially not on the big stage.

"Torterra, use Stone Edge!" Torterra grunted and prepared a cluster of sharp stones, eyes fixed on Tyranitar's vaguely visible shape through the sandstorm. Just before Torterra could launch its attack, a dash of sand invaded its right eye. Torterra shut its eye and thrashed, and the chain of stones fired off to the left, missing Tyranitar completely.

Paul scowled, "Torterra, get it together!" he snapped, and Torterra moaned pitifully as it clawed sand from its eye.

Ash grinned, "Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!"

A hulking shadow shifted in the storm and a volley of wicked stones launched out of the cloud of sand, exploding against Torterra's side. The Continent Pokémon staggered back and a dash of poison snatched some more strength from its body. Torterra was growing tired, now.

" _ **Torterra isn't looking so good. With the tables turned, could this be the end?"**_

"Tyranitar, use Giga Impact!" Ash called. The sandstorm thinned, revealing Tyranitar as the rock-type came hurtling toward its foe from within a layer of explosive energy.

"Use Frenzy Plant." Paul countered. Torterra stomped the ground and spiked roots erupted from the ground to strike at Torterra. The roots penetrated the Giga Impact layer and attacked, hampering Tyranitar's charge.

"Tyranitar, Protect!" Ash ordered, and Tyranitar switched from Giga Impact to the protective move, successfully staving off the worst of Frenzy Plant's damage. "Okay, Torterra can't move for a bit, so use Dark Pulse!"

Tyranitar collapsed the protective barrier and sent a gruesome black chain howling toward Torterra. The dark blast exploded upon striking Torterra's shell, shoving the grass-type back a few paces. Tyranitar grunted approvingly and a violet bolt suddenly struck across Tyranitar's body, poison siphoning some of the Armor Pokémon's strength.

"Torterra, we need a Giga Drain, fast!" Paul ordered, hoping to capitalize on Tyranitar's toxin-induced daze.

" _Tor-terra!"_ the Continent Pokémon roared, two glowing green arms ejecting from its wide body.

"Tyranitar, use Giga Impact!" Ash countered. Tyranitar sprinted forward, an explosive energy charging around its bulky body. Tyranitar's charge connected with the Giga Drain arms and burned them away, clearing an easy path to Torterra.

"Frenzy Plant!" Paul yelled, and Torterra called upon the cluster of roots to attack.

Unfortunately for Torterra, it was too slow. Tyranitar charged in and ducked its head, crashing into Torterra just as Frenzy Plant activated, uselessly sending a team of thick roots into the air. Torterra staggered back, body bruised and discolored by damage, and fell, a thunderous _crash_ echoing across the rowdy stadium.

The referee craned his neck to examine Torterra from a distance, deciding what to call as he spotted Torterra's shut eyes. _"Torterra is unable to battle, the winner is Tyranitar!"_

" _ **And that's it for Torterra as Tyranitar turns things around and overpowers it, leaving Paul with just half of his remaining Pokémon!"**_

"Torterra, return." Paul beckoned, withdrawing the fainted grass-type from the field. The jumbotron blotted out Torterra's image, indicating that Paul had now lost his third Pokémon and that Ash was in the lead once more.

" _Hmph."_ Paul grunted. "Thank you, Torterra," he said, and he quickly replaced the Poké Ball in his hand with a new one. Paul's eyes narrowed, and he thought that Ash might have caught on. He'd been hiding this surprise for the entire League, resolving to only reveal it should he face Ash.

It was finally that time.

"Salamence, standby for battle." Paul ordered, calmly pitching the Poké Ball onto the grass. The red-and-white sphere burst open, releasing a huge mass of white light that instantly shaped into the draconic form of Salamence.

Ash gasped in awe at the Pokémon's formation, eyeing the thick scales protecting its belly and its unmistakable curved red wings. His eyes trailed down the dragon-type's form, and his heart suddenly stopped as he eyed the metal plate wrapped around its neck carrying a shimmering stone.

* * *

Gary suddenly leaned forward in his seat, stunned. "Hey, uh, that metal plate around Salamence's neck isn't natural, right?"

Dawn's eyes skimmed to Salamence's muscular neck, sucking in a sharp breath as she spotted the spherical stone fixed into the brace.

She gasped, "Oh, no."

* * *

Ash's straightened his back as he recognized the piece of armor and the stone safely held in its center. There was no mistaking it, and yet Ash still had it in his heart to doubt.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ash asked, casting an eye to Pikachu at his feet. Pikachu had seen the stone as well and was similarly panicked.

The mouse didn't get a chance to answer. Paul rolled up the sleeve of his jacket, revealing a metallic bracelet decorated with a peculiar green gemstone. Paul thrust his fist into the air, calling to the wind.

" _Salamence, Mega Evolve!"_

The stone fixed in Salamence's accessory gleamed, and a storm of light suddenly erupted out of the sphere and wrapped around Salamence. A ball of blinding white light formed and glittered with multicolored rays of energy, and the air seemed to roar as the changes began.

Paul allowed a pleased smirk to crawl onto his face, the howling wind blowing his locks away from his face. Salamence's ball of white light took off into the air, zooming without a care and receding. The symbol of Mega Evolution reflected into the blue sky, fading away as quickly as it had come. Blazing through the sky in its place was a seemingly brand-new creature.

Salamence's bulky body had become more streamlined, slimming into a flat structure with a flowing tail at its end. The small fins lining either side of Salamence's head had changed into tapered blade-like structures, and its light blue coloration had become noticeably darker. Of course, neither of those things were the most notable change that Salamence had undergone through Mega Evolution. At its back, Salamence's signature red wings had grown massively and melded together into a single, crescent-like shape that nearly curved all the way around the dragon-type's body.

The sound of the gobsmacked announcer finally jarred Ash from his trance, the voice exploding from the speakers in absolute awe.

" _ **Do you believe it, folks? I certainly don't! Paul has pulled one of the biggest surprises of the tournament, revealing his Salamence's ability to Mega Evolve! Ash is suddenly facing a whole new set of challenges! How exactly will he respond?"**_

* * *

"I can hardly believe it." Dawn gasped, "Paul's come into possession of a Mega Stone."

"This has taken a turn." Brock murmured, stunned.

* * *

"I've gotta admit, it was hard to plan against you this time." Paul called out to Ash, smirking, "You haven't used a single Pokémon in more than one round. It looks like you're sticking to that so far. I'm impressed."

"That's some high praise from you, Paul." Ash hollered back with a grin.

Paul nodded and wound up his arm, pointing a damning finger at Tyranitar as he shouted for Salamence. "Salamence, use Hydro Pump!"

Salamence swooped down from the sky, drawing a great jet of water from within.

"Tyranitar, use Protect!" Ash countered, and Tyranitar instantly created an impenetrable barrier. The crushing column of water collided and pushed violently against the Protect wall, but it was of no use.

Tyranitar collapsed the barrier, and Paul instantly called for a different attack, "Salamence, Dragon Rush!"

Salamence circled the field and charged, body glowing as a shimmering layer of violent blue energy coalesced around it.

"Uh, oh! Tyranitar, get out of the way!" Ash yelled, knowing Protect would fail if he called for it again.

Tyranitar moved to dive out of the way, but Salamence adjusted with astounding speed, altering its course to crash into Tyranitar anyway. The Armor Pokémon was easily lifted off the ground and driven back by Salamence, released to fly hopelessly backward and crash to earth.

There was no doubt about Tyranitar's status.

" _Tyranitar is unable to battle! The winner is Salamence!"_

* * *

"That's _some_ power! Tyranitar couldn't even put up a fight!" Brock gasped.

"Tyranitar was pretty beat up from the last two rounds, though." Misty suggested, though she was just as surprised.

"Maybe so, but you could practically feel the power of that Dragon Rush. There's no doubt about it: Salamence is _strong_." Gary said.

"Oh, don't go Negative Nancy on us now, Gary! It's not over 'till it's over!" May piped up.

Gary rushed to defend himself, "I'm not saying it is!"

Dawn butted in to add her two cents, quick to defuse any potential argument that might arise in her circle of friends, "There's no need to worry, everyone. Ash has a perfect counter for Salamence." Dawn smiled. She'd been able to deduce some of the Pokémon Ash was intending to use, "It won't be easy, but there's no way this takes him down and out."

" _Buuun-eary!"_ Buneary agreed, hopping excitedly. Her darling Pikachu was out there, after all, and as long as the electric mouse was kicking, nothing was ever a given!

Prinplup nodded and concurred heartily, _"Prin-plup!"_

* * *

"A Mega Salamence. Incredible." Lucian said. He cocked an eyebrow at Flint, "Sure you don't want to bow out now?"

Flint scoffed, "'Course not. Ain't no dragon-type gonna be what takes out Ash. He hasn't even shown us half of his team!"

Lucian shrugged, "Okay, it's your funeral."

Bertha shook her head, snorting, "You young hearts, always so set on things. I've told you this battle is a coin toss. The two are evenly matched."

"You sayin' you know something we don't?" Aaron asked the ground-type specialist, straightening his posture.

Bertha merely shrugged, offering a wicked grin that served to both confuse and frustrate the others.

* * *

" _ **My, Salamence didn't even struggle! All it takes is a single blow to put Tyranitar down for the count!"**_

Ash raised Tyranitar's Poké Ball, unfazed. "Tyranitar, return!" he called, and he whirled it around so he could praise the defeated Pokémon, "Thank you, Tyranitar. You were awesome out there. Get some rest, you've done more than your part."

Ash tucked away Tyranitar's Poké Ball, looking back up to get a good look at Mega Salamence. The Dragon Pokémon sliced through the air, as if its energy had no limits and flying at high speed was the only way to keep itself occupied. The jumbotron pinged as it marked the change in score, tying Ash and Paul at 3 wins apiece.

Ash looked down at Pikachu, catching the electric mouse's eye. "I guess now's a good a time as any. What do you think, Pikachu?"

" _Pika!"_

 _~He's ready, Ash! Let's give him what he wants!~_

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Ash chuckled. He brandished his next Poké Ball and primed it, winding up to call the Pokémon inside to action. "Okay, it's your turn! Charizard, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball ripped open as it flew through the air, releasing a mass of light from within. The glow shaped into the familiar form of Charizard and the Flame Pokémon flapped its powerful wings, roaring to announce its arrival. The fire-type spotted Salamence's rabidly flying shape and locked on, exhaling an intense wave of clear heat that warped the air at its mouth.

"Charizard, I'm gonna need you to stay clear of the ground, okay? There's Toxic Spikes everywhere that'll poison you, ya hear?" Ash called.

Charizard roared in answer, nodding. The Flame Pokémon flicked its muscular tail into the air, revealing the simple clasp fastened around it. A shimmering orange stone had been fixed into the piece, a curved red-and-yellow shape churning inside.

Charizard snapped in Ash's direction, gesturing with its head toward the Mega Stone. Charizard was ready.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're impatient." Ash joked. Charizard didn't deny the accusation, turning its gaze back to Salamence. The menacing Dragon Pokémon had flown closer, appraising Charizard suspiciously. Ash flexed his fingers and clenched a fist, offering the briefest glance to the Mega Ring around his ring finger, a glowing Key Stone embedded in its top.

"Okay, Charizard, _Mega Evolve!"_ Ash commanded, thrusting his fist into the air. The Charizardite stone responded immediately, glowing with an orange light. Instantly, a huge white sphere of light overtook Charizard's form, changing Charizard into its new form. Three pointed horns grew from the back of its head, the middle one larger than the others, and its wings become more ragged and tattered. Miniature wings sprouted from Charizard's arms, and its tail began to burn with a long, wily flame. The bright sphere receded, and the familiar symbol glittered above Charizard's new and improved form.

" _ **Ladies and gentlemen, what a spectacle! We've got ourselves a true Mega Battle right before our eyes, as two famed dragons rise with all-new forms to grapple for dominance!"**_

* * *

As Cynthia smiled, her colleagues in the Elite Four all turned to Bertha.

"You totally knew about this, didn't you, Bertha?" Flint said.

Bertha shrugged, a mischievous smile on her face. "I have my sources."

* * *

"Here we go! Ash is bringing out the big guns!" Max gushed. The youngster had been stoked when he'd learned about Ash's Charizardite stones, positively giddy at the prospect of seeing one of his favorite Pokémon do battle.

Corey similarly leaned forward in his seat, jumpy. "It's the perfect counter for Mega Salamence. This round is gonna be epic!"

"I've watched them practice a bunch, but Ash has never used his Charizardite Y stone in a battle before. This is a whole new Mega Charizard he's dealing with, so he must feel confident to break it out in the final round." Dawn said.

Brock nodded, "This Mega Evolution also offers different strengths than Mega Charizard X. Mega Charizard Y experiences an enormous boost to its special attack and special defense levels. Charizard's Flamethrower will be extra-powerful now." Brock squinted as he looked at the sky, noticing that the sunlight was becoming suddenly harsher, "And if I had to guess, Charizard's new Ability is Drought. For the time being, that will boost Charizard's fire-type moves even more."

"Ooh, I'm excited to see Charizard battle again. It's been a long time since I've watched the big fella." Misty said.

* * *

"Salamence, use Flamethrower." Salamence unleashed a powerful blast of fire, taking advantage of the harsh sunlight.

"Charizard, dodge and give them a Flamethrower of our own!" Ash countered. Charizard jerked upward and Salamence's fire passed harmlessly underneath it. The Flame Pokémon promptly breathed an identical column of fire that struck Salamence's body. The Dragon Pokémon flinched away from the fire and growled, elevating to reach Charizard's level.

"Use Dragon Rush!" Paul snapped. Salamence's body charged up with violent blue energy, the Dragon Pokémon ready to attack.

"Charizard, let's make 'em work for it!" Ash called. Charizard instantly turned its attention to the skies and took off. Salamence charged, altering its flight path to chase after Charizard as the Flame Pokémon rapidly ascended. The shapes of the two dragons began to shrink as they flew up.

" _ **Charizard is leading Salamence on a desperate chase into the sky! How will this play out?"**_

Just as Ash predicted, it was only a matter of time before the altitude became too much for Mega Salamence. The sleek dragon-type turned back, zooming back towards Earth. Charizard glanced back, pleased, and whirled around to now chase Salamence down to the ground.

 _~Charizard, use Dragon Claw!~_ Ash called out with his mind. There was no way Charizard would actually be able to hear him verbally.

Charizard charged downward and Salamence realized its mistake. Violent energy came to life around Charizard's sharp claws, and the Flame Pokémon greedily dug the pointed ends into Salamence's huge, crescent-shaped wing. Salamence screeched and plummeted, reeling from the unexpected damage.

The ground came quickly, but there was still enough time for Salamence to right itself and avoid crashing into the dirt from hundreds of feet up. The Dragon Pokémon swooped low over the ground, always keeping an eye turned behind it as Charizard likewise flew near the ground.

" _ **Salamence's gamble comes back to bite it, as Charizard shows off its flying prowess and delivers a brutal Dragon Claw! But it appears Salamence is still going strong!"**_

"Salamence, use Crunch." Paul ordered. Salamence quickly swooped around and brandished its sharp teeth, clamping its jaws around Charizard's arm. Salamence turned, launching Charizard backward, and the fire-type rapidly flapped its wings to keep itself from landing on the ground.

" _ **Salamence returns the favor with a speedy and powerful Crunch, but Charizard remains aloft to avoid the effect of Toxic Spikes on the ground!"**_

"Salamence, use Hydro Pump!" Paul commanded. Salamence parted its jaws, spewing a jet of pounding water.

"Charizard, spin and use Flamethrower!" Ash countered. Charizard rushed forward, instantly breathing fire and spinning as a roaring stream of fire came speeding toward it. The flames wrapped around Charizard's body, creating a fiery shield that amazingly repelled the water. Paul flinched, raising an eyebrow in surprise, but quickly regained his composure.

"Dragon Rush!" Paul snapped, and Salamence charged to meet Charizard's approaching form. The two dragons collided with a brutal _crack_ , equally damaging the other as they recoiled away.

"Charizard, Flamethrower, again!" Ash ordered, and Charizard shot a beam of searing fire.

"Salamence, match them." Paul replied, and Salamence unleashed an identical fiery blast.

The twin columns of flame collided, unleashing their heat in all directions. Hot wind blew back against Ash and Pikachu, Ash's wild raven hair whipping back behind him. Paul looked very much the same, the heat kicking back his hair and exposing his pleased smirk. The Flamethrowers finally died out with no damage done to either Pokémon, dispensing the last of their heat.

Paul huffed, "Salamence, Dragon Rush!"

Salamence roared and charged, body bathed in powerful bluish energy.

"Charizard, dodge!" Ash yelled. Charizard barrel rolled out of the way, flapping its strong wings to gain some altitude and whirling around. Salamence pulled out of its charge, turning to look up at Charizard. Ash shouted another command, "Flamethrower, on the ground!"

Charizard spewed a jet of flame from above.

"Dodge it!" Paul snapped, and Salamence slid away. Charizard's fire exploded on the grass and spread out, consuming the grass in flames. "Crunch!"

Salamence snarled and charged again, but Charizard merely dodged. Salamence went screaming past Charizard, and Ash turned his focus on the Dragon Pokémon.

"Now, Charizard, get 'em for real this time!" Ash hollered. Charizard opened its mouth and fire came to life, erupting out in a glowing column of flame. The Flamethrower caught Salamence from behind, knocking the Dragon Pokémon from the sky and dropping it to the ground. Salamence's huge body dug a massive cut in the ground, adding to the destruction that the battlefield had already suffered. The grass around Salamence smoldered, and shoots of violet energy suddenly burnt alongside the weakening fires.

"Yes, it worked!" Ash whooped.

" _ **Charizard's Flamethrower at last makes contact, and boy is it a doozy! And not only that, our sensors indicate that the Toxic Spikes laid by Drapion have been burned away!"**_

Paul flinched, realizing, "You didn't want to hit us at all the first time. You were just trying to fix your Toxic Spikes problem."

"Yep! It's not quite what we did last time, but I was hoping Charizard's flame would be even hotter than normal thanks to the sun." Ash paused, flashing a smirk, "Guess it worked. Charizard, it's safe for you to land now!" Charizard eagerly flapped down to solid ground, stretching its menacing, ragged wings. Salamence carefully lifted off of the ground, hovering in place patiently.

" _ **Strong as Charizard's Flamethrower was, Salamence hardly seems fazed!"**_

"Salamence, use Dragon Dance."

Salamence summoned a rush of colorful energy, boosting its attack and speed. Paul cracked his knuckles and dished out another command. "Hydro Pump."

"Charizard, up!" Ash ordered. Charizard once again took to the air, cutting it close as Salamence shot off the Hydro Pump significantly faster than before.

"Salamence, Dragon Rush."

Salamence suddenly thundered forward, streamlined body glowing with a violent blue energy. The Dragon Pokémon moved with bewildering, Dragon Dance-boosted speed, catching Charizard in the opening of its crescent-shaped wing. With nowhere for Charizard to go, Salamence continued to power forward, burying all of its might into Charizard's belly.

"Charizard, no! Quick, use Dragon Tail!" Ash yelled. Charizard's muscular tail lit up with streaks of blue and red energy, and the Flame Pokémon promptly launched its tail at an angle to glance Salamence's huge singular wing. Salamence recoiled, allowing Charizard to escape. The Flame Pokémon promptly flew off, creating some distance between it and Salamence.

" _ **Charizard manages to escape quite a bind with a timely Dragon Tail attack, but Salamence is looking stronger than ever!"**_

"Charizard, use Steel Wing!"

Charizard curved and raced forward, both wings shining silver.

"Dragon Rush." Paul countered. Salamence surged forward within a layer of brutal energy, and Charizard had no chance as the Dragon Pokémon rammed into it. Charizard plummeted, angling its body well enough to prevent severe damage before crashing down into the ground and sliding. Its weight tore up the ground, kicking grass and dirt in every direction.

"Charizard!" Ash cried. The Flame Pokémon recovered and whirled around, steadying itself by lowering to the ground and going to all fours. Salamence swooped in, descending so that it was at similar height. Ash straightened his back, dishing an order to the fire-type, "Use Shadow Claw!"

Charizard returned to its feet and launched forward with a snarl, shrouding both hands in thick shadows.

"Dodge." Paul countered. Salamence rolled out of the way accordingly. "Dragon Rush!" Salamence zoomed forward, threatening to crush Charizard with a powered-up charge.

"Catch them with Dragon Claw!" Ash suggested, and Charizard bounded forward to meet Salamence. With glowing claws, Charizard reached out to strike, catching Salamence's charge head-on. A crimson crescent surrounded Charizard as it roared, absorbing the force of Salamence's attack, feet digging a good six inches into the ground as the Flame Pokémon endeavored to hold on. Salamence growled viciously as it pushed, trying to overpower its foe.

Amazingly, Charizard held its ground, refusing to give in.

" _Rooooargh!"_ Charizard snarled, mustering the strength to shift its hands and attack. Charizard slashed its claws downward, wounding Salamence enough to make the Dragon Pokémon screech in pain. With this newfound control, Charizard ducked, avoiding Salamence's huge wing as the Dragon Pokémon rolled over. As if that wasn't enough, Charizard raked its claws down Salamence's belly, leaping back as the dragon-type slid to the ground.

Dazed, but not defeated, Salamence rose once more.

The crowd roared with approval, and the announcer gushed from the media booth, _**"Well, you think that one of these Pokémon is going to go down eventually, but they just keep trading blows! I'd dare to say these two are evenly matched, in strength and stamina alike!"**_

For all of two seconds, Paul pondered the sentiment. Then, he drew Salamence's Poké Ball into his hand, "Salamence, I'm going to need you later, so return for now!" At the push of a button, Salamence's form broke down into red energy and returned to the Poké Ball.

Charizard snarled, apparently satisfied with this partial victory. Almost immediately, the Mega-Evolved fire-type cringed and doubled over, aggravating pain sticking in its side.

Paul reached into his jacket, choosing his next Pokémon and priming the Poké Ball.

Until the referee blew his whistle and raised his flags, _"Wait!"_ the man shouted, stalling for all of a moment to press his earpiece into his ear and listen to whatever instructions he was getting. The official nodded without complaint and looked back up, raising his voice for all to hear. _"This battle is to be placed on a brief intermission for necessary repairs. If both competitors would withdraw their Pokémon and refrain from continuing, please!"_

Paul wordlessly pocketed the Poké Ball in his hand, seemingly unconcerned with the announcement. Ash surveyed the battlefield, for once truly surprised at its state. It really _was_ in bad shape. Huge divots and craters littered the ground, and a sizable portion of the lush grass had been savagely burned away by Charizard's earlier Flamethrower.

"Charizard, they're asking us to take a little break." Ash explained, "Return for a quick rest!" Charizard consented and was safely recalled, leaving the battlefield absent of Pokémon.

" _ **It appears the grounds crews have deemed the battlefield unfit for battle at present. By rule, we will enter a short delay so that the field can be repaired and conditioned for further use. As always, we want to thank everyone in the audience for their patience, and we promise to work to resume the battle as quickly as possible."**_

In another moment's notice, the elevators holding Ash and Paul on opposite ends of the field started to descend, sliding calmly down the elevator shafts to the prep room below.

* * *

"Well, that's inconvenient." Max groaned, relaxing into his seat.

"These things happen from time to time. They've gotta keep the field in usable shape." Brock said.

"Yeah, you can't have a Pokémon hurting themselves on a damaged field and giving the opposing Trainer an advantage." Misty explained, "Just look at that mess—that's how intense that round was."

Misty wasn't kidding. The battlefield had been _trashed._

"I think it's good to have a little break. We can take a couple minutes to loosen up—I think I just realized how tense I was." Dawn said, sighing as she crumpled into her seat. Buneary dropped from the ledge into her lap, cooing as Dawn started fixing the decorative ribbons on Buneary's ears. The active Rabbit Pokémon had been jumping and cheering so much that they'd come loose.

" _Prin-plup!"_ Prinplup agreed, placing a fin across his light blue chest. The Penguin Pokémon fiddled with his bowtie and relaxed.

The grounds crews galloped out onto the field, a cluster of at least two dozen men with all sorts of equipment. They were the best in the business, and they went to work immediately without a word to patch up the mess that was the battlefield. Artificial grass would be replaced, and the overall damage would be fixed in a timely manner. With a little luck, they wouldn't be sitting around for anything more than ten minutes.

"What a heart-racing showdown!" May asserted. She unscrewed the cap off of the water bottle she'd bought from concessions, taking a big swig and sighing. "I can see why Ash and Paul had such a rivalry. Paul's _really_ strong."

"He is, though I wonder whether or not Paul considered their relationship a rivalry at first." Brock chuckled, "But Ash… he spent our whole journey using Paul as his measuring stick. Everything he did went towards beating him."

"It's only fitting that they meet again in the final round this time." Dawn said.

Professor Oak chimed in, "The presence of rivals is what make the best Trainers who they are. Our lives become intertwined with those we measure ourselves against, and close friendships often spawn from commonalities such as training Pokémon."

"It's true," Gary agreed, "Used to be that I couldn't stand Ashy-boy when we were just starting out. I always made sure to make him feel lesser than me. Of course, that almost never worked, thanks to his persistent positivity. But now, we're close. I don't think things would be that way if we'd never become Pokémon Trainers."

Delia beamed, "My Ash has that way about him. I wonder what he's up to."

* * *

Ash sipped from his bottle of water. It had been offered to him by the attendant when the elevator he was on reached solid ground. The chamber beneath the battlefield was air-conditioned, and it was a major relief. He hadn't realized how much he'd been sweating in the summer heat, and with the intensity of the battle, he'd begun feeling short of breath once he finally slowed down.

"Want some, Pikachu?" Ash asked, handing over the small bottle as the mouse chattered positively. Pikachu clasped the bottle with his little hands and drank.

Ash glanced up and spotted Paul. The Veilstone native was impatiently tapping his foot, eyes fixed on the many screens on the wall showing camera feeds of the stadium. It was obvious that he was just ready to continue.

"Hey, Paul." Ash greeted and stepped up beside him. Paul glanced over and nodded in greeting. "So, a Mega Salamence, huh?"

Paul smirked, avoiding eye contact. "Surprised?"

Ash snickered, "Yeah, actually."

"Found it on Stark Mountain. It was being guarded by a wild Bagon." Paul explained.

"I'm guessing that Bagon became your Salamence?" Ash reasoned.

"Correct. And as it turns out, you have a Mega Stone or two of your own."

"Three, actually. I… got them from some friends. There are two of them for Charizard." Ash corrected.

"Two? Interesting." Paul replied.

One of the attendants walked over, shoes clicking on the ground. "Ash? Paul? They're nearly ready to start again."

Ash and Paul looked up at the attendant and then exchanged a glance. They shared a quiet nod, for there was nothing left for them to say. The two mirrored each other as they walked back to their opposite elevators, and before they knew it they were being lifted back up to the field.

Ash grinned as he lost sight of Paul, knowing that all bets were off.

* * *

" _Electivire, standby for battle!"_

Paul spiraled his next Poké Ball onto the field, bursting it open and releasing the Thunderbolt Pokémon onto the field. Electivire emerged from the bright glow and growled, lightning curling around its muscular body. Charizard snarled from above, flapping its great wings every few seconds to hover above the battlefield—now lush with green grass.

" _ **Paul calls upon his famed Electivire as we return to battle. Mega Charizard Y retains its flying-type, so the advantage is obvious! Can Ash and Charizard overcome those odds and build up a lead?"**_

"Electivire, use Thunder."

" _Vire!"_ Electivire snarled and rotated one of its burly arms, generating a frightening amount of voltage to launch at Charizard.

"Charizard, dodge and use Flamethrower!" Ash countered. Electivire's Thunder lashed out and Charizard swiftly evaded the brutal bolt, summoning a boiling blaze from within. The harsh sunlight aided the fiery blast, upping Charizard's power significantly.

"Protect!" Paul snapped, and Electivire amassed a flawless wall of energy to block the Flamethrower. When the blaze died out, Paul jumped back on the offensive, "Thunder, again!"

This time, Electivire took a different approach to its attack, pointing its twin tails downward and burying them in the ground. Instantly, golden voltage poured through the tails and into the ground, and the electricity erupted in random places across the field to launch boulders at Charizard. The Flame Pokémon flinched at the unexpected move, and each of the boulders collided with it on all sides.

" _ **A crafty use of Thunder scores Electivire's first hit, no doubt surprising Charizard!"**_

"Charizard, get 'em back with Slash!"

Charizard immediately dove, flying low across the ground and readying the sharp claws on both of its hands.

"Electivire, Brick Break." Paul ordered. Electivire raised a muscular arm, threatening to bash in Charizard's skull.

"Charizard, avoid it!" Ash yelled. Electivire brought down its attack and Charizard spun, expertly tucking its wings across its body to avoid being hit. Electivire's brutal chop crashed through empty air, and Charizard immediately jabbed out one set of claws to drag the sharp edges against Electivire's side.

" _Vire!"_ Electivire howled, reeling away from the Slash attack. Charizard unraveled from its spinning form, swooping high into the sky again and flying acrobatically back to its side of the field.

"Hmph. Not bad." Paul conceded, "Electivire, use Thunder Punch." Electivire recovered and charged both of its fists full of electricity, leaning forward and sprinting across the ground.

"Charizard, use Shadow Claw!" Charizard raced forward to meet Electivire, claws extending and glowing with pitch-black energy. The two titanic Pokémon crashed together and fought, electrified fists meeting glowing claws. Each tried to strike the other, but both failed to deal any damage as the two Pokémon brawled.

" _ **We've got a full-on street brawl between these two Pokémon!"**_ the announcer shouted, thrilled.

"Thunder." Paul interjected, and Electivire feinted, immediately stepping back as Charizard bit and moved to block. Electivire instantly churned out a wicked bolt of lightning, striking Charizard straight in the torso and knocking the fire-type back several paces.

"Charizard!" Ash cried, and Electivire taunted the Mega-Evolved fire-type with a goading hand.

" _Vire! Vire, Vire!"_ Charizard glared at the Thunderbolt Pokémon and bared its teeth in a ferocious snarl.

"Charizard, let's make Electivire eat his words, okay?" Ash called. Charizard roared in answer, and Ash dished out a command. "Alright, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard unleashed a furious, powered-up Flamethrower. The fire snapped at the air and crossed the distance to Electivire, promptly besieging the electric-type with its heat.

" _ **Charizard says it's not over yet, so don't talk any noise to me!"**_ the announcer trilled.

"Thunder." Paul ordered, unfazed. Electivire generated a huge amount of voltage around its body, grinning cruelly as it prepared to fire off the lightning.

"Charizard, protect yourself with Steel Wing!" Ash countered. Charizard curled its great wings in front of its body as Electivire unleashed the Thunder. The metallic properties of Steel Wing fused with Charizard's wings and created a rudimentary shield, reflecting the bolt of lightning at an errant angle.

Unexpectedly, Electivire promptly dashed to the side and leapt in front of the redirected voltage, allowing the lightning to strike itself. The redirected Thunder struck Electivire in a brilliant golden blast, but it dealt no harm to the Thunderbolt Pokémon. Electivire rose and growled proudly.

Paul smirked, "Thunder Punch."

Electivire surged across the field in a zigzag pattern, moving with enhanced speed and clearing the gap between it and Charizard.

"Gah!" Ash gasped, "Charizard, Dragon Claw!"

Charizard lurched forward with glowing claws, but Electivire was far too quick. The burly electric-type sidestepped Charizard's counterattack and delivered a crushing punch, batting the Flame Pokémon away like a rag doll.

* * *

"Oh, no." Dawn muttered, anxious.

"Electivire's found a way to make use of Motor Drive." Brock observed, "When Electivire comes into contact with an electric-type attack, its speed receives a boost."

"Even if that attack is its own." Misty said.

"If that's the case, I don't think Ash's use of Steel Wing could have possibly gone worse back there." May fretted.

"There wasn't even anything wrong with using that move. It worked so perfectly, and Electivire was able to take advantage of it." Gary added, "That's the mark of an excellent Trainer."

"You should've seen the last time they battled here. Ash let Electivire use Motor Drive to speed itself up, and it didn't work out for Ash at all." Brock recalled. The former Gym Leader frowned, "You can be sure that this was the last thing Ash wanted to happen."

* * *

" _ **Wow! Electivire brilliantly leaps in front of its own redirected Thunder attack, allowing its special ability Motor Drive to kick in and boost its speed. And it showed there, as Electivire easily evaded Charizard's counterattack and delivered a devastating Thunder Punch!"**_

"Charizard, get up!" Ash called, stricken with worry. The Flame Pokémon moaned, agonized, and stood. A cloud passed overhead, cutting through the harsh sunlight and weakening it significantly.

" _ **As if things aren't bad enough, it appears that Charizard's Drought ability is wearing off as well, ending the boost to Charizard's fire-type attacks!"**_

"We'll show them, Charizard! I know we can still go faster than they can!" Ash insisted, "Use Steel Wing!"

"Protect!"

Charizard zoomed forward, wings alight with a metallic glow. Electivire built up a wall of green energy, effortlessly repelling Charizard's attack. The Flame Pokémon sneered and flew off, rounding the field in a tight circle.

"Okay, Charizard, use Dragon Tail." Ash suggested. Charizard charged in again, muscular tail hanging behind it and charging up with energy.

"Use Thunder." Paul countered. Electivire sent a nasty thunderbolt flying at Charizard, and the Flame Pokémon expertly spun to catch the lightning on its tail and throw the voltage back to the ground.

"Great work, Charizard! Do it!" Ash praised. Charizard headed down, threatening to crush Electivire with Dragon Tail.

"Dodge, and use Brick Break." Electivire sidestepped Charizard's attack, filling one hand with the power of Brick Break and preparing to attack.

"Charizard, back!" Ash called, and Charizard unfurled its wings and leaped back, catching the wind and allowing the gusts to drag itself safely out of range. Electivire missed its attack and scowled, quickly readying itself to continue.

"Thunder, again!" Paul ordered. Electivire turned to its alternate use of Thunder, stabbing its black tails into the ground and kicking up jagged boulders once more with blasts of lightning.

"Charizard, use Steel Wing to protect yourself from those rocks!" Ash commanded. Charizard honed its wings with metallic energy and struck methodically, slashing apart any boulders that came close to hitting home. Satisfied, Ash spurred the Flame Pokémon on, "Slash, go!"

Charizard sped forward, sharpened claws at the ready. Paul dished out a counter, "Electivire, meet them with Brick Break!" and Electivire charged to meet Charizard head-on, one fist clenched as energy hummed around it.

Charizard unfolded its wings as it pulled up to attack, swinging both hands in a vicious attack. Electivire raised its charged fist, catching both of Charizard's clawed hands. Charizard recoiled, thrown off-balance by Electivire's powerful swing.

"No!" Ash cried.

"Thunder Punch." Paul ordered, and Electivire charged up its opposite hand with electricity.

"Charizard!" Ash shouted, and the Flame Pokémon looked over to spot Electivire's charged fist. "Flamethrower!" Ash howled. Charizard opened its mouth to spew a blast of flame, managing a small cluster of red-hot fire before Electivire struck with wicked, Motor Drive-boosted speed. The electrical haymaker sent Charizard reeling, the Flame Pokémon stumbling as the world spun with a vicious contempt.

" _ **A vicious Thunder Punch ruins a promising attack from Charizard. Ash may well be on the ropes now!"**_

"Charizard! Time to go all-out! Use Dragon Tail!" Ash called. Charizard shook off the lingering Thunder Punch damage as best it could and charged, taking to the air with the hope of finding some advantage.

"Thunder." Paul said. Electivire sent off a bolt of lightning, but Charizard easily dodged it. "Use Thunder Punch." Paul decided. Electivire ran forward as Charizard dove, electricity churning along its burly fingers. Bluish energy stirred up in Charizard's muscular tail and the Flame Pokémon spun, anticipating Electivire's attack.

Sure enough, Electivire came flying in, electrified fist at the ready. The Thunderbolt Pokémon reached out to strike Charizard's head… just as Dragon Tail made contact.

The two attacks met their targets at the same time. Electricity exploded around Charizard's face, and Electivire was thrown back as soon as the punch carried through, a powerful blow dealt to its side. Electivire's form collapsed into red energy, unwillingly retreating to its Poké Ball at Paul's side.

"Huh?" Paul flinched, and another Poké Ball burst open. Drapion suddenly emerged onto the field, a casualty of Dragon Tail's secondary effect. Drapion extended its segmented neck, clicking its pincers together and snarling, only to be surprised by the sight in front of it.

Charizard was on its stomach, wings spread wide and eyes shut in unconscious defeat.

" _Charizard is unable to battle! The win goes to…_ " the referee glanced at Paul and Drapion, stumped, "er… Electivire."

" _ **And the signal goes up, that's it for Charizard! Dragon Tail made contact and kicked Electivire out for the moment, but it doesn't matter as Thunder Punch knocks Charizard out to put Paul in the lead!"**_

* * *

"There goes Ash's only allowed Mega Evolution." Gary lamented, "He really needed Charizard to make a bigger impact."

"Maybe, but Paul's Electivire is a special kind of strong. Even with a Mega Evolution, it's hard to overcome a type advantage when you take a lot of super-effective hits." Brock replied.

Dawn nodded fiercely, "Besides, Ash still has two Pokémon, and he always saves the best for last. This battle is nowhere close to over!"

* * *

"Charizard, return!" A red beam tapped Charizard and collapsed the fainted fire-type into ruby-red energy. "You were awesome out there, Charizard. I'm sorry I couldn't get you a win, but you did a lot of damage to Electivire and Salamence. Thanks for all your help."

Ash tucked away Charizard's Poké Ball, eyeing Drapion and quickly selecting his next Pokémon. "Alright, it's your turn! Infernape, I choose you!"

The Poké Ball opened and Infernape rushed out in a flash of light, landing cleanly on the grass and standing tall. The fire-type beat its chest and chattered eagerly, ready to launch into battle.

" _ **And Ash's fifth Pokémon is a familiar face: Infernape! Anyone who remembers the last match between these two Trainers will recall Infernape's phenomenal last stand! Can they do it again?"**_

" _In-In-In-fer-nape!"_ the Flame Pokémon champed at an imaginary bit. Drapion snarled viciously, baring its sharp teeth and clicking its venomous pincers together. It may have been unexpectedly called out into battle, but the poison-type was more than ready!

"Drapion, use Cross Poison."

Drapion touched its segmented arms together, generating a wicked cross of violet energy and firing the toxic blast at Infernape.

"Infernape, dodge and use Mach Punch!" Ash countered. Infernape zipped sideways to avoid the Cross Poison attack and charged with terrific speed, delivering a swift hook across Drapion's face and immediately backing away.

" _ **Talk about a lightning fast Mach Punch to open the battle, but Drapion doesn't appear to be seriously bothered."**_

"Use Night Slash." Paul ordered. Drapion scuttled across the ground with impressive speed, both arms lighting up with a cruel black glow. The Ogre Scorpion Pokémon slashed, stinging Infernape with its violent pincers.

"Infernape, shake that off and use Dig!"

" _In-fer-nape!"_ the Flame Pokémon chattered and burrowed under the ground, leaving a mere hole in its place.

"Drapion, find it!" Paul snapped. Drapion tensed, scouring its immediate vicinity for any sort of rupture. Infernape erupted from the ground directly underneath Drapion's belly, charging out and launching the poison-type into the air.

Ash beamed, "Great job, Infernape. Use Flare Blitz, quick!" Infernape conjured crackling fire around its body and rocketed up after Drapion, crashing brutally into the poison-type to pile up even more damage.

" _ **Ash and Infernape are relentless, responding to Drapion's attack with a devastating combo!"**_

Drapion landed awkwardly on the ground but quickly recovered, rolling onto its feet and snarling. The Ogre Scorpion Pokémon extended its segmented neck in an attempt to make itself appear bigger, but Infernape yowled at the poison-type with no fear, goading Drapion to give its best shot.

"Drapion, Cross Poison." Paul ordered. Drapion rattled off a quick toxic blast, growling all the way.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Ash countered. Infernape vaulted over the incoming Cross Poison attack and charged up a fist, zooming toward its foe.

"Drapion, crash!" Paul barked, and Drapion swung its two arms inward to catch Infernape's speedy form with ease, trapping the fire-type in its grip.

" _ **Oh, my! Drapion demonstrates amazing reflexes to stop Mach Punch in its tracks, and Infernape is now trapped in Drapion's dangerous grip!"**_

"Use Fell Stinger." Paul ordered. Drapion ducked its head and its tail shot at Infernape, the double-bladed pincer merging into a stinger that glowed with bright green energy. The Fell Stinger attack stabbed into Infernape's body, and Drapion lowered its stinger to await another command.

"Infernape, use Flare Blitz to free yourself!" Ash yelled. Infernape focused and generated an explosion of fire around its body. The flames lashed Drapion's skin and the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon released its hold, flinching away from the white-hot fire. Freed, Infernape vaulted backwards, opting to put distance between it and Drapion rather than press its attack.

" _ **Infernape appears a little dazed after Fell Stinger, but otherwise fine, and a smart use of Flare Blitz allows it to avoid additional damage!"**_

"Infernape, use Dig and create some tunnels under Drapion!" Ash commanded. Infernape dug underground, but instead of attacking Drapion, the fire-type emerged halfway from a spot on Drapion's other side, quickly burrowing back underground. The Flame Pokémon repeated the process several times, and Paul quickly grew irate.

"Drapion, don't just stand there! Use Cross Poison!"

Drapion crossed its arms and unleashed a toxic blast as Infernape half-emerged on the side of the field, but the Flame Pokémon merely dug back underground to avoid the attack. Drapion continued trying, but Infernape stuck to the half-dozen holes in the ground and the tunnels connecting them to evade and infuriate Drapion.

Finally, the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon resorted to merely bashing its long arms onto the holes that Infernape peeked out of, creating an unfortunate sort of whack-a-mole scene on the field of battle.

" _ **Amazing! Infernape has created a network of tunnels underground to travel back and forth, frustrating Drapion as it consistently fails to land a hit!"**_

" _Grr,_ are you going to attack or just play keep-away?" Paul scowled.

Drapion tried to smash Infernape's head in with another swing of its arm, noticeably slower this time. The poison-type was growing tired.

Ash grinned and hollered, making sure Infernape could hear him. "Okay, Infernape do it for real this time! Dig!"

The earth beneath Drapion's feet erupted and Infernape surged out, impressively hammering Drapion up. The Ogre Scorpion Pokémon tumbled into the ground, considerably weakened by the effective ground-type move.

"Night Slash!" Paul snapped. Drapion surged forward, crawling quickly and threatening to strike.

"Infernape, match 'em with Mach Punch!" Ash ordered. Infernape raced forward and delivered its punch as Drapion slashed, and the two attacks crashed together, ricocheting harmlessly. Drapion snarled and attacked again, only for Infernape to counter perfectly. This time, Infernape didn't let up, charging up its other fist to deliver a lightning-fast punch to Drapion's long neck.

Drapion wheezed and lowered its head in shock, and Infernape rolled out of the way of the poison-type's dreaded pincers.

"Infernape, Flamethrower!" Ash hollered, and the fire-type whirled around to fill its mouth with fire. Violent flames surged from Infernape's mouth, quickly overtaking Drapion and roasting the poison-type in a ball of fire.

"Drapion!" Paul shouted.

Infernape stopped its attack just a few seconds later, allowing the blaze to die down. Drapion unsurprisingly collapsed, crashing down into the grass in a heap of torched limbs.

" _Drapion is unable to battle! The winner is Infernape!"_

* * *

"Yes! That's how it's done, Infernape!" Dawn shouted.

 _"Prin-plup! Prin-pluuuup!"_ Prinplup chattered beside her, ecstatic at the result.

"Paul is down to his last two Pokémon now." May observed, "Infernape was fabulous in that round."

"Infernape might be Ash's best job training a single Pokémon—excluding Pikachu, I guess." Brock said.

"It's true! Infernape used to belong to Paul when he was just a Chimchar." Dawn explained, "Paul released Chimchar because he thought he was weak, so Ash took him in and really worked hard with him. Together they've unlocked the best in each other."

"Paul let Infernape go because he thought he was weak? That's just wrong!" Max gasped.

"That's the kind of Trainer Paul was back then. He prioritized the power of his Pokémon above all else. It's hard to really blame him, considering his successes at the time. But by all accounts, he's become better since Ash beat him. I certainly think so, watching this battle play out." Brock elaborated.

Riley chimed in, agreeing, "The two are certainly quite evenly matched."

"But Ash is gonna win this thing, there's no doubt about it!" Corey beamed, "Right, Layla?"

Layla squeaked, as shy as ever, "Yeah."

"Ash will have to stay focused," Misty said, "They're in the home stretch now, and we've seen the damage Electivire and Mega Salamence can do. Infernape's still going strong, but the next round will be huge."

* * *

 ** _"Once again, we're all tied up now as Infernape evens the score at 4 knockouts apiece! Paul has his Electivire and Mega Salamence still in rotation and both in good shape, while Ash holds on with Infernape and one unrevealed Pokémon thus far!"_**

Paul unhooked one of his two remaining Poké Balls, glancing down at the sphere and priming it. "Electivire, standby for battle."

The capsule ball burst open in midair and the Thunderbolt Pokémon emerged once again, returning to the field after being kicked out by Charizard's Dragon Tail. Lightning coursed around Electivire's muscular body and the electric-type growled to announce its arrival, wild eyes falling on Infernape.

 _"Vire, Vire! Elec-tivire!"_

Infernape snarled back, the hungry flames atop its head sparking violently, _"In-fer-nape!"_

The pair's seemingly age-old rivalry flared up once again, the next chapter of their legendary feud prepared to write itself out in front of them.

Similarly, Ash smiled, eyes fixed on Paul. The Pride of Pallet offered a slight, single nod towards Paul, all the respect in the world communicated in a single gesture. Paul nodded back, sharing the sentiment.

The last stretch was upon them.

* * *

 **So, that was a lot.**

 **What did you all think? Let me know in a review!**


	83. Something Will Be Born

**Hey, everyone. It's our first update of the new year, and boy, is it a doozy: the third and final part of the Sinnoh League finals. It's been a long journey, and there's still more to go, but this chapter is for all of you who have read this monster all the way through, dealt with its quirks and inconsistencies, and are still here today. I'm so thankful for all of you.**

 **With that, to Guest: No, I did not feel that you were flaming me, and I'm sorry if my response came off a little harsh as well. I don't think you can love any work of literature without having criticisms, and thank you very much for airing yours. I actually took some long looks at these last two chapters and did some extensive editing. Thank you for your contribution, and I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing.**

 **In addition, I will be taking a brief hiatus with this update in order to readjust to the grind of the new semester and catch up on writing for the Grand Festival.**

 **And now, as I said, this one is for all of you! Thanks so much for your constant support!**

* * *

 **The Journey Continues**

 _Chapter 83_

 _Something Will Be Born_

* * *

 _ **Sinnoh Region – Lily of the Valley Island**_

"Infernape, use Dig!" Ash commanded. Infernape burrowed back down into the tunnels it had created, preparing another super-effective attack.

"Electivire, use Thunder and channel the lightning into the ground." Paul countered. Electivire promptly buried its twin tails in the ground and released a powerful shock. Golden electricity surged underground, and a moment later strands of lightning shot up out of the several holes Infernape had dug in the previous round. Infernape suddenly emerged in the middle of the field, screeching as lightning overwhelmed it and drove it out of hiding.

" _ **Infernape learns the hard way that it won't have an easy time using Dig like it did with Drapion! Electivire demonstrates amazing control of its Thunder attack, channeling it through the ground to land the first hit!"**_

Electivire grinned, growling a taunt to Infernape as the fire-type crawled to its feet. Infernape snarled, standing tall and rebuffing Electivire's taunts.

"Infernape, let's try Flamethrower!" Ash decided, and Infernape immediately breathed a blast of red-hot fire.

"Protect." Paul responded. Electivire growled and conjured a wall of glowing green energy, ready to effortlessly block the oncoming blaze.

"Mach Punch." Ash countered, and Infernape went off to the races, hidden by its own Flamethrower attack. Electivire collapsed the Protect barrier in front of it and looked up, only for Infernape to seemingly appear out of nowhere and deliver a crushing left hook. Electivire staggered backward, head spinning from the punch.

" _ **Infernape uses its own attack as cover to sneak in and land a lightning-fast Mach Punch!"**_

"Electivire, use Brick Break." Paul snapped, and Electivire recovered before charging forward with retaliation on its mind.

"Infernape, dodge and use Mach Punch again!" Ash called. Infernape spun to the side as Electivire delivered a powerful swipe, avoiding the attack, but as the Flame Pokémon reached out to strike, Electivire immediately attempted another swing and connected with Infernape's chest, sending Infernape back and nullifying its Mach Punch.

Ash punched a fist at the air, hardly fazed by Electivire's success, "Flare Blitz!" Infernape leaped to its feet and generated a thick layer of fire around its body, lifting off into the air and charging at Electivire. The flames continued to heat up and turned a brilliant blue.

"Use Thunder." Paul commanded, and Electivire launched a terrible bolt of lightning.

"Infernape, spin!" Ash countered, and Infernape spun as it continued its charge, capturing most of Electivire's lightning and channeling it around its body, adding to the power of Flare Blitz.

Infernape crashed into Electivire in an explosion of blue flame, rocking the battlefield and launching Electivire backward. Fire and lightning coursed around Electivire's body, and Infernape quickly stepped back as it suffered from recoil damage.

Despite the damage Electivire had just taken, Paul grinned, "Electivire, use Thunder Punch." Electivire charged one fist with electricity and sprang forward, shifting across the ground with greater speed than before to drop Infernape with a powerful jab to the chest. Ash flinched, recognizing his mistake instantly.

" _ **Electivire is moving faster than before, probably activating Motor Drive through the lightning that Infernape added to its Flare Blitz attack. While Infernape did an excellent job landing a damaging attack, it brings a whole new set of challenges!"**_

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Ash called. Infernape looked up, where Electivire was still standing over it, and zoomed upward, connecting a swift uppercut that sent Electivire stumbling back a few quick steps.

"Use Brick Break!" Paul commanded. Electivire's fist churned with power, white energy coming to life around it, when a flash of flame interrupted Electivire's attack and surrounded the Thunderbolt Pokémon's body.

" _Vire!"_ Electivire snarled, thrashing as flames circled around it.

" _ **Oh, no! Infernape's electrified Flare Blitz allowed Electivire to activate Motor Drive, but it came at an unexpected price: burn damage!"**_

"Yes!" Ash hollered. It was a badly needed advantage, considering Electivire's boosted speed.

Paul gritted his teeth, snapping at Electivire, "Electivire, grab them!" Electivire snarled and dispatched one of its black tails, almost instantly ensnaring Infernape's nearby arm and wrapping tightly around it like a rope. Infernape tried to tug its arm free to no avail, and Paul called for an attack. _"Thunder!"_

Electivire unleashed shimmering electricity into Infernape's body, dealing significantly more damage thanks to its tail wrapped around Infernape.

Ash grimaced as Electivire let Infernape go, allowing the fire-type to drop to the ground in a heap of smoke. Infernape, careful not to be mistaken as unconscious, crawled back to its feet, warily backpedaling away from its foe. The memory of Infernape's last League matchup with Electivire sat at the forefront of Ash's mind, recalling the exact same trick being used to amplify Thunder's power.

* * *

"Again with the Motor Drive." Max grimaced.

"But it's not all bad! Electivire was burned by Flare Blitz." Corey said.

"Yes, but with the speed boost offered by Motor Drive, Ash loses his advantage there. Electivire will likely be able to counter a move like Mach Punch much more easily, in addition to landing its own attacks faster." Gary explained.

"I think Paul will change his attacking strategy, though. Burns usually cut the damage done by a Pokémon's physical attacks." Brock added, "I would expect Paul to keep his distance and use Thunder even more now for the sake of dealing the most damage."

* * *

Fire erupted around Electivire's burly body, sticking the electric-type with some more burn damage and siphoning its strength. Electivire staggered back and the flames dispersed for the time being, but the threat undoubtedly remained.

"Infernape, Mach Punch!"

"Protect!" Paul countered, and Infernape was stopped cold by an unbreakable barrier formed by Electivire. "Quick, trap them in with Thunder!"

Electivire sent a jolt of lightning above it, which expanded into a cluster of crackling lightning bolts that shifted back and forth across the ground; a seemingly new and improved version of Paul's own Counter Shield tactics. The arms of electricity scuttled about of their own accord, making movement perilous.

"Thunder Punch!" Paul snapped. Electivire charged, an electrified fist at the ready.

"Dodge them!" Ash yelled. Infernape scampered out of the way, leaping to the side to avoid Thunder Punch. But the Flame Pokémon backed up just a few steps too many and stepped into one of Electivire's Thunder jolts, allowing the string of voltage to instantly electrocute it. Panicked, Infernape scrambled away, careful to keep its distance from Electivire.

" _ **Paul's new technique has Infernape in a bind, keeping it from going much of anywhere without the threat of an electric shock!"**_

"We can't stick around—Infernape, use Dig to attack and then get out of there!" Ash called. It was an easy fix—Infernape quickly burrowed under the ground, almost instantly surging up to attack Electivire from below and deal extra damage thanks to Electivire's electric-typing, and then quickly burrowed to safety, emerging outside of Electivire's trap. Annoyed, Electivire collapsed the Thunder barriers.

"Thunder, again!"

Electivire wound up and discharged a wicked, renewed bolt with lightning speed, but Infernape smartly ducked to the ground to avoid it. Ash quickly dished out a response, "Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Infernape doused Electivire with a fountain of fire, muddying Electivire's unruly yellow fur with embers as the electric-type backed away from the blaze.

"Electivire, use Thunder Punch." Paul ordered next. Electivire leaped, electrifying its powerful fist and landing with an ominous _boom_ right in front of Infernape, showing its boosted speed with the move. One lightning-fast jab later, Infernape was flying backward in a flash of lightning.

"Infernape!" Ash cried. The fire-type winced, but quickly leaped back to its feet in time to watch Electivire suffer the burn left behind by Flare Blitz. Smirking, Infernape taunted its rival, making it clear that it would take a great deal more to bring it down.

" _Fer-nape,"_ the fire-type snapped. Electivire's brow furrowed in anger, apparently offended by something that Infernape had said.

"Infernape, let's go with Flare Blitz!" Ash called, not one to waste time. Infernape screeched and a cone of fire roared to life at the fire-type's feet, growing to fully surround it and lift Infernape off of the ground like a rocket. Infernape levitated for a moment, feeding the flames until they grew to a brilliant, searing blue.

"Use Thunder." Paul directed. Infernape ducked its head and charged, summoning the full might of Flare Blitz as Electivire discharged a brutal bolt to meet it.

"Infernape, dodge!" Ash yelled. Infernape immediately dipped, avoiding the thunderbolt and continuing its charge.

"Evade them." Paul ordered, and Electivire nimbly lunged out of Infernape's path. The Flame Pokémon's attack missed and Infernape emerged out of the Flare Blitz unharmed.

"Thunder!"

Infernape whirled around and a golden bolt struck it right in the chest, slapping Infernape backward so that it landed in the dirt with a _thud_. Golden electricity circled around Infernape's form, making the severity of the damage painfully clear. Electivire's Thunder attack was as strong as could be.

" _ **A brutal bolt of lightning strikes Infernape hard and knocks it to the ground! Could this be the beginning of the end?"**_

Infernape cringed as it sat up, lean body wracked with soreness and the tingle of residual electricity. Infernape pushed one of its hands into the ground, lifting itself to its feet.

And then, like the flip of a switch, a red aura came to life around Infernape's form, and the flames adorning its head grew in size and roared with a new heat. Blaze had been activated!

"That's it! Blaze!" Ash beamed.

Electivire staggered back a single step before grinning and squaring its shoulders, curling its large fingers toward it in a beckoning motion. Now, it was a fight!

" _ **Or perhaps not! Infernape responds by activating its Blaze ability, giving a boost to its fire-type attacks! And anyone who recalls Infernape's last League match will be familiar with just how much power Infernape's ability affords!"**_

* * *

"Infernape's activated Blaze! That'll help them out in a pinch!" Dawn declared.

"And good timing, too. Blaze popping up should mean that Infernape won't be able to take many more hits." Brock agreed.

Gary nodded, leaning forward in his seat and wringing his hands with anticipation, "Ashy-boy'll need to make this quick, or it'll all be for nothing!"

* * *

" _Vire, Vire!"_ Electivire goaded. Infernape sneered, fully in control of its powered-up state, and prepared for battle.

"Alright, Infernape, let's move right along with Flamethrower!" Ash called and pumped a fist in the air. Infernape reared its head back before spewing the flames, the fire burning brighter than ever before as it fed on Infernape's unlocked power.

The fire struck Electivire with a _bang_ , thrusting the electric-type several paces back as the flames coalesced around its burly body.

"Electivire, use Thunder!" Paul yelled. Electivire fought its way out of the flames and snarled, generating a stratum of crackling lightning. The Thunderbolt Pokémon commanded the electricity into a single massive bolt and threw its arm forward, allowing the Thunder to glide off of its arm and strike out like a whip.

"Dodge it!" Ash cried, and Infernape bounded out of the way. The grass exploded in a surge of lightning and Infernape scrambled forward, anticipating Ash's next command as the flames atop its head burned with the fury of a thousand suns.

" _ **Both Pokémon trade powerful attacks, but it's Infernape who makes contact!"**_

"Flare Blitz!"

The fiery corona adorning Infernape's head bent, curling around the Flame Pokémon's body to form a shield of vicious fire. Infernape lifted off the ground, propelled by the roaring flames.

"Electivire, Protect." Paul ordered. Electivire drew its hands outward, spawning a shimmering barrier of green energy. Infernape crashed into the barrier and was stopped cold, screeching madly at its failure. The rivals glared at each other from either side of the green barrier, the heat of battle making both equally furious.

"Thunder!" Electivire collapsed the barrier and took advantage of the close quarters, slinging a slim black tail out to wrap around Infernape's arm. Infernape flinched, the wild fire in its eyes dimming.

"Flamethrower!" Ash howled. Electivire stirred up a roiling Thunder, moving to jettison the electricity. Infernape's fiery eyes lit back up and the Flame Pokémon unleashed a point-blank blast of fire. The grip of Electivire's tail instantly loosened and Infernape quickly paced backward, ripping itself free from Electivire's hold and keeping its blazing eyes fixed on the Thunderbolt Pokémon.

" _Grr._ Electivire, use Brick Break!" Paul barked. Electivire recovered from the blaze and surged forward, making use of its boosted speed as it charged in for a crushing Brick Break attack.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Ash countered. Infernape snapped its teeth and launched forward, bringing back a glowing fist.

The two Pokémon advanced with lightning speed, but Electivire stayed sharp and opted to counter Infernape's attack, pulling up short and swinging its fist. Infernape arrived and struck out quickly as well, connecting its own fist with Electivire's. The rivals ricocheted back from each other, dazed as the contact made their punching arms hurt.

" _Vire!"_ Electivire snarled.

" _Nape! In-fer-nape!"_

Electivire straightened its back and fire flashed to life around it, burning the Thunderbolt Pokémon once again. Electivire stumbled and broke its fall with a muscular arm, instantly looking up to keep an eye on Infernape.

Infernape was already rushing towards it.

"Flare Blitz, give 'em everything!" Infernape became surrounded by violent blue flames, rocketing towards Electivire.

"Thunder!" Paul yelled, a hint of desperation in his tone. Electivire forced itself to its feet and generated a thick layer of electricity. Electivire manipulated the voltage, throwing the thunderbolt as Infernape closed in.

The two attacks collided, but it wasn't enough to stop Infernape's mad charge. Bright light erupted from the point of impact, followed by a loud _crash_. The glare receded almost immediately. Infernape landed and immediately suffered recoil damage, reddish energy surging up to harm Infernape in exchange for the devastating attack. Electivire was still as stone for all of a second before a powerful explosion rocked the electric-type's body, clouding its vision with gray smoke. Immediately, Electivire dropped to its knees, a heavy _thud_ echoing around the silent stadium before the rest of Electivire's body toppled to the ground.

The crowd erupted as the referee shoved his flag into the air, announcing the result, _"Electivire is unable to battle! The winner is Infernape!"_

Ash beamed, "Way to go, Infernape!"

Infernape relaxed and the powerful flames crowning its head weakened to normal, Infernape slipping out of Blaze as it tried to rest. Despite its exhaustion, the Flame Pokémon grinned, releasing a primitive, proud chatter, _"F-Fer-nape!"_

" _ **And Infernape brings Electivire down for the count, leaving Paul with just one Pokémon!"**_

"Electivire, return." Paul barked, recalling the fainted Thunderbolt Pokémon to its Poké Ball. "Thank you for your hard work, Electivire…" Paul drawled and tucked away the capsule ball, sighing as he clasped his fingers around his final Poké Ball. Not keen to waste even a second, Paul wound up and slung the sphere onto the field.

" _Salamence, standby for battle!"_

* * *

"They're knocking on the door now! Paul's down to only Salamence!" Max beamed.

"Infernape was incredible back there. His Blaze ability is something else!" Gary remarked, "What I would've given for that kind of power back in my training days!"

"Infernape's a special case, that's for sure!" Professor Oak chuckled, "But I wonder, can he withstand Salamence?"

"It's going to be extremely tough. Salamence should still be in its Mega form, and that only tips the scales further in Paul's favor." Brock said.

"Charizard could barely even dent it, and it was Mega Evolved, too!" May added, "I hope Ash is more careful with Infernape."

"He'll have to be. I don't think it's any secret who Ash's last Pokémon is going to be. Pikachu's on another level, but I'm afraid that Salamence is, too. If Infernape can't do much to dent Mega Salamence, he'll be in trouble throwing Pikachu out there." Misty said.

"You guys've gotta have some faith!" Dawn said cheerily, "Ash knows all of this, I'm sure of it! Like I always say, there's no need to worry!"

" _Prin-plup!"_

" _Bun-eary!"_

"You know, Dawn's right. We've gotta believe in our boy!" May agreed, nodding fiercely.

Dawn grinned, thankful for May's support, and whispered under her breath, eyes fixed on the field, "C'mon, Ash… we know you can do this!"

* * *

Paul's last Poké Ball burst open and Mega Salamence emerged from it, frightening form and massive crimson wing casting a grim shadow over the field. Salamence released a thunderous bellow and glowered at Infernape, menacing eyes pulsing with venom.

Infernape squinted at its aerial foe and snarled, baring some of its sharp teeth to show that it was not afraid.

"Infernape, Salamence is tough, but I know you can handle it. Are you ready?" Ash called.

Infernape raised his arms into the air, thrusting its clenched fists up and down, _"In-In-fer-nape!"_

The flames atop Infernape's head immediately grew, burning with a newly intense heat as Infernape allowed Blaze to activate once more, eagerly accepting the boost that came with the ability. Its placid eyes lit with a red glow, refined power pulsing through the fire-type's veins.

" _ **It appears that Ash will stick with Infernape! Can Paul and Salamence even the score?"**_

"Salamence, use Dragon Rush." Salamence snarled and charged forward, slicing the air with its singular crescent-shaped wing as bluish energy came to life around its bladed head, intermittent streaks of red coming in as the energy grew.

"Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash countered. Infernape unleashed a current of searing fire, tapping into Blaze to make the blast extra-powerful. The flames struck Salamence head-on, giving only a moment's delay before the Dragon Pokémon rushed through the blaze, fire dancing off the layer of energy surrounding its body.

Infernape flinched and Salamence crashed into the fire-type, sending Infernape rolling away as Salamence arced into the air and swooped away.

" _ **Infernape tries to counter with a powerful Flamethrower, but Salamence appears undamaged as it lands its attack!"**_

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Infernape stood and leaped from its feet, zooming with ridiculous speed toward Salamence. The Flame Pokémon knocked back a fist and delivered a swift right hook, knocking Salamence's head sideways.

The Dragon Pokémon recovered all too easily and growled, its menacing teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"Dragon Rush, take them up!" Paul snapped. Salamence lunged forward, latching onto Infernape and curving upward to fly high into the sky. Streaks of damaging blue energy came to life around Salamence, wounding Infernape on the trip up.

" _ **Salamence is taking Infernape for a ride!"**_

"Infernape, use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled. Infernape heard the command from high above the ground and released a point-blank blast of fire. Salamence recoiled with a roar and Infernape automatically detached from the death grip of Dragon Rush. Infernape plummeted, tumbling aimlessly as it freefell.

"Salamence, after them! Use Crunch!"

Salamence recovered, shaking off the residue of Flamethrower and quickly swooping down after its foe. Salamence's jaws opened, its sharp teeth glinting hauntingly in the sunlight as the Dragon Pokémon quickly began catching up.

"Infernape!" Ash howled. The Flame Pokémon snapped its head up in Ash's direction, trying to gain control of its fall. "Use Dig to get away!"

Infernape grinned and pointed its body straight as it fell, arms out. When the Flame Pokémon landed, it seamlessly dug underground, disappearing out of Salamence's reach. Salamence growled and pulled up, flying safely back over to its side of the field and ceasing its attack as Infernape dug free on the opposite end.

" _ **Infernape brilliantly escapes Salamence's wrath by using Dig!"**_

Paul's face remained blank, "Salamence, use Giga Impact."

Salamence stirred, summoning an aura of powerful energy around its entire body. The energy glowed a faint purple and Salamence charged, rushing across the grassy field. Infernape staggered back a step.

"Uh, oh! Infernape, Flare Blitz!" Ash answered. Infernape lunged, surrounded by a veil of crackling fire.

But when the two collided, Salamence easily prevailed, decimating Infernape's attack. Infernape tumbled, driven along by Salamence and eventually discarded into the ground.

Ash gasped. "How did that do so much damage!?"

* * *

"Salamence didn't have any trouble at all!" Dawn murmured, stunned.

"I'll bet that has something to do with Salamence's ability when it's Mega Evolved: Aerilate." Brock suggested.

"Aerilate?" Misty asked.

Brock nodded, explaining further, "Most Pokémon gain a new ability when they Mega Evolve: in Salamence's case, Aerilate. Any normal-type moves used by a Pokémon with Aerilate become flying-type and get a boost in power to go with it."

"So that would explain why it was so easy for Salamence to win that clash. Its attack was more powerful than Infernape could've hoped to match." May reasoned.

Gary nodded and gestured to the battlefield, where Infernape was struggling to stand. "It sure looks that way. Infernape's in trouble!"

* * *

Infernape stood on its feet, knees wobbling precariously. Salamence growled from its place on the other side of the field, slowly recovering from its powerful Giga Impact attack.

" _ **Infernape looks to be on its last legs as Salamence unleashes a devastating Giga Impact! Is there any hope for Infernape to pull out a victory?"**_

"Infernape, we've gotta get 'em while they're recovering! Use Flamethrower!" Ash called. Infernape glared up at Salamence, the flames on its head still burning strong with the power of Blaze. The Flame Pokémon built up a great blast of fire. The flames glowed brilliantly as they burned through the air, racing toward Salamence's motionless form.

The fire connected and Salamence regained its ability to move, thrashing away from the blaze and snarling as tendrils of fire encircled its streamlined body. The Dragon Pokémon angled its enormous wing and lifted above the flames, gaining a clear vantage point over Infernape.

"Use Flamethrower." Paul ordered. Salamence opened its maw and a scorching blast of fire built up in its throat, erupting out with a roar.

"Infernape, dodge and use Mach Punch!" Ash countered. Infernape hopped out of the way, sidestepping the powerful Flamethrower and immediately launching up to deliver a sucker punch.

"Salamence, dodge!" Paul snapped. Salamence saw Infernape coming and just narrowly shifted back, watching for all of a split second as Infernape's swift punch caught nothing but air. Infernape stiffened, paling as it whiffed.

" _Hydro Pump."_ Paul said, voice as cold as ice. Salamence parted its jaws and a pounding jet of water exploded outward.

Infernape was promptly blasted down into the ground, hitting the ground with a _crunch_.

"Infernape!" Ash cried. The fire-type grimaced and fought to a standing position, its fire defiantly burning atop its head.

And then, without warning, Infernape's body went limp and the Flame Pokémon collapsed.

The referee raised the flag without hesitation, _"Infernape is unable to battle! The winner is Salamence!"_

" _ **Infernape is down! Unable to stand up to Mega Salamence's mega might, that ties the battle up once more, leaving either Trainer with just a single Pokémon!"**_

Ash brandished Infernape's Poké Ball, raising it and recalling the fainted fire-type, "Infernape, return!" A red beam collapsed Infernape's form and quickly returned to the Poké Ball. Ash twirled the sphere around in his hand, beaming down at it, "Thanks, Infernape. We couldn't get the last one, but you were awesome out there! You've earned some rest, big time."

Ash tucked away Infernape's Poké Ball and glanced up at the jumbotron, eyeing the group of six Poké Ball graphics arranged around his portrait. Five dark silhouettes made up the five Pokémon he'd cycled through: Lucario, Floatzel, Tyranitar, Charizard, and now Infernape. At the bottom of the list was one Poké Ball representing his last Pokémon, still unrevealed to the crowd.

"Well, Pikachu, it took 'em some time, but they forced our hand. Ready to get in there?" Ash asked, looking down at his partner Pokémon by his feet. Pikachu stood up on his hind legs and beamed up at Ash.

" _Pi-ka!"_ the mouse cried eagerly. Pikachu turned his attention back to Salamence, who was hovering calmly above the ground across the battlefield.

"Alright, buddy, get in there!" Ash crowed. Pikachu leaped onto the field, dropping to all fours and putting on his game face.

" _Pi-ka-chu!"_

" _ **At long last, with no other options, Ash calls upon his sixth and final Pokémon: his trusty Pikachu!"**_

Mega Salamence glowered down at the small Mouse Pokémon, snorting. This was his last obstacle? The best that his opponent could offer?

Salamence snorted at Pikachu, garbled language translating into something entirely different. _~This must be a joke!~_

Pikachu paid no mind, refusing to be riled up and displaying a cool confidence, _~Careful what you say. I pack more than enough of a punch for your ugly mug.~_

Salamence snarled, irked. _~Very well, rat. You may try your best.~_

Paul thrusted his arm out and barked a command, "Salamence, use Flamethrower." Salamence growled and reared back its head to unleash a stream of fire.

"Pikachu, dodge and use Iron Tail!" Ash countered. Pikachu vaulted sideways, easily avoiding Salamence's Flamethrower, and sprinted at the Dragon Pokémon, showing off his bewildering speed as his jagged tail churned with metallic energy. Pikachu leaped up at Salamence's exposed head, swinging around to smash the dragon-type's head with the broad side of his tail. Salamence recoiled, dazed by the attack as Pikachu landed safely and bounded away.

Salamence quickly recovered and snarled at Pikachu, _~Not bad, rat.~_

"Use Dragon Rush." Paul ordered, and Salamence came screaming through the air. Damaging energy came to life around the dragon's streamlined body, storing a staggering amount of power.

"Pikachu, give 'em a Thunderbolt!" Pikachu discharged a brilliant bolt of lightning, meeting Salamence's head-on charge with pounding electricity.

Salamence started to spin in its charge, redirecting the lightning around its body and taking no damage.

Ash stiffened, gasping, "Pikachu, get out of there!"

Pikachu bailed, leaping out of Salamence's path. The dragon-type couldn't hope to adjust accordingly, so instead Salamence pulled up and took to the skies, finding satisfaction in countering Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Crunch!" Paul replied, and Salamence promptly looped around to zoom down with staggering speed. Pikachu had no time to recover from his last-second dodge, and the Dragon Pokémon was on him all too easily. Sharp teeth and powerful jaws clamped around Pikachu's small body.

Pikachu winced, crying out, _"Pi-ka!"_

Salamence bit down and automatically reared up, launching Pikachu straight up in a practiced maneuver. The Mouse Pokémon tumbled through the sky, aimless and almost entirely defenseless.

"Perfect! Use Flamethrower!" Paul yelled, and Salamence breathed a scorching blast of fire after Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Use Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered. Pikachu righted itself and channeled the electric attack, generating thrust and launching forward in a veil of powerful electricity. Pikachu met the flames head-on, driving through them with ease and taking control of gravity to fall straight towards Salamence.

"Salamence!" Paul snapped, trying to get ahold of his Pokémon.

"Do it!" Ash yelled, drowning out Paul's voice. Pikachu finished fighting through the Flamethrower and charged, taking Salamence by surprise and landing with a blinding explosion of lightning. The two Pokémon separated in the haze, Pikachu moving to put some distance as Volt Tackle's recoil effect took hold. Salamence sneered, tense as electricity surged through its body, and took to the skies, surging out of a cloud of thick smoke.

" _ **This is thrilling! Pikachu's proving itself a true heavyweight, frustrating Salamence and landing a huge hit despite its small stature!"**_

"Use Crunch again." Paul ordered. Salamence swooped in, angling the devilish points of its crescent-shaped wing down towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball." Ash countered. Pikachu forged a perfect sphere of electricity on its tail, winding up and slap-shooting the sphere at Salamence. The Dragon Pokémon snorted and promptly Crunched the Electro Ball out of existence, apparently suffering no harm and continuing its charge.

"New plan! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash responded on the fly. Pikachu unleashed a bolt of lightning, forcing Salamence to stop and pull out of the way.

"Use Dragon Dance." Paul decided. Salamence obeyed, summoning a boost of energy to raise its attack and speed.

" _ **Paul looks to keep Ash and Pikachu heavily on the defensive as Salamence digs in with Dragon Dance!"**_

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Pikachu raced at Salamence, little more than a blur in the grass before crashing into Salamence head-on. Salamence flinched and slid backwards, shaking off the hit and snarling as Paul called for a response.

"Use Crunch, Salamence!"

The Dragon Pokémon lurched forward, jaws stretched wide.

"Dodge!" Ash yelled. Pikachu moved to spring out of the way, but Salamence was too fast, catching the electric-type in its jaws!

" _Pi-kaaa!"_ Pikachu wailed as Salamence bit down.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. Salamence made a point of dispatching Pikachu with a powerful throw, knocking the small electric-type far across the field. Pikachu hit the dirt and rolled, finally coming to a stop and warily standing back up.

The Mouse Pokémon gritted its teeth and snapped at Salamence, showing no fear. _"Pi-ka-chu!"_

" _ **Pikachu isn't afraid of Salamence, that's for sure!"**_

"Hell yeah, we're not! Pikachu, let's send 'em a Thunderbolt, you hear?" Ash called. Pikachu responded by discharging a shimmering bolt of lightning.

"Salamence, use Flamethrower." Paul ordered. Salamence breathed red-hot flames, directing a beam of devastating heat to deflect Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Fire and lightning collided with a crash, pushing violently against one another.

"Give it all you got, Pikachu! We can beat these guys!" Ash crowed. Pikachu smiled, inspired by his partner's confidence, and dipped into the reserve of unreal power contained within his small body, ramping up the Thunderbolt into an ultra-powerful burst of electricity. The newfound power allowed Thunderbolt to cut through Salamence's Flamethrower, decimating the fire and clearing a path of no resistance.

"Salamence!" Paul roared, but it was no use. Thunderbolt connected and shocked Salamence right to the core. Brilliant yellow surrounded the Dragon Pokémon's streamlined form, and Salamence split the sky with an agonized roar.

When the voltage died down, Salamence was dazed, but a fiery glare from the Dragon Pokémon indicated that it was far from beaten.

" _ **Pikachu unleashes a brilliant Thunderbolt and stuns Salamence! How will Paul respond?"**_

"Use Dragon Dance." Paul ordered coolly, and Salamence boosted its attack and speed even further. Satisfied, Paul followed through with a quick command, "Now, use Giga Impact."

* * *

"C'mon, Pikachu, you can do this!" Dawn shouted.

" _Bun! Bun!"_ Buneary agreed, hopping up and down and making her voice heard.

* * *

Salamence charged forward in a rocket of blazing purple-and-orange energies. The Aerilate ability worked its magic, boosting the attack's power even more along with the boosts received from Dragon Dance.

"Pikachu, that attack's no joke, so let's keep our distance with Quick Attack." Ash warned. Pikachu went into action, zipping back and forth across the field and forcing Salamence to change course on a whim over and over.

Ash allowed a glance at Paul, noting his rival's silent frustration.

"Let's bother Salamence with Thunderbolt!" Ash offered. Pikachu kept up his game of keep-away, adding intermittent bursts of lightning while dodging. The bursts of voltage served to annoy Salamence extremely, and the Dragon Pokémon soon ran out of energy and slid to the ground, exhausted.

"Now's our chance! Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered. Pikachu planted his feet and readied himself, launching forward in a burst of overwhelming electricity. Lightning coursed all around Pikachu, even bouncing off in various directions as the surges collected. All the while, Salamence lied in wait, unable to move as it tried to recover from the strain of Giga Impact. As such, Pikachu was unopposed, and he crashed into Salamence with explosive force.

The tense air erupted as the two Pokémon collided with one another, thick black smoke detonating in all directions. Pikachu bounced backward through the haze, landing cleanly on his feet before tendrils of electricity coursed around the Mouse Pokémon to indicate recoil damage.

"Great work, Pikachu! That had to have done something." Ash said, a smile on his face.

He was almost immediately proven wrong as two red eyes glowed ominously through the smoke. Salamence rushed out through the top of the cloud of smoke, flying high above the field and roaring as fire built up in its throat.

Salamence unleashed Flamethrower on the grass, swooping in a wide circle and dressing the lush greenery with ruinous flames. The ground promptly caught fire around Pikachu, projecting its heat onto his fur. Panicked, Pikachu scrambled toward the center of the field, casting a glare at the dragon flying above.

" _ **Salamence emerges from a crushing Volt Tackle and breathes a mountain of fire on the ground! What exactly could Paul be planning?"**_

* * *

"Woah… that's a lot of fire." May said, the blaze practically reflecting off of her brown eyes.

Max nudged his glasses up his nose, grinning at the ingenuity. "Paul's trying to limit Pikachu's mobility here. If Pikachu has less room to run, it'll be harder to avoid Salamence's attacks."

"Heh, these two are probably costing the Pokémon League a fortune with the way they keep destroying the field." Gary quipped.

"I'm surprised Salamence is still going strong. It's like that Volt Tackle just didn't do much!" Misty observed.

Brock stroked his chin, thinking aloud. "I'd bet it didn't do as much as Ash would've liked. Salamence is still part dragon-type, so it resists electric-type attacks a lot more than a pure flying-type would. Not to mention its already-high defense…"

* * *

" _ **What a tantalizing sight! Two Pokémon facing off inside a ring of fire with the ultimate prize on the line!"**_

Half the field had been cast alight, carving out a wide circle of earth in the middle and severely limiting Pikachu's range of movement. Salamence snarled from the sky, directing some words at Pikachu, _~A good fight, mouse.~_

 _~Whaddya mean?~_ Pikachu snapped back, _~It ain't over yet!~_ In fact, he'd say that he'd performed quite well so far, countering nearly all of Salamence's moves with his own!

 _~We'll see about that~_ Salamence growled.

"Salamence, use Dragon Rush!" Paul ordered. Salamence roared and nosedived, blue-and-red energy streaking into existence around its sleek body.

"Pikachu, dodge!" Ash yelled. Pikachu leaped out of the way, but the space the electric-type had to do so was severely limited by Salamence's Flamethrower trick, and the shock wave produced by Salamence's explosive landing still very much affected him. Dirt spewed in every direction, and Salamence quickly emerged from the haze.

"Flamethrower!" Salamence opened its maw and breathed white-hot flames from its gullet. The blast struck Pikachu straight-on, kicking the Mouse Pokémon backward in a ball of fire. Pikachu landed and scrambled to his feet, feeling the intense heat at his back as he stood dangerously close to the flames.

"Pikachu, we've gotta make some headway! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu immediately obeyed, bracing himself. _"Chuuuuu!"_ he yowled, jettisoning a bolt of lightning from his small body.

"Salamence, evade and use Crunch." Paul countered. Salamence flew out of Thunderbolt's path, circling around and charging toward Pikachu with jaws spread wide. Salamence zoomed in with great speed and snatched Pikachu up, discarding the electric-type in Ash's direction after a chomp of its jaws.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried.

"Use Dragon Rush!" Paul ordered, not letting up. Salamence ducked its head and locked on, flying straight at Pikachu with rage in its eyes. Salamence was too fast, clearing the shortened field almost instantly and crashing into Pikachu.

Pikachu bounced back toward the edge of the flames, sweating profusely now as a result of the searing heat and Salamence's sudden dominance. The mouse's body now hurt in multiple places.

Not one to back off, Paul called to the wind again, yelling for Salamence. "Do it again! Dragon Rush, finish them!" Salamence split the sky with a bellow, summoning a rush of blue-and-red energy around its body and zooming closer to the ground.

Ash straightened his back, putting on a brave face, "Pikachu, Electric Iron Tail, now!"

Pikachu dropped to all fours and put on a steely grin. He wasn't done yet! The electric mouse released electricity from his cheeks, activating Iron Tail in order to create a pulling force to consolidate the electricity. His silvery, jagged tail suddenly glowed yellow and lightning crackled around the appendage, growing in strength with each passing second.

Pikachu scowled, fury coursing through his system, _"Pi-ka-chuuuu!"_ the Mouse Pokémon yelled, taking a quick step forward and then leaping up to reach Salamence's height as the dragon approached. Pikachu spun with practiced skill, swinging the electrified Iron Tail attack in a brutal uppercut.

The attack caught Salamence right in the chin. Salamence was instantly repelled, its Dragon Rush attack exploding and throwing Pikachu backwards as well. Clothed in lightning, the Dragon Pokémon landed with a crash at the edge of the fire, skidding through the grass and extinguishing a large swath of the blaze before coming to a stop. Blackened grass was left in its wake, and a cluster of dirt found a home on one of the blade-like protrusions sticking out from its head.

" _ **I can barely believe my eyes! Despite suffering a barrage of brutal attacks, Pikachu puts up a monster blow using a combination the likes of which we've never seen, and may well have just put Salamence on the ropes!"**_

Salamence snarled as it rose off the ground again, dazed and effectively slowed down. Paul merely watched in silence, as unreadable as ever.

A flash of electricity snapped into existence, coiling around Salamence's body and making the Dragon Pokémon's body tense up. This time, Paul gasped, caught completely off-guard. "Static? But…"

"Pikachu doesn't have to be the one to suffer a hit for his ability to work." Ash pointed out, grinning from ear to ear. It had been quite some time since they'd seen Static come into play. "All he needs is some contact and a little luck."

"Every time I think I've got you beat, you find a way to come back." Paul grumbled. They were silent for a few seconds, and then Paul actually _smiled,_ just a tiny hint of happiness streaking across his stoic mask. "I guess that's what makes you such a great rival."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Paul. It's you who challenged me to reach this point, y'know; because of you, we've pushed ourselves harder than ever before." Ash declared. The flames on the field started to die, leaving behind embers as the blazing heat calmed.

Ash reached up and grasped the bill of his cap, "And that's why we're gonna win this thing: right here, right now!"

Ash flipped his hat backwards, feeling goosebumps dash up his arms as he grinned. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu bolted forward, powered by a rush of renewed strength. Paralysis ravaged Salamence's streamlined body, forcing the Dragon Pokémon to go still and remain defenseless as Pikachu struck with his full might. The attack merely glanced Salamence, though, and the dragon-type snarled.

"That had better not be the best you can do," Paul said, "Salamence, use Flamethrower!"

Salamence built up a blast of fire in its throat, ready to rain flames down on its small foe as it lifted off.

"Pikachu, let's Counter-Shield that!" Ash countered. Pikachu promptly ducked down on the blackened grass, spinning and shooting lightning up in every direction. Salamence's Flamethrower erupted downward, but the electricity served to split the fire into countless harmless paths and shut it down.

Pikachu spun and popped back up to his feet as the flames subsided. "I promise you, Paul, it's only the beginning." Ash said with a grin, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

* * *

"This is it! Here's where they hit their stride!" Dawn enthused, watching as Ash turned his hat around. Buneary hopped up and down nonstop, repeatedly chanting in favor of Pikachu.

Misty stood up now, bracing her hands on the ledge in front of her. "Go, Pikachu! You can do it!" The crowd slowly started to stand up, enthralled by the match.

Brock pounded his hands together, yelling in support, "Come on! You've got this!"

* * *

Pikachu sent a crackling bolt of lightning at Salamence, and the Dragon Pokémon ducked, manipulating a gust of wind to avoid the blast.

"Use Crunch." Paul ordered. Salamence zoomed around, gnashing its sharp teeth in an attempt to scare Pikachu.

"Pikachu, fight them back with Iron Tail!" Ash countered. Pikachu actively rushed forward to meet Salamence, jagged tail shining silver. The Mouse Pokémon slashed, but Salamence pulled up, settling for instead trying to crush Pikachu with a body check while flying overhead. Pikachu ducked, expertly avoiding the cheap shot.

" _Grr._ Dragon Rush!" Paul barked. Salamence circled back around, generating streaks of blue-and-red energy that erupted into a full-blown blaze around its body.

Pikachu braced. "Pikachu, use Volt Tackle." Ash called out, and the Mouse Pokémon sprinted again to meet Salamence head-on. The two powerful Pokémon collided, causing an explosion that sent Pikachu flying up and over Salamence while the dragon-type tumbled to the ground. As one, the two foes leaped back to their feet, ready as ever to continue.

* * *

Volkner resisted the urge to surge out of his seat in the press box, gripping the armrests of his chair with whitened knuckles. "C'mon, Ash. You've got this one!"

* * *

Salamence bristled as it hovered back in the air, tendrils of electricity twisting along its body.

"Flamethrower!" Paul snapped. Salamence made to breathe fire, but a surge of paralysis ruined its attack and failed to do anything. Salamence sneered, irritated, and Paul suggested another attack, "Go with Dragon Rush!"

Salamence snarled and charged, once again generating a rocket of blue-and-red energy around its body.

* * *

"Hey, does Salamence look slower to you guys?" Layla suddenly asked, perking up from her spot in the stands.

Max frowned and watched as Salamence charged toward Pikachu on the field. Ash called for some sort of response and Pikachu zipped out of the way with Quick Attack, immediately changing course and attacking the dragon-type from above with Iron Tail.

"It sure looks like it." Max concluded.

"Salamence must on its last legs…" Brock said. He glanced at Paul on the field, "And I'm thinking that Paul knows it, too."

* * *

"Iron Tail!"

Pikachu shifted his feet instantly, planting and leaping after dodging Dragon Rush. Thanks to his quick reaction, Pikachu had a perfect target, charging up a speedy Iron Tail and attacking the back of Salamence's wing. Salamence roared in surprise and Dragon Rush instantly disintegrated as Pikachu pushed down on the hard flesh of Salamence's singular wing.

Salamence spun out of control, crashing unceremoniously on the ground. Pikachu leaped to safety, spinning to face his foe and allowing a smile as more electricity coiled around the dragon-type's body. Salamence's paralysis was quickly getting worse.

" _ **A smart Iron Tail ruins Salamence's control of its flight, and paralysis is really taking hold! It's dire straits for Salamence right now!"**_

Pikachu stood at midfield, waiting for Salamence to move. The Dragon Pokémon snarled.

"Salamence, fly up and use Dragon Rush." Paul ordered. Salamence took to the skies as quickly as it could, noticeably slow as it fought through paralysis. The Mega-Evolved dragon-type soared, beating its single wing repeatedly to gain as much altitude as possible.

"Pikachu, I want you to ready a Thunderbolt, but don't let it loose, okay? Let's just keep our eye on them for now." Ash asked, careful not to tip off Paul. Pikachu nodded, fixing his eyes on Salamence as the Dragon Pokémon stopped flying. Electricity built up in Pikachu's cheeks, but the electric-type kept the voltage concealed. Just what was Salamence up to?

Salamence suddenly fell, or at least that's what it looked like. Energy came to life around the dragon-type's body and Salamence stopped beating its wing, freezing up and focusing on the descent.

* * *

"What's Paul doing?" May wondered aloud.

Gary gasped, apparently figuring it out. "He's having Salamence use gravity to bring itself down. Salamence is moving slow, and he doesn't want to risk paralysis ruining things."

"Salamence isn't flying down." Brock said, suddenly understanding, "He's _dropping_ down, and Paul knows that if he lands this hit, Pikachu will go down before Salamence does."

* * *

Salamence continued to descend, picking up speed with every passing second. Dragon Rush's energy grew in size, using the wind to coalesce completely around Salamence's body and up its power as the dragon dive-bombed like a bird of prey.

"Hold, Pikachu." Ash ordered.

 _~Ash…~_ Pikachu said through their mental link, clearly strained.

 _~I know, buddy. Just a little longer.~_

" _ **Goodness, Salamence is diving down from so high up! Does Pikachu even have a chance?"**_

Salamence closed in, its features becoming more and more visible. Blue energy burned in the sky around it, the power behind the attack reaching incredible levels as the energy streaked several feet behind the slim Dragon Pokémon, likening Salamence to a plummeting meteor.

Ash waited, counting to three in his head.

When it was time, he yelled at the top of his lungs, _"Now! Thunderbolt!"_

Pikachu jettisoned every ounce of electricity in his body, producing a golden bolt of lightning that was so bright that the mouse had to shut his eyes tight to protect them. The lightning zig-zagged and shot straight at the same time, jolting up through the air in a brilliant cluster.

It was more powerful than anything Ash had ever seen.

Paul could only gasp before the Thunderbolt struck home, slicing clean through Salamence's Dragon Rush and electrocuting the dragon-type to the bone. Salamence gave an agonizing roar and its attack disintegrated, leaving nothing for the Dragon Pokémon to do but fall.

Salamence's landing came with an audible _boom,_ creating an electrified explosion that sent dust every which way. Hot wind mixed with crackling static nearly blew Ash back a step, and Pikachu was launched toward him by the shock wave, landing mostly safely in the torched, blackened grass. Smoke billowed up from Salamence's landing site, thick and dark as pitch.

Pikachu grew tense as he watched the smoke cloud, just waiting for Salamence to come screaming out with another attack at the ready.

But no such thing came, and the smoke cleared after what felt like an eternity. Clear as day in the grass was one Mega Salamence, leaning unconsciously on its side with its crescent-shaped wing digging into the ground. A small crater had formed around it, attesting to the force that Salamence had hit the dirt with.

There was no doubt.

The referee blew into his whistle, and he raised the deciding flag, _"Salamence is unable to battle! That marks Paul's sixth and final Pokémon, which means the winner of the Lily of the Valley Conference is Ash from Pallet Town!"_

" _ **They've done it! Salamence is down!"**_

Whatever the announcer had to say next fell on deaf ears. The crowd roared like never before. Pikachu released a massive sigh of relief, relieving himself of a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Immediately, the Mouse Pokémon's legs gave out, and Pikachu forced himself to sit on the torched battlefield.

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu looked back, spotting Ash running for him. With a phantom surge of adrenaline, Pikachu whirled around and ran to meet Ash, closing half the distance and then leaping. Ash outstretched his arms, catching his partner Pokémon with ease and hugging him tight.

" _Pika-pi!"_ Pikachu cried, thrilled.

Ash laughed, spinning once as he hugged Pikachu. He couldn't help himself as he fell to his knees, eyes shut tight in an attempt to fight the tears of unadulterated joy.

"We did it, buddy. We did it!" Ash declared. He tilted his head up, and his shout was lost to the wind.

"We won!"


End file.
